Probably the Zante or the 1080...I loved the original Bondi. If you’re not drop sensitive, consider the glycerin or Vomero for good cushioning.

i've had good luck w/both 1080s and, like the other poster, Brooks Glycerins, which , obvs, aren't NBs. I also wear Bondis.

They're not Hoka replacements, any more than Hokas are NB replacements. Very different shoes.

I was in NB but tried Brooks Ghost and have never gone back - great shoes.

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"PAIN is nothing compared to what it feels like to QUIT"

I myself own only Hoka and NB shoes. The 1080 is a really heavy, and very hard, daily trainer, more so than the Bondi 4. And I don't think NB has any equivalent to the Clayton (now the Mach), maybe the Vazee but that one is heavier and less cushioned. The NB1500 is one of my favorite shoes ever, but its more a low-cushion racer than anything Hoka produces.

All above mentioned shoes are great shoes that I use all the time for different purposes, but I don't think that one can directly replace the other. Mix it up a little =)

I know it's not what you're asking, but consider Skechers Go Run Ultra and Go Run Ride. Despite being butt ugly they're awesome shoes. Lighter and better cushioning than Bondi 5 (which is also in my rotation and, in my opinion, is just a big dumb shoe) and Clifton (which I used to have in my rotation) More flexible and responsive too. 4mm drop on both models. I also have the NB 1080 Fresh Foam, which I don't like at all...7mm drop and the heel is just way too prominent.

I did most of my runs in Clifton 3 and when I ran out of pairs I owned and couldn't find more I tried the 4s. Didn't like them at all and now I do most of my running in NB 1400. May seem like an odd move but they are surprisingly cushioned and I like the bigger drop (10mm). I also recently started running in Zoom Flys and wow those are great.

Currently, closest shoes I've found to a Hoka are Nike Zoom Fly and Altra Paradigm; both are lightweight, very cushioned, and have a similar "meta-rocker" design to the midsole. The Altra Duo is their take on a lightweight/long-distance racing shoe, very comparable to the Clayton in terms of stiffness and cushioning.

Those Skechers look promising. Just ordered a pair.

I too wonder WTF has Hoka been doing? They’ve completely nerfed their line. I became a fan with the Bondi B, and loved the Bondi 2, Bondi 4, and Clifton 1 and 2. But subsequent iterations of those shoes have just been plain awful. Or the shoe that’s actually similar gets completely new name. It’s baffling.

Couldn't agree more, and I can't imagine what Decker is thinking with all the changes. I know manufacturers are always looking for new models/improvements, but the way they've decimated the whole line up is beyond me. Unless I'm a unique flower and nobody else was actually buying Bondis and Claytons...

Funny, that's exactly what I told my wife after I wore them around for a bit. They're just...dead.

Nope. Not you. Just idiotic stuff.

I love the Clifton 2. I’d stocked up on enough that missed needing the Clifton 3 (can’t comment on it). Tried the Clifton 4. It sucked.

So ordered the Hoka Napoli off Runningwarehouse. It has EXACT sole as the Clifton 2, just with a different upper. It’s great. I love the shoe. But all I can think is WTF!!!!!????? It makes zero sense and just further confuses their line. Why release an identical shoe with a different name and not explain it at all.

As someone who works in the CPG industry, making your line understandable and easy to shop is paramount. Hoka is becoming a case study in what not to do.

X3. They're on my feet now and "big dumb shoe" and "dead" are the best descriptions I've read so far. I will check out the Skechers next.

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DFL > DNF > DNS

I would highly recommend the sketchers GoRunRide 7 for all the Hoka fanboys. It has everything you are looking for in a $90 package which is unbelievable. I don't know why they don't do some updating to their logo for the performance shoe unit as it would help. They have got a legit shoe line up now. Even Lionel wears them. The upper runs a little higher up the ankle than normal, but that is the only negative I have noticed. I have run a bunch of miles in mine and it's durable as well.

The reviews of this shoe are amazing but it scares me that you say they rise high, do they rub your ankle bone at all? (Bony protrusion at bast of ankle)

I am going to jump on the SKECHERS train here. I love my Skechers GoRun5 shoes. You can also get them below MSRP on amazon consistently.

I moved from the Adidas Ultra Boost (I had three marathons in the Ultra Boost) and now I run in the Skechers GoRun5 and the Hoka One One Clifton 3.

thanks for the Skechers recommendations - I'll give them a look. anyone care to comment on sizing? I'm normally a 10.5 in most running shoes.

I went from Clayton's to NB Zante and really like them. I found the Clayton's were stiffer and slightly more cushioned but the Zante's have proven a great alternative.

 
"The reviews of this shoe are amazing but it scares me that you say they rise high, do they rub your ankle bone at all? (Bony protrusion at bast of ankle)"

There is zero rubbing. The collar seems to be slightly higher than what I am used to, but the only time you notice it is putting on the shoe not when you are wearing it. I think the purpose from a design aspect is for a better fit. The upper material is nice mesh. You should not get any hotspots from the upper.

NB Zante is a great shoe, but if you are doing long runs in this shoe you need to be either a highly efficient runner or light. Frankly, I wore this shoe for two seasons in Tri and it was great for 10k and under. I would struggle with some foot pain when I would go longer. I would not consider this a high stack shoe. I have not tried the Zante 4 yet, but the changes appear mostly cosmetic.

Sketchers sizing is normal running shoe size at least in the gorunride 7. It has a decent insole, medium thickness. A pretty cool concept with this shoe is that the inside is totally finished so you can actually remove the insole and there are no seams on the inside of the shoe. If you remove the insole it creates a lot more volume if needed, which may be appropriate for folks who have a high footbridge. However, it does feel as if the shoe platform is not as stable without the insole which would not matter for pure neutral runners.

I tried goRun5 and it was love at first sight. I used them for entire season last year, for all kind of races and fast training. also for full ironman
then I discovered GoRide 6 and I use the Ride for long and easy run. I will use them for full iron also

I was with Hoka before and I think Sketchers are way better for my running style.

Yes, because continued sales growth over the last five years would be indicative of a brand getting it wrong...

Why release similar shoes? Often times, it's to protect the specialty distribution channel with exclusive products. Asics has done it. Brooks has done it. Hoka has done it. It's to make sure that a shoe like the Bondi that you want to maintain price integrity on doesn't wind up at your local Olympia Sports for $79.97 after a month of not moving on the shelves.

Don't get me wrong, I think Hoka's made some mistakes with their product line (eliminating the original Mafate is pretty high up there).

Also, this isn't a Deckers thing. I know people love to point the finger at the parent company. But you don't see everybody all up in arms at Berkshire Hathaway when Brooks bones up a shoe, or at Wolverine World Wide when Saucony changes the beloved Kinvara.

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Editor-in-Chief, Slowtwitch.com | Twitter

Same, I love the Clifton 3, tried the 4 and hated it. Immediately bought the only Clifton 3 that I could find, which will hold me over for a few months. Thanks for the suggestion on what you are using now, I will be checking out those same shoes.

Same story for me on Cliftons.

Anybody know or have opinion about Tracers? Is the new model how different from the one couple of years ago?

NB also ruined my favorite shoe, Fresh foam zante, the first version was great, second not so much.