On recent Hoka shoes, on the medial side of the midsole, some data appears :
S with 2 numbers
V with 1 number
W with 1 number (or C 001 if a carbon plate)
W (weight) indicate the weight in grams for size 9 (for men shoes). This is coherent with all shoes I checked.
V (volume) apparently indicate the volume of the midsole in cm3 for size 9 men (884 for Bondi X, 655 for Clifton 8, …). Can’t check but sounds coherent.
S (spring ??) : I found in a site this was indicating midsole stack at heel and front. But this is not coherent with real dimensions and data on Clifton 8 (S34x22), Mach Supersonic (S39x25) and Carbon X2 and X3 (41x36).
I suppose it could be stiffness of the shoe (longitudinal x lateral), the carbon plated being logically the stiffest ?
According to Hoka’s website the S is spring measurement, which they define as “curvature of the shoe, measuring how high the heel and toe are off the ground”. I found that looking at the product specs for the Mach 4 and Carbon X2.
Their marketing worked! It got you talking about it. No other reason to put those numbers on a shoe except to get people talking about it.
Spring - sounds like a different way to talk about stack heights. I think it´s appropriate since all of their shoes are built on a rocker. It´s good marketing lingo. You see Saucony is doing really well with Speed Roll and Salomon is coming out with a different name as well. The numbers could be the actual stack heights listed on the blueprint. Those will always be different than total stack heights because the blueprint is the midsole only, no outsole, no strobel board, no insole.
I think the most literal interpretation of how Hoka describes the measurements is, using the Carbon X2 as an example: S41x36 means the heel is 41mm and the toe is 36mm from the ground.
I think the most literal interpretation of how Hoka describes the measurements is, using the Carbon X2 as an example: S41x36 means the heel is 41mm and the toe is 36mm from the ground.
The way you interpret it is basically stack height.
But the stack height values (heel, toe) given by Hoka are different from these value.
My Clifton8 give S34x22, while stack height are not these value. Same problem for Mach Supersonic (S39x25) . Same problem with Carbon X 2 and 3 (S41x36). Whatever stack heigh you are looking at (midsole only, total, … ) these are not stack height.
I think the most literal interpretation of how Hoka describes the measurements is, using the Carbon X2 as an example: S41x36 means the heel is 41mm and the toe is 36mm from the ground.
The way you interpret it is basically stack height.
But the stack height values (heel, toe) given by Hoka are different from these value.
My Clifton8 give S34x22, while stack height are not these value. Same problem for Mach Supersonic (S39x25) . Same problem with Carbon X 2 and 3 (S41x36). Whatever stack heigh you are looking at (midsole only, total, … ) these are not stack height.
If Hoka gives the stack height as a separate measurement, then perhaps you’re comparing apples to oranges? I mean, what’s the point of pointing this out anyways? Have you asked Hoka?
Stack is thickness of foam/material – their spring measurement is related to “rocker,” or how high the bottom (sole) of the toe and heel are from the ground.
Stack is thickness of foam/material – their spring measurement is related to “rocker,” or how high the bottom (sole) of the toe and heel are from the ground.
If I understand what you say, these figures could be the distance between the ground and the sole of the shoes for front rocker and heel rocker ?
Checking on my Clifton 8, this seems realistic.
First figure for front rocker, second figure for heel rocker. S34x22 for the Clifton 8.
And the much bigger second figure on the Carbon X2 and X3 (36, compared to Clifton - 22 and Mach S - 24) could be due to the bigger extended heel.
This is coherent