Thats just for pre order.Originally Posted by TheBearRunner
Have just arrived. Red makes you go faster right?... watch this space for thoughts and musings in a week or so.
Blimey, Bowland colours.... might be enough to tempt me away from my traditional loyalty to Walshes for racing
Hi Insider,
Are the X-Talons 190 got the same/similar upper design as the F-Lite 230PK's? or to the Original X-Talon 212's?
If they are like the Originals, great!
If like the pictures show, its closer to the F-Lite design, I wont be going near them. My F-Lites have developed holes upwards along the toe protector and backwards, just behind the toes protector material to the plastic lace stripes. Its a real pity as the sole is still fine and the 212's I bought at the same time are still going strong.
My 212 have taken more punishment aswell.
Having been a Walsh fan for most of my 25 years of fellrunning I've become a convert to Inov-8s for training. They are a more comfy shoe (my current favourite is the now discontinued Mudroc 280) but there are definitely issues with the durability of the uppers of all the Inov-8 models I've had.
Once upon a time Walsh could do a racer that weighed 220g but was as tough as old boots (no pun intended) but on current experience I can only shudder at the life expectancy of a 190g Inov-8 racer....
I took delivery of a pair of 190s a couple of days ago. They seem like a really nice shoe but being a racer I wouldn't expect them to be bullet proof. The problem I have with them is they seem to be too big. I haven't worn them running yet but I've put a 6mm foot bed in them and they still seem a bit big. This wasn't the case with my flite 230s which I thought had the same uppers. I can't make up my mind whether to try a half size smaller and see which ones fit best then send the others back.
So far, a week or running in them and I'm very impressed. No blisters or rubbing straight out of the box and they feel really fast. They give the nearest run to barefoot/VFF's but with aggressive grip I've experienced. Feedback from the trail is amazing. Grip on all surfaces, even wet rock, I've come across has been superb and the low slung and natural foot position the minimal midsole and 3mm differential give is incredibly stable. For me steep contouring and descending is even better than the 212 which I didn't think was possible. I'm a big fan of the F-lite 195's and haven't had any wear problems that Orienteered has had so the uppers get a big thumbs up. The wider laces and slightly more plush tongue result in a more snug and comfortable fit than the 212 and that I think might explain the enhanced contouring/descending performance. It'll be interesting to see what durability is like with daily use but I think I'm a bit more realistic about this than some and expect a trade-off with a shoe this light.
Now got a half size smaller and the fit is right. Shame I haven't had chance to wear them before tomorrows Peris Horseshoe. Not sure what to go with now ? May stick with my 270s for this one.
I've just been to Sportsshoes in Bradford and bought a pair. They were advertised on the web at £79.99 but for some reason I got a £17 discount in person. Nice.
They are very red. It's going to be a couple of weeks before I get to try them out but looking forward to it.
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