I am considering trying a pair. As a runner, I like some cushion for lsd runs, and less cushion for tempo runs.
I am unsure about switching to a more cushioned shoe for any of my runs, but most people seem to speak highly of their hoka experience.
What says ST?
hmmm, it might be a fad, better wait another 4 years to see if it sticks
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I was asked to do product testing in 2009 on Hoka and I didn’t do it because I thought it was not going to last and be around for very long. Still around and it seems to work for many.
It has been proven to do its job. If I ran 20kms in my Pegasus , Noosas, hypersoeeds, wave runners I am sure the next day and will struggle to run 2 days later. With the Hokas I don’t have that problem. They are shit to run in and I hate them, but they allow me to train longer.
I’ve run in nothing but Hoka’s since mid-2012 and they have been life changing. I honestly thought my running days were over until I found them. I was constantly fatigued and/or injured from running in Brooks, K-Swiss and New Balance for several years. I’m now running ultra’s and averaging 50+ miles per week in the “off-season” and upwards of 75-80 during peak training.
If they are a fad and I ever get wind of them fading away, I will be scouring the earth to hoard enough Clifton’s in men’s size 10 to last me the rest of my life. I’ll build a special air-tight room to preserve the foam for at least 40 years.
Love Hokas!!! really helped with joint pain and been running longer and more with them
Do you do most of your training on or off road?
On the business side, all things point to an established player. We’ve been watching the brand grow in both Triathlon and Running and the running numbers show it’s a brand that can last. There have never been 8 sustainainable brands in the market. It’s been 7 brands since 2000 with a host of brands trying to be #8. Either we have crossed the point where the market can handle 8 brands or we haven’t. Right now it looks like it’s 8 strong brands and Hoka is one of them.
Their point of difference is the shape of their midsole. Yes it’s maximum cushion but it’s the sidewall wrap and the wide base that really makes the difference. Other brands make shoes as thick. The other probably most defining piece for running is the rocker. The rocker eliminates the flex found in all other running shoes. The rocker will keep you coming back to Hoka or it will turn you away. Only you can figure that out.
You can break Hoka down to 3 shoes. Bondi, Clifton and Clayton. Yes there are others but from what we see on the roads both running and triathlon these are the shoes. For most runners coming in that don’t have functional needs for any of the shoes but more curiosity I would suggest the Clayton. It’s firm where the other two are soft. It’s less shoe but a great deal more shoe than you’ve ever run in. It has all the things I talked about, sidewalls and rocker. The other thing it has or in this case doesn’t have is weight. You’ll be surprised by the lack of weight.
I would love to be able to do most of my running off road but alas it’s just not convenient for me. I probably do 80% or more of my running on the roads. Even more so in the summer months when the horse flies are to bad to run trail.
I would love to be able to do most of my running off road but alas it’s just not convenient for me. I probably do 80% or more of my running on the roads. Even more so in the summer months when the horse flies are to bad to run trail.
I guess I’m lucky as I can do most of my running on off road. Yesterday I decided to run down the canal, which is hard, and my legs were hurting a lot more than normal afterwards 
My N=1.
Cliftons are the first consistent shoes I wear. Granted, it could change as models evolve, but so far, it’s the only shoe I have been comfortable in, revision after revision.
Otherwise, it’s personnal. I tried Claytons as well, while I like them, I get terrible blisters in them. So I doubt I’ll go beyond the one pair I got. Tracers didn’t fit me.
hmmm, it might be a fad, better wait another 4 years to see if it sticks
How long was newton on top?
"Their point of difference is the shape of their midsole. Yes it’s maximum cushion but it’s the sidewall wrap and the wide base that really makes the difference. Other brands make shoes as thick. The other probably most defining piece for running is the rocker. The rocker eliminates the flex found in all other running shoes. The rocker will keep you coming back to Hoka or it will turn you away. Only you can figure that out.
You can break Hoka down to 3 shoes. Bondi, Clifton and Clayton. Yes there are others but from what we see on the roads both running and triathlon these are the shoes. For most runners coming in that don’t have functional needs for any of the shoes but more curiosity I would suggest the Clayton."
This sums it up nicely Dave!
I went from Kinvara/Newton Fate to Clayton and like the firmness, width, slightly more cushioning, and rocker. I’m not sure if the shoe makes me much faster than the others, but I still like them. The Clayton 2 has been awesome for me.
Though, it looks like Nike is “copying” some of the features and obviously has more marketing muscle. The “sub 2” shoe has a carbon “rocker” and thicker sole. Must feel good (or scary) for Hoka to influence such a big brand. I’ve never had luck with Nike running shoes, all too narrow (and I’ve tried them a ton of times). Interested to see how their new versions feel versus Hoka.
On the business side, all things point to an established player. We’ve been watching the brand grow in both Triathlon and Running and the running numbers show it’s a brand that can last. There have never been 8 sustainainable brands in the market. It’s been 7 brands since 2000 with a host of brands trying to be #8. Either we have crossed the point where the market can handle 8 brands or we haven’t. Right now it looks like it’s 8 strong brands and Hoka is one of them.
Okay, call me dumb, but what are the 8 brands? I quit running Oct 2015 in favor of cycling but even in 11+ years of running I almost exclusively wore mizuno. Having a hard time thinking of a total of 8.
hmmm, it might be a fad, better wait another 4 years to see if it sticks
How long was newton on top?
not sure Newton was ever ‘on top’. Your Nike/ Saucony. Asiscs/ New Balance/ Adidas aren’t budging. Newton has been around for 11+ years, and had pretty steady growth right up till 2-3 years ago or so? I think Newton was born right at the beginning of the minialmist running shoe wave and road that pretty hard, but failed to change with the end on minimalism.
Hoka had its niche has the maximalist shoe with the Bondi, but then smarty brought out the Clifton as the light-weight maximalist shoe. Hoka, love or hate them, has expanded their line to include trail, light-weight racers, structured road and bread and butter Clifton/ Bondis. Personally I feel there are too many models with much overlap, but it seems its not hurting them at this time. Also doesn’t hurt Decker came in with loads of cash for promotion and sponsorship.
I am considering trying a pair. As a runner, I like some cushion for lsd runs, and less cushion for tempo runs.
I am unsure about switching to a more cushioned shoe for any of my runs, but most people seem to speak highly of their hoka experience.
What says ST?
I switched to Hoka’s about 6 months ago from Adidas Adios Boost, so basically as different a shoe as possible. I wasn’t having any particular issues, but I had been thinking about it for a long time and finally became convinced to try it primarily because for an Ironman run, leg fatigue and pain is so much more of a limiter than aerobic capacity for me and after trying out the Hoka’s I thought they would help a lot with that. Well - I use them for everything. They are actually lighter than my adidas racing flats, and leg discomfort on long runs that I always thought was just part of distance running is drastically reduced. I wear them at track practice and am running 400’s, 800’s and miles in them faster than ever (I’ve never been a sprinter, just do track practice to build speed and push up threshold for triathlon).
Here in Boulder, even folks who were still very skeptical of Hokas just a year ago are showing up to runs wearing them! It’s definitely the most popular shoe here among folks I train with. And it’s people of all abilities, from beginners, to 70+ AG’ers to pros with very strong runs.
I use the Claytons.
even folks who were still very skeptical of Hokas just a year ago are showing up to runs wearing them!
Same for my area. I can’t decide whether to be annoyed by it or pleased with myself for being ahead of the curve. I began preaching about Hoka back in 2012 and most of my tri and running friends thought I was nuts and gave me crap about my “moon boots.” I persisted and now just about everyone runs in them in some form or another.
I am considering trying a pair. As a runner, I like some cushion for lsd runs, and less cushion for tempo runs.
I am unsure about switching to a more cushioned shoe for any of my runs, but most people seem to speak highly of their hoka experience.
What says ST?
Legit, especially as you get older (IMO). As a 45 year old guy trying to get back into running I find when I wear my Hokas, I can get out every day and run. If I wear my Asics my joints and legs hurt the day after a run. They look goofy but they are so comfortable to run in.
I hope they never go away, and I am hooked for life.
Running in them last 3 years, I swear by them.
Since you got me into wearing them, I will also say that I have had no achilles tendinitis pain after wearing them. Yes, I did eccentrics and rested my leg a lot and did other things to heal it but I have zero pain in my Hokas and love them.