Strengths: Good grip on muddy or soft ground, especially heel
Weaknesses: Feel more rigid and midsole seems thicker than Flyroc, not so good on wet rooty paths
Overall: I've just realised that I'm becoming a bit of an Inov-8 enthusiast - this is my fourth pair of their shoes. The last and fit are broadly similar to the Terroc and Flyroc - if you had problems with the low heel on the Mudroc (I did), this shouldn't be a problem with these ones. I bought them in the hope that they would be more suited to fell races than the Flyrocs and they are, with a heavily lugged sole and better grip in the heel than the Flyrocs - not up to Mudroc/Walsh PB standard, however. Perhaps not as broad fitting as the Terroc/Flyroc, but the difference is minor. My only complaint is that they don't feel as responsive as the Flyroc and they aren't so good on wet stony or rooty paths. This may improve with wear, however. At the moment I think I'll stick to my Flyrocs for the more rocky races, using the Rocklites for the softer courses.
Strengths: A remarkably readable account of fell running that's accessible even to non-fell runners
Weaknesses: Anglocentric
Overall: Despite his claims to the contrary, Richard Askwith must be a good runner. To even contemplate doing the Bob Graham Round puts him in a small minority. However, he writes a convincing and compelling account of how fell running can be an all encompassing obsession.
I got all misty eyed reading this book - a lot of the names mentioned in this book were familiar to me. My biggest criticism, however, is his focus on the very small world of the Lakeland fells with only the briefest of mentions of the thriving scene elsewhere in the UK and Ireland. Everything else seems to play second fiddle to what's happening in the Lakes
Strengths: I read this when it forts came out in the 90s and it inspired a love of fell running that has persisted to this day. Symonds writes a compelling story that will have you itching to get out there and do it yourself - he comes across as an ordinaryy guy doing quite an extraordinary thing. I highly recommend it - should be mandatory on any runner's bookshelf, particularly if you have a pair of Walshes drying out beside the boiler...
Weaknesses: You'll realise that not even taking all your annual leave from work in one go is long enough to tackle this one
Overall: A must have for any self respecting off road runner
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