| Gender | Men , Women |
| Weight | 290 gr |
| Drop | 8 mm |
| Cushion | Neutral |
| Runner weight | Medium |
| Running gait | Neutral |
| Surface | Trail |
| Use | training |
| Pace | Low |
| Foot | Normal feet |
| Strike | heel |
| Year | 2014 |
The British shoe company is back with this Race Ultra 290 model that moves away from minimalism, with its 8-millimeter drop, to which we are accustomed. A shoe designed to perform at the highest level in ultratrail events whose distance is rather long.
This 290-gram shoe is designed for runners with a neutral stride and weighing no more than 85 kilos. Due to the extra cushioning that the shoe incorporates, it could even be used on some asphalt sections, although it is mainly designed for compact surfaces, trails and tracks.
Inov-8 specializes in wet terrain, grass, mud and loose stones, so typical of the English countryside. Therefore, this Ultra Race 290 model is extremely robust and compact, with a point of stiffness in the most impact-prone areas such as the front and rear of the shoe.
As for the midsole, it integrates an EVA foam compound, while the sole of this Inov-8 uses a rigid and multicolored triple compound that the company has called Tri Endurance in its commercial jargon, with the firm purpose of giving the shoe a long service life over time.
Two-Arrow Race Ultra technology provides the runner with optimal cushioning and comfort without loss of proprioception. On the other hand, its characteristic Trailroc outsole has a series of 4.5 millimeters deep lugs providing the trail runner with good grip and stability on this type of mountainous surfaces.
The upper of the Ultra Race 290 protects the upper quite well and breathes well. A detail that we liked is that this model incorporates the possibility of attaching gaiters through side slots intended for this purpose.