In production · trail · Trail / Long run · $190
Max-cushion mountain ultra shoe for very long days.
Built for trail, long run, at a target pace of 9:30–13:00 /mi on trail.
Hoka tuned this midsole very soft (5/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is above average: the midsole rebounds well without feeling unstable. At 42 mm of heel stack this sits in max-cushion territory; legs stay fresher on long efforts, but the platform is tall. 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 4 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. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.42 per mile at $190.
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
300 g / 10.6 oz
25 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
42 mm
6 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
4 mm
2 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$190
30 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
5 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~450 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).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Nike ACG Zegama Trail(2026)
338 g / 11.9 oz · 42 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $180
Ultra-cushioned ZoomX trail rig on Vibram Megagrip, built for 100-milers.
Nike ACG Zegama Trail GORE-TEX(2026)
350 g / 12.3 oz · 42 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $200
Waterproof Zegama for cold, wet ultra days.
Salomon Ultra Glide 4
280 g / 9.9 oz · 41 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $160
Smooth, rockered max-cushion trail cruiser for very long days.
Salomon S/Lab Ultra Glide 2
302 g / 10.7 oz · 41 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $250
Max-stack ultra racer with a pressure-diffusing relieveSPHERE outsole.