Hoka Clifton 9 Review: Magic Number Nine

The Intro

MEAGHAN: The HOKA Clifton is back in its 9th iteration and continues to be a mainstay for the brand. This year’s updates are minimal but impactful — notably, a thicker, more responsive midsole. Hoka added another 3mm of foam underfoot and adjusted the foam compound (now a compression-molded EVA) to provide a smoother, bouncy ride. The stack is 29 mm/24 mm in the forefoot for the women and 32 mm/27 mm for the men with the same 5 mm drop. More padding and reflective properties have been added to the heel, along with a streamlined, gusseted tongue to round things out.

Fans of the previous iteration will be happy to find the overall plush design, breathable engineered knit upper, and early-stage meta rocker remain for that classic Clifton feel. A thin layer of durabraision rubber covers key parts of the outsole for traction and durability.

The Clifton has always been a favorite among daily trainers for me, but with brands adding carbon plates and peba foams to their everyday lineups, does the classic Clifton still compete? Let’s dive in.

THOMAS: Meg and I have run in every Clifton available to the public. Before the Vaporfly hit the scene, we used the Clifton as a marathon race day shoe. It was relatively light, and the cushioning was unrivaled. Running shoes have come a long way since then, but the Clifton has remained a reliable cushioned trainer. There have been a couple of duds in the nine iterations, but overall, the Hoka Clifton has delivered for almost a decade.

The Clifton has even transcended running and become a Hollywood casual shoe, seen on tastemakers like Kylie Jenner and Gwyneth Paltrow. That reminds me, I gotta get a refill of Goop.

WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: I’ve had my gripes with Hoka in the past. Their wide shoes just weren’t that wide. Sure, they may have had more upper material, but I found the midsoles to be pretty narrow, and that caused uncomfortable blisters.

Hoka is finally heading in the right direction for us larger-footed runners. My pair of Mach 5 was a pleasant surprise, and now the Clifton 9 is a daily trainer I’d recommend to anyone.

Hoka Clifton 9 in New York sports teams colorway

RUBY: You know them, you love them (or not); Hoka has a new Clifton out. While it might not look that different from previous models, the Hoka Clifton 9 sure packs a punch, a new CMEVA midsole, and 3mm more stack height, to be precise. Despite the extra cushioning and stack height, the Clifton 9 doesn’t leave you feeling unstable or anxious about rolling an ankle. The Clifton 9 remains a fan-favorite neutral stability shoe best suited for easy runs.

Just as we’re told not to judge a book by its cover, don’t let the lack of apparent updates lead you to believe that the Clifton 9 isn’t a significant upgrade to the Clifton 8 — it is. With minimal upper and outsole alterations, Hoka has channeled its energy into the new CMEVA foam midsole. Lighter yet more cushioned than previous models, the Clifton 9 packs a punch. The shoe wizards at Hoka have added more foam to the midsole while taking away weight, 0.2 oz to be precise.

Available in various widths and colorways, the Clifton 9 appeals to both Hoka die-hards and mileage junkies and newer runners and walkers looking for a safe and reliable ride.

The Good

MEAGHAN: The HOKA Clifton 9 arrived about the same time my Achilles tendonitis cleared up, so it was pretty much love at first run. The updated EVA foam paired with the rocker geometry provides a smooth ride, and the simplicity of this shoe shines. While I love the fun, bouncy ride of shoes like the SC Trainer and Adidas Prime X Strung, there’s something nice about a simple shoe that you forget entirely on the run.

The extra padding around the collar and heel offers a plush step-in feel, and the stretchy, flat laces provide a nice fit through the midfoot. There’s ample room in the toe box… maybe too much, but I’ll cover that later. While the specs say there’s less than 30mm of stack underfoot (for the ladies), it feels like plenty. Hoka suggests that the Clifton 9 is lighter, but my US W7.5 came in at 8 oz, about a half ounce more than its predecessor.

THOMAS: Meg covered all the details between the intro and her good section, so I’ll cover my impression of the Clifton and throw my weight around, which is 10 oz./256 g for the US M10.5.

Picture one of your friends that you don’t talk to every day. That friend you text on birthdays and holidays but just never find the time to catch up with. When you get back together, you instantly pick up where you left off. That is how I feel about Clifton; when I get them on foot, it’s like no time has passed. The shoe has a consistent character. The smooth rocker, soft stack of cushioning, light on the foot feel, and a well-fitting upper. The Clifton ticks all the boxes.

You won’t feel anything revolutionary in the Clifton 9. If you’ve run in previous models, you’ll notice the refinements. The upper is built for comfort with a well-padded tongue, collar, and heel, and the engineered mesh breathes and flexes with the foot.

The most significant upgrade is the foam’s new formulation. EVA has been demonized since the introduction of Supercritical and Polyester foams. However, we’re testing a lot of new EVA blends that are kickass. The foam in the Clifton 9 is firm enough to hold the rocker shape but soft and resilient enough to feel more lively than Cliftons of the past.

The new rubber pattern on the outsole achieves better bite than the previous configuration. The Cheerio-shaped lugs grip and send feedback for excellent proprioception.

WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: Someone’s scale is broken because my size 10.5 2E weighed 9.0 oz. (255g). It doesn’t make sense Thomas’ would weigh 1 oz. more. Assuming mine is correct, the weight is lovely. I always like a sub-10 oz. wide shoe!

As I said, Hoka is getting better with its wide fits. I had a good lockdown in the midfoot, and I found the forefoot spacious enough to be very comfortable. I know people tend to have an issue with the arch, but I didn’t notice anything.

The Clifton 9 is an easy shoe to run in. It’s also a shoe to run easy in. I wouldn’t use it for fast miles, as it takes a little more effort to pick up the pace, but that job is for another shoe like the Mach 5.

The new EVA formula does feel soft and bouncy. The early-stage meta rocker makes the shoe feel smooth in transition, and I’ve been enjoying the ride. The Clifton 9 reminds me of a slightly firmer and less bulky New Balance More v4. By the way, that’s an excellent comparison!

RUBY: The Clifton 9 sits firmly in the reliable daily trainer category, and with an updated Durabrasion rubber outsole, this shoe is designed to go the distance. I can see myself racking up hundreds of miles in these shoes without noticing much midsole breakdown or loss of traction.

Where other brands have compromised performance for sustainability, the Hoka Clifton 9 maintains all the features of a premium daily trainer while being fully vegan and engineered with recycled materials.

The Bad

MEAGHAN: As I noted above, the toebox of this shoe is roomy… I’m talking a stadium for your toes. Don’t get me wrong, I love a roomy forefoot, but I also found my feet moved around, which may have caused some blisters under my big toe. It’s not something that will deter me from continuing to lace these up, but worth noting.

THOMAS: The Clifton ain’t sexy. This shoe is a reliable, if not slightly dull trainer. The Clifton performs well and achieves its goals as a well-cushioned daily trainer but lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. It’s like a good-looking person that exudes no sexual heat.

WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: I did get some heel slip. Heel lock lacing provided a more secure fit and helped with my problem.

I guess I got unlucky with my colorway. The all-black isn’t the worst thing I’ve seen, but it isn’t exciting. Though, the shoe itself isn’t that exciting looking.

RUBY: Given it’s a Clifton, it goes without saying that the Clifton 9 is a soft ride with a lot of cushion. If you are looking for a firm and responsive shoe with good ground contact feel, the Clifton 9 is not the shoe for you.

Hoka Clifton 9 Conclusion

MEAGHAN: The HOKA Clifton 9 is one of my favorite iterations of this shoe, maybe ever. The updated midsole foam makes a difference — the shoe feels much more lively and still just as plush and comfortable as ever. I’ll be keeping this one in the shoe rotation.

THOMAS: I like the Clifton 9, but as a friend. It isn’t you; it’s me, Clifton. We’re a perfect match on paper, and I even like the time we spend together. I’ve been running in other cushioned daily trainers behind your back, and well, I feel more of a connection with the Asics Nimbus 25, the New Balance SC Trainer, and the latest On Cloudsurfer. Can we still be friends? Full disclosure, I’m considering asking your cousin Rocket X2 to marry me. She’s nasty, and I like it.

WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: I’m a fan of the Clifton 9. It’s an incredibly solid light daily trainer that gives a comfortable ride. Visually, it could be worked on, but who cares? I’d rather have a great shoe that’s boring than a hot shoe that’s hot garbage.

Hoka, keep doing what you’re doing and making shoes for the #WideFootFam better. We appreciate you!

RUBY: Personally, the Hoka Clifton 9 rivals my all-time favorite model, the Clifton 6, and I’m looking forward to many more miles in it. I felt the weight difference, lighter underfoot than the Clifton 8, without losing any of Hoka’s signature squidge. The Clifton 9 is a fun, forgiving, easy-run shoe with enough bounce to pick up the pace. I’ve heard that Olympian Aliphine Tuliamak even runs her workouts in the Clifton. If they’re good enough for a 2:26 marathoner, they’re good enough for me.

Even with the price increase, I still rank the Hoka Clifton 9 well in terms of value for money and price per mile. The new CMEVA foam feels resilient underfoot and unlikely to bottom out; add to that an updated, more durable outsole; this shoe is designed to go the distance. In my opinion, the Hoka Clifton 9 feels like a plusher, more comfortable Hoka Rincon 3 with added durability or a less responsive and more durable Asics Novablast 2. It’s not the most versatile shoe, but it retains its place on top of my easy run shoe rankings.

You can pick up the Hoka Clifton 9 for $145 from Running Warehouse (featuring 2-day shipping and 90-day returns) using the shop link below.

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