Hoka Clifton Vs Bondi and Different Fashions: Hoka Working Sneakers Overview

Since I began carrying HOKA’s ceaselessly through the years, lots of you could have 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 lots to say about how these footwear match and really feel!

Every year, I take a look at out their new fashions and put in sufficient miles to have stable suggestions on really feel, match and whether or not I’ll be shelling out cash for one more pair.

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

Right here I hope to assist breakdown the variations and aid you discover the precise possibility for working. Specifically, we’re going to give attention to a HOKA Clifton vs Bondi in match, really feel and performance. Theses are two of their hottest footwear and for good motive!

Hoka Working Sneakers Overview

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been aching for months and my chiropractor had began to level out how my foot was rolling in fairly exhausting on my outdated footwear.

Sooo the concept of some additional midfoot cushion and just a little extra assist appeared like a superb factor for long-distance working, however would I actually like them?

They had been so huge!! They had been so completely different!

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

Right here we’re exploring among the completely different fashions of Hoka trainers. What are the very best HOKA trainers? That’s going to rely in your preferences, so let’s evaluate that will help you resolve.

I’ve completed a deep dive in one other article on all HOKA Working shoe fashions, however right here’s a fast define.

• Hoka Clifton (impartial cushion)
• Hoka Bondi (impartial plush cushion)
• Hoka Mach (impartial responsive cushion)
• Hoka Speedgoat (impartial path)
• Hoka Challenger ATR (responsive path shoe)
• Hoka Arahi (cushioned stability shoe) – not a shoe I’ll take a look at as I don’t want stability
• Hoka BondiX (impartial plush cushion with carbon fiber)
• Hoka Rocket X (impartial carbon fiber racing shoe)

Bonus: I’ve completed a separate submit on Greatest Hoka Sneakers for Strolling and Standing at Work>>

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

Stability

Whereas I DO NOT advocate stability footwear for many runners, the Hoka is designed to offer some base degree stability because of the broader platform of the midsole. This can be a nice technique to get the advantages with out altering your stride or hiding the truth that you could have weak muscle tissues.

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

Maximal Shoe

Stack peak 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 submit evaluating maximal and minimal, however for now here’s what HOKA has to say about their footwear:

“most cushioning materials is designed for glorious shock absorption and an inherently secure experience.”

Prolonged Heel

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

However they do have a objective.

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

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

Substitute

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 by way of a lot of pairs and by no means had one which I felt wanted to be tossed early as a result of something coming aside or feeling worn out.

No matter you could have discovered to be your candy spot previously will probably be roughly the identical right here. I.e. bigger runners, huge males, and so on usually discover they should substitute footwear faster as a result of breakdown, others  discover that extra treadmill runs means possibly 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.

The truth is, 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 just a little off observe as did 7, however 5, 8  and 9 are winners once more.

I’d contemplate the Clifton a Hoka impartial working shoe, balanced cushion, with a superb padded collar and tongue.

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

As we grow old that further cushion may simply really feel higher as a result of we truly lose from the fats pads in our toes.

Checkout the most recent Clifton >>

Utilization

So far I’ve worn the completely different fashions for every little thing from a velocity day to a half marathon. In reality, they aren’t your best option for velocity, however they felt good.

Match

Match is the one factor that bothered just a little 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. Nonetheless, 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 measurement 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 just isn’t as broad as an Altra, however wider than many different manufacturers

The Clifton 8 doesn’t really feel as huge as a result of 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 broad
• $145

Should you’ve been carrying a shoe with a bigger heel drop you might discover extra of a distinction within the muscle tissues which are activated in your ankles and toes.

My private desire is in the direction of much less of a heel drop as I believe it will get our foot in higher alignment, it additionally mimics the concept 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 >>

Perhaps 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 don’t seem to be a heavy shoe.

A brilliant cushioned shoe FEELS superb. However runners must 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 just a little in to the shoe.

I LOVE these footwear for a restoration run.

Match

These footwear felt fabulous because of the massive quantity of cushion and but not too heavy for a pleasant future 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 frequent in different footwear. One other instance of how their footwear have some pure assist as a result of larger platform.

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

Specs

Bondi has a bunch of kinds! However all will share the final 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 broad and further broad
• $165

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

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

Hoka Clifton vs Bondi

Making an attempt to resolve between these two fashions? There are a a couple of huge methods during which they’re completely different, so it’s going to rely upon what you favor in a shoe.

Hopefully the preliminary particulars above gave you some issues to consider with these street 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 a better stack peak.
• Bondi has a better stack peak 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 received’t query if it’s a cushioned shoe.
• Having run in each, I like each. As famous above, I take advantage of them in another way.
• Bondi is nice for restoration runs or if you end up beginning to run and the joints want just a little additional cushion as they modify.
• Clifton is nice for lengthy runs, simple runs. It’s just a little bit extra versatile shoe.
• BondiX is an incredibly good shoe for these lengthy race days!

Hoka BondiX

***They appear to have briefly stopped this mannequin, we’re ready to see if it returns.

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. I completely loved this shoe as did a whole lot of you who’re center and again of the pack runners.

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 virtually assured PR.
• That is the quick shoe for the on a regular basis runner.
• Carbon Fiber footwear have a shorter lifespan and these are not 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 degree up.

What higher technique to pose the concept 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 as a result of carbon fiber plate, however nonetheless a cushioned shoe!

Hoka Rocket X vs Bondi X

Should you’re in search of a carbon fiber working shoe and you like your Hoka trainers then after all the following query is do I need the Rocket X2 or Bondi X?!

Neither one appears like a Clifton, so we’ll begin there. The Rocket X2 goes to be a lot bouncier and that’s a part of what brings extra velocity to that carbon plated working shoe. Nonetheless, that can be an issue for some runners with achilles or different decrease leg points.

• Rocket X2 goes to be a bouncy cushion, not an opulent cushion
• BondiX just isn’t as a lot of a quick shoe as a shoe that feels good and would offer good assist for those who’ll be racing for a very long time
• Each are a impartial working shoe
• BondiX maintains the cushion you anticipate of a Bondi
• RocketX2 is 8.3 oz, BondiX is 9oz
• Each footwear are 5mm heel drop
• Bondi has extra padding across the heel, the Rocket gave me blisters

Rocket X2 Match

I ran in to some match points with the Rocket X2 which made me actually unhappy. Whereas the shoe feels gentle and quick, the shortage of any heel padding created large rubbing points.

Typically, for those who’re wanting a HOKA Carbon plate shoe I say checkout the wild new Cielo X1 if you’d like a very quick possibility or snag a BondiX whereas accessible for an extended marathon day.

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

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

Hoka Velocity Goat Overview

Take into account this your Clifton for path working. If you need even softer then the Challenger is perhaps your winner.

After asking for opinions on the greatest path working shoe, this one got here up a lot that I’ve now run within the final 4 fashions.

The lots had been proper, I find it irresistible.

The Speedgoat has all the cushion that I’ve come to like from my Hoka Cliftons and has all of the grip and various lugs I would like to keep up traction on the paths.

You may inform mine are effectively cherished as a result of 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 actually technical stuff.

Specs

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

David examined of their extra informal slip on shoe, Solimar, and it’s completely love at first slip!!

The truth is, David wished a pair and now we each sport them collectively…aren’t we cute.

Once more I dive deeper in to all of their strolling footwear right here: Greatest Hoka Strolling and All Day Sneakers

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

Questioning how HOKA stacks up towards different conventional trainers?

Checkout these match ups:

In search of extra opinions to search out the very best issues on your run?

Checkout our full web page of my should have working gear opinions and guides to save lots of 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 submit, although I’ve obtained Hoka’s free through the years for testing.