British brand Inov-8 are expanding their innovative graphene-based range of shoes further with the launch of a new men’s and women’s trail running shoe, the Trailroc G 280.

In collaboration with scientists at The University of Manchester back in 2018, Inov-8 managed to infuse the Nobel prize winning super-material, which is 200 times stronger than steel, into their rubber outsoles in a method that has been scientifically proven to make them 50% harder wearing.

Inov-8 have since spread this patent-pending technology into a whole range of shoes for hiking and fitness, as well as running.

Such has been the popularity of their new footwear, the brand say they’ve seen the retailer demand for their Graphene-Grip products increase by 95% in the first half of 2019.

The new Trailroc G 280 is designed for off-road runners tackling long distances on hard-packed trails. It’s an evolution of their previous model, the Trailroc 285 which, thanks to its Powerflow+ midsole, offered slightly more cushioning on the trail in comparison to some of the brand’s other options. We actually liked that shoe enough to include it in our massive Outdoor 100 product guide back in 2017, writing that it’s outsole “cuts through terrain debris and provides you with reassuringly firm traction underfoot”.

As well as a Graphene-Grip outsole, the Trailroc G 280 (280g) also features Inov-8’s new flexible rock plate that the brand claim will not only provide underfoot protection but will also give a kick of spring-back energy with every stride.