Inov-8 (16 articles)
Men's Base Elite Long Sleeve Race Elite Visor Cap Women's Base Elite Long Sleeve Women's VentureLite FZ Jacket Women's Train Lite Shorts Women's Base Elite T-Shirt Women's Venturelite Mid HZ Long Sleeve Women's Venturelite FZ Hoodie Jacket Men's Venturelite Hoodie FZ Jacket Men's Venturelite Trousers Men's Venturelite FZ Jacket Women's TrailFly Ultra G 280 Shoes Women's Parkclaw G 280 Shoes Women's RocFly G 390 Shoes Women's RocFly G 350 Men's RocFly G 390 ShoesInov-8 was founded in 2003 by Wayne Edy. Edy, born in Zimbabwe, had identified a gap in the market and was convinced that he could develop a better product for the off-road running shoe market than what was available at the time. Wayne was the first Inov-8 shoe to develop the “Mudroc”, which later became known as the Mudroc 290. It is the first running shoe with which Inov-8 made a name for itself. Businesslike as he was (and still is), Edy ordered a container to transport 2,500 pairs of shoes from China to England – financed by a mortgage on his house.
Wayne Edy – efficient CEO
Sample pairs of the Mudroc 290 were then flown in, Wayne phoned eighty potential dealers and sent a pair of shoes and a presentation about the new brand to those he felt were comfortable with. Originally, Wayne wanted to call the brand Mudroc, but the name was too similar to that of an American brand, so Inoveight was born, which was later abbreviated to Inov-8.
To make his brand known, Wayne was not only in England but also throughout Europe. Wayne convinced retailers and athletes of his philosophy that the foot should control the shoe and not vice versa. Inov-8 has remained true to this premise ever since. Trail running shoes were developed which were not only light but also provided optimum grip. The result of his efforts was: after only two months he ordered the second container!
From niche manufacturer to trail running innovation shoemaker
It all began at Inov-8 with two employees: mastermind Wayne Edy himself and shoe designer Graham Jordison, who still works in shoe design at Inov-8 today. In the meantime, the company has grown strongly. But inov-8 remains true to its philosophy: products are developed by runners for runners. Inov-8 employees understand athletes and their needs because they are active runners themselves. They use the products themselves and live the brand. This is exactly the difference to big running shoe brands, where the input of ideas and their implementation are often far apart.
Inov-8: The all-terrain brand
Inov-8 According to Britta Sendlhofer, Marketing for Germany and Austria, she wants to be “THE all-terrain brand par excellence” and “offer products that have been optimised for the most diverse needs of every terrain on which our customers want to run, whether on ice, snow, scree or road”. road? That’s right – the trail running shoe manufacturer is also taking off for asphalt and hard surfaces and has recently started offering running shoes that are specially designed for this application.
From the Lake District to the entire world
Inov-8 is at home in the Lake District and hence in the “Himalayas” of England. The highest mountain – the Scafell Pike – reaches a relatively manageable 978 metres above sea level. But this should not hide the fact that the Lake District is home to one of the toughest trail run competitions in the UK – the Lakeland 100. The Lake District is a real paradise for trail runners and an ideal testing ground for Inov-8 products.
Britta Sendlhofer says: “We are at home in the English Lake District, a region which is known and loved worldwide for its mountains and lakes. Fellrunning, as the mountain run is called here, has a long tradition in this area and is part of the culture. Runners have been running in this area for centuries! With this in mind, Inov-8 sets out to provide the worldwide trail running scene with excellent shoes, running vests and clothing. The company is now active in over 60 countries worldwide and enjoys a high reputation in the trail running scene.
Innovation at Inov-8
Inov-8 is driven by one thing: close cooperation between athletes and companies. The innovative results of this cooperation can be experienced with every new product that Inov-8 brings to market. As in the early days, the focus is on products for runners who want to push their limits and are constantly looking for new adventures such as the first ultra-marathon!
In the meantime, the Japanese sporting goods company Descente, with over 80 years of experience in the sports sector, has joined Inov-8. Nevertheless, “innovator” Wayne Edy still holds the reins at the company headquarters in Staveley. In this constellation, the English running shoe brand is looking forward to a future full of challenges – both running and business!
The Graphene Sole
In the summer of 2018, Inov-8came out with a completely new, revolutionary shoe series: the G-Series! This trail running shoe series has been developed in cooperation with the University of Manchester by incorporating Graphene, a substance derived from graphite, into the sole of the shoe. Result: the sole is “50% stronger, 50% more elastic and 50% more resistant” than other sole materials and is set to “take the world of sports shoes by storm”, as Ian Bailey, CEO of Inov-8, puts it.
“Before this innovation, trail runners and fitness athletes had to choose between rubber compounds that either offered high friction but wear out faster – or harder compounds that are more durable but simply less grippy. After intensive research, hundreds of prototypes and thousands of hours of testing in the field and in the laboratory, athletes no longer have to compromise,” says Bailey.
Brand Check Inov-8
- Inov-8, founded 2003 by Wayne Edy, now part of Descente
- Especially known for … tough trail running shoes
- Well-known athletes of this brand are … Eirik Haugsnes and Amy Rusiecki
- A true Inov-8 classic is … the Roclite 295