Got a pair of the Mudclaw 275 (same grip as the yet to be released graphene). Not had a chance to get out in them yet (illness & family commitments) but the grip looks to be very aggressive indeed.
I like the lightweight X Talons for fit of the uppers (the old blue 190 & the recent orange 210) & found the grip quite good on rock, but lacking on mud. Still got some Walsh that I wear for training & sometimes racing - not as comfortable a fit, but the best grip of any shoe I’ve owned. A bit of me wishes that Walsh had the capital to invest in modernising PBs a little (lighter upper with improved fit, slightly more flexible sole) as they really are a great shoe & it’s a shame to see that they’re not all that popular anymore.
Ah. Someone must have a photo of the original brown ones somewhere? Pre-selfie days that though.....!
Were they the ones with the asymmetric lacing? If so, I went to a shop intending to buy some, decided I didn't like them and came out with yet another pair of Walshes. Didn't get into Inov8 until I bought some Mudclaws in about 2012.
I think the asymmetric lacing was a feature of an early iteration of the Mudclaw.
I sometimes look at photos from races 10 years or so back & notice that folk are almost exclusively shod in Walshes. Over the last few years, almost everyone is in Inov8 (with the odd deviation), though things seem to be opening up a bit - folk in Salomon, VJ, Scott, Hoka etc, & even a few more Walshes again!
Asymmetric lacing was a feature of the Mudclaw 275 - the tiger striped red, black and grey one if I remember correctly. They had the same sole as the Mudclaw 300, but were the "stripped-back" racing version.
Weren't those the 270s? Second pair of inov8 I had after the mudroc.
I stand corrected Pete - they were indeed! I must be getting old :-)