Inov8 Bare Grip 200: The Perfect Obstacle Course Shoe

Have you ever sit down and asked yourself, “What shoe should I wear for this obstacle course race?” The answer always ends up being the blown-out pair of shoes that you dug out of your closet because you didn’t care if they got dirty. If you race in obstacle courses such as the Warrior Dash, Tough Mudder, and Spartan Races often, you may want to consider a minimalist shoe designed for those kinds of conditions. The Inov8 Bare Grip 200′s is a perfect example.

“The Inov8 Bare-Grip is a serious trail shoe for the minimalist runner looking for the ultimate low-to-the ground shoe on loose or soft trails. A zero drop heel-to-toe ratio and lack of a midsole promote a natural foot strike and the aggressively lugged, sticky rubber outsole offers plenty of traction on rugged terrain.”

You will never find yourself slipping and falling on your face when you run in the mud. The cleat-like feature aggressively digs into the loose ground and/or mud and propels you forward instead of risking a nasty fall. Most of all, it helps improve your time because you are not constantly fighting the slick ground.

Another feature this product has is a mesh material, which promotes breathability, comfort and lightness (8.2 ounces). This is especially important because there is no cotton in the shoe. Running through water and mud will not make it expand or add any extra weight. The water simply drains out of the shoe immediately!

You can buy these shoes fairly inexpensive at Running Warehouse. They currently have them marked at $90 ($110 regularly). Trust me, they are worth the investment! I have used them on several training runs as well as a race and plan to use them for World’s Toughest Mudder this November.

“An athlete cannot run with money in his pockets. He must run with hope in his heart and dreams in his head.” – Emil Zatopek

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