Best Hoka Running Shoes Right Now (2025)

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When we talk about max-cushioned running shoes, there’s only one brand that comes to mind. Well, I guess everyone has their own take on max-cushion, but there’s definitely one that stands just a bit higher than the rest. That’s right; we’re talking about Hoka. The One One is a thing of the past; it’s just Hoka now — kinda like Beyonce or Confucius.

Our history with the brand goes back almost to the time of Confucius, or at least to the beginnings of the max-cushion era. Early models of the Clifton became our marathon and long run go-to’s, especially after we realized you really could have more stack than a Saucony Kinvara had to offer. Hoka’s prowess is just as legendary on the trails, with the Speedgoat still a top choice for trail runners, even without a carbon plate or super foam. The only thing you won’t find on this list is a minimalist shoe — we’re talkin’ all stack, all the time. These are the best Hoka running shoes you can buy right now.

As always, our picks come from our own experiences. We get tons of shoes through the door here at Believe in the Run, and our road and trail teams put them all through their paces. If we don’t love a shoe, we’ll tell you about it, but you might also find that what doesn’t work for us works perfectly for you. We try to take thoughts from our running friends and the community into account, but our own miles carry the most weight. Don’t worry; we only recommend shoes that you can currently buy in order to keep you from heading out on a wild goose chase for a shoe from five years ago.

A sly speed machine, the Hoka Cielo X1 2.0 now stands strongly as the racing shoe Hoka always claimed it to be. Still sitting at $275, we think the price point is much more justified this time around given how it now stacks up to other racers on the market. Wait… is that mission control calling?

If you’re ready to be launched like a rocket in space, the aggressive rocker in the Cielo X1 2.0 will certainly accomplish that mission. With the previous dual layer PEBA foam and winged carbon fiber plate carried over and thoughtfully paired with a new thin, engineered jacquard mesh upper this go around,  it seems like Hoka has successfully engineered the perfect race-day rocket. And we’re comfortable in calling this a true racer considering it shaved off roughly an ounce of weight.

Like a true ode to its name (Cielo means “sky” in Spanish), rolling in the Hoka Cielo X1 2.0 feels like a parting of the clouds with Hoka’s technologies finally coming together in perfect tandem. It’s safe to say that Houston, we do NOT have a problem. If you’re in the market for a new racer, take a serious look at the Cielo X1 2.0.

The last couple versions of the Mach have had a special place in our hearts. Out of the box, the shoe is lightweight and bouncy, making it the perfect companion for uptempo miles. It’s pure, unadulterated fun on the run. Hoka has improved on the existing formula with the Mach 6, giving an upgrade to the midsole with a supercritical EVA. A Durabrasion rubber outsole provides a bit more durability, which was always an issue in the past. The end result is a smooth riding shoe in a simplistic package– it’s not going to change the world, but it will give you everything you need from a running shoe and it will do it at a reasonable price point.

The Hoka Skyward X is a calculated revitalization of Hoka’s high-stack brand heritage. Coming in with some crazy height (48 mm!), the Skyward X packs a punch with some plush yet responsive cushion underfoot. Featuring a PEBA & Supercritical EVA midsole as well as carbon fiber plate, you could think of the Skyward X as the bouncier big-brother to the Hoka Cielo X1 2.0. And despite feeling like you’re standing on top of a short-stack of pancakes, we experienced minimal issues with stability thanks to the flat knit upper, which does a solid job of locking down the foot.

What’s got us most excited about this shoe is that it’s not only an homage to Hoka’s longstanding high-stack history, but rather that Hoka has come back swinging  against other platform-style trainers that have grown in popularity like the Adidas Prime X 2 Strung, Asics Superblast, and New Balance SC Trainer among others. In fact, it was a shoe so intriguing that Meg caught herself lacing up in it for a week straight— which we all know almost never happens with all the testing we have going on aroundhere.

If you’re ready to finally to give into the plated daily-trainers hype, adding the Hoka Skyward X to your list may not be a bad call.

From the new hotness to the old reliable, our next pick is the Hoka Clifton 9. It’s simply impossible to leave the Clifton off our list of the best Hoka running shoes because this is where it all began. Meg’s run in every version since the original, and she’s confidently declared that this is the best of them all — even if it doesn’t reinvent the max-cushion wheel.

In many ways, the Clifton 9 is just a refined version of the Clifton 8, which was a polished Clifton 7. It’s riding on a familiar EVA formula that’s just a little softer than before, and the meta-rocker keeps things simple and smooth. There’s nothing particularly fancy with the Hoka Clifton 9, but sometimes you just need a well-padded shoe with a modest weight and subtle design to carry you through the day. Thomas also had some praise for the new outsole rubber, which gripped nicely on Baltimore’s slick streets and sidewalks.

Even Jarrett got in on the Clifton 9 party — wide-footed runners, rejoice. You might not even need the 2E version if you only have a slightly wide foot, as our team felt like there was just a little extra room in the upper across the board. A few lacing tricks should right the ship, which will get you back to cruising. Oh, and Hoka has never had a shortage of colorways for the Clifton, so you can bet on some bright new shades as the months go on.

By the way, if you want something a bit more weather-resistant, Hoka also offers the Clifton in a GTX configuration for puddle jumping.

Like a subtle Pokemon evolution (think Vulpix to Ninetales), the Hoka Bondi 9 remains a steady trainer for slow miles, while introducing some solid upgrades. If there’s anything we can count on to stay the same it’s that the Bondi 9 is still thicccc (two more “c’s” this time, considering it gained an extra 2mm of stack in the update).

Featuring a new Supercritical EVA midsole in place of the previous CMEVA (compression-molded) EVA midsole, it also dropped almost a full ounce of weight. Although it’s still a chonky shoe better suited for cruise control, the Supercritical EVA definitely gives it a bit more life. Also want to call out the surprisingly nice newly designed knit upper here too.

The only thing that’s really left to be desired are some better colorways; right now they’re kind of giving dad. Not that a chunky dad bod is a bad thing. But dads may also not be pleased with the price. We’ll give it a subtle knock for creeping up to $170 — borderline super trainer territory — despite the Bondi’s characteristic lack of carbon plate or light race-day foam. That being said, lovers of this legacy shoe can sleep easy knowing that the Hoka Bondi 9 successfully keeps the essence of the line in tact.

Hoka’s mad scientists took it to the next level with this year’s Tecton X 3. Year after year it seems that the Tecton ends up shaking out as one of the most impressive shoes in Hoka’s lineup: trail, road, or otherwise. That being said, it’s probably no surprise that our trail guys loved this version too. While versions 1 and 2 pretty comparable to each other, the Tecton X 3 entered took to the limelight to flaunt a slew of upgrades.

New to this version includes winged carbon fiber plates, dual layers of PEBA foam in the midsole, redesigned lug shapes with Vibram MegaGrip with Litebase on the outsole, a Matryx textile upper, and a knit collar that works as a gaiter to keep out dust and debris. Whew. Now, if we were able to read minds, we’d guess that you’re asking if the mix of PEBA and carbon fiber on the trails is a recipe for disaster. Luckily, Hoka’s mad scientists seem capable of prophesying and managed to avoid any major instability underfoot by incorporating visible wings on the medial and lateral sides of the shoe that help to corral the foot a bit more.

For more in-depth thoughts on the built-in-bootie and other big changes, you’ll just have to go read the full review. There’s a lot to talk about here, but TLDR— the Tecton X 3 did not disappoint.

Ever said to yourself, “look good, feel good?”. Well, the Hoka Mach X 2 successfully accomplishes both. A huge redesign from the previous version, and a good one at that, we’d go so far to say that there should be a picture of the Mach X 2 in the dictionary under “redemption”. In nearly every way, this shoe is a 180 from what we experienced previously with the Mach X.

Now featuring an extended Pebax plate sandwiched between a PEBA-topped midsole and a layer of EVA, it’s dually efficient yet punchy. From workout reps to daily runs, the combination of responsive and bouncy cushioning with the metarocker lends itself to many purposes. While there are a ton positives of positives this go around, we have to call out the one feature that keeps this shoe from being a 10/10: the heel counter. I mean, this was just off, for all of us across the board.

Despite the far from perfect heel, it seems to all boil down to the Hoka Mach X 2 still being a stellar shoe. With other great cousins like the Skyward X and Cielo X1 2.o, Hoka’s recent return to grace is one we’re definitely hyped about.

There’s only one way to describe Hoka’s signature trail running shoe. It’s the GOAT. Literally, it has goat in the name. We’re obviously talking about the Speedgoat 5, which is about as good of a gateway into life on the trails as you could ask for. The Speedgoat 5 combines both the comfort to go long with the teeth to tackle technical terrain, and it shines across the board. Our trail reviewers have run in every version, including multiple pairs of the Speedgoat 4 and Speedgoat Evo, and they’ve agreed that the fifth one rules them all.

Hoka kept the midsole largely the same for its latest Speedgoat, which is what helps to keep it in our good graces. The slightly softer EVA formula makes a comfortable ride even more comfortable, and the meta-rocker is perfect for double-digit days — be they hours or miles. What really sold us on the update, however, is the reworked jacquard upper, which is far more accommodating and breathable than before. It’s stretchy enough to adapt to your foot, and we had no problems with the material expanding as our feet swelled on long adventures.

Maybe the best part of the Speedgoat 5 is that there’s a version for everyone. Hoka has the Speedgoat 5 GTX for wet days, the Speedgoat 5 GTX Ice for, you guessed it, icy days, and the Speedgoat 5 Mid GTX for wet days when you want extra ankle support. Live by the goat, die by the goat.

Our next pick is a pretty unique one as far as the best Hoka running shoes go — it’s not really for running. Instead, the Transport is positioned as a commuter shoe, one that you could wear literally anywhere and not feel out of place. The Vibram outsole means that it can handle some hiking, the toggle laces mean you can tighten and go in seconds, and the Cordura upper can take a beating with a smile on its face.

You don’t really need me to tell you all of this, though, as our dog mom reviewers came to exactly the same conclusion. Both Lindsay and Caryn quickly jumped on board with Hoka’s comfortable, flexible game plan, and both realized that the Transport is a perfect shoe for those early morning and late-night trips with their pups. After all, a toggle lace never comes untied. Caryn also tabbed the comfort level as somewhere between the Arahi and the Clifton, which is good company for a brand-new silhouette to keep.

The Transport even has something of a green thumb, rocking EVA foam made of 30% sugarcane. Vibram’s EcoStep Natural rubber uses 90% oil-free ingredients and 100% natural pigments, too. We just have a bone to pick with whoever decided that the Eggnog colorway with the natural gum sole would only come in women’s sizes. Come on, Hoka.

One of the biggest trends in running right now is the explosion of road-to-trail shoes. These semi-rugged, semi-refined shoes offer a perfect way to get from your front door to the local rail trail or try your hand at some lightly technical terrain. The Challenger is Hoka’s entry to the scene, and it’s been around a bit longer than most of the competition. We’re now on the Hoka Challenger ATR 7, and there are plenty of reasons to think that it’s a lucky number.

In our review, Taylor tabbed the Challenger as the Clifton of the trails, and he’s pretty much spot-on. The two shoes share similar stack heights and drops, but the Challenger adds a little more grip to the equation. It’s a shoe that both Alex and Taylor find themselves keeping in their cars, just in case a chance for a few miles pops up. After all, the meta-rocker shape and medium-density EVA foam are perfectly comfortable on most terrain, as long as you’re not hunting for a mountain to climb.

While the underfoot feel is pretty great all around, the Challenger ATR 7’s heel is its money-maker. The counter is well-cushioned and plenty stable, and Hoka’s elf ear shape keeps the pressure off of the Achilles. No, it won’t keep all of the debris out, but you’re probably not meant to be that aggressive with the Challenger anyway. Oh, and do you want us to praise the colorways again? Cause we’ll do it. They’re great.

How We Make Our Picks

All of our recommendations come directly from our feet to your screen. We test countless running shoes here at Believe in the Run, and we let our reviews guide our decisions. However, we also consider other reviews and our BITR community, as not every runner has the same experiences. We also aim to stick with shoes that are currently available so you can give our recommendations a try.

Want to learn more about how our review process works? Check out this guide.