When and why did running shoes get so serious? All of a sudden, everything seems to have an opinion. A shoe for daily miles. A shoe for speed. A shoe specifically for race day, and different ones for different distances. Carbon plates, super foams, energy boosting air units or high abrasion rubber. Shoes designed to make you faster, lighter, more efficient. The list goes on.
Then there's HOKA. Big, bold and difficult to simply ignore, HOKA has never been particularly interested in following the typical shape of a running shoe. The proportions are exaggerated. The cushioning is slightly audacious. The first reaction is often either a big yes or they're not a bit of me.
But have you actually run any miles in a pair of HOKAs? That is perhaps the more curious question.
HOKA began with a simple idea. Make running downhill easier and keep running for longer. What started in the French Alps has developed into one of the most synonymous names in running, with shoes designed for everything from daily 5Ks to serious racing and long days on the treacherous trail. At Progress Running Club, we stock a selection that reflects that breadth.
The Clifton 11 is the easiest place to start. Lightweight, well cushioned and versatile. It's built for those everyday miles that make up most of a week's training.
The Clifton Pro tunes up the energy. More aggressive, more responsive and built to encourage a quicker cadence. It asks a different question, what happens when your everyday shoe starts to feel fast?
Then there is the Cielo X1 3.0, HOKA's elite level race shoe. Carbon fibre, PEBA foam and aggressive geometry make it a highly different proposition. This is that shoe for race day, PB's and those sessions where you want to find out exactly what you're made of.
Or is it cushioning that's sparked intrigue?
The Bondi 9 goes all in. Comfortable, with bags of stability and built for miles upon miles, it makes you wonder whether a running shoe can be enjoyable just because it feels good.
For when the road runs out, HOKA developed the Challenger 8 GORE-TEX, Stinson 8 and Mafate X. Three very different takes for very different terrains, from mixed surface runs to serious trail distances.
So maybe the question isn't whether HOKA looks different from what you might expect. It does. The question is whether you've given it a fair chance.
Come in. Try a pair. See what you think.