I'm 11.5 in the Clifton/Clayton/Tracer and you would definitely recommend going down to an 11 fir the Cavu? I was caught out as I felt my first Tracers were slightly too big and tried 11 but they were too small. I generally but my shoes online as it saves a fortune on Hoka in Australia so was after best advice. I'm a huge Cavu fan at the moment but curious to try the Mach.

Definitely half a size down. That was Hokas advice to me and its been spot on for my fit and others I know who have the Mach or Cavu.

I'm glad I didn't listen to that advice. I bought a pair of Mach's a couple of weeks ago and went up a half size. I've worn size 10 for the Cliftons and had a pair of Clayton 1s (also size 10), the latter being a terrible disappointment as I blistered badly if I ran more than 4 miles in them. I never bought the Clayton 2 because I never saw any colors beyond the hideous Kona scheme. In a couple of weeks of running the Mach has been an excellent shoe for me...longest run so far in them is 12 with no blisters. And to make it even better, it doesn't have any of the normal Hoka clown color patterns.

Are you running with socks or sockless?

For training - always with socks. For racing...sockless only for sprints and oly. The Mach is now a contender for my next IM. Either that, or the new Salming Enroute 2 if I can get my hands on one.

Do you find you'll get blisters going long in them or it's just preference? Only ask because I do all my runs sockless.

I came to triathlon after decades of running. You can look at starting line after starting line and not find many elite marathoners who aren't wearing socks. If you are going to race long course without socks then you should definitely practice that way, but it hardly seems worth the risk not to mention that it's not even good for your shoes. I will go sockless in a short course race, but that's it. So I guess that's preference as a result of the running culture I grew up in.

https://www.realbuzz.com/articles-interests/running/article/why-running-socks-are-as-important-as-your-running-shoes/


https://www.bustle.com/articles/91243-7-things-that-happen-when-you-wear-sneakers-without-socks-from-someone-who-has-made-this


http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/socks.html

Not sure why you would do all your runs sockless but the Cavu is a similar shoe and I haven't run in it sockless but it is the first shoe I thought I possibly might ever race in sockless.

My feet tend to overheat when I wear socks. Even thin ones. I"ll wear socks in the winter but spring through fall I'm usually sockless.

Commented on another thread but I’ll put something here also. I’m also an 11.5 in almost every shoe but sized down 1/2 in the Cavu and the 11 is perfect. I highly recommend the shoe also. It has replaced the Kinvara and Freedom ISO in my rotation.