By Lisa Martin
Being a trail running townie inov8’s new PARKCLAW shoes have impressed me through the concrete jungle, along a variety of off-road tracks, right up to the top of some steep muddy hills. They are perfect for multi-terrain courses, for example those posed by many parkrun routes, allowing the wearer a smooth transition between surfaces - grass, tarmac, mud and gravel - to name a few. As a parkrun Run Director I have already and will continue to recommend the PARKCLAW shoe to parkrunners, especially during this colder and wetter part of the year which we seem to be well and truly into now. In addition, they appear to be a great shoe for new explorers of trail running due to offering excellent grip without being too specialised or restricting the wearer solely to trails. Alongside parkrun, I have discovered the PARKCLAWS provide enough support and cushioning for longer distance runs.
The 8mm drop has worked well for me meaning the PARKCLAW hasn’t caused any adverse effects in my ankles or achilles which I have suffered previously in some trail shoes. According to inov-8 the Powerflow and midsole technology give ‘10% better shock absorption’ and ‘25% better energy return’, I have fully felt the benefit of the shock absorption in comparison to previous trail shoes I have run in for short road sections. Moreover my feet and legs definitely feel more energised than they would in a less flexible trail shoe. The lacing and tongue system is comfortable and effective with a secure heel cup resulting in no slippage in the heel or midfoot, whilst the toes get to run in comfort due to the wide toe box. I would like the PARKCLAW even more if they had a lace pocket so the laces were securely out of the way, however, this is down to personal preference rather than a necessary feature, I also find the shoe to be lower around the ankle than some others but again this is down to my previous trainer experience rather than a fault with the shoe in any way.
The PARKCLAWS are ideal for regular mixed terrain training runs whilst being light enough to also race in. Although I wouldn’t wear them for a run solely on the road they are extremely versatile and transition well from the front door to the trail and from the trail all the way back to the front door. Once on the trails the PARKCLAW offer excellent grip thanks to their 4mm lugs which cope with uneven surfaces and steep hills whilst also providing stability across the mud. For those of you familiar with inov-8’s range of shoes it seems the PARKCLAW come in between their TRAILROC series and ROADCLAW series.
The PARKCLAW’S colour is bold and bright enough to cheer you up a dull autumn or winter’s day and motivate you to get out for that run! Teamed with their other benefits I would fully recommend these shoes to anyone looking to start trail running, all parkrunners, those who seek that smooth transition between surfaces or any trainer addicts like myself.
