Hoka One One Clifton Shoe Review

REVIEW OF HOKA ONE ONE’S CLIFTON SHOE

 

Hoka One One, a Maori term meaning “time to fly” is a recent entry into the Darwinian world of the running shoe industry. With “new models” coming out every six months, a company coming up with a really innovative shoe is a near impossible task. That a brand new company has done so is truly mind boggling.

 

Full Disclosure-I went to school with the President of Hoka One One, Jim Van Dine. That said, it took me almost two years before I tried a pair of his company’s shoes. I have always worn neutral cushioned shoes for my high arched feet with no problems. I’ve worn and trained in all the major brands. In that respect, I’ve been very lucky to have not suffered any major injuries that resulted in my going under the knife. So why would I try a shoe that offers the ultimate in cushioning?

 

Like many runners, it’s not the long hard runs that caused pain, it was the day after and the day after that and the day after that spent in “recovery.” Long recoveries meant less total mileage. So, while I wasn’t injured, I still missed valuable training time. I read that people wearing Hoka’s recovered from hard runs faster. So, with that in mind, I went to my favorite running store of all time-Transports in Oakland and picked up a pair of the Cliftons.

 

Looking at the shoe from the side, the assumption would be that the shoe is a heavy clumsy beast. That assumption is wrong. Once I got on the shoes, I was amazed that they felt lighter than my Saucony trainers. And the ride? Very soft without feeling I was running with pillows strapped to my feet. I am not a big heel pounder and was curious if the rocker design of the sole would feel strange. The design is meant to encourage an easy transition from the heel to the fore foot which allows for a more efficient and ultimately faster stride. I felt like I was landing on the ball of my foot as I had with all my other shoes, the difference was that the push off with my toes felt effortless. It just happened. The toe box is generous while the heel counter locks in the heel without pinching or rubbing. It’s clear that a runner designed this shoe. A runner that does serious mileage. It shows.

I wore these shoes for long runs. I wore them on the treadmill and more amazingly, I wore them as racing shoes in a trail half marathon and a 11.5 mile long obstacle race. The shoes were outstanding performers. Light, nimble and comfortable. The best part was that my recovery days dropped dramatically. The Frankenstein like walking after a hard run or the races because of my locked up and painful quads had gone away.

Bottom line-while there is no such thing as the “perfect shoe” this one comes damn close. Try them.