In production · road · Daily / Long run · $145
J-Frame support built into soft foam — stability that doesn't feel like a brace.
Built for daily, long run, at a target pace of 8:30–11:30 /mi on road.
The midsole is CMEVA, tuned soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 34 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as lively at 3/5 responsiveness.
There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.
A low 5 mm drop encourages a midfoot landing and keeps the ankle working through a fuller range. The rocker is aggressive: the sole is curved and stiff enough to tip you into the next stride on its own, which saves the calf on long runs but feels strange when you slow right down. The forefoot is stiff, so it rolls rather than bends — a lever, not a slipper. It offers real guidance through the gait cycle — useful for runners whose form collapses when tired.
The toe-box is wide, with space for the toes to spread late in long runs. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.32 per mile at $145.
For the foams and plates Hoka uses across its line, read the Hoka brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
272 g / 9.6 oz
3 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
34 mm
2 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
5 mm
1 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$145
15 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
4 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~450 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Hoka line it is lighter than the brand's median (275 g / 9.7 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (38 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Hoka Clifton 9 GTX
272 g / 9.6 oz · 40 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $170
Hoka Clifton 9 GTX: 40 mm heel stack, 5 mm drop, 271 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Saucony Guide 18(2025)
272 g / 9.6 oz · 35 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $145
Center-path stability with a soft, non-intrusive frame.
Saucony Guide 19
275 g / 9.7 oz · 35 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150
Center-path stability that feels neutral until you need it.
Hoka Rincon 4
228 g / 8.0 oz · 33 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $130
Barely-there lightweight Hoka for quick, cushioned miles.