Cushy like nothing else I've ever walked or run in. Try them as you have 60 days to make up your mind.

They are very cushioned. I have psoriatic arthritis in my knees, and while I'm able to run in regular shoes, the Hokas are like running on clouds. I usually have to put the brakes on going down hill due to the pounding; with the Hokas I can fly and the shoes soak up the hit unlike any other shoe I've worn.

Spot

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Taco cat spelled backwards is....taco cat.

thanks for the replies. I've thought about hokas vs. ON running shoes. Hokas seem to be more the more cushioned shoe. Do the thick soles limit your pace at all in terms of planting and transitioning your feet? Can you run under 7min/mile in them no problem?

thanks.

Eh they're a pretty soft shoe for arthritis. The cushion will feel good but think about running on a beach. Would you rather run on the firm wet sand or in the soft sand?

Most years I have some sort of injury by now. This year training and racing on Hokas I have never felt better and my run times are better than ever from 5k to 70.3. Can't wait to do Wisconsin in them. I have tried the other way including those sadistic Newtons. Hokas are way better on my 41 yr old legs.

The Hoka's are really good - the answer to the question is they make you neither faster or slower that I notice - indirectly lack of any pain will make you faster I guess, and ultimately it depends if you could run a 7 min mile before....

are the Bondi the only way to go for road surfaces?

I've been running in Hokas for about 7 weeks now, and I'm well on my way to becoming another fanboy. I've been struggling with all kinds of lower leg problems since I restarted running 3 years ago (knees, then feet, then calves, more recently achilles). While the Hokas haven't entirely solved the problems, they have allowed me to keep running to a degree that I wouldn't be able to before. I feel less soreness from running than I used to (and I'm a cautious run-every-day-but-only-steady kind of guy).

As for their effect on pacing, I haven't noticed any difference. At first the feel of the cushioning is certainly quite weird, it feels like running on pillows. But now they feel pretty normal. I've only raced once in them, and I don't think I was any slower than I would have been in regular shoes. It was a 12.5k race on a crazy hot/humid day in Taipei, so I faded from the weather, but the first mile in 6:00 felt really quite comfortable in my Hokas.

They're not cheap, by any means, but if you're the kind of person who needs them, then they're worth the price.

The Stinson seems fine for road surfaces. I went in and tried both on. The salesman, who I'm not convinced really knew what he was saying, told me that the Bondi was unisex and that made it a little more narrow than the Stinson.

I did find the Bondi tighter and ended up going with the Stinson.

To the OP when I first ran in them I thought they felt like running on a rubberized track, even when you are on concrete. I'm a relatively inexperienced runner, and a bit overly concerned about running injuries. I can't say I'm convinced the Hoka will remove all risk of injury, but I think they are helping.

ok, thanks for the comments. I'm usually run in a stability shoes and I noticed these shoes don't have a post in them. Anyway, I'll give them a try. Is the 60 day trial period only good if you buy them from certain retailers?

 I have the Stinsen (trail) shie - it has a "tread" - I'm a little slower than my Newtons (could be age/me) but they feel heavier... I put a heat molded footbed in them and now I'm wondering - Who's running with just the original footbed Sorry to divert to the OP, but I have 250 miles on mine and my lower leg issues seemed to have vanished (still at 180 ppm)

Everything I have to say about the Hokas has already been said. I absolutely love them. I'm on my third pair and won't do another IM without them if possible. I do my shorter distance stuff in Kinvaras and Tevaspheres but when it comes to long course or recovery days, the Hokas can't be beat.

Check out The Tri Shop: http://www.thetrishop.com/...running-shoes-1.html. They offer the 60 day trial. They also let you order 2 sizes and return 1 for free. (I have to order a 1/2 size up from my Kinvaras). Also, if you purchase their Elite membership (sort of like Amazon Prime), the shoes are actually cheaper because the 15% off discount covers the $9.95 membership fee. Plus you get faster shipping.

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We've sold a lot of Hoka shoes and helped many people in your situation. No one shoe will work for everyone and/or solve all problems, but it is certainly worth and try and we offer a 60 day NQA (No Questions Asked) return policy that allows you to wear them as much as you want and return them within 60 days if you don't like them for a full refund. Yes, we are that confident is this product. Good luck!

http://www.thetrishop.com/brands/hoka-one-one.html

Tri-shop,

Thanks, ill check it out. Any idea when the new Stinson Tarmac will be in? I believe the new models have a slightly thicker sole.

Some fall styles are arriving this week, the men's Tarmac in 2 weeks. However, there are very few changes for fall, mainly color updates, Tarmac's included (unchanged).

Your salesman didn't know what he was talking about. I have wide feet and basically have to wear the Bondis because the Stinsons are definitely narrower, particularly in the toe box.

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