S
Shannon
February 04, 2020
Comparison to old F-Lite 195
(The black shoe in the pictures is the shoe which I am reviewing, the F-Lite 235 V2. My old red-white-n-blue F-Lite 195 is shown for comparison.)I bought a pair of F-Lite 195’s in around 2015 as my “gym” shoes, so I wouldn’t have to wear a chunky running shoe when I did strength training. 5 years later, they’ve held up remarkably well, and I *only* feltmotivated to buy a new pair because the treads on the bottom were wearing down a little too much for comfort.I do a helluva lot more lifting now than I did when I bought that original pair, but it turns out this F-Lite 235 V2 is still a perfect companion to my powerlifting programming. The heel is non-obtrusive (I have substantial ankle mobility and don’t need or want a squat shoe), but sturdy and lets me feel balanced. The front toe rubbery bit is nice because it grips the ground when I’m doing push ups or something, and protects me from toe pain when I kick something accidentally. I would describe these as having basically no support, it’s pretty much just a thin insole. Read: this is not a running shoe. My ideal lifting/gym shoe (although I don’t compete or anything!)SIZING:The 195’s didn’t have half sizes at the time I bought them, so I had those in a women’s 8, but I got these size women’s 7.5, which is a comfortably snug fit, a lotta wiggle room in the toe box. The size fit feels basically the same between the two shoes, when I consider how much more “worn in” my 195s are. I am a “true” 7.5, and only size up to 8 when I can’t get a 7.5, or when I want thick socks or wiggle room in boots, so I would say the sizing is very “as expected”. For reference, my old Converse Chuck Taylors are a 7.5, and my toe is VERY snug/tight in those shoes. I have much more wiggle room in the toe in these 235’s than in my converse, but I would define both as being a “perfect” fit, since I have different needs in each.PRICE:Using the longevity of my 195’s as a reference, $60 for a good gym shoe is a great deal. I will only grip about one thing - to me, in my more casual, fashionable shoes, visible glue is a sign of “cheapness” or shoddy craftsmanship. I don’t really see any glue on my 195s, but it’s so obvious on these that it’s actually in the official photos on this listing. Seriously, go scroll up and zoom in on the seam where the sole meets the outsole meets the upper part of the shoe - you can see the glue track. And you can definitely see it in person. It probably won’t bother most people, but it is not a sign of quality.FORM FACTOR:The treading is great, very deep and textured. I do have a complaint about the silhouette when you look from the top-down. You can see it most clearly in the top-down comparison photo of the 195 by the 235: the 235 has a lil twist in it. The toe area curves toward the other shoe. I don’t know why this agitates me, but it just looks super dorky to me. Maybe it’s better for letting your toes fan out, I don’t know, maybe this is a positive thing for other people, but I thought I’d mention it because it is the most pronounced different between my new and old shoes.OVERALL:Great gym/lifting shoe for the price.
✔ Verified Purchase
Great CrossFit shoe
Neutral fitting shoe. These are great for CrossFit! They have incredible grip and hold your feet stable/centered for squats and wall balls. Your feet don't try to slide out to the side. I like to feel anchored during heavy lifts- with the little padding and minimal heel to toe drop, my feet feel solid against the floor. The bumper on the toes are great for burpees, and the heels are easy to get in and out of the rower straps. I love the flexibility of them also- I've tried on Nike metcons and they felt so stiff with just walking around the shoe store. If you are a runner, don't expect the cushion if a running shoe, but I did run short distances in them often at the gym. I had my last pair for over a year and worked out about 5 days a week in them. They held up great! The bottoms were worn from running on gravel, so I thought I'd better invest in a new pair. I was scared to get the V2, but it proved to be just as good, if not better than the last version.
✔ Verified Purchase
T
themissa
January 31, 2017
A new generation of cross-trainers!
Normally I'm a size 9 in Inov-8 shoes (I have 2 other pairs f-lite195 and bare xf) but these shoes were way too long for me even with an extra insole so I reordered for a 8 1/2! The sizes read "E" but they are standard US B/M. These shoes only come in one size for womens (E) and one size for mens (D). This is a "standard" fit in Inov-8 shoes (more room in the toe box). I have the f-lite195 shoe and the fit is precision and I loved the fit for running. They lasted me two years. I should add that my feet are narrow/normal but when I tried on the f-lite 235 V2 I felt an immediate difference in the heel area...very snug feel. So my recommendation would be to size down if you do not have a longish foot or if you are in between sizes. I hope this helps because it truly is frustrating deciding on which size to buy since standardization of sizes among like brands just doesn't exist anymore.This shoe is sturdy, well-built and obviously a new generation of cross-trainers. I will never buy a nike running shoe again because their shoes are cheaply made (in China) with cheap materials!
✔ Verified Purchase
Good, but loose fitting 'toe box'
I got these shoes for weightlifting, boot camp, & kickboxing. The look & design & feel are all great. Only downside for me, is I prefer a more snug fitting toe box for these workouts. A size 9 normally always fits, but there's a ton of extra space in the toe end of the shoe & I feel like that takes away from my workouts. If they were for running or day to day use it wouldn't be a bother, but when I've gotta be quick on my feet I don't want to feel my foot flopping around. Some might prefer more space, but it's just not my preference.
✔ Verified Purchase
Great for P90X
I bought these to replace my New Balance training shoes and boy...what a difference! I'm a flat-ish foot that overpronates big time. I've had a lot of knee and foot injuries from running, so buying shoes online is always scary. I usually try everything on 100 times before making a decision, but I researched what the best shoes would be for my favorite cross training activity, P90X, and this is what came up time and time again, so I figured I'd give them a try. I am not disappointed! They offer much stability and are comfortable and cute. They do run big so a half size smaller than your usual size would be my recommendation. I usually wear an 8 in women's shoes, 8.5 for running shoes, so I went with an 8 because I was nervous to go too small. They have a little extra room but not enough to make them uncomfortable or sloppy. Good luck!
✔ Verified Purchase
