- Weight: 260g
- Stack height: 26mm (heel), 22mm (forefoot)
- Heel-to-toe drop: 4mm
- Type: Trail
The shoe
Mudtalon is a portmanteau of 'Mudclaw' and 'X-Talon', two of inov-8’s flagship ranges.
The former is a tough-as-nails trail shoe, typically weighing either 260g or 300g (depending on the model) and designed for fell running, The best running shoes for 2025, expert-tested.
The latter is an out-and-out racer, typically weighing 212g (though as light as 180g in early iterations) and a great shoe to reach for if you’re prioritising speed and grip over cushioning and comfort.
The promise of combining the best of these two highly-rated shoes is a tantalising prospect. But is the Mudtalon as great as the sum of its parts?
Reliably excellent grip
Something the Mudclaw and X-Talon share is exceptional grip, even in thick mud and on slippery surfaces. So, it comes as no surprise that the Mudtalon scores highly here, too, thanks to its substantial 8mm lugs made from a material called Stickygrip. On one of our outings, we headed the Beckenham Place Park – home of the 2024 Southern Cross-Country Demo run: On Cloudrunner 2 uphills and downhills. This allows you to descend down slopes and corner with confidence, even when moving at high speed.
Comfort in a lightweight package
If there’s a criticism that can be leveraged at the X-Talon range, it’s that the shoes don’t score particularly highly in terms of comfort. While still offering a fairly firm ride, the Mudtalon provides a noticeably more cushioned experience. We've tested it on outings of up to 90 minutes and experienced no hotspots or blisters, and would feel comfortable reaching for it for a trail half marathon.
Protection plus flexibility
Lots of trail shoes come with a rock plate and toe guard to protect you from sharp rocks and other off-road hazards. But very few manage to do this in a way that compromises neither flexibility or ground-feel. The Mudtalon achieves this unlikely feat – and the result is a shoe that feels nimble and flexible yet tough enough to guide you over challenging terrain.
Quick-draining qualities
While certain iterations of the Mudclaw have been water-resistant, the focus with the Mudtalon is to drain water quickly. And it achieves this through the Ripstop upper, which is relatively porous. Should you run through a large puddle while wearing the Mudtalon – and we're speaking from experience here – your feet will get a good soaking. But then, impressively quickly, the shoe drains and your feet will dry. This, in our opinion, is far preferable to a waterproof shoe, which tend to lack breathability, or a shoe that holds water.
How does the Inov-8 Mudtalon fit?
Inov-8 is offering two different fits for the Mudtalon: precision and wide. It recommends going for precision if you have narrower feet or like a closer, more secure feel. Go for wide, meanwhile, if have wider feet or like a little extra wiggle room for your toes. Your tester has narrow feet and, as such, found the precision fit to be ideal. Length-wise, it fits roughly true to size. But, if you are someone who’s in between sizes, we’d recommend going up a half size.
It will win no fashion awards
Visually, the Mudtalon is a bit of a departure from what we’ve previously seen from Inov-8 – and not necessarily in a good way. The mesh grey upper and new-look logo looks a little clunky and dated to our eyes. But, then, fool is the runner who buys a pair of trail shoes based on what they look like clean and dry.
RW verdict
Combining some of the best bits of the Mudclaw and X-Talon, the Mudtalon is an excellent bet for those looking to move fast, light and securely over the toughest of terrain. It provides incredible grip over tricky surfaces, drains water quickly and offers impressive amounts of comfort in a lightweight package. One of the greatest compliments we can give the shoe is that you occasionally forget you're wearing it – that's how seamlessly it works with the trail. If you're a fan of the Mudclaw and X-Talon, you're likely to love this grippy, nippy, hard-wearing hybrid.
