Skip to content
Menu
Quick & Precise Gear Reviews
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Running
  • Cycling
  • Drones
  • Travel
  • Shop
Quick & Precise Gear Reviews

Inov-8 Bare Grip 200 Zero Drop

Posted on March 9, 2011March 22, 2011

The long awaited and hugely anticipated zero drop trail running shoe from fell and trail running experts Inov-8 is finally here. I’ve previously tested one of their new running shoes, the Road-X 222, which has been re-designed to be the new Road-X Lite 155 and is scheduled for release in May. I was really impressed with the Road-X 222 and they did not disappoint with their Bare Grip 200 trail shoe.

Testing this shoe made me appreciate trail running even more. Prior to testing the new trail shoes, over 80% of my runs have been on roads and tartan track. With the Merrell Trail Glove, GoLite Tara Lite, and Inov-8 Bare Grip 200 trail running shoes, I’ve been running trails for 3 weeks straight! It’s kinder to the body except for hard packed trails. Now it’s more like 50/50 road/trail runs for me.

I’ve been wearing the Merrell Trail Glove for both road and trail running lately and added the Bare Grip 200 to the rotation for trails. At first glance, you can see the Bare Grip 200 has a narrower toe box than the Trail Glove and comes with the new Bare Grip outsole.

From the picture below, you can see that the Bare Grip 200 has a narrow toe box but my foot actually sits below the narrower front part of the shoe thus my toes can spread out a bit without getting bruises or blisters. Obviously I still prefer a wider toe box.

There is NO midsole in this shoe, just the outsole and uppers make up this unique Zero Arrow Shoc-Zone off trail shoe! This is the closest you can get to barefoot running in a harsh environment.

Weighing in at 8.2 ounces and with a zero differential, the Bare Grip 200 comes with a performance last rather than an anatomical last. It made no difference to a beginning trail runner like me.

The Bare Grip outsole (more in line with the Mud Roc and X-Talon series) is designed for loose and soft surfaces and it performed a lot better than the Merrell Trail Glove on thick wet mud and slippery trails. I never slipped while going full speed over wet slippery mud. With the Trail Glove, I had to slow down significantly while doing the same trail the next day.

The uppers is made of lightweight and breathable mesh fabric. The lacing system is typical Inov-8 and is anatomically positioned to cradle the mid-foot behind the metatarsal heads thus providing a secure adjustable hold, while allowing the forefoot to flex naturally.

The polyurethane laminate (TPU) on the upper mesh also doubles as part of the lacing system.

All in all, I ran two different trails with both the Bare Grip 200 and the Trail Glove to do a fair comparison. Both shoes performed wonderfully on both trails. But the Bare Grip 200 did much better in mud, hands down. I’m glad I have two different trail shoes that I can pick from depending on the types of surfaces I’m running on.

I’m glad I took the pictures of the shoes before running on the trails because it is really dirty looking now! Mud and water puddles are no longer obstacles to trail running with the Bare Grip 200 and I invite them. The imprint left on the mud by the Bare Grip 200 without the “it’s stuck” suction sound of other trail shoes make me smile.

However, I would have preferred that Inov-8 made a wider toe box for the Bare Grip 200. That is probably the only obstacle preventing a lot of trail runners with wide feet from trying these on. And that would be such a shame with such an awesome shoe. Maybe Fall’11 will bring an anatomical last with a wider toe box…

The Bare Grip 200 is currently available from Zappos and Road Runner Sports.

 

http://www.inov-8.com

*Product provided by Inov-8 (MSRP $110).

If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@weartested.org

 

Access Newsletter Archives

Minimalist Shoe Reviews

by Brand

Recent Posts

  • One for Work. One for Travel. Which KÜHL Pant is Right for You?

    One for Work. One for Travel. Which KÜHL Pant is Right for You?

    May 22, 2025
  • The new Ruko U11MINI 4K Ultra-Portable Pocket Drone

    The new Ruko U11MINI 4K Ultra-Portable Pocket Drone

    May 19, 2025
  • The Altra Experience 4mm Drop Shoe Collection: Flow, Wild, and Form

    The Altra Experience 4mm Drop Shoe Collection: Flow, Wild, and Form

    May 18, 2025
  • REI Anniversary Sale 2025

    REI Anniversary Sale 2025

    May 17, 2025
  • WTGR Gear Giveaway: LEMs Shoes Switchback Sandals

    WTGR Gear Giveaway: LEMs Shoes Switchback Sandals

    May 14, 2025
  • Get ready for Summer with Smartwool Everyday Short Sleeve Shirt & 8-inch Shorts

    Get ready for Summer with Smartwool Everyday Short Sleeve Shirt & 8-inch Shorts

    May 13, 2025
  • The Switchback Innovative Game Changer From LEMs Shoes

    The Switchback Innovative Game Changer From LEMs Shoes

    May 10, 2025
  • Comparison of Xero Shoes Sandals & New Spring Colors

    Comparison of Xero Shoes Sandals & New Spring Colors

    May 7, 2025
  • LEMs Shoes Tariff Buster - 20% OFF Sale

    LEMs Shoes Tariff Buster - 20% OFF Sale

    May 5, 2025
  • Modern Take on the Classic Denim Jacket with Style and Comfort

    Modern Take on the Classic Denim Jacket with Style and Comfort

    April 21, 2025

SPONSORED

Never Miss A Post

Join our mailing list:

Post Archives

  • May 2025 (9)
  • April 2025 (7)
  • March 2025 (11)
  • February 2025 (1)
  • January 2025 (4)
  • November 2024 (16)
  • October 2024 (10)
  • September 2024 (7)
  • August 2024 (6)
  • July 2024 (4)
  • June 2024 (6)
  • May 2024 (4)
  • April 2024 (5)
  • March 2024 (1)
  • February 2024 (1)
  • January 2024 (1)
  • December 2023 (2)
  • November 2023 (4)
  • October 2023 (5)
  • September 2023 (2)
  • August 2023 (2)
  • June 2023 (4)
  • May 2023 (7)
  • April 2023 (1)
  • March 2023 (4)
  • November 2022 (6)
  • July 2022 (2)
  • June 2022 (1)
  • May 2022 (4)
  • April 2022 (2)
  • May 2021 (1)
  • November 2020 (1)
  • September 2020 (1)
  • August 2019 (1)
  • November 2018 (2)
  • September 2018 (1)
  • August 2018 (2)
  • June 2018 (1)
  • May 2018 (3)
  • February 2018 (6)
  • January 2018 (2)
  • December 2017 (2)
  • November 2017 (5)
  • October 2017 (1)
  • September 2017 (6)
  • August 2017 (3)
  • July 2017 (3)
  • June 2017 (6)
  • May 2017 (12)
  • April 2017 (4)
  • March 2017 (7)
  • February 2017 (7)
  • January 2017 (3)
  • December 2016 (5)
  • November 2016 (6)
  • October 2016 (2)
  • September 2016 (6)
  • August 2016 (6)
  • July 2016 (6)
  • June 2016 (6)
  • May 2016 (6)
  • April 2016 (1)
  • March 2016 (11)
  • February 2016 (2)
  • January 2016 (3)
  • December 2015 (8)
  • November 2015 (6)
  • October 2015 (10)
  • September 2015 (2)
  • August 2015 (1)
  • July 2015 (8)
  • June 2015 (8)
  • May 2015 (6)
  • April 2015 (10)
  • March 2015 (12)
  • February 2015 (8)
  • January 2015 (12)
  • December 2014 (12)
  • November 2014 (19)
  • October 2014 (10)
  • September 2014 (6)
  • August 2014 (4)
  • July 2014 (8)
  • June 2014 (6)
  • May 2014 (5)
  • April 2014 (7)
  • March 2014 (5)
  • February 2014 (4)
  • January 2014 (9)
  • December 2013 (12)
  • November 2013 (9)
  • October 2013 (13)
  • September 2013 (7)
  • August 2013 (6)
  • July 2013 (8)
  • June 2013 (7)
  • May 2013 (13)
  • April 2013 (6)
  • March 2013 (14)
  • February 2013 (14)
  • January 2013 (13)
  • December 2012 (12)
  • November 2012 (15)
  • October 2012 (14)
  • September 2012 (5)
  • August 2012 (10)
  • July 2012 (13)
  • June 2012 (7)
  • May 2012 (10)
  • April 2012 (5)
  • March 2012 (20)
  • February 2012 (11)
  • January 2012 (8)
  • December 2011 (7)
  • November 2011 (8)
  • October 2011 (6)
  • September 2011 (7)
  • August 2011 (10)
  • July 2011 (8)
  • June 2011 (6)
  • May 2011 (7)
  • April 2011 (10)
  • March 2011 (15)
  • February 2011 (10)
  • January 2011 (4)
  • December 2010 (8)
  • November 2010 (10)
  • October 2010 (1)
  • August 2010 (1)
  • June 2010 (2)
  • May 2010 (7)

Compliance

Review
WTGR received one or more of the products or services mentioned in our reviews for free in exchange for a full test review article in our blog. Some of the links in the review posts are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, WTGR will receive an affiliate commission.
Regardless, WTGR will only recommend products or services that will be good for our readers. WTGR is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
  • Minimalist Running Shoes
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Where To Buy
©2025 Quick & Precise Gear Reviews | Powered by SuperbThemes | Hosting by Host Gator Cloud