Type a shoe name, like Pegasus, Clifton or Kayano.

Inov-8 Roclite 290

Trail shoe · Neutral · Trail · 9.4 oz · 4mm drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Inov-8 Roclite 325 replaced it

How it ranks

The Inov-8 Roclite 290’s rating is an early estimate. We’ve collected 2 runner reviews so far, with product line history and external ratings also informing the score.

Inov-8 Roclite 290

of 5

Current estimate: Below average

66
Overall
66
Durability
77
Value
75
Appearance
70
Comfort
63
Cushioning
59
Confidence

Confidence

How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence is low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

52 Low

52

Based on

The bars show roughly how much each source contributes to this shoe’s rating. Their influence depends on how many reviews we’ve collected, how many earlier versions are in the product line, and the external ratings available.

  1. Product line track record
  2. Our ratings
  3. External ratings

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.

Pros

  • Both reviewers rate durability 4 out of 5 or better, one running rocky trails, gravel and rough tarmac in it.
  • One reviewer praises the rock protection and the grip in all conditions, on a 4mm drop.

Cons

  • One reviewer finds it far too narrow through the midfoot and toe box to lock the heel down.
  • The other says it is not ideal for mud, clay or wet conditions.
  • Averaging 9.3 oz across the men's and women's builds, it is heavier than the 8.9 oz median for trail shoes for sale.

Rating & Confidence vs. other shoes for sale

Each dot is one rated shoe for sale, placed by its rating and by how much evidence sits behind it. Shoes toward the top right are both well rated and well established.

Confidence
50 60 70 80 90 100 25 50 75 100

Better Shoes Rating

Roclite 290 rates 66. This shoe has low confidence. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Inov-8 Roclite

Each dot is one version of the Roclite, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.

Rating

Release year

We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating. See why.

  • Roclite 290 This shoe

    2017 · 2 reviews

    66 Below average

    52 Confidence

  • Roclite 285

    2016 · 1 review

    66 Below average

    7 Confidence

Runner Ratings

2 ratings
5/5 0
4/5 2
3/5 0
2/5 0
1/5 0
See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight
9.4 oz
Men's / women's
Men's 10.1 oz · Women's 8.6 oz
Release
2017 Q3
MSRP
$120
Drop
4mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Showing 1–2 of 2 written reviews

Perfect for dry trails

4/5

Overall

Roclite 290 is a 100% working pair of training shoes to drive you through rocky trails, rough stretched tarmac sections, and the narrowest footpaths. Suits best for those who: * Run 5-20km trails including rocks, gravel and other hard surfaces, * Prefer low-drop minimalist shoes, * Enjoy the feeling of your feet being safe. However, if you are often hitting mud and clay roads, or maybe desiring some water and rain resistance, you may find this pair not so ideal.

fullstackrun · Sep 13, 2019

90 mpw

Comfort
4/5
Cushioning
4/5
Durability
5/5
Appearance
4/5
Value
5/5

Not the right fit

4/5

Overall

If the fit was nailed on, it would be an excellent shoe for me, personally. Nice cushioning, rock protection, amazing grip for all conditions, perfect for both training and racing. However, even though I don’t have amazingly wide feet they were far too narrow for me. They were so tight around the mid foot and very little room in the toe box, that I couldn’t even get a good lock on the heel. Not sure my rating is fair as for a narrow foot, the stars would shoot up im sure.

Anonymous runner · Feb 8, 2018

30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the The North Face TNF Litewave TR II

Comfort
3/5
Cushioning
4/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
4/5
Value
4/5

Alternatives

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92 Very good

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The North Face VECTIV Enduris 4

VECTIV Enduris 4

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90 Very good

$113
Nike ACG Zegama Trail

ACG Zegama Trail

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84 Good

$100
Topo Athletic Ultraventure 5

Ultraventure 5

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90 Very good

$155
Nike ACG Ultrafly Trail

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83 Good

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Compared to other shoes

See how this shoe compares to others like it.

Inov-8 Roclite 290
Shoe image placeholder
Nike ACG Pegasus Trail
Roclite 290
Roclite 345
ACG Pegasus Trail
Current shoe
Choose a model
Lightest
Newest / Best overall / Best comfort
Shoe properties
Type
Trail shoe
Daily trainer
Trail shoe
Pronation
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
9.4 oz Lightest
—
9.7 oz
Stack
—
—
—
Drop
4mm
—
8mm
Release
2017 Q3
2019 Q1
2026 Q2 Newest
MSRP
$120 Lower MSRP
$175
$155
Best price
—
—
$93
Ratings
Overall
66 Below average
—
92 Very good Best overall
Comfort
63 Below average
—
79 Decent Best comfort
Cushioning
59 Bottom-tier
—
77 Decent Best cushioning
Durability
77 Decent
—
85 Good Best durability
Appearance
70 Decent
—
95 Excellent Best appearance
Value
75 Decent
—
84 Good Best value rating
Specific shoe

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Inov-8 Roclite 290 In Context

More on the Inov-8 Roclite

Compare every Roclite version

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