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Hoka Gaviota 6

In production · road · Daily / Long run / Recovery · $175

Maximal stability: wide J-Frame base with plush, slow cushioning.

Built for daily, long run, recovery, at a target pace of 9:00–12:00 /mi on road.

The spec sheet

Weight
283 g / 10.0 oz
Heel stack
39 mm
Drop
6 mm
Midsole foam
CMEVA
Plate
—
Cushioning
5 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Rocker
4 / 5
Flexibility
2 / 5
Stability
5 / 5 (5 = most guidance)
Toe-box
Standard
Sizing
True to size
Durability
~500 mi
Price
$175

How it rides

The foam

The midsole is CMEVA, tuned very soft (5/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 39 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 calm at 2/5 responsiveness.

The plate

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.

The geometry

A 6 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. 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.

Fit, sizing & life

The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 500 miles from the outsole, about $0.35 per mile at $175.

For the foams and plates Hoka uses across its line, read the Hoka brand guide.

How it compares

Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.

Weight

283 g / 10.0 oz

8 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g

Heel stack

39 mm

3 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm

Drop

6 mm

Level with the catalog median of 6 mm

Price

$175

15 pricier than the catalog median of 160

Responsiveness

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Cushioning

5 / 5

Catalog median 4 / 5

Energy return

3 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Durability

~500 mi

Catalog median ~400 mi

Within the Hoka line it is heavier than the brand's median (275 g / 9.7 oz) and sits taller than its median stack (38 mm).

Closest alternatives

Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.

On Cloudeclipse(2024)

275 g / 9.7 oz · 37 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $180

On's double-layer max cushion shoe for long, easy, protected miles.

Brooks Ghost Max 4

292 g / 10.3 oz · 39 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $165

Deep, soft cushioning on a broad, stable base for easy days and walking.

Saucony Endorphin Shift 4

300 g / 10.6 oz · 42 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150

Big, stable, rockered cruiser for high-mileage easy days.

Topo Athletic Atmos 2

281 g / 9.9 oz · 40 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $170

Max-cushion, pillowy recovery trainer with a roomy forefoot.

Hoka Skyflow

283 g / 10.0 oz · 39 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $170

Plush, smooth cruiser slotted between Clifton and Bondi.

Lineage & siblings