Since I began carrying HOKA’s regularly over time, lots of you’ve gotten requested “what do you assume?” or “I’ve been contemplating them, ought to I?” “Are you able to clarify the distinction in Hoka Bondi vs Clifton??”

Having run in TONS of various fashions since 2012, I’ve loads to say about how these footwear match and really feel!

Every year, I check out their new fashions and put in sufficient miles to have strong suggestions on really feel, match and whether or not I’ll be shelling out cash for an additional pair.

Initially this was a straight assessment of the Hoka Clifton as a result of that was the one shoe. However as they’ve expanded over time, so have the fashions I’ve examined.

Right here I hope to assist breakdown the variations and show you how to discover the proper possibility for working. Particularly, we’re going to deal with a HOKA Clifton vs Bondi in match, really feel and performance. Theses are two of their hottest footwear and for good purpose!

Hoka Operating Sneakers Evaluations

Switching trainers is a TERRIFYING prospect, however I used to be in want of a change. My knees had been aching for months and my chiropractor had began to level out how my foot was rolling in fairly laborious on my outdated footwear.

Sooo the thought of some further midfoot cushion and somewhat extra help seemed like a great factor for long-distance working, however would I actually like them?

They had been so large!! They had been so totally different!

Maximal trainers vs minimalist footwear is a complete matter that required a particular put up, so learn that to determine if it’s best for you. All HOKA footwear are maximal, which means they’ve a excessive stack top. Which isn’t the identical as a giant heel to toe drop.

Right here we’re exploring a number of the totally different fashions of Hoka trainers. What are one of the best HOKA trainers? That’s going to rely in your preferences, so let’s evaluate that can assist you determine.

A fast description of the important thing Hoka footwear:

• Hoka Clifton (impartial cushion)
• Hoka Bondi (impartial plush cushion)
• Hoka Mach (impartial responsive cushion) – testing the brand new mannequin this summer time
• Hoka Speedgoat (impartial path)
• Hoka Challenger ATR (path shoe for groomed trails or mountain climbing)
• Hoka Arahi (cushioned stability shoe) – not a shoe I’ll check as I don’t want stability
• Hoka BondiX (impartial plush cushion with carbon fiber)
• Hoka Carbon X (impartial carbon fiber racing shoe)

Bonus: I’ve finished a separate put up on Finest Hoka Sneakers for Strolling and Standing at Work>>

Following are some things that I might say throughout every shoe, so saving time right here by saying it as soon as.

Stability

Whereas I DO NOT suggest stability footwear for many runners, the Hoka is designed to supply some base stage stability due to the broader platform of the midsole. This can be a nice solution to get the advantages with out altering your stride or hiding the truth that you’ve gotten weak muscle tissue.

That is going to use to all of their footwear and my desire over choosing an ordinary stability shoe for overpronation.

Maximal Shoe

Stack top is how we consult with the dimensions of the outsole and what’s subsequently outlined as a maximal shoe of 30mm to 50mm.

I did separate detailed put up evaluating maximal and minimal, however for now here’s what HOKA has to say about their footwear:

“most cushioning materials is designed for wonderful shock absorption and an inherently steady experience.”

Prolonged Heel

It’s possible you’ll discover that lots of the HOKA’s have an exaggerated heel of the soles…some actually large and a few simply barely noticeable. Having examined out a number of the largest and a few on the extra regular facet, I can say that I don’t LOVE the actually large heels.

However they do have a objective.

Via testing they discovered that extension helped with getting the foot to roll ahead extra shortly.

It reduces points from heel putting and quickens the motion of the foot. You’ll typically see this known as an early-stage meta-rocker.

Alternative

The usual saying is substitute your footwear each 500 miles and these footwear are the identical. The sturdiness has been actually nice, as famous I’ve been via quite a lot of pairs and by no means had one which I felt wanted to be tossed early because of something coming aside or feeling worn out.

No matter you’ve gotten discovered to be your candy spot previously might be roughly the identical right here. I.e. bigger runners, large males, and many others typically discover they should substitute footwear faster because of breakdown, others  discover that extra treadmill runs means perhaps their footwear are good for 800 miles.

Hoka Clifton Overview

Like most runners upon seeing the dimensions of the Clifton I assumed it could be heavy or clunky.

Actually, they had been so gentle I used to be completely shocked.

And once I tried to return to my outdated footwear they felt like rocks. I’ve now run within the Hoka Clifton 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 and 9.

The Clifton Edge with the bigger heel did nothing for me and the shoe merely didn’t really feel as cushioned. The two went somewhat off monitor as did 7, however 5, 8  and 9 are winners once more.

I might take into account the Clifton a Hoka impartial working shoe, balanced cushion, with a great padded collar and tongue.

The Clifton is just not their softest shoe (that’s the Bondi), however it’s completely a cushioned shoe with their normal eva foam midsole. However with every mannequin the Clifton is getting nearer to the Bondi and now it’s additionally labeled as their most cushioned sort of shoe.

As we become old that extra cushion may simply really feel higher as a result of we really lose from the fats pads in our ft.

Checkout the latest Clifton >>

Utilization

To this point I’ve worn the totally different fashions for every part from a velocity day to a half marathon. In fact, they aren’t the only option for velocity, however they felt good.

Match

Match is the one factor that bothered somewhat in early fashions, as I’ve a extra slender foot and so generally my foot felt a bit prefer it was too small for the shoe. Nevertheless, I’ve learn many different opinions that state it’s a really common match, so this you’ll want to check out for your self.

In newer fashions I’ve not had this identical expertise, so it feels extra dialed in and I do love the toebox offering loads of room for the foot to maneuver.

• I put on the identical dimension 11 as in all different trainers
• Suits a wider foot (I do have a extra slender foot and don’t discover that my foot strikes round an excessive amount of)
• Toebox is just not as vast as an Altra, however wider than many different manufacturers

The Clifton 8 doesn’t really feel as large because of the quantity of cushion across the tongue and reminiscence foam collar.

Specs

Clifton 9

• 8.7 oz males’s, 7.3 oz girls’s
• 5mm drop
• 8 colours
• Some accessible in vast
• $145

Should you’ve been carrying a shoe with a bigger heel drop you could discover extra of a distinction within the muscle tissue which might be activated in your ankles and ft.

My private desire is in direction of much less of a heel drop as I believe it will get our foot in higher alignment, it additionally mimics the thought of a minimal shoe, however with the cushion!
Clifton unique in pink and Clifton 2 in purple.

Hoka One One Bondi Overview

I swear I had tried this shoe beforehand with out a lot love, however this time the primary run and I knew we had been going to be long run buddies.

It goes to shoe generally a shoe replace is for the higher.

Checkout the present mannequin >>

Possibly it’s as a result of they went again to their 2011 mannequin and began from there (noting that the unique Clifton was additionally my fav). I’ve now loved the final couple of fashions of the Bondi.

This can be a PLUSH cushioned shoe, which has each professional’s and con’s for the runner.

One other occasion the place appears are deceiving. They aren’t a heavy shoe.

A brilliant cushioned shoe FEELS superb. However runners should be conscious that on very lengthy runs with a brilliant plush shoe, it’s not unusual to start out having decrease again ache whereas working.

It is because we begin to sink somewhat in to the shoe.

I LOVE these footwear for a restoration run.

Match

These footwear felt fabulous due to the large quantity of cushion and but not too heavy for a pleasant long term both.

Whereas they’re additionally listed as a impartial shoe, I used to be thrilled to see my foot didn’t drop in a single bit once I put them on which is widespread in different footwear. One other instance of how their footwear have some pure help because of the greater platform.

• True to dimension
• Similar to Clifton, simply the extra cushioning
• Good room within the toebox

Specs

Bondi has a bunch of kinds! However all will share the overall identical specs. Aside from the BondiX which is their carbon fiber plate model and I’ll element testing that under.

Bondi 8

• Max-cushioned impartial shoe
• 10.8 oz males’s, 8.90 oz girls’s
• 4 mm drop
• 15 colours
• Obtainable in vast and additional vast
• $165

Making it a barely heavier shoe than the Clifton, however once more completely high-quality for these simple days.

Lifespan might be identical because the Clifton, although if the cushion begins to breakdown you’ll discover it extra shortly in your kind.

Hoka Clifton vs Bondi

Attempting to determine between these two fashions? There are a a couple of large methods wherein they’re totally different, so it’s going to rely upon what you like in a shoe.

Hopefully the preliminary particulars above gave you some issues to consider with these highway footwear. However for a straight facet by facet comparability of Bondi vs Clifton, right here’s what I’ve discovered over testing many fashions.

• Each are a impartial working shoe.
• In each the lads’s has the next stack top.
• Bondi has the next stack top than the Clifton,
• Clifton is the lighter shoe by a few oz, which can be a think about longer runs
• The Bondi is a MUCH plusher really feel. You gained’t query if it’s a cushioned shoe.
• Having run in each, I like each. As famous above, I take advantage of them otherwise.
• Bondi is nice for restoration runs or if you end up beginning to run and the joints want somewhat further cushion as they alter.
• Clifton is nice for lengthy runs, simple runs. It’s somewhat bit extra versatile shoe.
• BondiX is a surprisingly good shoe for these lengthy race days!

Hoka BondiX

A cushioned shoe with a carbon fiber plate?! I couldn’t wrap my head across the thought of the 2 mixed, however then I went for a run.

9.00 oz, 5mm drop make it not their most light-weight shoe and but someway one of many quickest!

• You don’t really feel the meta-rocker, a lot as you discover it in your tempo.
• If I had a race with a slight downhill and popped these one, I’d say nearly assured PR.
• That is the quick shoe for the on a regular basis runner.
• Carbon Fiber footwear have a shorter lifespan and these aren’t any exception.

“We requested ourselves why each carbon-plated shoe in the marketplace needed to be created with an eye fixed on solely the elite runner. Everybody deserves to fly and everybody can stage up.

What higher solution to pose the thought than on a brilliant plush HOKA platform with forgiving geometry plus a carbon plate? The Bondi X was born!”

Snag a pair of the BondiX right here >>

Match

Match is just about the identical because the Bondi. The sensation is firmer, which is because of the carbon fiber plate, however nonetheless a cushioned shoe!

Hoka Carbon X vs Bondi X

Should you’re in search of a carbon fiber working shoe and you’re keen on your Hoka trainers then after all the subsequent query is do I would like the Clifton or the Bondi?!

Whereas the CarbonX is NOT a Clifton it’s a lot nearer in really feel than the Bondi.

• Carbon X 3 goes to be much less cushioned than even a Clifton
• Each footwear are designed for race day or a severe velocity exercise
• Each are a impartial working shoe
• BondiX maintains the cushion you count on of a Bondi
• CarbonX 3 is 7 oz, BondiX is 9oz
• Each footwear are 5mm heel drop
• Bondi has extra padding across the heel
• Carbon X 3 has a extra prolonged heel.

Carbon X Match

I ran in to some match points with the Carbon X 3 which made me actually unhappy. The loop and the highest of the tongue hit actually excessive on the ankle, so these of us who had been low lower socks discover it rubbing and a simple spot for chaffing.

Much more troubling although is with out the highest two lacing holes, I couldn’t do a heel lock. The consequence was my heel pull out of the shoe with each step. Thus I wasn’t capable of actually take the shoe out for all of the miles I’d hoped.

All proper now that I’ve given you a deep dive on their hottest highway footwear, time to speak somewhat path.

Should you just like the Clifton or Bondi, then the Pace Goat goes to be your simple transition to path working.

Hoka Pace Goat Overview

After asking for opinions on the greatest path working shoe, this one got here up a lot that I made a decision I wanted a pair.

The plenty had been proper, I adore it. And now I’m on my third pair!

The Speedgoat has the entire cushion that I’ve come to like from my Hoka Cliftons and has all of the grip and assorted lugs I want to take care of traction on the paths.

You may inform mine are nicely beloved because of the layer of dust and dirt masking each inch of the shoe. I do know many extremely runners who will use them on any terrain, whereas I’m in all probability in search of one thing with a tad extra grip once I get to essentially technical stuff.

Specs

• Impartial path shoe
• 10.3 oz males’s, 8.5 oz girls’s
• 4mm drop
• Obtainable in Huge
• $155

Utilization

I’ve now run simple trails, technical trails and as much as 18 miles within the Speedgoat.

Loving how this impartial shoe feels on my foot and with a barely wider toe field than many it’s meant no points with blisters from downhill working.

Checkout present colours and pricing right here >>

Hoka Informal Sneakers

Hupana I examined of their extra informal slip on shoe and it’s completely love at first slip!!

Actually, David needed a pair and now we each sport them collectively…aren’t we cute.

These are good sufficient to put on on these lengthy walks we tackle trip and but I additionally know I may in all probability run a pair miles in them, which simply makes me blissful! And actually, that’s precisely the necessity they had been attempting to fill with this shoe!

Questioning how HOKA stacks up towards different conventional trainers?

Checkout these match ups:

Searching for extra opinions to search out one of the best issues on your run?

Checkout our full web page of my will need to have working gear opinions and guides to avoid wasting you time looking out and cash! I share what’s labored for me and fellow runners, together with what wasn’t definitely worth the price ticket.

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This isn’t a sponsored put up, although I’ve obtained Hoka’s free over time for testing.