Review: HOKA ONE ONE CLIFTON 3 Women's Fluffy Marshmallow Cushion is like flying in the sky
written by Outdoor Gearzine Editorial Department
The chilly season has arrived. How are you all doing? I'm Rinko, a weak triathlete who has been suffering from a cold for a month now
the ASICS Lady Gel-KAYANO 23 , the shoes I competed in at the end of this summer's triathlon . This will be my final review, and I'll be covering the HOKA ONE ONE, which I requested from my editor-in-chief because it was the shoe I wanted most!
table of contents
Detailed review
Item name
HOKA ONE ONE CLIFTON 3 Women's
HOKA ONE ONE CLIFTON 4 Women's (Latest Fall/Winter 2017 Model)
Main Specifications and ratings
| item | Specifications and ratings |
|---|---|
| weight | Actual weight: 236g (one foot 25.0cm) |
| Upper fabric | Seamless speed frame with no seams |
| Outsole | Lightweight maximum cushioning and rubber on the outer surface, which has a large contact area, enhances durability |
| Comfort | ★★★☆☆ |
| weight | ★★★★★ |
| grip | ★★★★☆ |
| protection | ★★★☆☆ |
| Stability | ★★★☆☆ |
| Overall score | ★★★☆☆ |
HOKA, with its distinctive shape, is not yet very familiar to Japanese runners, but it is a popular shoe among triathletes, known among those in the know
Recently, that 18.1% (the highest percentage) of the athletes competing in the 2017 Ironman World Championships held in Hawaii were wearing HOKA shoes . Incidentally, ASICS held the top share from 2009 to last year. HOKA has steadily increased its market share since its debut in this event in 2011, narrowly edging out ASICS last year, and finally taking the top spot this year. These shoes are a favorite choice of the most ironman-like. If they're popular in the world of triathlon, the pinnacle of endurance sports, I'm sure they'll protect my feet for hours on end.
Hoping so...let's start with the positive features
This is amazing
The moment you step inside, you'll be surprised by the soft cushions
The soles are 1.5 to 2 times larger than regular running shoes, giving them a unique appearance. They almost look like safety shoes. My first impression was that they looked heavy, but the moment I stepped into the shoes, I was surprised by the soft, gentle cushioning and the contrast with their lightness and appearance. I was so happy that I couldn't help but run inside the shop. I was so happy that I took them home and did several test runs, thinking, "I can run in these!" This lightness is a very important point for endurance sports. As I will explain further, the more I wore them, the more my impression of them changed, both in a good and bad way. These were rather interesting shoes
It's so light and comfortable! The upper material is a seamless mesh fabric that is highly breathable
Of the three shoes I chose for this comparison review, these are by far the lightest! the Brooks, which I chose as my second choice in the overall evaluation , but the weight is a whopping 37g lighter, making them incredibly light.
The midsole is made of compression-molded EVA, providing excellent cushioning. The shoe is slightly wider at the front, giving me, as a Japanese woman, plenty of room around my toes, even when wiggling them. That said, that extra space doesn't necessarily make me unstable when I run. The shape of the inner sole envelops my foot, holding it firmly in place at the front, so there's no risk of my nails rubbing against it and peeling off. The cushioning and lightness make it comfortable in the vertical direction! There's also ample width for comfort in the horizontal direction! The seamless mesh upper material doesn't feel stuffy, so it's comfortable in all directions! Comfort! Comfort! Comfort! It's the perfect trifecta
Another factor that makes running comfortable is the cradle-like sole shape, a hallmark of HOKA
Thanks to this shape, once you start running, the natural rolling effect from landing to pushing off moves your foot forward smoothly. Because the sole is thick, I was worried about sprains, but thanks to this shape, especially on downhill slopes, even if I lean forward a little, I was amazed at how I could keep pushing forward in a position close to normal running
This is not good
The grip is not durable and the strong grip makes it suitable for some people
Looking at the back, only the black areas at the front and heel, which have a larger contact area, are equipped with a slightly harder rubber sole
The entire white part is made of a soft rubber material. When I first started wearing them, I did a lot of test runs on various road surfaces, and they didn't slip even when I was going down a wet mountain path, so I thought there was no problem with grip... However, after wearing them for about three months, I discovered that they were very slippery on certain concrete surfaces on days with light rain. It's hard to explain, but the type of concrete with small pebbles on it was dangerous, and I also had to be careful with manholes on rainy days
In addition, while regular shoes have plastic material in the heel cup to stabilize the heel and prevent it from wobbling, these shoes are softer than others
The cup isn't loose, but because it's not securely fixed, it moves backwards, creating a slight, uncomfortable friction sensation on the soles of my feet. It's similar
to the feeling of your feet rubbing against the ground when you wear high geta sandals... Perhaps that explains it better. Tying the laces properly and tightly would prevent this feeling, but the laces are of low quality and are incredibly long, making them difficult to handle. I once stepped on one of the laces, so I tucked them away as shown in the photo, but I recommend replacing them with laces of the appropriate length.
Summary: I want to use it in these situations!
These very distinctive shoes look like they are wrapped in fluffy marshmallows and give the impression of flying through the air
This shoe has some quirks due to its strong characteristics, and in our "Comparative Impressions: Which Running Shoes are Strong for Long Distances and Long Durations?" we ranked it third out of three.
Until I got used to this feature, I felt like my weight was sinking into the cushioning, which felt strange at first. However, once I got the hang of the shoes, I think they were enjoyable to wear, and if I could make good use of the cushioning's rebound, I think they would gradually lead to an increase in speed. Also, this lightness and soft cushioning would be especially recommended for runners who have joint problems and are careful not to run on hard surfaces
HOKA ONE ONE CLIFTON 4 Women's (Latest Fall/Winter 2017 Model)
Related reading
Review: Asics Lady Gel-KAYANO 23 An honor student who shows off his strength to the end no matter what the scene
[A self-paying review without any consideration] HOKA ONE ONE TENNINE HIKE GORE-TEX Unconventional Decathor has overturned the common sense of hiking shoes
Comparative impressions: Which running shoes are strong for long distances and long hours? ?
Five pairs of running shoes with excellent cushioning, from beginners to ultra triathletes