Hoka Mach 6 Review: Can You Take Us Higher?

What You Need To Know

Introduction to the Hoka Mach 6

RYAN: I’m not usually one to take the lead on a review. In fact, I’d much rather sit in the back and sprinkle in weird references than jump into stuff like updated cushioning and revamped outsoles. And, given my lack of personal history with Hoka’s Mach line, there’s almost no reason for me to jump into this one before Meg does.

However, I got this shoe nearly a month and a half before anyone else on the team. It showed up about five minutes after the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve, and I haven’t really stopped running in it since. I kept asking Thomas and Meg if they’d gotten their pairs yet just because I wanted someone else to like the shoe as much as I did (and do). So, with more than 80 miles in the Hoka Mach 6, y’all get my thoughts first.

Hoka’s Mach series has been on quite the journey since I joined up with the Believe in the Run team. Robbe and crew raved about the Mach 4 back in 2020, praising its slim-for-a-Hoka profile and revamped EVA midsole before completely losing their way with the Mach Supersonic. Despite its faster-than-sound name, the Supersonic was neither of those things — more like a super trainer who hadn’t figured out how to be a super trainer. We made our requisite Speed Racer jokes when the Mach 5 arrived, and then the Mach X slowly became what the Supersonic was meant to be all along.

Now, we have the Hoka Mach 6, which is completely different from those that came before it. Hoka swapped its classic EVA midsole for a bouncier slab of Supercritical foam, replaced the rubberized layer with a more traditional (and more durable) durabrasion material, and brought over some of the more aggressive angles from the Mach X.

The only question that’s left is whether or not the midsole change can make the Mach any faster. Let’s get into it.

MEAGHAN: The Hoka Mach has always been a shoe I enjoy for its simplicity and lightweight build, which continues in the latest version. And while it looks fairly similar to the plated Mach X, there are some big changes underfoot — the ProFly+ midsole / EVA outsole has been replaced with a single layer of supercritical foam and a rubber outsole. The creel jacquard upper and gusseted tongue remain, along with a simple lacing system. Also unchanged is a 37 mm stack with a 5 mm drop for plenty of cushion underfoot. Hoka says this is the “lightest, most responsive” Mach to date, so let’s talk about it.

CHAD: Getting tapped to review the Hoka Mach 6 was a real treat for me. I mean, when I hear Mach, I think speed, and let’s be straight-up bold-faced liars, there’s no one out there speedier than me, so it seems like a natural fit. The Mach 6 is the newest version of Hoka’s lightweight trainer that, for some, can double as their speedwork or tempo day shoe. As Meg noted, many elements stayed the same on the upper, but the big change is in the midsole foam. Hoka ditched the ProFly+ EVA-based material and replaced it with a new and as-yet-unnamed supercritical EVA that’s meant to be lightweight but amp up the responsiveness.

CARYN: My introduction to Hoka came years ago when a friend passed on a seeded pair of the original Mach that didn’t quite fit. I had no expectations for the shoe, but it quickly became a favorite daily trainer thanks to its simple, easy ride. I enjoyed future iterations of the Mach as well, thanks to the fact that Hoka really didn’t mess with it much (if it ain’t broke…).

When the Mach 6 arrived on my doorstep, it was such a pleasant surprise. Hoka notes that this new and improved version has a supercritical foam midsole and rubber outside, making it lighter, more responsive, and more durable. Well, dang — this thing sounds like it’s fixing to break the sound barrier. Is the Mach 6 flying high or on a highway to the danger zone? Let’s find out.

What we like about the Hoka Mach 6

RYAN: I mentioned it up top, but I have more than 80 miles in the Hoka Mach 6. In this line of work, you don’t run 80 miles in a shoe unless you really, really like it, so that should tell you something. The Mach 6 landed at my door just a few days before a long work trip to Las Vegas (yes, it really was a work trip), and one run was enough to convince me it was the only running shoe to bring in my carry-on.

So, off to Vegas I went, and while I didn’t get in as many miles as I expected in the desert (a combination of weather and getting sick, not being hungover), I quickly figured out that this is a Hoka of a different kind. It doesn’t feel quite like the ultra-plush Bondi or the old reliable Clifton, but the switch to Supercritical foam gives the Mach 6 a bounce and response that I absolutely love. No, it’s not to the same degree as a plated shoe, but this one fits a New Balance Rebel v2-shaped hole in my heart in a way I didn’t expect — and without the inherent danger of an upper that wants to blow out on you.

Instead, the Mach 6’s midsole is shaped just right for lateral stability with a gentle rocker that simply glides from one stride to the next. I think trading the rubberized EVA midsole/outsole for a more traditional layer of durabrasion rubber should help the Mach 6’s durability, too. In the past, Hoka’s single-layer setup has compressed and stretched sideways, almost like a layer of Oreo filling being squeezed out between the two cookies, but I don’t see the Mach 6 following the same trend.

I’ve since taken the Mach 6 on a variety of runs, some long (around 12 miles), some short (around 3 miles with Believe Run Club), and had almost no issues. The only workout where the Mach 6 didn’t meet my needs was a set of 800-meter repeats, and I can’t even blame that on the shoe. Instead, I’ll chalk it up to the 25mph headwind that ground half of my repeats to a hard stop — something that no plated shoe was going to help me overcome.

Finally, I’ll touch on the styling. Hoka sent me a beige pair of the Mach 6 that looks just about identical to Meg’s pair, and I love it. I reach for understated running shoes unless I’m racing, and this clean, simple colorway fits the bill. The color of the upper matches the outsole rubber perfectly, but the unpainted white midsole offers just enough of a split to keep things interesting.

MEAGHAN: I’m not sure if the Hoka team read my last review or just randomly provided me with an all-white colorway, but they won me over again with aesthetics. The step-in feel of the Mach 6 is soft and comfortable; it fits true to size with plenty of room in the forefoot. While I enjoyed the ride of the previous version, the updated foam feels more lively. It’s still light and stable, but it has more bounce than the Mach 5. I also like the additional rubber coverage, which doesn’t add any weight but provides better traction and durability.

Finally, my US W7.5 came in at 6.8 oz. Super light.

CHAD: I didn’t get an all-white shoe like Meg did, but I think the aesthetics of the light blue and green one I got are nicely done as well — definitely continuing their trend of having a little mermaid chic in there. My initial thoughts after putting on the shoe and walking around the house are that they came as advertised, the Mach 6 is super lightweight for something that has 37 mm of foam and falls in the daily trainer category.

On the run, I was pleasantly surprised by the stability of the shoe. There’s a pleasant rocker to the midsole (less than in other offerings like the Bondi 8 or Clifton 9), a reasonably wide base, and really nice toe spring that is accentuated by the increased responsiveness from the supercritical EVA. These elements really helped keep the feet and ankles in line with each step. I took the Mach 6 on several runs in a row after I got it, including a run with a Fartlek workout in it, but most of my miles were run easy because I was in my taper for a marathon. The Mach 6 handled the easy miles well, and the lighter weight was appreciated as it decreased fatigue on my pre-race legs.

CARYN: You guys knew someone would need to work in some kind of cheesy reference to Top Gun. While Chad normally steps in for things like this, I’m more than happy to oblige. Like Meg, I dig a neutral shoe, and the Mach I received was far from that. Hoka sent me an Easter egg colorway complete with an array of pastels. I still dig it, though, especially given how great the shoe feels on step-in. The fit and feel are very similar to previous versions of the Mach — soft and lightweight. Hoka runs a tiny bit long for me in my true size, but it works, and I don’t size down. The toe box has a decent amount of space, though, like most Hoka models, the Mach feels a bit narrow through the midfoot.

I found the ride of the Mach enjoyable — the shoe is extremely light, and I definitely noticed the improved traction on some of my snowy, slushy runs. The 37 mm of stack felt like it was just the right amount of bounce underfoot for a daily trainer. I didn’t have any real issues with the upper outside of the tongue and had no problems locking the shoe down easily.

What we don’t like about the Hoka Mach 6

RYAN: I don’t have anything to complain about with the Mach 6. It might fall victim to Hoka’s usual midsole spread, and we’ll have to see how the Supercritical foam holds up over time, but I haven’t noticed any wear as I close in on 100 miles. I will say that you can probably ignore the point that Meg is about to make because most of us don’t reach for plated shoes or racing shoes when we head out for workouts — I know I don’t.

Also, at just $140, it’s kind of silly to compare the plateless Mach 6 to a plated shoe that’s going to run you at least $30 more.

MEAGHAN: This isn’t really a knock on the Mach 6, more of a note in general. I’ve been spoiled with super trainers and race day shoes, so it’s hard not to prefer a shoe with a propulsive plate underfoot. While the Mach 6 is comfortable with a smooth ride, it doesn’t give you that bouncy pop that I prefer for a tempo shoe or when I’m trying to pick up the pace.

CHAD: I’m with Meg here. I can’t see using this shoe as more than just a lightweight daily trainer. When I went to pick up the paces during the Fartlek workout, the Mach 6 just didn’t have the pop or snap that you expect from a speedwork or tempo shoe. It’s hard to criticize the shoe for that because, at the end of the day, I imagine even in Hoka’s mind, the most prominent use-case for the Mach 6 is as a lightweight daily trainer. But coming off reviewing the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 and the New Balance SC Elite v4 with their superfoams and plates, I’m grabbing one of those for a workout over the Mach 6 every day and twice on Sunday.

Also, this is just a Hoka thing in general, but this shoe is narrow, especially in the midfoot. It didn’t cause me any real problems because I have a regular-width foot, but people who have wide feet or even feet on the border of regular and wide might have issues.

CARYN: For whatever reason, the tongue on this shoe kept folding over on me the entire run. It didn’t ruin the experience, but I did have to stop to fix it a few times to keep it from digging into my ankle. No one else seemed to have this issue, so maybe I’m the problem (it’s me, hi). I also agree with both Meg and Chad that this shoe lacks the responsive feel of some of the other comparable options out there. I personally didn’t feel like this shoe offered me any pop or propulsion at all, and as such would consider it a true daily trainer. While there’s something to be said for a lightweight, well-done, non-plated trainer, I wouldn’t pick this for any runs with uptempo paces. I’d likely lean on my Saucony Endorphin Speed for more supersonic paces.

Final thoughts on the Hoka Mach 6

RYAN: I’ve been waiting for a shoe like the Hoka Mach 6 for a long time. It fills just the right section of my lineup, offering a bouncy midsole, a clean, simple upper, and a price that’s just right. I wouldn’t hesitate to take it out for a workout, a double-digit long run, or just a couple of bouncy miles on a Monday morning. If the supercritical midsole can keep its shape and its pop, this could be in the conversation for our end-of-year awards.

MEAGHAN: The Hoka Mach 6 is a really great update. It’s stayed true to its simplistic nature, but the new supercritical foam feels like a nice upgrade. While this wouldn’t be my pick for workout days, it works for just about everything else.

CHAD: I think Hoka has made an incredible lightweight daily trainer in the Mach 6. The new supercritical EVA felt responsive during all the easy miles while providing a smooth and stable ride. Outsole coverage and traction were definitely ready to handle the elements, as many of my runs came in less-than-ideal wintery conditions. While I wish I got this shoe during a time when I could have logged more miles in it, I enjoyed the 18 or so miles I was able to do, and I can say with certainty I’ll be taking it off the shelf this spring from time to time.

CARYN: While we may not be approaching the speed of sound, we’re certainly cleared for takeoff (and if you’ve made it through all of my Dad jokes in this review, I commend you). The Mach 6 is a reliably simple, comfortable, and lightweight daily trainer. While Hoka’s endorsement of the Mach as a responsive, tempo-day option didn’t quite land for me, this shoe is a great pick for pretty much every other run on your training schedule.

You can pick up the Hoka Mach 6 for $140 on March 1, 2024, at Running Warehouse (featuring free 2-day shipping and 90-day returns) using the buttons below.