Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 Review | Nearly Perfect Weightlifting Shoes?

Over the last few years, Inov-8 has continued to innovate and roll out shoes featuring Graphene in their construction. The Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 is the latest Inov-8 weightlifting shoe to feature Graphene, a highly durable material.

For weightlifting and squats, I’ve really enjoyed the performance of the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 weightlifting shoes. This model is stable, lightweight, and gives you a high degree of ground feedback when training.

The higher heel height in this weightlifting shoe is also a plus for a variety of training contexts. While I like this model a lot, there is a pretty big con that I could see other lifters and athletes having with this shoe.

In this Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 review, I’m going to cover a variety of topics to help you decide if this shoe is a good fit for your training needs, goals, and wants.

Table of Contents▼

1. Who Should Invest In the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380?
2. Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 Pros
3. Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 Cons
4. Performance
5. Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 Sizing
6. Price Breakdown
7. Construction Details

On the market for new training shoes, too? Make sure you check out my best cross-training shoes round-up. I have top picks for CrossFit, running, and much more included!

Who Should Invest In the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380?

The Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 is a strong performing weightlifting shoe in a variety of contexts. This model is lightweight and durable with features like a Graphene-infused Powerheel, lightweight ripstop upper, and Graphene rubber outsole.

The Fastlift Power G 380 will work best for those wanting a shoe for tackling heavy squats, weightlifting sessions, and functional fitness workouts where an elevated heel is desired for some exercises.

This model also features a slightly higher heel that sits at .86 inches. This can be a good thing for taller lifters and for those that have anatomies and lifting mechanics that can benefit from more heel height.

I think the Fastlift Power G 380 will work best for narrow, neutral-width feet, and women athletes. For wider footed athletes, this model may feel a little limiting to them lacking adequate toe box width.

Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380

$210

4.6

Stability

4.8

Versatility

4.4

Durability

4.6

Best For

• Squats and Leg Workouts
• Weightlifting (Clean & Jerk/Snatch)
• Functional Fitness Workouts
• Narrow and Neutral Width Feet

Falls Short

• For Wide Feet

Shop Inov-8

Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 Pros

Over the course of my testing and reviewing process, I’ve found multiple pros and things to like about the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 weightlifting shoes.

1. Lightweight and Athletic Feeling
2. Stable and Mobile With Good Ground Feedback
3. Higher Graphene-Infused Heel Is Stable and Lightweight

The first pro to like about the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 is how lightweight this model is. Similar to other Inov-8 weightlifting shoes, this model is built with materials to keep this model’s weight down.

This shoe’s upper features a one-piece ripstop material and a lightweight Graphene-infused Powerheel. These features mixed with the thinner Graphene rubber outsole give this model a much less “clunky” fit and feel compared to something like a Reebok Legacy Lifter II.

The athletic-style fit of the Fastlift Power G 380 will also be a pro for the athletes who resonate well with this feature. Similar to other Inov-8 training shoes and lifting shoes, this model has a form-fitting construction and feels minimalist in nature on the feet.

This model’s midfoot strap and five eyelets with an additional sixth for lace-locking also help promote this model’s athletic fit. These shoes feel very “locked-down” when on the feet and tightened. I don’t think athletes will ever have heel slip issues in this model.

The second aspect to like about the Fastlift Power G 380 is the stability and ground feedback you get with this model. Unlike other weightlifting shoes that can feel a bit more blocky through the toe box, this model’s toe box has a high degree of mobility.

For example, this model takes virtually no time to break in which is pretty rare for weightlifting shoes. In the forefoot of this shoe you, you have a Graphene rubber outsole and insole that separates the foot from the floor and that’s virtually it.

To apply additional context here, in models like the Nike Romaleos 4, you have a thicker rubber sole in the forefoot which takes somewhat away from the shoe’s mobility and the ground feedback you get.

In the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380, you get a nice level of ground feedback and feel in the toe box when training. I like how lively this shoe’s toe box feels when doing cleans and you can feel the ground well when squatting, training on machines like leg press, and tackling free weight exercises

The last aspect to like about the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 is the heel construction. In terms of materials, this model features a Graphene-infused Powerheel that is lightweight and provides a high level of stability.

The heel height for the Fastlift Power G 380 is 22mm or .86 inches. I personally love higher heels in my weightlifting shoes because they align well with my anatomy and squat/lifting mechanics. For context, the Fastlift 360 features a 16.5mm or .65 inch heel height.

A higher heel can be beneficial for taller lifters and athletes that need more heel height to achieve proper squat mechanics and mechanics needed to perform snatches, clean & jerks, and quad-biased exercises.

For example, a higher heel will put the foot into a greater degree of pronation to start with, then when lifting it will allow for an environment to better facilitate forward knee translation (tracking the knees over the toes).

Suggested Read for Biomechanics Lovers: Flat Vs Heel Elevated Shoes for Squats

In layman’s terms, if you often have trouble getting the knees over the toes when squatting while maintaining a more upright torso and hitting adequate squat depth, then the heel height in this model could resonate well with your training.

Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 Cons

As a whole, I’ve enjoyed training in the Inov-8 Fastlight Power G 380 weightlifting shoes. However, there is one drawback and con that I could see bothering other lifters and athletes.

1. Toe Box Runs a Little Narrow and Can Feel Limiting

My main gripe with the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 is that I wish the toe box was wider. On Inov-8’s fit scale which ranges from 1-5 (meaning 1 fit narrow and 5 fit wide), the Fastlift Power G 380 has a fit scale of “4”.

I wish Inov-8 would have made these with a “5” on the fit scale as that would give the toes more room to splay and spread. For shorter training sessions, I didn’t mind the width of this model, however, I did start to notice it for longer sessions.

More specifically, I noticed that the lateral side of the toe box felt limiting for longer sessions when cleaning and moving my feet out to catch weight. I felt my toes hitting the lateral toe guard. I also started to feel the width limitations on sessions where I went from squats to machine work and kept on my lifters.

If you have wide feet and have to constantly battle your training and weightlifting shoe’s toe boxes, then you may want to size up or look into models that will better resonate with your foot’s width and anatomy.

That being said, for narrow and neutral-width feet, I don’t think this model’s width will be an issue. I could also see this shoe resonating really well with women athletes who have foot anatomies that correlate better with this shoe’s last construction.

Performance

To discuss the performance of the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 weightlifting shoes, I’m going to break down how these models perform in a variety of settings.

This way, you can better decide if this shoe is worth your investment and if they align well with your training goals and needs.

Testing the Fastlift Power G 380 for Squats and Weight Training

For squats, machine work, and recreational lifting, I really enjoy the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380’s performance. I think if you’re investing in this shoe for recreational lifting, you’ll get a lot out of this model and you’ll enjoy their performance.

They’re stable under heavy squats and the Graphene rubber outsole provides a nice level of traction on different surfaces. On wooden platforms and rubber gym floors, these shoes performed exceptionally well without slip issues.

Thus far, I’ve squatted and have done Hatfield squats over 400 lbs in these shoes on multiple occasions and enjoyed their performance and stability. The thinner forefoot sole construction really allows you to feel the ground and grip the floor.

The midfoot strap also provides a nice level of stability and promotes a nice “locked-down” feeling when doing things like quad-biased lunges, split squats, and hack squats. Some of the thicker and clunkier weightlifting shoes that I’ve used can feel sub-par for these contexts.

That being said, I like this model for recreational lifters that plan to use these shoes for squats and other specific goal-focused leg days. They feel as though they’ll also last a while as long as you’re taking good care of them.

Testing the Fastlift Power G 380 for Weightlifting

For weightlifting, I’ve enjoyed the performance of the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 for three key reasons. First, I really enjoy the forefoot sole construction and the mobility this model provides.

When getting up on the toes to transition to my catching phase in cleans, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed how much ground feedback you get in this shoe. The thinner sole really helps you feel the ground which is something other weightlifting shoes fall short with.

Second and to follow up on this point, I like the grip you get from the Graphene rubber outsole. This shoe’s traction is pretty stellar on rubber gym floors and wooden platforms. Plus, this model’s outsole is relatively easy to wipe down in the event your shoes get dusty.

Third and lastly, I like the Graphene-infused Powerheel, midfoot security, and lightweight nature of this shoe. This model locks down the feet well and the heel feels lightweight and stable for catching weight.

If you like weightlifting shoes to feel form-fitting and lightweight, then I think you’ll enjoy the Fastlift Power G 380 for weightlifting. The higher heel is also a perk for athletes that enjoy having more heel height for catching weight.

Once again, my only gripe with this model is that the toe guard in the lateral part of the toe box can feel a little uncomfortable for longer sessions where your feet are highly active and you’re moving them out to catch weight.

Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 Sizing

I think the sizing of the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 will be very hit or miss based on your weightlifting shoe fit preferences and foot anatomy. This model has a fit scale of “4” per Inov-8’s fit scale. For their fit scale, “5” is used for wider shoes while “1” is narrow.

This model fits true to size and in regard to its length and I think its width will be just fine for narrow and some neutral-width feet. I also feel as though this model will align really well with women athletes’ foot anatomies.

For context, I have a more neutral-width foot and this model was comfortable for longer squat sessions and shorter weightlifting workouts, however, I did start to notice the toe box width on longer sessions.

That being said, I’d suggest going true to size for narrow and neutral-width feet. For wider footed athletes, you may want to explore models that provide you with more width in the toe box or size up.

• Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 Sizing Thoughts: True to size for narrow and neutral-width feet. Not the best model for wide feet.

If you have additional questions on the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380’s sizing and fit, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally.

Price Breakdown

For the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380, you can expect to pay $210 USD. This price point is fairly similar to other popular and higher quality weightlifting shoes like the Reebok Legacy Lifter and Nike Romaleos 4.

I think if you’re planning to use this model exclusively for squats, weightlifting, or functional fitness training and you have a narrow or neutral width foot, then the price point makes sense for this model.

The performance of this shoe is solid and I like the higher heel for training. That being said, if you have a wider foot, then I’d suggest looking into other models as you may feel limited in this model, and for this context, I think the price would be a miss for you.

Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380

$210

4.6

Stability

4.8

Versatility

4.4

Durability

4.6

Best For

• Squats and Leg Workouts
• Weightlifting (Clean & Jerk/Snatch)
• Functional Fitness Workouts
• Narrow and Neutral Width Feet

Falls Short

• For Wide Feet

Shop Inov-8

Construction Details

Below, I’m going to cover the construction details that influence the performance and durability of the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380.

• Heel Height: 22mm/.86 inches
• Weight: 13.5 oz (for my size 10 model)
• Removable Insole: Yes
• Graphene-Infused Powerheel
• Velcro Midfoot Strap
• Graphene Rubber Outsole
• One-Piece Ripstop Upper
• Higher Heel Collar and Boot
• 5 Eyelets With a 6th for Lace-Lock

If you have additional questions on the Fastlift Power G 380’s construction, drop a comment below.

Takeaway Thoughts

I’ve really enjoyed training in the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380. This model is lightweight, provides a nice level of ground feedback, and has a high degree of maneuverability in the toe box.

I think if you’re on the market for a more “athletic” fitting weightlifting shoe that can work well for squats, weightlifting, and functional fitness workouts, then the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380 is worth looking into.

My only real gripe with this model is that the toe box lacks width for wider feet. I wish Inov-8 would have made this model a “5” on their fit scale as opposed to a “4”.

If you have additional questions on the Inov-8 Fastlift Power G 380, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally via Instagram (@jake_boly or @that_fit_friend).