The Best Hoka Running Shoes in 2023

1. Hoka Clifton 9

The Clifton 9 isn’t Hoka’s most cushioned shoe, but it’s one of their most popular shoes. Plenty cushioned and made to be highly comfortable, it’s an excellent choice for any neutral-footed runner who’s after a feeling of complete comfort on each step.

What We Like

The Hoka Clifton is a highly cushioned shoe with a luxurious but not-too-soft feeling underfoot. Although the midsole is just EVA foam, it contours to your foot and offers subtle support with its bucket-seat design.

Its thickness protects your feet from the hardness of the ground by absorbing shock on every step. Those with plantar fasciitis, knee pain, heel spurs, and a variety of other painful foot and leg conditions can run in the Clifton happily with minimal pain.

The rest of the shoe is equally as comfortable. The upper is light and highly breathable; it hugs your foot nicely when locked down. An elf ear tab helps you get it on and off easily.

You’ll find strategically-placed rubber layers on high-wear areas on the outsole. There is a lot of exposed midsole foam in less war-prone areas. The heel features an extended crash pad and a meta-rocker in the outsole for smoother transitions and reduced foot fatigue.

Its unusually wide platform adds stability, which is welcomed as the unusually high stack height may feel unstable for some.

Why We Like It

It’s not too plush but still super comfy. It’s also protective and extremely comfortable, from upper to outsole. The Clifton is the perfect Hoka for those who want a good amount of cushion but not too much softness under your foot.

What to Consider

One thing about the Clifton is that the rubber on the outsole seems to wear away quite quickly. Maybe this is because you’ll be wearing it so often thanks to its comfort, but it is a slight disadvantage.

What’s New

The only real change from the Clifton 8 to 9 is that the flex grooves in the outsole have been changed from running horizontally to diagonally. Everything else is quite similar.

2. Hoka Bondi 8

The Bondi 8 is Hoka’s most plush, cushioned shoe. If you’re looking for extreme comfort on any run, this is the shoe to go for!

What We Like

This shoe is one of the most cushioned you’ll find, although you should be aware that the thick layer of padding causes the shoe to be fairly stiff and inflexible underfoot.

But if it’s cushioning you’re after, you’ll love the soft, plush cushion of the Bondi 8. It does an excellent job of absorbing impact, preventing any jarring vibrations from reaching your feet.

The EVA foam contours to your arch, providing almost custom support. There’s also a deep heel cup in the foam to keep your foot in the right position and a sturdy heel counter for even more security.

Like the Clifton, the Bondi 8 features an early-stage meta-rocker that will help to make heel-to-toe transitions smoother while reducing fatigue in the foot muscles.

Thanks to the plush, comfortable upper, you can get a great lockdown, which adds to the shoe’s luxurious feeling.

Carefully-placed rubber on the outsole keeps the shoe’s weight down, although it’s still on the heavy side. You can choose from regular, wide, and extra wide to suit every kind of foot.

Why We Like It

The Hoka Bondi 8 is the most cushioned shoe in Hoka’s lineup. If max-cushioned and extremely comfortable sounds like your kind of shoe, then the Bondi 8 delivers!

What to Consider

Some people feel that the new foam used in the Bondi isn’t as soft and pillowy as the last model.

What’s New

The Bondi 8 differs from version 7 with a new cushioned tongue. It also has a new type of foam that is lighter but remains just as soft. The heel in the midsole slightly protrudes more as well.

3. Hoka Rincon 3

The Rincon 3 is one of Hoka’s budget shoes, but it offers everything you need in a daily running shoe. It’s versatile enough to be excellent value for money.

What We Like

The Rincon 3 is a versatile shoe, and weighing just over 7 ounces for an average-sized men’s and just over 6 ounces for a women’s, you can do everything from tempo runs to speedwork in this shoe.

The lightness of the shoe makes it easy to run in. In the midsole, you’ll find what Hoka labels “balanced cushioning,” a nice combination of soft and responsive. It’s great padding for slightly longer runs mixed with a bit of spring for the shorter, speedier runs.

Like the two before it, the Rincon 3 has an early-stage meta-rocker to take the strain off the forefoot during the heel-to-toe transition.

It has quite an attractive vented mesh upper, which looks good and effectively allows air to flow through the shoe while you’re running. This keeps your feet cool even in hot weather.

Like all Hoka shoes, rubber is limited on the outsole but covers the areas most likely to take wear and tear. For its price, you get a lot of value in this shoe!

Why We Like It

The Rincon is the best choice for those who want all the fantastic features of a Hoka but are on a budget. It offers everything that makes Hokas special at a more wallet-friendly price tag.

What to Consider

The Rincon has a reputation for running slightly small and narrow. If you prefer a looser fit that you can cinch down, you may be better off going for a half-size or full-size larger.

What’s New

The Rincon 3 has lost a touch of weight since its previous version, despite having an extra millimeter of foam in the midsole. The tongue is thinner than before, which could account for the reduced weight.

Unlike the 2, the Rincon 3 has a small nylon string tab on the heel. It also has a little more rubber on the outsole and a more streamlined heel counter.

4. Hoka Gaviota 4

For the overpronators among us, the Gaviota 4 is the Hoka of choice. Although it’s a stability shoe, it’s still max-cushioned and highly comfortable.

What We Like

This is one of the most cushioned stability shoes you can find, giving it a superb combination of comfort and security that’s not often found in stability shoes.

It’s plush from top to bottom. Starting with the upper, it’s a vegan mesh layer that’s tightly knit, which adds stability from the outside. It works very well with the traditional lacing system to lock down securely on the foot, so your feet can make the most of the support features.

Speaking of support features, the midsole features a J-Frame, a dense, incompressible piece of foam on the medial side that stops the foot from rolling over. There’s excellent arch support, thanks to the contoured EVA foam.

Unlike the three shoes we’ve already mentioned, the Gaviota features a late-stage meta-rocker. This is positioned slightly in front of the ball of your foot. It still offers a little bit of help pushing off, but it significantly adds to the stability of the shoe by slightly reducing the rocker shape.

Why We Like It

The Gaviota 4 offers all the amazing Hoka cushioning and comfort but includes stability features that cater to overpronators. It doesn’t feel like a stability shoe, but you’ll get excellent protection and security.

What to Consider

The tongue is plusher than before, offering a higher level of comfort. However, it’s only gusseted on one side.

Some may find that this feels lopsided or that it bunches up as you move. It can be fixed with a great lockdown, though.

What’s New

Only the upper has been changed. It now offers a better fit and a more plush heel collar and tongue.

5. Hoka Arahi 6

The Arahi 6 is another support shoe from Hoka. It’s lightweight and peppy, ideal when you want to pick up the pace a little.

What We Like

Like the Gaviota, the Arahi 6 features a J-Frame in the EVA midsole, designed specifically to stop your foot from rolling inwards and compressing the midsole foam.

It offers a food combination of softness, protection, and responsiveness. It’s not ideal for speedwork, thanks to the 30mm stack of foam underfoot, but it does have a surprising bit of spring to it that could make tempo runs and intervals a little more fun.

An average-sized men’s shoe weighs just over 9 ounces, while a women’s weighs just over 7 ounces. This is unusual for a stability shoe and gives the wearer a speedier feeling.

The early-stage meta-rocker helps propel you forwards with less effort on your part, making you feel faster and reducing your foot muscle fatigue simultaneously!

Why We Like It

The Arahi 6 is a bit more lightweight than the Gaviota and has a bit more bounce to it. It’s the better choice if you want to do a bit of a peppier run but remain protected and effectively supported at all times.

What to Consider

Although Hoka shoes all have a wider fit than average, the Arahi 6 appears to have a bit of a tighter toe box than usual. If you have wide feet or specifically want a more spacious forefoot, you may be disappointed in this shoe.

What’s New

The upper is lighter than before and uses recycled materials in this iteration. The tongue is also a bit plusher to add more cushion to the top of the foot and reduce lace bite.

6. Hoka Challenger 7

If the trails are your preferred place to run, then we highly recommend a pair of Hoka Challenger 7’s on your feet. They offer all the comfort of a regular Hoka with trail-specific properties to keep you safe on rough ground.

What We Like

This shoe features recycled material on the upper, which is double-layered to provide extra support. It’s also reinforced around the rearfoot, holding the heel firmly in place for stability on uneven ground.

An extended toe cap helps to protect your fragile toes from being injured by hazards on the trail. You can run freely and without worrying about accidentally kicking things.

CMEVA foam in the midsole provides both support and comfortable cushioning, absorbing shock and keeping foot and leg fatigue to a minimum.

Underfoot, you’ll find 4 mm lugs that effectively grip sand, mud, rocks, grass, and other surfaces you may find on the trail.

One of the things we really like about this shoe is that although the lugs are designed for trails, they’re not so chunky that you can’t take this shoe on the road.

If you have to run some roads to get to the trail, this shoe should deal with them quite well. The zonal rubber provides excellent grip on many different surfaces, keeping you safe on your feet no matter where you’re running.

Why We Like It

The Challenger 7 is great for moderate trails and can also handle road runs without tripping you up!

What to Consider

The Challenger 7 seems to run a touch narrower than other Hokas. To be safe, you should go half a size up to get a comfortable fit width-wise.

What’s New

The only real changes are the appearance of the shoe. The 7 features a much tighter-knit upper and a thicker midfoot strap for better lockdowns.

7. Hoka Kawana

The Kawana looks a little different from the other Hokas, thanks to its unique heel, but it’s a fantastic daily trainer that’ll keep you comfortable on the road.

What We Like

The Hoka Kawana is one of the newer shoes. It’s an excellent choice for the road, particularly if you’re looking for a daily trainer that’s comfortable and looks good too.

It’s a max-cushioned shoe that falls into the “plush” range on Hoka’s website. This ensures excellent shock absorption, which is enhanced by its Swallowtail heel. This doesn’t just stand out looks-wise; it has a purpose! It’s especially great for heel strikers.

Pair the Swallowtail with the early-stage meta-rocker, and you’ve got a great-feeling shoe that moves you easily from heel to toe. The midsole foam has a bit of bounce, so you can pick up the pace if you need to.

A Jacquard mesh upper with flat laces helps you to get a solid lockdown. Under the shoe, rubber is placed carefully on the most high-wear areas to provide protection and durability while keeping the weight down.

Why We Like It

This shoe may be max-cushioned, but it’s comfortable enough for daily use and has a surprising bit of liveliness in the midsole as well.

What to Consider

The Kawana has a narrower-than-usual fit for a Hoka. Be aware of this if you’re used to the wider fit of Hokas – you may need to order a wider size to get the same fit and feel.

8. Hoka Mach 5

The Mach 5 will be an excellent choice if you enjoy speed workouts. It’s one of Hoka’s newer updates, but it’s great for speedwork.

What We Like

The Mach 5 is a road shoe that’s designed to be faster than most of Hoka’s usual shoes. It still offers quite a stack height of EVA foam, but it uses Hoka’s PROFLY+ foam, which adds a bit of bounce that’s ideal for speedwork.

Rubberized EVA foam in the outsole adds to the springiness of the shoe while offering traction and durability. This update is new, so there’s no word yet on the long-term durability of this design.

Of course, Hoka’s meta-rocker design also helps you to get that extra dash of speed, especially when you’re leaning into it.

You certainly won’t be held back by these on the road at a little over 8 ounces for a men’s shoe and even less for a woman’s.

Why We Like It

This shoe is very light and very responsive, ideal for speedwork. However, it can still handle easy runs or longer distances quite well.

What to Consider

Some users have mentioned that the shoe feels too plush to take on speedwork effectively. Ultimately, it depends on you, but the cushioning is designed to be responsive and soft.

What’s New

The update from 4 to 5 isn’t a major one. A redesigned upper, a more responsive foam, and a slightly reduced weight make this a small but significant update.

9. Hoka Carbon X 3

If you’re planning on racing in Hokas, we highly recommend the Hoka Carbon X 3. It’s light, fast, and exceptionally comfortable.

What We Like

Built for speed, this shoe is streamlined and lightweight, so it won’t get in your way when racing. When wearing these, weighing under 8 ounces for an average-sized men’s and even less for a women’s, you’ll feel light and speedy on your feet.

The shining star of this shoe is the built-in carbon fiber plate. You’ll immediately notice the stiffness of the shoe when you put it on, but when you start running, you’ll feel the pop.

It works with the PROFLY X foam, which gives you impressive cushioning and underfoot comfort while remaining lightweight. And, of course, there’s a Hoka meta-rocker in the midsole, which is more aggressive in this shoe to aid with propulsion.

An integrated tongue creates a sleek, sock-like fit that’s aerodynamic and comfortable, with as few hotspots as possible.

Why We Like It

The Hoka Carbon X 3 is sleek and fast. While it’s very responsive, thanks to the combination of midsole foam and carbon plate, it manages to be extremely comfortable simultaneously.

What to Consider

The Carbon X 3 is not a cheap shoe. While this isn’t unusual for racing shoes, it may put some people off if they’re looking for a mid-range racing shoe.

What’s New

The X3 has a more accommodating fit than the previous version, with more stretch and structure in the upper. It also uses a new, softer midsole foam and is slightly lighter than the previous version of the shoe.