I had seen the inov-8 brand in reviews previously and that it was well regarded. I found a pair of 195's on clearance and decided to give them a try.

My quandary was what size to get. I had seen some sites and reviews saying to order a 1/2 size down. I wear a 12 in most running shoes and have never had an issue with that size. I decided to go with the 12's in the Inov-8's and feel they fit just fine. The toe is more pointed than most shoes and maybe seems a bit longer but I put these side be side (and bottom to bottom)with several of my 12's including my Kinvara 2's and to me they all seem like the same length. Width is a little narrower compared to some of my other shoes but I wear a D width and the upper material is "stretchy" and I didn't notice any ill effects nor was I uncomfortable. In fact I was very comfortable in the shoe. The heel cup area is a bit lower than most running shoes but the heel stays locked in very well.

The upper graphics and toe bumper is some kind of spray on rubber type material, kind of like a bedliner. I looks good and works fine, and I am guessing it keeps the weight down. The sole is an injected mold EVA foam and a bit denser in feel to most EVA on other shoes. The colors on the EVA are painted on with some sort of rubber paint. Over all the shoe looks very good in person. There are a lot of color choices out there as well to pretty much match anyone's desire ranging from the very bold to the plainer solid colors. It is very light as well.

Feelwise I like low drop shoes but at 6'3" 205 some of them like the vibram's, merrell's, and minimus line pound me when I run as they just don't give me enough cushion. The 195's denser foam combined with a pretty good insert, actually do very well. I think the insert will compress over time so will have to see how long it lasts. The cusioning is better than the really minimal stuff but the ground feel is still very good and the sole low to the ground. Feel wise these remind me of my NEw Balance 730's but I give the comfort edge while running to the 195's. For a light 3mm drop low sole shoe, these are very runable for me on a cushioned surface like a treadmill or trail.

As a general workout shoe these are great. Fairly flat sole, locked in foot, low to the ground for stability, good cushioning. As I can run in them, moving from treadmill to free weights is no problem. At MSRP they are a bit spendy but if you look around you can usually find them in older colors on clearance somewhere.

Update: Still one of my favorites. If you are looking for something similar but zero drop and having a wider toe box, try the 232's. I picked up a pair and give them a slight nod over the 195's. I love both though.