It acts like some sort of a (thick) second skin. The Xlite 155 stands low on the ground and is worn very close to the foot. The sole is totally flat without any grip and has a pronouced flexion line under the metatarsal (common feature of many Inov-8’s shoes with the MetaFlex system). That’s indeed why I chose to wear socks during my runs. The mesh is a bit stretchable and rough, which makes it not that comfortable when wearing it barefoot. On the other hand, the toebox isn’t large enough, more or less the same as in any regular shoe. Except for it, the Xlite 155 would be a good minimalist shoe, which respects most of the usual criteria: 3 mm drop, close to the ground, no structure, flexible, lightweight (155 g), no toe spring. The Road Xlite 155 is supposed to be a minimalist shoe, thus being possibly used barefoot by many runners, so why all these fabrics and seams? However, I would like to say that, despite the good points that I will talk about, the way the tongue is fastened to the shoe is really an issue. I immediatly had a look at the base of the tongue: same assembly but forming a smaller roll, which allowed me to wear them without being blister-plagued. To keep on using them, I had to put socks on and throw away the inside sole. This part is stiched on the shoe with far too many fabrics and sewing threads, making some sort of a roll that quickly irritates the top of the foot.
I started to run barefoot in the French pair but had to come back home after only 10 minutes suffering from bleeding blisters on top of my toes caused by the base of the tongue. These pairs were supposed to be identical. As it took a few weeks for the Toe Salad review pair to be delivered from Inov-8 (let’s call it the American pair), Inov-8’s French distributor lent me another one (let’s call it the French pair) to start the review and, of course, write something in French on my website.
Yes, I wrote pairs with an s, which is not a mistake caused by my uncertain knowledge of English. Odd things sometimes happen when reviewing shoes, this includes what I encountered with my pairs of Inov-8 Road Xlite 155. The shoes I use most are the Saucony Hattori and the New Balance Minimus MT10. The pain however didn’t prevent me from staying minimalist both on and off roads. Mostly with pleasure, sometimes with great pain (caused by a stress fracture on my right foot’s second metatarsal). I have been wearing minimalist shoes for almost two years.
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