Sure the few reviews say it’s “less cushioned,” but compared to what? A Bondi? Clifton 4,5? If a Clifton 1 can be ~7.8oz…why can’t this 7.5 be cushioney?
If anyone can opine: I’m a big guy (205#), but can throw down a 23min 5K (not on fire, but not slow either). My favorite shoes have been the Clifton 1 and Speedgoat…but sometimes I find them a bit mushy. For shorter runs or <13.1, I love the Kinvara 8 for its responsiveness (it seems to spring me forward), but it beats me up over longer distances.
Basically I want a “firmer” lighter Clifton OR a slightly more cushiony Kinvara. And this new Hoka has good numbers…and looks sexy.
EDIT: Tried to add photos for those that don’t want to “click,” but keep getting error message.
roadtrailrun folks have been testing it and sound like it might be the shoe you’re looking for. Not as mushy as a Clifton, but with enough foam to be pleasant for longer. harder runs. I’ll be getting a pair soon as there available. You might want to try a Skechers Razor Hyper too. Love mine…waiting for the Go Runs Hyper to be released as they will be great training compliments to the Razor.
roadtrailrun folks have been testing it and sound like it might be the shoe you’re looking for. Not as mushy as a Clifton, but with enough foam to be pleasant for longer. harder runs. I’ll be getting a pair soon as there available. You might want to try a Skechers Razor Hyper too. Love mine…waiting for the Go Runs Hyper to be released as they will be great training compliments to the Razor.
The only Skechers I tried were the GoRun Ultra. They were waaaayyy too mushy. I swear I was more sore from my legs adjusting to the imbalance of the shoe.
Did you run in the Napali at all? The Napali was a cheaper version of the Clifton 3 and the Rincon is replacing the Napali in the lineup. Didn’t try the Napali…not sure why…just never did.
I just got a pair of Altra Duo on clearance that I’m gonna try. They literally arrived last night, so I have no opinion (other than the black/red is super ugly…I’ll have to not look down while running :)). I do love the Foot Shape idea they use; why don’t more companies use it???
I grabbed both pairs of Napalis I have on Sale from Running Warehouse, the second one hit a price where I was like: gotta grab that. Bondi 6s are like on their last 40 miles, so I’ll probably grab the 5 and also grab the Bondi B since Dan thinks that may be the greatest shoe ever.
So…some more info.
At least in an 8.5 size per RoadTrailRun
Clifton 6 (8.6oz)shaves and ounce from the Clifton 5 (9.6oz)
Just an (odd) update. I happened to go to Nike Outlet to get my son some sneakers. I have NEVER been a fan of Nike shoes (the only Nike I recall liking is the OG LunarTrainer).
But they had a pair of Zoom Fly SP on the clearance rack. At $46, I figured “why not.”
I have 4 runs in (about 40k) and they are exactly what I wanted. They seem cushioney…but also responsive and FAST! I ran three days in a row and had almost no soreness at all.
If these things last, I might become a hoarder. It’s a little early, but these have sky-rocketed to my vaunted “favorite shoe of all time” category.
Downsides: 1. they seem a little warm…but I Was in Wiliamsburg, VA., so maybe it was just warm out and 2) the shoe I got was white on white…maybe that’s why they were on sale…b/c the are UGLY. I kinda like them…maybe like modern art: so ugly, they’re appealing :).
I am also very curious about the Rincon. At Ocenside this year I stopped by the Hoka booth and chatted with the reps there… basically I was trying to toss support for keeping the Clifton 1 around forever (I bought 10 pair during this last production run… wish I had bought 20!) Anyway, they ran in back and pulled out the Ricon and told me it was coming soon and that it was “basically” the Clifton 1 with a few minor improvements. That this was the shoe they were coming out with to respond to all the people that wanted the Clifton 1 to come back. I hope that is true but I won’t be convinced till I try the Rincon (and really… with 8 pairs of Clifton 1’s still sitting on the shelf I am good for a bit.) I will note that the day the Ricon went pre-sale on Hoka’s website they took the Clifton 1 down :-/… Not sure where there were with C1 stock but it is completely gone from their website and the few running stores I called said they can’t order it in any size (maybe they are all boxed up and headed to some running closeout store, etc… but regardless it does seem the 2nd run of Clifton 1’s is officially over. Fingers crossed the Rincon delivers. For me it is more about the footbed than anything else… I have a very low arch and the C1 is a very flat shoe in the arch area which is perfect for me. Any shoe with an arch (or any attempt to put in arch support) just creates a situation where I am now landing with all my weight on the arch of my foot (painful and not sustainable!)
Anyway… if anyone gets their feet into a Rincon please post back with the recon:).
I love my Napali’s. Like you, I bought a couple of pairs from Running Warehouse. The weight difference between them and my Clifton 5’s is significant. I’m hoping the Rincon is pretty much a rebadged Napali. My LRS said the Rincons would be available sometime in July. I didn’t bite on the preorder email since I wanted to try them on in store to get the right sizing. The lighter weight of the Clifton 6’s also have me interested.
A pair just arrived from running warehouse last evening. Excited to give them a try. First blush, it appears that they are pretty close to the Claytons. I think I am going to like them.
Hoka sizing continues to perplex me. For 40 yearsish I have been either a large size 12, or a small 12.5. Very narrow range in my sizing. Claytons were perfect in 12.5. I am on the border with Carbon X and am wearing a 12. The Mack 2 I am an 11.5 (NEVER been that before) with plenty of room. I ordered a 12 and 12.5 in Rincon and then send one back. The 12.5 is huge and the 12 has plenty of room, but probably ok. I am just a bit surprised in the size variance from model to model.
I’ll report back after I give the Rincon a good go.
I just pulled the trigger on a pair of Vaporfly Next and think I’m sending them back. I honestly think the Rincon and MAYBE the Carbon X would be far better for a 3:10-15 Ironman Marathon. The Next and the two prior iterations just seem to do best when you’re running low 6’s or faster. I haven’t had one run slower than 7 pace that felt great.
Today I ran eight out launch in the Rincon. That was the first real run in them, and although an easy day, they felt remarkably good for a first run. I believe I like them better than the Carbon X. For some reason, but Carbon X Seems to make me supinate. Rincon does not do that.
The only odd thing about the Rincon is that they feel a bit “long.†For example, I run through a college that has a very long set of steps and my toe caught a few times as I ran up the steps. That has never happened before.
I’m excited to try them a few more times. They really feel good!
I have about a week of running in the Rincons and I think Hoka has a real winner. Obviously not as plush as the Bondi but certainly nice and comfy. They feel a lot like the Clifton 1 to me although maybe a bit more responsive. Light years better than the Clifton 2 through 5 (haven’t tried the 6) which are all pieces of shit.
I have about a week of running in the Rincons and I think Hoka has a real winner. Obviously not as plush as the Bondi but certainly nice and comfy. They feel a lot like the Clifton 1 to me although maybe a bit more responsive. Light years better than the Clifton 2 through 5 (haven’t tried the 6)
thanks, I have seen the Rincons but not been able to run in them yet.
LRS had a Hoka demo day and I tried the Clifton 6’s, they are way better than the 5s, plan to get a pair once they go on discount sales in a year or so…
I like them. I was hoping for a clifton 3 / napali clone, but they feel more similar to a clayton so far (lighter but less squishy than clifton 3). But I haven’t been able to do anything other than easy runs in them as I’m nursing a soleus strain at the moment.