Looks

The first colorway that interested me was the red/blue sketch that Inov-8 Training posted on their Instagram.

Screenshot taken from @inov8training Instagram profile

I love the red and blue color scheme which is why I purchased the first version in that color. Unfortunately, the sketch was not a production color. After looking at the launch colorways, I decided on the grey/blue/black version. The shoe resembles many of the shoes in the Inov-8 catalog and is not something completely different like the original 235's.

Fit

I ordered my pair from Zappos.com, in the same size as the v1's. I am not sure if I received a defective pair but they were a little more than a half size too big. I had to ship it back for a half size smaller. When I got the new pair, it still felt a little big but not by too much. I had more room in the toe box compared to the original.

Construction


After using the shoes for about five months, they are holding up great. No rips or tears from rope climbs or general use. The only issue that I have is with the rubber label on the tongue. It was attached using some kind of adhesive and has started to come off. It's not a big deal but it's the only flaw I can find in the shoes. The mesh is also showing some signs of wear where the shoe flexes. It looks like it will  hold up.


Performance

If you are a fan of the original 235's, you will like this version. Since it's not as snug, I was afraid my feet would be sliding around during workouts and lifts. I have used these shoes for almost six months and almost any workout. They held up against olympic lifts, metcons, squats and deadlifts. The soles felt sturdy during squats and flexible during runs. Power transfer was not an issue during heavy lifts thanks to the dense sole.

Rope climbs feel great as well. They grip the rope better than the Metcon 2. Better technique might be able to explain that however. I set some pr's while wearing the v2's, a new power clean pr and a few metcon pr's. Check out my Instagram or the Barbells and Boxcars for videos of me wearing them.

Final Thoughts

The v2's is a great follow up to the original 235's. It does what good shoes are supposed to do, let you forget about them. I did not think about my shoes during workouts and did not have to switch them out when heavier lifts were programmed into the workout. It could be that I'm getting better at the movements but the shoes definitely help. If you can get passed the aesthetics, these will be a great buy. 

Lift Heavy and Level Up!