Ladies Inov 8 Roclite Pro G 400 GTX Boot Review

The Roclite Pro G 400 GTX Boot is Inov-8’s latest addition to the Graphene collection. As a mid, it bridges the gap between walking shoe and walking boot. It offers more support than a shoe would have but boasts fantastic agility and sensitivity that full walking boots tend not to have.

A couple of our staff members, including Charlotte (E-Commerce) and Florrie (Covent Garden Store), were given the chance to put these boots to the test, and after trying them out in every weather possible; from warm, dry trails in the Italian Alps to trekking through a foot and a half of snow to the soggy, boggy terrain of the Yorkshire Dales and Peak District, here is what they thought.

Initial thoughts

Florrie: Straight out of the box, the Roclite Pro G 400 GTX is quite striking. It shows how far inov-8 has come in the past five years, from trainers that worked amazingly but lacked in style to this very slick stylish mid-cut boot. Even from its little sisters, the Roclite 345 and Roclite G 370, it differs in every way; it looks and feels to be of a higher quality. The outer fabric they used is a Scholler ceramic-coated fabric, which is soft and supple, with a small detailed pattern. Straight away giving the feeling of something more substantial, and trustworthy.

Charlotte: The first thing that struck me is how lightweight they are, not just for a mid but for footwear in general. The design is pretty sleek, simple with no fuss which will make them easy to clean after a muddy walk which is always a bonus.

Fit

F: Something I’m always wary about with new boots is blisters, due to my infuriatingly narrow ankles which have caused problems in every type of footwear over the years. Regarding inov-8’s usual fit, while they do make a precision fit, they will often create more voluminous shoes. I don’t have the typical inov-8 foot and was worried about getting enough hold. I needn’t have worried, although they are built for a wider foot than mine, it cinches down nicely, and you are 100% able to hold a narrower foot with its laces. I found the foothold far superior to the inov-8 Roclite 345s.

C: I found these boots to be a great fit, my feet are quite wide at the toes but with narrow heels and super skinny ankles and the laces just made sure to wrap the boot around my foot and ankle perfectly.

Traction

F: I have used their graphene trail running shoes before and been impressed, but this boot's grip is by far their best sole yet. I pushed it past what it was created for - on the icy via ferratas it never once slipped where you might have expected it to. It also held on to slippery rock way better than any other mid boots I’ve used before. On steep, wet grass and trails, it always gave me the confidence to descend or scramble up anything I’ve come across.

C: I tested these on my local Lancashire trails as well as in the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales and they have been more than reliable across a range of terrains from rock, grass and mud to straight-up boggy moorland. They are noticeably stickier on smooth rocks than my other boots but the aggressive lugs also dig into softer ground fantastically well which was a great help across a particularly muddy Bleaklow.

Comfort

F: As you’d expect with mid boots nowadays, the comfort out of the box was instantly there and kept improving with wear. They felt like going back to an old favourite boot. However, While the soft suppleness of the upper enables natural ankle movement, I found it slightly problematic. I can feel the top metal lace clip pressing into the front of my ankle because the material underneath is so soft. I also find the fabric tongue slightly too narrow and small. Even with careful lacing, it bulks up at the front of the boot and doesn’t sit as comfortably or wrap around my ankle very well.

C: Having always opted for full-grain leather walking boots which can take a bit of time to ‘break-in’ I was pleasantly surprised to find these boots comfy straight out the box, they were, as Florrie said, just as comfy as an old favourite that I have walked miles in.

Trail Feel

F: The sole is as responsive as you’d expect a product from inov-8 to be but thicker and more substantial without becoming clunky. They are so light and responsive, so much so that due to my lack of foresight in packing, I’ve used them a few times on short runs, with no apparent problems.

C: I found these boots offered plenty of protection underfoot whilst also allowing enough sensitivity to allow me to feel the security of my foot placement which I have found particularly great when tackling scrambly sections. 

Overall Verdict

F: I have been really impressed by the performance, quality, and pure comfort of these boots, they surpass all the expectations I had for them and are yet to show any wear at all, which is very unusual for my footwear! For inov-8 to have made such a supportive boot, which gives the wearer this much confidence in grip is downright impressive.

C: This boot has drastically improved my opinion of synthetic boots. While only time will tell for sure, they have proven themselves to be hardwearing, grippy and exceptionally comfortable, even on long days. My only niggle is that sometimes when I’m lacing them up the lace catches on the wrong part of the ankle hook but it’s not enough to stop me enjoying them. I'd be happy to recommend these boots to anyone looking for a trail shoe or a lighter alternative to a full walking boot.