Whenever you consider Hoka, you in all probability consider the model’s plush, comfortable highway trainers, just like the fan-favorite Cliftons or Bondis. Whereas it’s true that Hoka pioneered the favored max-cushion shoe development, these high-stack designs really received their begin off the roads, with the launch of the Mafate path operating shoe again in 2010.
Hoka’s newest path shoe, the Mafate X ($225, hoka.com and rei.com), is a kind of nod to that historical past—it has key options for out of doors runs, with the identical excessive stack top that Hoka devotees have come to know and love. It additionally has a forked carbon fiber plate within the midsole for a pop of velocity and added stability.
Skeptics, hear me out: I notice that, whereas a excessive stack of cushioning and a carbon plate will be main promoting factors for quick highway trainers, they could seem to be overkill in a path operating shoe. I additionally had these doubts after I began testing the Mafate X—however I’m not too proud to confess that I used to be incorrect. Right here’s how the Mafate X modified my thoughts, and why it’s change into my go-to for off-road summer season adventures.
The design
Because the launch of the unique Mafate, Hoka has launched plenty of newer variations. What makes this one stand out? The carbon fiber plate within the midsole.
Initially meant to supply pop to highway racing footwear, carbon fiber plates are slowly making their option to path footwear, with blended outcomes. On paper, it doesn’t make a lot sense: Carbon plates work by pushing you off the bottom quick—however on trails, the bottom is usually mushy or uneven, so having a plate in your sneaker would possibly throw off your stability.
Nonetheless, the plate within the Mafate X is forked (or formed like a slender “V”), with two sides that transfer independently. That is particularly key for runners who over- or underpronate (which means your ankle rolls inward or outward, respectively, as you run). As a substitute of twisting an ankle on the paths, you’ll keep gentle in your ft because the forked facet of the plate helps push you again into a traditional gait. It’s a stability characteristic as a lot as it’s a velocity one.
One other nice design characteristic: Contained in the Mafate X, the froth is molded to border your foot, including further stability. That is essential for operating on uneven path surfaces and stopping blisters that may pop up throughout lengthy (or moist) adventures, consultants affirm. “The massive factor with trails is that your foot is de facto locked in there—you don’t need your foot sliding round,” says Heather Jackson, knowledgeable path runner for Hoka. “This shoe actually cradles the heel—that was one of many massive issues I observed.”
A grippy outsole is one other should, to forestall slipping and sliding. The Mafate X’s is fabricated from Vibram rubber, which is thought for its best-in-the-biz traction. The lugs on the outsole (a.okay.a. the sample on the underside of the shoe—consider them like treads on a tire), are as enjoyable as they’re practical: They’re formed like pizza and tacos, as a nod to 2 meals that path runners usually flip to for gasoline.
