Review - Inov-8 Fastlift 335

So I got these shoes recently and thought I'd share my opinion.



Unboxing - initial thoughts were that they look tiny. Admittedly I am only a size 9US (so these are an 8UK) but they looked smaller than all my other shoes and I thought they wouldn't fit but they're spot on.
Build quality looks good and the heel feels like a very rigid plastic. Nice grippy soles.





Putting them on, they lace up nicely and the metatarsal strap gives good support. Walking around, the heel isn't too noticeable but they do feel very stiff. Sort of like the whole sole is plastic. I don't think you'd want to do any cross fit or similar activities in them.

Primarily bought them for squatting in but will try them benching and OHP as well to see how they go. I've been training in my flat Orions for about a year now I think.

Did a lot of front squats today, working on different foot positions. The heel definitely allows me a narrower stance but I don't feel I can lift as much with that setup just yet. Still managed to hit my regular working weight/PB with my usual wide stance though.
It was however, good to do higher reps with a narrow stance after my heavy work to incorporate the quads more.

Also did some lighter back squats and again, they felt very stable and allowed good foot position. They were comfortable enough to carry on the rest of my workout without having to take a second pair of shoes.

All in all, they cost $120 from Wiggle, delivered in about 10 days from the UK. Can't really go wrong IMO but my next pair of Oly style shoes will probably have the larger heel like the Adidas range have. Not that I'm not happy with these, would just like to compare.

post your awesome physique in them bro

Go check the front squat comp, you can fap over my amazing glutes....and then go and film your own entry.
Real talk!

Hahah reel talk indeed!

They look pretty hot them shoes aye.. a great buy indeed.. yeah, front squats are a challenge in heels for some reason. They make me tilt forward too much. Great for Oly lifts though!

These have a 0.65" heel, whereas the Romeleos/Adistars have a 0.75" heel.

I actually prefer my fastlifts to my romeleos; they just suit my biomechanics more.

And yes, I defo have a shoe addiction.

Hi. My name is Repacked and I too have a shoe addiction....but that's beside the point....

I bought some Fastlifts a month or so ago. They were available at a good price and I wanted to see how much benefit there was to be had from a squat specific shoe. I must say for the price they are a good unit. The fit is good, the build appears good but it is still early days. When I was trying them on I also tried on some Romaleos and was able to squat in them. No doubt the Romaleos (imo) are on another level in terms of stability. The footprint is much larger and they are a much heavier shoe which contributes to a more stable feel. While the difference in lift between the two is not huge, you have to bear in mind that the Fastlifts are designed to be a 'multi purpose' shoe; so you can squat and then do the rest of your workout...supposedly. Personally I think this would be less than comfortable so I change. They definitely offer heaps of support, a rock solid base and fit like a glove. They are a D or medium width fit. The toe box isn't huge but I find it comfortable, and went for the US11 which is my sneaker size. It is quite a firm fit, which is good. Overall, excellent value, form (good colourways) and comfort/function (as long as they last) but they do have a small footprint compared to the Romaleos and don't have that same 'glued to the ground' feel.

You don't find them comfortable/flexible enough?
I think they're fine to do my whole session in them, no need to change here. A little stiff but it doesn't bother me, I'm not trying to run in them or anything

White_Lie said:

You don't find them comfortable/flexible enough?
I think they're fine to do my whole session in them, no need to change here. A little stiff but it doesn't bother me, I'm not trying to run in them or anything

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On the contrary, they are quite comfortable and the heel is rigid, but for walking around the gym and other exercises I just find sneakers more comfortable. They are more flexible than the romaleos which are on another level in terms of feel. For your OHP and the like they'd be ok, but for the other exercises I do after squats, like leg press for instance, I don't think they'd be comfortable; mainly because of the lift. At the end of the day they can be as uncomfortable as they want as long as they perform well.