Hoka's hate page

I used to like this brand back when I was largely ignorant and naïve about running footwear. Initially, HOKA's max stack stiff rockered shoes helped me get back to running after foot bone fracture injury that was the result of incident involving a pair of sandals. However, after approximately 18 months I ended up injured again due to my HOKA shoes. This gave way to more injuries related to various HOKA models. The final straw was a soft-tissue injury to my FHL tendon that was caused by a pair of Mafate something-or-other. That injury laid me off for over 18 months. It was frustrating injury that forever to get over. Last year I was able to get back into running after switching to Asics. My tendon issues gradually went away and my weekly mileage has continued to climb.

HOKA still makes a decent shoe, the MACH. But most of their models are trash. Everyone knows it. No serious runner, not that I count myself as one, would ever choose a HOKA model for a race. Durability is a big issue. Over the years I purchased a dozen pairs of HOKA shoes. They always wore down quickly. The outsoles would shed like a Labrador and their lame EVA midsole foam typically felt dead after 100mi. The build quality of most HOKA shoes seems to decline with each passing year even as other brands like Puma, Brooks, Asics, and Nike have improved in this area by using superior materials and designing better outsoles.

One thing about HOKA that I remember is that they made me feel slow. Like I was weighed down. I even used the original Carbon Rocket and it didn't experience any pop from the plate. The rocker geometries HOKA utilize, the early and late "Meta-rocker", just don't seem to be scientifically informed. Saucony's Speedroll and Asic's Guidesole geometries are far better. HOKA has also fallen behind technologically in supercritical foam development. Nike, Puma, Saucony, Adidas, Asics and Brooks are now well ahead of HOKA in midsole foam development. In the field of carbon plate design HOKA is dead-last in terms of measured efficiency. No one will ever win Boston wearing a Carbon X or a Carbon Rocket.

bad race shoe =/= bad daily trainers. otherwise adidas would be trash cause they have the reverse. also hoka has rocket x2 now

Still unsure how I feel about Hokas, even after owning several pairs at this point.

As far as cushioning, they feel awesome. But does all the cushioning come with a price? I ran all through my 20’s with minimal injuries, even with pretty high mileage, but an onset of new injuries over the past couple years (PF and IT band) has me wondering what role the super stack height has played, and its effect on my running mechanics.

Aliphine Tuliamuk wore Hoka when she won the US marathon trials.

Try again, Sonny.

The rocket x2 is supposedly a much better shoe with the new PEBA foam that many do Hoka’s competitors has.

I enjoyed the Mach 4 but I find HOKA foams to die out pretty fast on me compared to other brands.

Big layers of foam... What a joke of a shoe design. No other shoe company would design a shoe like that.

I haven't run in Hoka for years but have a pair of Tecton X arriving today. This thread is making me a bit nervous about my purchase.

I was super excited to try the Hokas Clifton’s because all my friends raved about them. I was training in the Nike Vomero for my easy runs at the time and wanted to mix things up.
I went to a running store and really liked how the fit and felt on my feet just walking/jogging around the store, so I bought a pair. The first run was fine, but I thought they felt a little clunky and I noticed some arch rubbing and discomfort. I ran in them for the next 3 days and I developed the worst arch blister! It was so painful I had to stop and take off the shoe mid-run. I returned them to the running store and haven’t worn a Hoka shoe since.

I have never run in a pair of super shoes, so I can’t speak to that.

I hate how my feet stopped getting injured when I started wearing Hokas.

I hate how I've gotten injured less than any runner on my team since wearing Hokas.

I hate that I can run up to 600 miles or more in Hokas without worrying that they will get worn out.

I hate how slow they are for races (honest here).

I'm not a big fan of Hokas. Any shoe that won't bend, and rolls for you, can't be healthy in the long-term, at least for a serious competitive runner. Perhaps as a recovery shoe?

I do believe that there are some runners (older beat up runners, recreational runners with a history of leg issues) who could benefit from the cushioning and meta rocker technologies of Hoka shoes, but for most folks, I think they encourage bad habits/running form.

One more thing.....

I coach a high school XC team, and discourage my runners from wearing Hoka shoes. Previously, we had some kids show up to practice with Bondi & Cliftons. We run about 50% of our miles on grass, and the stack height of most Hokas, even their trail models, makes them very unstable on this surface. Our runners who had no previous issues, were noticeably wobbly on grass in the Hokas. Just something to think about if you coach XC.

Perhaps you should look at NB Supercomp Trainer or Adidas thickest solen shoes, kid.

Yep, several of the big shoe companies have gone over to the "dark side."
Super thick, cushy shoes is the current trend. They're selling, so about all companies are going that route.

Hokas made me lose so many races I had to move into a cave with nothing to eat but mushrooms!

Groovy! I bet those shrooms brought you out of your depression.

What do you recommend for beginners with wide forefeet?

Hokas are great. Switched to the Clifton and then the Bondi due to chronic shin issues after years of running in Saucony Kinvaras, and they've been a godsend. I've personally never had any of the issues related to max cushioned shoes that others describe. I recently bought a pair of On Cloudmonsters after hearing all the hype, and they're fine but I think I'll go back to Hoka after they wear out.

I'd never wear Hokas in competition, but as far as neutral, relatively lightweight trainers with great cushioning go, they can't be beat.