The Terraclaw replaced the much-loved Trailroc. It has now been discontinued too (Inov8 has brought out a new Trailroc, which looks very different and isn’t as light) so I urge you to buy this shoe while you can. I’m now on my second pair (with a third on order) so I can offer a long-term perspective.
Upper:
Mesh is fused with plastic overlays around the toebox and across the midfoot, which has proved to be particularly resilient. The shoe looks distinctive due to the ‘X-lock’, a cross of plastic over the toebox, and its off-set lacing (diagonally aligned towards the instep). The ankle collar and tongue are lightly padded.
The shoe has a wide toebox which allows my foot to splay naturally. I experienced no black toenails or rubbing despite running the Dragon’s Back (130 miles of it) and walking the Cape Wrath Trail (230 miles) in these. The midfoot is held securely in place except when tackling very steep downhills in wet conditions. In such circumstances, I had to tie the laces very firmly, which worked, but was uncomfortable. On my second pair, one shoe rubbed on the heel and I had to cut a slit in the heel tab, which solved the problem with no detriment to performance. I think this was just a quirk of manufacture combined with my bony right ankle.
Sole:
The midsole has a 4mm drop and, with the outsole, leads to a stack height of 20mm at the heel. I’d prefer zero drop, but I don’t notice the slight raise. The cushioning is enough to offer me protection from rocks while still providing good ground feel. Flexibility is outstanding and as good as Vivobarefoot.
The outsole has widely-spaced lugs which grip well but they are not deep (4mm) and struggle to cope with deep mud and steep wet grass. This is a compromise (the same as the Trailroc) which means they are suitable for hard gravel and tarmac surfaces – I happily run in these on roads but also off-path through any terrain.
Wear and Tear:
After 500+ miles, much of which was off-road and off-path, a hole developed on the inside flex point. While this did not affect performance, it did let in grit and I replaced them. The second pair in these photos has been worn for 100 miles of the Cape Wrath Trail (much of it off-path) and 100 miles of running and walking on the Scottish west coast (Luing).
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VERDICT:
Brilliantly designed minimal all-terrain shoe with with just enough protection and just enough grip. A great Trailroc replacement. Long-term test shows very good durability. 97/100.
Stats:
Design intent – Stripped back shoe for running fast on the widest range of trails imaginable (single track to steep descents)
Weight – 220g
Midsole – Minimal. 4mm drop.
Outsole – Widely spaced 4mm lugs.
Insole – Standard and removable.
Fitting – Inov8 Standard last. Wide toebox. Runs true to size. Works with Correct Toes
Source:
I purchased this shoe.
Runrepeat:
For other expert reviews on this and other shoes see: runrepeat.com
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