Are Hoka's frowned upon by the running community?

They're fairly popular among recreational runners.

Maybe they're not as popular among more serious/experienced runners - but that might just be a consequence of people sticking to what they know works for them.

Personally, I didn't mind the first few pairs I wore (about 8-9 years ago), although the build quality was fairly poor, especially in the upper. However, I had a really bad pair of the Hoka Bondi (I think it was the 6), which killed my feet; it felt like the ball of my big toe joint was resting on the seam between the midsole and the upper.

I haven't bought a pair of Hokas since. They may have improved, but I'm not gonna risk $200 to find out.

If they work for you, they work for you. Five years ago, one of the Facebook running groups (age 50, age 60, one of these two) did a poll on what shoes members were wearing. More masters runners ran in in Hokas than the next two brands combined. Many posters said that they switched to Hokas due to injuries in other brands.

They tend to run narrow and they vary a lot from one model to the next. Just because one model doesn't work for you doesn't mean they all won't work for you.

If you're racing downhills on pavement, a rocker-sole shoe can be a real asset, but almost every manufacturer makes a rocker-soled model now.

To me, the brands that have been passed by technology are ON and Newton. Both had revolutionary ideas in their original release, but today they are heavier and/or can't compete with the cushioning in newer shoes. To be fair, I haven't run in the newer versions of either brand so maybe my opinion is wrong.

Bondi 8 & Clifton 9 are the top 2 training shoes per Letsrun Better Shoes.

I see a lot of masters runners running in Hokas so they must be doing something right. I'm in my 40s myself so I often see what other masters are wearing for shoes because they must be doing something right, or figured it out to be running fast at age 40+.

Also see a lot of nurses & doctors wear Hokas at work, so Hoka must have broken into the mainstream workforce.

Yeah, there are a lot of them worn in the hospital.

I wear them on my days in the OR when I’m on my feet a lot and my feet don’t get as tired. I’ve had some for running and they’re fine.

OP, wear what you want.

The Mach 6 could easily be the best trainer of the year. You can basically do anything in this shoe and oddly enough (for Hoka), it is incredibly durable, both in the upper and midsole. I hope people aren't scared off by the EVA midsole, because it is really something special. The fact that is doesn't cost an arm and a leg, and will probably be available for under $100 in a few months doesn't hurt either (esp. when compared to stuff like the Superblast or Endo Speed).

I say this as an admitted Hoka hater that had largely given up on the brand after a variety of bad experiences in the Clifton (hot spots), and Rincon / Rocket X (durability after 300km). They have some really nice looking options rolling off the line right now. Continue to dismiss them at your own peril.

I had an old pair of the Challengers which were essentially like a pair of Cliftons that were dressed up as trail shoes. They were like the really early Cliftons and super light at about 8ish ounces for a size 12. I loved them and never got injured in them. After I was done using them for running they became a pair of light hikers that I used for a few months. They were great shoes for me. The newer Cliftons/Challengers added a lot of weight.

I also had a pair of Claytons which were a non plated racing shoe. These were also very light but caused hot points under my arch. I never blistered but came close. Blistering was a common complaint of those shoes and they were dc'd. I can walk in them with no problem and they became my lawn mowing shoes until they got totally worn out.

I wouldn't mind trying another pair of them at some point but the price has gone up a lot. I like to buy my shoes on closeout and if I find something I like, stock up on them. It seems that Hokas are not as easy to do that with as Sauconys and some of the other brands. I am pretty much a Saucony guy now.

My brother-in-law has a pair of Hoka hiking boots that he likes a lot. I tried a pair on but they seemed a bit narrow and I just have normal width feet. I like hiking boots to be wide so I ended up buying a pair of Topo Trailventures which are the best hiking boots I ever owned except I wish I had bought the pair that was not water proof. Water proof boots tend to get a bit hot.

FWIW, my daughter has a pair of the 2nd newest Cliftons and likes them a lot. She has hip issues from and avulsion fracture and plica band syndrome. Both were from injuries from her soccer playing days and her hip & knee never bother her when running in the Cliftons.

Are Hoka's what frowned upon?

Not true if you need more heal lift. Running in Hokas would injure me not the other way around. Low drop shoes always cause me calf issues. I tried several Hoka models out to see what all the fuss was about and wound up in more pain than running in basically anything else that has a traditional heal drop.

Oh and I also personally know several people that are chronically inured, its always something, and they are die hard Hoka people. They "wouldnt be able to run at all if it werent for Hoka" yet they are still somehow always dealing with something.

Hello, anecdotal evidence!

/thread

Why would one buy Hokas when they can get a pair of Saucony, Asics, NB, Nike etc.?

Please, provide some form of non-anecdotal evidence than Hoka's lead to less injury? I am sure you can produce some studies showing this based on your response.

As if every positive Hoka post in here isn't anecdotal.

To be fair, this whole thread is anecdotal. We are just talking about our experiences.

But I agree with you that you can't let other people's anecdotes influence your decisions. Your feet, knees, hips, and Plantar Faciitis don't care about other people's opinions. So if the Hoka works for you, wear it.

I am currently running my easy runs in big, stupid Nike Invincible Run and while I hate how they look and I am slower in them than other shoes, but they allow me to recover for my real runs! So you should do what is best for you.

Image:www.runningshoesguru.com/wp-content/up...

oh.my.god. It's just not that hard. Yes, Hokas are frowned upon, except by nurses and old people. Nurses like Hoka's cushioning. Serious runners don't like Hoka's width or durability. My kids and my kids' friends make fun of Hokas. Ironically, they are into Ons. My kids' friend's parents like Hokas and Hoka's fit. I think my kids and their friends are victim to On's marketing (perhaps Ons' marketing, but the marketing department is more commonly thought of as a group of one), more than On's performance. My son has several pairs of Ons.

There are plurals, possessive's, and plural possessives'

There's always been a significant divide between runners who like a lot of cushion/support and runners who want their shoes to be more minimal. The latter will always avoid Hokas and recommend same. The former are more likely to love Hokas and certainly not have a problem with them.

And as mentioned, Hokas have become popular with people working in jobs on their feet like nurses.

I'm in the minimal group and don't care for Hokas myself, but can certainly see their appeal with others.

owned a running store 20+ years, my #1 returned shoe was Hoka. my #1 worst brand (customer service) to work with was Hoka. Former 2:20 runner and could never find a pair I could run in, my sales rep gave me dozens over the years. Would pass on my seed shoes to local college runners and they would just keep passing them on. Waddlers and fashion buyers loved them.

This truly is the bottom line. Hoka innovated something that was a departure from the norm 20 years ago. Now all major makers have come up with high stack, max cushioned designs for both road and trail and they've used superior materials (notably foam) to make a higher quality product at a similar price point. Sorry, why would I spend $160+ on shoes with CMEVA midsoles in 2024?

Did you hear the one about the guy who went out with a cute girl but has reservations about her because she wears loafers?

Hoka shoes are not bad, but nothing beats the Pegasus for me, which is the GOAT everyday shoes IMO.