It’s Friday and I normally write a “Friday Five.” I’ve been testing out four different pairs of running shoes from Hoka One One, so this week, I’m going with the Friday Four. I’ll share my review of four Hoka models: Bondi 7, Clifton 7, Rincon and Carbon X. I was sent the Bondi and Clifton models from Hoka for review purposes and purchased the others.
If you’ve been following my running during the pandemic, you know that I’ve been doing a “run streak” a/k/a running every day. I’ve averaged just over 6 miles per day since February 20, 2020. I did some random challenges in December. I ran 7 times 7 miles for my 49th birthday (over 4 days) and the 12 Days of Christmas challenge (run 1, 2, 3, 4 miles per day… up to 12 miles on Christmas). I’ve had plenty of opportunities to wear test the shoes.
I’ve been a Hoka fan since the beginning. I think I got my first pair in 2013 after trying them out at the Cleveland Half Marathon. The original Bondis were super cushioned in the era of barefoot running. I loved the original Hokas for 10K and 5K racing. They’ve evolved quite a bit and now offer a wide range of shoes for road and trail running for all kinds of runners.
I started with Bondi and Clifton, but most recently have been wearing Rincon and Carbon X.
The Rincon is a neutral cushioned shoe that weighs 6.3 oz. It “packs an amazing amount of cushion into an extremely lightweight shoe for an effortlessly soft, weightless sensation while running.” It’s light and good for training or racing. I got these for training after the Mach line was discontinued.
The Carbon X is a neutral cushioned shoe that weighs 7.2 oz. It was developed for “runners who are looking for the fastest race times whether long-distance running or short distance running on roads and paved trails.” It contains a carbon plate that “flexes at mid stride and springs back at toe-off to propel you forward.” I got these for the NY Marathon in 2019 since I didn’t want to get on the Nike Next Percent train. I wore them and my legs felt great – even though it was only 3 weeks after the Chicago Marathon. I even ran about a minute faster on a harder course.
The folks from Hoka sent me the new Bondi 7 and Clifton 7 to test.
The Bondi 7 is a neutral shoe with “plush” cushioning that weighs 8.9 oz. It’s “the most cushioned shoe in the HOKA road-shoe lineup, the game-changing Bondi 7 delivers a smooth, balanced ride over any distance.”
The Clifton 7 is a neutral cushioned shoe that weighs 7.1 oz. They say, “it’s the perfect combination of soft and light.” The Clifton 7 was comfortable out of the box. I’ve worn it on the road, gravel trail and even in an icy trail 5 mile race. I’ve also run a ton of miles in them and the shoes aren’t breaking down.
After hundreds of miles this fall, I’m declaring the Clifton 7 my “winner” with the Carbon X a close second. I wear the Clifton 7 for all distances and road/easy trails and they feel and perform very well. I use the Carbon X when I want to add in some tempo or run with faster friends. I feel like my “easy” or “normal” pace is 5 – 10 seconds faster per mile in the Carbon X. I’ll definitely wear these or the new version (still waiting for the ones I ordered!) for races when races come back.
I still like the Rincon and will try the Rincon 2, as well. I rotate those in right now and have an extra pair in my closet. I was excited to try the Bondi 7 (as I liked the Bondi 6 after a bunch of versions that didn’t work for me.) Sadly, after three or four runs, I found them stiff and awkward. I can’t explain the difference but I never got in the groove running and my shins and ankles were unhappy. On the upside, I gave them to my neighbor who’s in her 60s and swears by Hokas for walking and she LOVES them.
You can find the perfect Hokas for you with their shoe finder. You can buy directly from Hoka and at most running stores and online retailers. You can also follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
Have you tried Hokas? Which are your faves?
Please note: I received shoes to test in exchange for editorial consideration. I was not otherwise compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.