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!

The shoe looks like has the usual Inov-8 design, which is not a bad thing. The shoe is made up of a soft mesh which feels durable and breathable. The toe area is also reinforced with a fuse material design. The sole looks like it will maintain grip on the muddy trails.

I thought this shoe was true to size. I ordered my regular size and it fit well. The toe box is a little wide which is great for people with wider feet. After lacing up and walking around a bit, I couldn't wait to hit the course!

Performance

Konquer was my first OCR, and I don't normally do trail runs. My running experience is all on pavement so I didn't know what to expect out of this shoe. The first leg of the run was done on loose gravel and mud. The traction was great. I didn't slip or slide on the steep inclines. My fellow teammates wore normal running shoes and they were having some traction issues.

During the mud section, the bottom of the shoe was covered in mud. I felt like I was running in cement shoes. After jogging on dry dirt/gravel, the mud would fall off and my shoes would feel light again. The water also drained quickly leaving only my socks feeling full of water. The shoe also handles rocks and other sharp obstacles well. I could still feel the ground but I wasn't worried about injuring my feet.

Final Thoughts

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

Over the past few weeks I've used these shoes for everything. They were my go to CrossFit and casual shoe. This was my favorite colorway from the launch selection. The gold on black and grey looks fantastic. If you take a closer look, the shoe looks very similar to the Metcon 1. The shoe is divided into four sections that can have different colors. The area around the laces are different but it's not a huge change. The shoe fits like the Metcon 1, true to size. It took a week or two to break in, but that's like most shoes. The mesh on the toe box is the same as the second wave of Metcon 1's but has a different construction. 

Added a plastic plate to the heel which reduces friction on the handstand pushups. 

Performance

I put these shoes through its paces. CrossFit to casual wear, these shoes have held up great. The sole is a bit more rigid in the heel area; I didn't feel as much compression during squats. The sole is still flexible and do not make a squeaking noise (yet). I still wouldn't want to run long distances in them. A mile max, but I don't think any shoe would help me at that point. My heels felt more locked in during running and jumps. The extra padding around the heel and a new heel design is probably the reason for the improvement. I haven't done a lot of rope climbs yet but that's on my list of things to test. The gym just built a rig that has a rope climb section.

The plastic heel works and I do feel less resistance. I'm not sure how much of a difference it's going to be but it will take some stress off the sole. The wall has to be flat and smooth since that plastic piece will be able to grab onto cracks. I haven't encountered that problem yet but it might be something to look at.

Final Thoughts

The Fastlifts come in a variety of colors but my favorite colorway is the black and red. The materials used were ripstop nylon as well as other synthetics. The heel platform is different from other lifting shoes that I've seen. Instead of a wedge it has a "power truss" which look like columns. I think the columns make the shoe lighter while still providing the same stability as a wedge. The shoe has one strap which keeps your foot locked down and instead of a rigid midsole this shoe also has a metaflex system. The flex point should help during movements like box jumps and brupees.

Since these were my first pair of weightlifting shoes I didn't know what the fit was supposed to be like. A lot of articles online recommended a snug fit. The Inov-8 website recommends a half size up from your f-lites, but I decided to get my normal size. If they didn't fit well I could always return them. Thankfully they fit well, not loose or too snug. Fastlifts are light weighing only 335 g or around 12 oz. I would be doing some olympic lifts in the coming weeks which gave me a great opportunity to test them.

Performance and Durability

I bought these shoes mainly because of the price, hybrid functionality and online availability. At the time these shoes were $150 but they may be cheaper now. I'm not sure if these would be better than the other hybrid shoes on the market but they are definitely well worth the price. If you have any questions or comments, leave them below.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!