Is this for new orders or does it include pre-orders.

I was planning on using them for IMC and IMMT.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

Both? If you have not ordered yet, you are still pre-ordering and whatever you buy will not ship until July 20 (Huaka) and September 3 (Clifton).

Even worse, the stores that carry it in my area (Los Angeles) don't even know if they'll be getting it.

Where do you see this? I ordered a few days ago, selected one day shipping.

When I do that now, it still says that it'll ship this week?

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New Training/Racing Log - http://www.earthdaykid.com/blog --- Old Training/Racing Log - http://colinlaughery.blogspot.com

Hoka website. Men's Clifton shoe. Select size. Shows back order

I preordered a pair of Huakas a couple of weeks ago from Road Runner Sports. The shipping date was 7/11. Now the website indicates a shipping date of 7/28 for both the Huaka and Clifton.
I haven't gotten any notice of a pushback on my order from RRS.

I called Hoka, as I ordered 2 weeks ago with a shop date of today. They informed me that the Clifton should ship today or tomorrow for the first run of orders (he said that meant orders placed before 7/4). Those ordering after that won't ship until Sep 3rd. He said you'd be better off trying to find a local dealer. Just relaying what I was told, so don't kill me :-)

I ordered mine over a month ago so hopefully I'm good.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

Looking to order a pair soon but curious of how everyone decided between Huaka and Clifton?

My only experience with Hoka is a few runs in Conquests that didn't quite work out for me. Liked the responsiveness of the RMAT sole but was still just too much shoe, felt too heavy and bulky in general.

The idea of a lower and more responsive ride in the Huaka (lower drop, still RMAT) with lighter weight sounds appealing to me. Meanwhile though, the bigger buzz seems to be over the Clifton.

Still I'm seeing mixed reports on whether the Clifton is really EVA, some retailers are listing it as RMAT. Also having a hard time finding the drop on the Clifton, I'm assuming since they aren't advertising the lower drop that it's a standard 10mm heel to toe drop?

Hopefully the guy from Hoka can jump on and give you a better response but this is my understanding:

Clifton: it's basically a Saucony Kinvara with "more" cushion or softer cushion. Also, I haven't run in them but I think they'll have a slightly more stable ride because of how Hoka shoes outsole wrap your foot. Again, I don't work for them.

Hoka: It's the Conquest but lighter. I don't think there is anything else to it.

FWIW.... I'm in your same dilemma. I have the Conquests and think they are too bulky; however love the cushion. Right now, I want a Hoka but something way lighter for racing. So, the Clifton wins by weight alone. With that said, when my Conquests bite the dust, I'll probably buy the Huaka for training and race in Clifton.

the clifton is certainly not the kinvara with more cushion.

almost everything you've written in this thread is not true. including the clifton's release date. it will start shipping a week and a half from now, not september.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Did you go to Hoka's website and try to buy Cliftons TODAY, not 3 weeks ago? Did you notice they are on backorder until September 3rd? That is what I posted. I know the original release date, which was actually July 11th. If it's 1.5 weeks from now, it's then been pushed. Roadrunners release is July 28th (over 2 weeks).

I flat out said I don't work for the company and haven't even run in the shoe... sorry for commenting and pointing out the obvious that I'm not that great a source.

"Did you go to Hoka's website and try to buy Cliftons TODAY, not 3 weeks ago? Did you notice they are on backorder until September 3rd?"

that's a bit different than saying that cliftons will not ship until september.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

If that is not the meaning of backorder... that is news to me and I apologize for misinforming people. As someone who does not work for Hoka, that is what I take away and read when I see backorder.

Also... if what I guessed about the Clifton and Huaka is incorrect, can you please correct me? On the board, I've seen you jump on Hoka threads and make a couple comments here and there but not really go into any detail correcting people or adding information. I'm DYING to know more about Hoka and the shoes they have coming out. Any and all information you're willing to give is much appreciated.

what you wrote was this:

"I just went on their website to check on the release date which was originally July 11th. The Clifton (if ordering on their website) is now not available until September!!"

my takeaway from what you wrote is that the shoes projected to be available on july 11 will now not be available until september. i checked that out with hoka. that's not true. i think my understanding of what you wrote is probably the typical understanding of what you wrote.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

It's OK, let's see if we can clear up some of the distribution confusion. We are getting ready to launch the Clifton, and they will be available in stores well before that September date. The backorder applies to those currently trying to order through the website, and the estimated delivery date for those attempting to order now is in September. Those that previously ordered off of the website got their own estimated deliver date. The first date of delivery for stores, and preorders, should be before the end of the month (and probably sooner, stay tuned and hopefully I can announce some launch parties and exact dates very soon).

Zack

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Hoka One One - Field Service Rep

I ordered a Clifton on RRS website on June 3. At the time, they estimated 7/1 shipping. Now it says 7/28. Ah well, I'll just be patient. Nothing we can do.

I will say that the Hoka Bondi3 I'm wearing now has changed my athletic life. I had abandoned all hope of ever being a regular runner again after a five-year battle with plantar fasciitis. (don't even anybody suggest what I should have tried...I tried everything).

From the first run in Hoka, I was cured. I did a 2-hour run the third week back after not running at all for three years. Not the slightest foot pain, then or since.

These shoes are a miracle for me.

I'm trying the Clifton to see if a slightly lighter version will work, and allow me to carry a little more pace.

The Clifton uses an EVA midsole and has a 5mm drop, the Huaka uses RMAT and has a 2mm drop. Both will be great lightweight trainers/racers for most people. The Huaka is definitely more of a responsive ride, and will handle the trails a little better than the Clifton. I hesitate to directly compare the Clifton to any other shoe (aka Kinvara) just because it has a markedly different feel from anything else out right now.

Personally, I found the Clifton to be a little bit faster in the testing I have done, and it has been my shoe of choice for the tempos/faster runs. Once I get another pair, I plan on throwing the Huakas into my rotation as a trail speed shoe, longer tempo shoe, and probably every once in a while for my base runs. (Stinson has been my go-to mileage shoe.) I prefer soft, so people who love the responsive feel may prefer to race in the Huaka over the Clifton.

I hope that helps,

Zack

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Hoka One One - Field Service Rep

"The Huaka is definitely more of a responsive ride, and will handle the trails a little better than the Clifton."

are you saying this because you are making an intuitive guess based on what you suspect ought to be the case, or do you know by experience? i ask because i find the bondi a brilliant trail shoe, the conquest a horrible trail shoe. i did not know why, i measured the width of the outsoles of each, i could not figure it out. and then it became apparent to me: the bondi is better because it's cushier. the softness of the out-and midsole sucks up the imperfections in the surface. the conquest does not, and every rock, every pebble, every root, every bump, is a lever threatening to tip that shoe over. the rock doesn't give, the shoe doesn't give. the rock wins or, at least, i lose.

i therefore have a question about whether a predominantly RMAT shoe is going to be a good trail shoe. i think RMAT is brilliant, but i think RMAT is brilliant in places where its features are best used. for example, it's just got to be the world's greatest outsole material, because of its weight, it's durability and its traction in the wet.

"I hesitate to directly compare the Clifton to any other shoe (aka Kinvara) just because it has a markedly different feel from anything else out right now. "

simply based on what i see, the biggest difference between the clifton and the kinvara is that the clifton is going to be a laterally stable shoe compared to the kinvara, which is neutral with a capital N. one of hoka's strongest features is that midsole wrap around the upper. that cannot ever be dismissed from the discussion of what makes a hoka work as well as it does.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Yes it does, thank you. I recall you mentioning in a previous thread that the Clifton was EVA however a few places like Running Warehouse seem to be incorrectly stating that it is RMAT unless I'm just misunderstanding the description.

Still a tough choice, but I think the Huaka might meet my needs a little better despite a little more bulk. I'm coming off of years of running in Newtons so the RMAT still feels quite cushioned to me. I have other lighter shoes in rotation for speedwork, looking for something that might be a smooth but more forgiving transition on longer runs coming from the Newton Distances that I've ran my last 3 IMs in.

Do the Clifton come with speedlaces in them???

this i do not know. but if it does i'm yanking them out. the bondi does, but i yanked them out. thankfully, the bondi comes with a second set of laces if you want to yank out the speedlaces. there are just other, better speedlaces.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Thanks Dan.

So I should/shouldn't bank on having them by Ironman Canada (July 27th)?

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

Zach, Great update. Might be a great idea for Hoka to actually inform their dealers that have had orders on the books for about 6 months when they can expect their orders to arrive.

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