In production · road · Tempo / Long run · $190
Plated super trainer with a pronounced rocker and a lot of foam.
Built for tempo, long run, at a target pace of 6:15–8:45 /mi on road.
The midsole is Peba, tuned soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is above average: the midsole rebounds well without feeling unstable. At 46 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 snappy at 4/5 responsiveness.
A nylon (or PEBA-blend) plate adds structure without the harsh stiffness of carbon. You get a firmer, more propulsive toe-off that still flexes at slower paces, which is why nylon-plated shoes double as workout and long-run shoes rather than race-day-only tools.
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. 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 350 miles from the outsole, about $0.54 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
252 g / 8.9 oz
23 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
46 mm
10 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
5 mm
1 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$190
30 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
4 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~350 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Hoka line it is lighter 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.
Brooks Hyperion Max 3
281 g / 9.9 oz · 46 mm · 6 mm drop · Nylon · $180
Plated super trainer with DNA Flash v2 for workouts and long efforts.
Adidas Adizero Boston 14(2025)
245 g / 8.6 oz · 38 mm · 6 mm drop · Nylon · $165
Rod-stiffened tempo trainer that likes workouts more than easy days.
Hoka Mach X 3
252 g / 8.9 oz · 44 mm · 5 mm drop · Nylon · $190
Hoka Mach X 3: 43 mm heel stack, 5 mm drop, 264 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Salomon Aero Volt 2
235 g / 8.3 oz · 38 mm · 6 mm drop · Nylon · $180
Plated road tempo shoe with a light, energetic Energy Foam midsole.