If you’re like Barefoot Brady, you’ll dig the Inov8 Roadfly Max

Introduction to the Inov8 Roadfly Max

BRADY: Let’s talk about feet, folks. We are reviewing the Inov8 Roadfly Max, a max-stack daily trainer/long-run shoe designed with a wide, anatomical foot shape. While that might not sound sexy to everybody (or anybody), my hope is that if you’re reading this, you, like I, are at the center of the target audience for a shoe like this. If you are unfamiliar with the Roadfly Max, Sarah Perry wore it during the Legends Backyard Ultra in Belgium, claiming the Last Woman Standing title with a total of 316 miles. With that, the Roadfly Max has some impressive pedigree behind it, so let’s get into it.

What we like about the Inov8 Roadfly Max

BRADY: The Roadfly Max is Inov8’s max-stack road model. I requested the wide model, so if you have a wider midfoot as well, it’s nice that the brand gives that option. Inov8 creates anatomical shoes that aid a natural stride, and I feel that I’m encouraged to push off my big toe in the Roadfly Max more than with any other foot-shaped brand.

As Believe’s resident foot guy, I think about feet every day. Terms like pronation, supination, dorsiflexion, and plantar flexion are music to my ears. It’s totally fine if you don’t share that obsession, but after dealing with my fair share of foot, ankle, and shin issues, learning how my feet actually function during a stride has been crucial for overcoming injuries. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve navigated similar struggles.

So, while there are plenty of other foot-shaped shoes out there with wide toe boxes and room for splay, the way the Roadfly Max rolls through the big toe is uniquely satisfying, and I really dig it. I noticed the same sensation in the Trailfly Zero V2, which tells me this is a distinct feature of INOV8’s midsole geometry.

The Roadfly Max also has a 6mm drop, which is steeper than other foot-shaped brands typically venture. I think it’s nice and makes for a seamless transition if you’re coming from non-anatomical brands. The Topo Specter 2, a favorite of mine, has a 5mm drop, for reference, while Altra’s highest-drop shoes only register at 4mm.

Lastly, I’ve logged 30 miles in the Roadfly Max, and this should come as no surprise, but the outsole looks untouched. I mentioned it in the intro, but this shoe went hundreds of miles during a backyard ultra, so I would expect that you could get a ton of miles out of a pair.

What we don’t like about the Topo Athletic Roadfly Max

BRADY: Compared to other shoes that we get to try at Believe in the Run, the Roadfly Max doesn’t stand out a ton at first glance. Inov8 is still using its Flyspeed Pro midsole, a supercritical EVA foam that feels, well, pretty basic. This particular formulation feels softer than the Trailfly Zero V2, which makes sense, given that trails already provide ample cushion. Still, in my time working here as Believe in the Run’s video editor, I’ve tested some bouncy shoes. This is not that.

With the extreme durability I expect from this shoe comes a couple of drawbacks. This thing is not light. My US M10 comes in at 10.5 oz. I can see why, as the upper and tongue are both very plush and comfortable, and the outsole features complete rubber coverage. Underfoot, it doesn’t feel sluggish, but expect it to feel more like a traditional daily trainer. On one eight-mile training run, I picked up the pace for the last mile, and it felt fine, but I think this shoe was built for daily miles or easy-pace long runs.

Final thoughts on the Inov8 Roadfly Max

BRADY: At the time of writing this, I just finished peak week while training for the Eagle Up Ultra 100 Miler. I’ve logged hundreds and hundreds of slow, arduous miles with walk/run intervals, and as I look towards the race, I can see why Sarah Perry chose this for her Backyard Ultra. There is plenty of room in the toe box, and the outsole is grippy and durable, so this thing will go for miles and miles. The Eagle Up Ultra is a 5-mile loop on a combination of rail trail and road, and I have to say, this shoe is in contention for my rotation on the day, especially as my feet swell as the miles tick onward.

If you’re in the market for a durable, anatomical, high-stack daily trainer with some drop, I can suggest you pick this shoe up. If you want a bouncy trainer for long runs with marathon-pace miles in the middle, I would not get this shoe. There are plenty of lighter, bouncier options out there, such as the Topo Specter 2, which I mentioned, or the Altra Experience Flow 3 for daily use. Regardless of which you choose, I think Inov8 has done a good job carving out a slot in the market for those of us with gait on the mind.

You can pick up the Inov8 Roadfly Max for $160 from Inov8 using the buttons below.