Before anyone says, "Why don't you just post stuff about shoes on the shoe survey site?" let me just say that I can never get the shoe survey site to work with the same name and password I use on the forum, and I haven't felt motivated enough to figure out why or to create a new user name and password.
Now, about the Huaka vs. the Clifton. Not long ago, I bought two pair of Hoka One One Huaka from Running Warehouse for 59 dollars each. I bought the second pair because I was so impressed with the feel and ride of my first pair of Huakas that I just had to take advantage of the sale and grab a second pair. The Huaka is, hands down, my all-time favorite running shoe. It has the perfect blend of cushioning and responsiveness; it is very light; it has just a two millimeter drop, which I love; and with the Huaka I've been able to quickly jump up in mileage with no ill effects. The only thing I don't like about the Huaka (besides the $150 price tag, which I will never pay), is the pitiful lack of durability in the outsole. I have 130 miles on my first pair of Huakas, and they show excessive wear that I've never seen in any pair of running shoes I've ever worn. I am typically very easy on running shoes, with the midsole compressing long before the outsole wears down. Contrast the Huaka with my Adidas Supernova Glide 6 Boost, with their Goodyear rubber outsole, which have 300 miles on them with almost no wear. But, if I can get the Huaka on a great sale and Hoka doesn't stop making them, I think I'll stick with them for as long as I can.
Now, about the Clifton. I got the Clifton on sale for 69 dollars from Online Shoes. When I saw them on sale, I just couldn't resist trying them out, even though I had two pair of Huakas. Well, I have now run four times in the Clifton. My first run was just a 3-mile test run when my legs were tired and sore. The last three runs have each been 5 miles with well-recovered legs. What a disappointment! Despite their light weight, when I run in the Clifton I feel like I'm running in sand. They are cushy, yes, but they have no bounce at all, even on pavement. They feel like running in sand, even on pavement, and on dirt or grass they are simply intolerable. Every time i run in them my big toes hurt during the run and for two days after. They are so soft and unresponsive that my toes are apparently working extra hard to push off. Also, my hips hurt and I feel the old sciatica coming on. The Clifton is the absolute worst shoe I've ever run in. The only time it feels good at all is while running down a steep, paved hill because then it's like landing on marshmallows. I think the Clifton would be good for a job where you spend all day standing on your feet, but in my opinion it's garbage as a running shoe. Perhaps those who like the Clifton are really heavy, slow runners, or runners whose legs have no spring and can't handle any shock. Today, after running five miles in the Clifton, I have decided that I'll never run in them again. A shame, since they only have 18 miles on them.
Now, in case anyone from Hoka reads the LRC forum. Here's the shoe you should make: Take a Huaka, add some light padding to the tongue, add a decent insole that doesn't scrunch up, and put Goodyear rubber like the Adidas have on the outsole just in those high-wear spots. Don't mess with the RMAT midsole--it's perfect. I'd pay $150 for that shoe.
Ok, that's all, folks. Thanks for reading as I vent.