The Hoka Thread

Coach Rich

Figured I'd start a thread on all things Hoka, as many of us are running in these shoes. 

I'm looking to get a new pair of kicks for IMWI, with my current shoes having about 275mi on them. I'm comfortable taking them up to 400+, which would get me through the race, but it's race sooo...would like to sport new shoes. Anyway...

Jess Withrow shared this shoe comparison link with me. I've been running in Bondi's, to accommodate the width of my flat feet + inserts. But even so I'm got an awesome set of callouses on my toes, heels, etc. Happy to share pics... I noticed in the chart above that Bondi and Clifton are both listed as medium but the Clifton is significantly lighter. 

Can someone share with me a comparison of the Cliftons vs the Bondis, preferably someone with wide feets? I thinking I can pick up a pair of Cliftons and if they don't work for me or I'm not super confident in them, I can run with my current Bondi's and sort out what to do with the Cliftons after the race. 

Flatfooted in Monrovia, 

Peter Noyes

Run With Us in Pasadena carries Hoka, so you could go try on the Cliftons.

Coach Rich

Posted By Peter Noyes on 18 Aug 2015 06:02 PM


Run With Us in Pasadena carries Hoka, so you could go try on the Cliftons.

Do they offer a PTC discount?

Peter Noyes

Yes!

Turby Wright

Hey Rich, For at least 15 years I ran in ASICS size 11 EEEE (yes wide feet!) and switched to Hokas 3 years ago. I do almost all my training in Bondis and use the Cliftons for some fast tempo runs and all my racing. The Cliftons are for me at least as wide as the Bondis and actually feel more forgiving width wise, probably the lighter upper material. The Clifton is an amazing shoe for racing long distance because of the super light weight but still good protection. Most racing shoes just don't have enough cushioning unless you weigh 130 lbs. or less. I like to train in the heavier Bondis then put on the Cliftons and go into "now I have my racing shoes on let's get down to business mode".

Coach Rich

Posted By Turby Wright on 18 Aug 2015 07:08 PM

Hey Rich, For at least 15 years I ran in ASICS size 11 EEEE (yes wide feet!) and switched to Hokas 3 years ago. I do almost all my training in Bondis and use the Cliftons for some fast tempo runs and all my racing. The Cliftons are for me at least as wide as the Bondis and actually feel more forgiving width wise, probably the lighter upper material. The Clifton is an amazing shoe for racing long distance because of the super light weight but still good protection. Most racing shoes just don't have enough cushioning unless you weigh 130 lbs. or less. I like to train in the heavier Bondis then put on the Cliftons and go into "now I have my racing shoes on let's get down to business mode".

Hey Turby, 

Great feedback! Do you run the same size in Bondi and Cliftons?

Paul Hough

My first pair of Hoka's were Bondi B's. Then I got the Clifton and another Clifton. Great shoes. About all I can say on the difference is that the Clifton's are so much lighter without giving up any cushioning. They would be a great LD race shoe as long as they don't get wet. For Austria, I am going to try the On Cloud. I have the Cloud Surfer (too heavy) and the Cloud Racer (too light) but the Cloud is just right!

Turby Wright

Yup. 11 in both shoes.

Douglas Sutherland

I too love the Hoka Clifton, but I go through them rather quickly. Specifically, the insole seems to slip on me after about 150-200 miles - it starts to ride up the heel so that the toe edge of the insole pulls back creating an annoying edge that my toes catch. At IMCDA I spoke with the Hoka tent about it. He predicted this problem would be solved with the Clifton 2, something about removable insoles on the first model.

drjohnson08

I have a pair of Bondi's, several pairs of the original Clifton and a pair of the Clifton 2. The Bondis are definitely heavier. The Bondis feel mushier to me. I feel like my foot sinks into them and the tendons/ligaments/foot gets spread out to the point where it's a little uncomfortable. The Clifton still has a great amount of cushioning, is lighter and feels more responsive IMO. I feel like my foot doesn't sink in as much and I'm able to get better energy transfer as my forefoot pushes off the pavement. I purchased a pair of Clifton 2. The tongue on them is padded, which is a change from the original. They felt good (and the same as the original) the first few miles I ran, however, I developed a blister after around 7 miles on that little rounded bone that sticks out on the side of your foot right behind the big toe. I haven't worn them since.

I have fairly wide feet and the Clifton and Bondi both provide enough room. Same size in both shoes.

Coach Rich

I picked up a pair of Cliftons last night through Roadrunner Sports, should be here tonight. 

scott dinhofer

I am on my 3rd pair of Bondis and have had the conquest, Stinson & now the Clifton.

I only got the Clifton recently and just put on a new pair of Bondis a month or so before placid. My old Bondis clearly had too much mileage on them and the difference of the new ones was felt immediately.

That said, running in the new Bondis and working in some runs with the Cliftons as I planned to run LP in them, there is an obvious difference. The Clifton is lighter and feels like it has less structure to it. I liked it, but I also though the structure of the Bondi might be better for a IM run, rather than losing the shoe weight, better structure might promote better running form when tired? Just a thought.

all said, Love the Hoka's, have recommended them to a few friends that are just fitness runners & all came back and thanked me, some profusely so!

Shadow4040

You will love them man.  Did you get the Clifton or Clifton 2's?  I have both and still run in the first ones as well.  Ran in the Clifton 2"s at Chatt camp last week.  

scott dinhofer

I should add that it was the original EN Hoka thread that I saw in October of 2013 that convinced me to go Hoka...

Jess Withrow

I've read several places that the Bondi 4 will be available in a wide width in fall (October-ish) of 2015... Did a quick search for proof and didn't come up with anything solid, but still holding my breath for its release! I use custom insoles/orthotics as well, and they pop my foot too high out of the shoe collar in the Cliftons - my heel literally slips out of the back of the shoe when my insoles are in. Otherwise, they're as awesome as everyone says they are.

Here's one more comparison link that might be good for anyone new to Hoka (or anyone baffled by their lineup!) - it does a great job detailing each shoe: http://ultrarunningcompany.com/hoka-one-one

Coach Rich

Jess, 

My inserts slide forward or tick...or something goes on...that has created the most awesomest calouses (sp?) on the back of my heels. Have similar on the sides of feets. I'm awesome in sandals...

Coach Rich

Picked up a pair of Cliftons:

• They work fine with my flat feets and inserts. So a 10.5 and medium width in Bondi translates to the same in the Clifton, though when I compared them side by side the Bondi definitely looks wider.
• Feels much more like a traditional running shoe than the Bondi but also much lighter. Feels much less cushioned, though I was also trying out a thinner sock as I search for options to help me minimize the squishy sock effect in runs longer than about 9mi, as I sweat so damn much. 
• Looking forward to racing in them but I will probably continue to train in Bondis after IMWI, saving the Cliftons for shorter runs, intervals, and races. 

Jess Withrow

I stopped by the Hoka booth at IMWI and asked if the rumors of a wide width Bondi were true - it IS true, and it's coming out in October. They've also redesigned the Constant (the widest model they currently make and their stability shoe), removing a medial "seam" on the exterior to create more room in the forefoot. That'll be released in January '16. I was super happy to hear that because, even though I don't "need" a stability shoe, I love the Constant but had been wishing it didn't have that restrictive seam!

Scott Giljum

Some Hoka related questions I have been noodling over since I am not training all day long anymore:
1. I have run in the Bondi 4's and they work well enough, but I have never run in the Cliftons or the new version of the Stinsons. I was curious what others thought.
2. Specifically with the Clifton's I have read reviews that were glowing on the first model but have hammered the second. What are your experiences?
3. More to my body type/history, do these shoes make sense for me given that I am 150 at race weight, and around 155-160 most other times? Would I be better served with a lighter shoe that may offer less protection? I also have used Altra's in the past and liked the wide toe box though I don't think I have flinstone feet per say.

Thanks for all the feedback!

Anu Rao

Scott, I am under 110 and use the Clifton 1 for training and for standalone marathons use the Saucony Kinvara which is beefier than the original Kinvara but lower profile than the Clifton. I sort of like the road feel if you will with the Kinvara. I recently used the Clifton 1 for a relay, lots of faster running and they did fine, they probably won't work for track but otherwise a good shoe even for smaller runners. That said I have not used the Clifton2 and stockpiled a couple of Clifton 1 as soon as I heard about the 2. I have the Stinson Tarmac and a bit too much shoe for me. I wear it occasionally for a recovery run or walking the dog.

Debating on what to wear for the IM on one hand having a cushier shoe might be nice, but the flexibility of the Kinvara might also be a plus with tired legs. I've done long runs in both and cannot make up my mind.