HOKA ONE ONE Stinson ATR 6 Performance Review

What You Need To Know

• Weighs 11.6 oz. (329 g) for a US M9.0/10.4 oz. (294 g) for a US W8.0
• Maxxed out trail thiccness with a 38 mm stack height (33 in the toe)
• Essentially the trail counterpart to the Bondi
• Highly recommended for short people to wear to Coachella to see over the crowd (not necessary for virtual Coachella)

TAYLOR: It goes without saying that HOKA ONE ONE is the King of Cush. Even though their shoe range is wider than a Nebraskan cattle pasture, I don’t know that I’ll ever shed the mental picture of the original platform-esque HOKA’s that changed the running scene in the middle of a minimalist movement. I guess I also can’t get rid of the idea of cattle after my last review of the Challenger Low GTX…

HOKA’s original idea was bold and they haven’t slowed their attempt to change the running scene (e.g. TenNine and Clifton Edge).

In the beginning, HOKA’s were made for the trails. As a prime example of their endeavors, the brand-new Stinson 6 has all that you would expect from the pioneers of plenty.

The Stinson is their max-cushion option (the Bondi’s trail counterpart) that retains HOKA’s core principles as a light-as-possible shoe with an elevator shaft of cushioning that rolls smoothly via a meta-rocker.

The Good

TAYLOR: If you’re reading this review, cushioning is probably on your mind. The Stinson’s got it. In modern terms, this pair of trail grinders are THICC. A slab of compression-molded EVA foam offers a soft and very protected ride. The foam is not the fluffiest that you’ll find, but I appreciate a tiny bit of rigidity because it provides some decent feedback. The foam even feels a little springy.

As with most HOKA shoes, the Stinson has one of the smoothest rides on the market. Contact to toe-off is a harmonious experience over most any terrain.

For starters, an early-stage meta rocker and 5 mm drop help the ride roll smoothly– especially if you’re a midfoot striker. Their ride is seriously always top-notch.

Second, as with the Challenger Low GTX, the outsole has a combo of a wide base and an atypical pattern of 4 mm lugs. Made of spaced Vibram MegaGrip lugs (i.e. #thebestoutsoleinthebizzz), the outsole gives the Stinson an incredible range of running. I am actually pretty indifferent about whether they feel better on light trails or roads, that’s how smooth they are. Of course, HOKA has a bunch more shoes that are better suited (and lighter) for the roads, but the Stinson works really well on roads with any surface.

For a shoe that can make you tall enough to ride the big coasters, they are surprisingly nimble. As mentioned, flip the Stinson over and the shoe doubles in size. This time around, you’ll find an even wider base to give a more stable ride. Also, a wider base gives more surface area for more traction on any terrain (something I did enjoy about the TenNine). Because of the wider base, the overall ride resembled the EVO Mafate quite a bit, even though the Mafate has about a third less stack.

As for fit, I’ll give it a thumbs up. A close-fitting upper with a slimmer midfoot (classic HOKA) helps hold your feet in an optimal position within the shoe on any surface up to moderate trail technicality and/or slower speeds. Support “wings” are utilized for both arch support (similar to Altra Provision) and give extra help for a close fit.

Let’s talk about the upper a little bit more. Yes, it’s pretty darn comfortable, but the thing to discuss is that it is made of recycled polyester fibers. HOKA calls it the Unifit REPREVE yarn. They take the polyester plastics from the leftovers of other products and utilize those fibers for these uppers.

The upper is comparable to many other softer engineered uppers without deepening the debt of animal-made or newly produced materials. It’s something for which I want to give a standing ovation to HOKA, and a lot of other shoe companies, as they look to become more sustainable in 2020 and the future. I hope they continue to refine this process because it is needed on many levels to promote a sustainable/forward-looking culture in the goods industries.

The Bad

TAYLOR: While we’re on the topic, the recycled fiber upper follows suit with the rest of the shoe as being thick. It’s understandable since extra material is necessary to support such a large undercarriage, but it does get pretty toasty during these summer months. I have not felt any hotspots in terms of friction, just general warmth. The upper sure doesn’t help to get rid of water quickly, either. Plan on soggy feet if there are water crossings in your run.

To no surprise, this shoe comes in the “high-average” category in terms of weight for a trail shoe– 12.9 ounces for a men’s size 10.5. It’s not wildly heavy, but you’ll start to notice the weight if you’re going out for more than a few miles or picking up the pace. HOKA has a bunch of amply cushioned road shoes that are lighter than most other shoes on the market. Let’s see that transfer into the trail world a little more. I want some of the uber light cushioned shoes on the trail!

As you could also guess with the Stinson, there is literally zero ground feel. This isn’t a negative per se, unless you personally enjoy a little bit of ground feel like me, but it is something to be aware of. I suppose the Stinson is basically like the Grave Digger of trail shoes. So, the goal is probably to eliminate as much underfoot sensation as possible.

HOKA ONE ONE Stinson ATR 6 Conclusion

TAYLOR: I’m not too often surprised with a shoe, but the Stinson ATR 6 did throw me for a small loop. For so long I had resisted the maximally inclined shoes, but HOKA continually pulls me in with their overall fit, comfort, and all-terrain performance. The Stinson is no different.

Cushioning as thick as the humidity this summer, solid stability, and moderate support are what you get. A solid fit from a recycled engineered upper makes this a feasible and surprisingly nimble-for-its-size trail shoe. They work best on the smoother/less-technical trails but can hang in there on moderately technical trails.

You can pick up the HOKA ONE ONE Stinson ATR 6 for $160 at Running Warehouse (featuring free 2-day shipping and 90-day returns) by using the shop link below.