Inov-8 Fastlift 370 Review
Inov-8 Fastlift 370 Review
Pros
- Perfect heel size at 0.65 inches
- Light and incredibly flexible
- Tough and durable
- BOA lacing system
Cons
- Expensive
- Sizing issues
OVERVIEW OF THE Inov-8 Fastlift 370:
Inov-8 is an UK based company that has its offices in the US. They are a athletic shoe manufacturer that aim to innovate the shoe market, hence the name ‘Inov-8’. They want to provide their customers with top notch weightlifting sheos. In a market dominated by Adidas and Reebok, chances are you may not of heard of them, so, in this article, we’re going to provide you with a full Inov-8 Fastlift 370 Review. Inov-8 are very much involved in competitive athletes’ lives and competitions, so it seems they really want to be an integral part of the community.
Immediately noticeable is the unique looking BOA lacing system, the same they have on the Adidas Drehkraft’s and most recently, the Adidas Leistung. These shoes use what’s called ‘BOA technology’, which is essentially a strong cord that uses a dial to tighten up the shoes. The result (the BOA company claims) is a system which will tighten up far more than you could achieve with traditional laces or the metatarsal strap you see on most weightlifting shoes.
The makers of the Inov-8 fastlift 370 aim to bridge the gap between a stereotypical weight lifting shoe, cross-fit shoes, and incredibly light running shoes. It combines the best of the top 10 weight lifting shoes into one incredible, performance based ‘truly hybrid’ training shoe.
To me, the inov-8 fastlift 370 is very similar to the Adidas Adipowers or the Adidas Leistung.
Performance Review:
Traditionally, most weight lifting shoes are noticeably inflexible in the toe box (the front part of the shoe), which can be a massive pain when you’re doing anything that’s not squats. However, in our comprehensive Inov-8 fastlift 370 review, there was a clear difference in forefoot flexibility. It’s actually a trait we’re seeing more often with these ‘premium’ shoes. The early forms of weightlifting shoes with the wooden block were terrible for flexibility – and it’s the same story with budget weightlifting shoes too. So this makes it better for dynamic movements such as clean and jerks, snatches and even makes it suitable for crossfit athletes. It’s a far cry from the pro crossfit shoes like the Reebok Crossfit Nano 5.0 or the Reebok Crossfit Compete, but you wouldn’t feel like you would sprain an ankle attempting some dynamic movements in these.
The BOA lacing system keeps you pinned to the floor, there’s no give in the sole and the sides are incredibly durable giving you really decent ankle support. That’s the core principle with these shoes; you want stability, a firm base and for your feet not to slide at all. That means maximal force transferred and minimal chance of injury.
The inov-8 fastlift 370s boast incredible ventilation panels and your feet don’t swear in them as much as similar weight lifting shoes, which is a function very much appreciated! These things are truly breathable.
Heel Height:
There are many different heel heights in olympic weight lifting shoes, some are 0.75 inches such as the adipowers, others are less at 0.60 inches such as the powerlift 2.0s and most recently, some even go as far as a full inch heel. The Inov-8 fastlift 370 occupies a rather undiscovered middle ground, they have a heel height of 0.65 inches. I think this is the perfect heel height for someone with average flexibility who wants to improve squat depth.
Sizing:
Sizing in the inov-8s are notoriously random. You might find that your size doesn’t fit, so try to purchase via amazon for a return guarantee.
Final Verdict on the inov-8 fastlift 370:
All the benefits of the Inov-8 fastlift 335 but with the BOA lacing system and a little shaved off the weight. The result is one of the best weightliftingshoes I’ve ever used.
