The Inov8 F-LITE G 300 is a sturdy lifting shoe, but there are comfier trainers out there.
Making sure you have a pair of the best gym shoes underneath you is vital if you want to make the most out of your workout sessions. Grip is important when you’re trying to push weights or clock new distances on the treadmill, but different gym activities require different attributes from a shoe. The Inov8 F-LITE G 300 is marketed as something of an all-rounder, but what is it really like in practice? Well, unfortunately, the theory doesn’t quite translate into reality. Here’s why I was left wanting more.
Men’s Fitness verdict
Stable enough for heavy lifting, but a little cumbersome for anything too dynamic. Overall, it’s a decent all-rounder, but isn’t comfortable enough to totally win me over.- Stable base for heavy lifting
- Tongue is quite loose fitting
- Not the lightest shoe
- Lace area slightly creased and uncomfortable
How we test gym shoes
Our team of reviewers are experienced testers of all manner of fitness kit. They put each gym shoe through its paces in a variety of workouts, from cardio to strength training to heavy lifting, assessing them in terms of fit, comfort, and performance. They also paid close attention to the materials used throughout the shoe, the sizes and widths available, and the shoe’s total weight.
Branded as Inov8’s number-one fitness shoe, the F-LITE G 300 is a sturdy bit of kit. It provides the support and stability needed for lifting, while retaining a reasonably lightweight, flexible feel that helps you move around a gym mat with ease.
Inov8 F-LITE G 300 design features
There’s a strong, reinforced graphene heel, which means the F-LITE G 300 is great for squats and other movements that require you to keep a solid footing. Overall, it feels pleasantly robust, but that doesn’t stop you from moving around with speed.
At 300g, it manages to avoid being too heavy, despite incorporating the world’s strongest material, graphene. Breathability is improved by the shoe’s lightweight upper, although this flexible material can get a little creased and squished up underneath the laces, which reduces comfort. More broadly, a little extra cushioning wouldn’t go amiss.
Inov8 F-LITE G 300 performance
That being said, the shoe does still give you a smooth workout. It fits snugly, while maintaining plenty of wriggle room in the toe box (in fact, the upper’s breathable mesh material is so thin and lightweight that you can see your toes moving around).
On balance, the Inov8 F-LITE G 300 is a tough trainer that offers a blend between stability and power, although there are a couple of areas where comfort is sacrificed slightly. A decent all-rounder with a sturdy, snug and breathable feel, but not the springiest shoe in the world. Unfortunately, when you’re doing any sort of lengthy mixed session in these shoes (as they’re marketed for), comfort is something that you’ll wish you have more of. So, for that reason, they don’t make it into my top 5 weightlifting shoes.
What other shoes should I consider?
Ironically, if you’re going to be lifting heavy weights in the gym, the best shoe I can recommend is an Inov8 – just not this one. Instead, I’d opt for the Inov8 Fastlift 360. It provided best-in-test traction levels, and doesn’t try to pretend to be something it isn’t quite. It’s very sturdy, while still giving some flex for movement around the mat, but overall it feels like a dedicated lifting shoe and you reap the rewards from that. Alternatively, the Reebok Legacy Lifter 3 is another top option for lifting heavy weights. It’s comfortable and has a few neat design features, like a raised heel ideal for squatting and a wide rubber outsole to promote range of movement.
On the other hand, if you do want your gym shoe to be more of an all-rounder, try the Inov8 Bare-XF. They’re lightweight, have a wide toe box and stretchy laces for great comfort, and offer plenty of grip. So, as you can now see, Inov8 does make some genuinely brilliant shoes which I’d happily recommend in a heartbeat. But the F-LITE G 300 isn’t quite one of them.
Words: Fred Garratt-Stanley
| Materials | G-GRIP Graphene Rubber sole; EVA midsole |
| Weight | 300g |
| Colors | Black/Grey; Blue/Gum; White/Blue/Grey |
| Sizes | 6-13 |
