I picked these up 9 months ago in July of 2012, in need of new minimalist shoes. My Vivobarefoot Evo I's ripped out on me and cross country was beginning to roll around, so I dropped by Revolution Natural Running's website, as I had run across some information regarding a sale there. I also nabbed a pair of Newton Distancia's on sale as well (which I ended up giving away a few weeks ago).
I contemplated between the Bare-X 150's and the Bare-X 200's. The 150's were an 8mm stack height shoe, zero drop. The 200's are a 3mm stack, zero drop.
I regrettably went with the 200's; regrettably not because of the price, function, or 3mm stack height, but because they only come in white...! I mean...white running shoes?!
I still have the original box, as I use it to store some records for my small company. It's a simple box with a colorful print on the top, show above. I ordered a 41.5, which seems to run a tad large compared to other companies.
The weight comes in at 6.5oz per shoe. Again, this is a men's size 41.5, or 8.5 US.
And here they are! Blackened after 250+ miles on concrete, trails, tracks, and grass. I use
The Sole
The sole of the shoe is a very thin, flexible Bare-X sole. Inov-8 describes the compound as blended synthetic Lite Rubber and EVA foam. Whatever it's made out of, it's amazing. It's endured more than enough gravel, concrete, and harsh trails without any major signs of failure. What's also noticeable is the texture--not only is there a wicked portrayal of the bones of a human foot, but there are also horizontal serrations that allow for better flexes and bends. There are no signs of punctures, rips, or tears in the sole. At first, it was a very rubbery, grippy sole! After 9 months of hard wear and use, it is now much like high grit sandpaper: slightly rough, but slippery feeling. The sole is intrinsically durable, while maintaining flexibility.
The Meta-Flex system is extremely effective in allowing natural flexibility in the forefoot. Here you can also see the sole looks almost "scratched" or bruised.
By simply holding it upright by the heel assist loop, the weight of the shoe pushes down at the point of the Meta-Flex and creates the bend shown above.
Here's the heel. As I mentioned, I do use these in casual situations. You can also see some vertical serrations that allow for the right and left of the shoe to bend with ease.
The Upper
The upper consists of a "Met-Cradel" lacing system (the pale/clear/yellow plastic part) that is very, very handy. The laces pull the cradle into place, which continues around the shoe and until the sole. This allows for a glove-like fit.
Other than the Met-Cradel system, the upper is a strong, lightweight mesh. Inov-8 is shown in gray lettering underneath the lacing system, which is frankly difficult to read.
The front has some small lettering, declaring "Bare-X 200". I do love the small accents along the front toe, that seem to point at the logo. The are a distinctly different texture and never seem to stain.
The toe bumper proudly displays the Inov-8 logo! Here you may also notice the amount of height that the toe sits when the shoe is flat!
The insole is a perforated, firm foam.
This is what's under the insole when you pull it out. Just a perspective for those wishing to run without the insole.
The shoes seem very narrow; I have had friends (non-minimalist/affiliated with running) comment that my shoes simply look like a wrestling shoe, or tight fitting. I have not found the fit to be restraining or uncomfortable! The mesh is soft, and very well ventilated. Any wind breezes poke at my toes and feet inside. They also are probably my worst smelling shoes, regardless of how may times I wash them. My feet heat up, but moisture is well taken care of. The laces are very thin, but I have not experienced any fraying. The laces are also really, really long.
Showcasing the flexibility of it!
The left shoe heel loop assist ripped out on the the first day! I simply cut off the other side. Bad luck I suppose...
Performance
So I'm sure that you stumbled by this review for the performance, and durability after 250+ miles!
I must say that the shoe is very lightweight, durable, and flexible. The shoe fared well on concrete, trails, grass, tracks, and roads. I didn't experience any pain associated with the shoe. (I came from a 4mm Evo I, so not much different there.)
I found them to be like my Evo I's, but thinner. It was definitely more flexible for me. However, I liked the clean white color in the end for casual purposes, often matching skinny khakis and a boisterous colored top. Additionally, they look like regular shoes! besides the "narrowness" that they may portray, I get the wonderful feeling of walking between classes in a minimalist shoe, with a stylish look.
They get cold. And wet.
Here in Illinois, weather is so unpredictable. The wind penetrates the upper and freezes my toes in the colder months. In the wet months, even the smallest puddles find their way into the shoe, due to a low side skirt, unlike my Evo II's shown here:
You can see that the toe area allows water even just a few millimeters high to burst through the mesh and onto my feet!
Speaking of which, when it gets particularly icy on the roads or sidewalks, I often find myself sliding about! On my 600m walk to school from a remote parking lot, I've fallen a total of 3 times in these shoes this winter! The sole is simply not grippy enough for slightly wet or icy surfaces. I don't know if that is to do with a 250+ mile toll on the shoe, or not, as I purchased the shoe and ran most of its miles before winter.
This slipping often occurred on grass as well--wet or not. This is what left me as this shoe as a training shoe, and not race shoe for cross country (which often takes place on grass routes).
I did also notice much traction loss on the indoor track that my school has. This also led to my VFF Komodo Sports to being my racing shoe indoors, and the Bare-X 200's as training shoes.
I suppose you sacrifice grip for lightweight durability, flexibility, and thinness.
Conclusion
The Inov-8 Bare-X 200's are one of Inov-8's less popular models, but is a perfect "regular" looking minimalist shoe with the ground feel similar to Vivobarefoot Evo I's, VFF Komodo Sport's, and Zemgear 360. They are a lightweight, flexible, and durable shoe that has endured miles upon miles of training across a wide variety of surfaces. The upper is strong, with no apparent or likely damage, rips, or tears, and the sole continues to survive. I can see another 200 miles in these suckers. They fit like a glove on your foot, and manage moisture well--but not heat. They are perfect for your typical warm sunny day, but are terrifying in wet, cold, or icy conditions. The sole simply does not grip the surfaces and allows slippage and traction loss. They suit well for both casual and athletic sessions of wear and are inov-8-ive (haha) in their design and styling. They remain as a wonderful day-to-day shoe, but also a hard training session shoe for me. And after washing several times, there still is no apparent damage. They are a fantastic shoe with dual application in athletics and style, that are practical. Think Hyundai Genesis--classy, but no-name. Fast, but boring. Now imagine that without AWD because these shoes love to slip and slide!
Pros
-Durable, lightweight, and flexible sole
-Strong upper, shows no fraying or signs of tearing
-Stylish and can be used in "regular shoe" situations
-No abrasions or discomfort
-Snug lacing system that allows for a glove-like fit
-Offer phenomenal ground feet and a true barefoot experience
-Manage moisture efficiently
-Rather cheap, starting around $70 USD in some retailers
Cons
-Difficult to use in wet, cold, or icy conditions
-Sole is simply too slippery and does not grip these surfaces
-Do not ventilate heat well (although, I do have hyperhidrosis and that plays a large role in this con)
-May have a narrow fit on some
-Let water in a bit easily
-Run a bit large length wise, contrary to the narrow fit.
-Allows water in easily
-Only offered in the color white, which obviously gets dirty quickly
Here you can see the "narrowness" of the shoe , along with the super long laces (even after I double knotted).
The sole after a wash cycle.
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And to close out the review, a pic from a few months ago that I found where I used the shoe to match my over-sized, overly puffy coat on my trip to Chicago!
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