Our first ever HOKA Mach review, will not be out last. One of HOKA’S nicest rides to date.
The Mach 4 is a shoe designed as a sort of cross between a daily trainer, and lightweight speed shoe. It is lightweight, durable, and fast. In the HOKA range, it fits somewhere between the Rincon and the Clifton.
We whacked 84K into our pair, below is the rundown.
Like a pair of rare Air Jordan's, the Oakley Encoder's sell-out fast on drop day. Inspired by the Greek God Apollo that was well versed in many activities, this frame is built to meet the needs of numerous sports. It's slick, cool and funcational as they come. And, it's Oakley.
HOKA ONE ONE, the brand known for its max cushioned shoes and metarocker midsole geometry, were second to the table. In 2019 they dropped their Carbon X road racing shoe, all reports indicate they sold like hot cakes.
Now zoom to the end of 2020, and HOKA have just launched the Rocket X (dropping soon in Australia). It is to be viewed like the Carbon X, but slightly faster, subtly better. Its stack height is slightly lower, and the shoe is lighter. Running in the Rocket X feels more like a traditional shoe than a HOKA. The wide base of a Clifton (and most models) is gone, trimmed down to increase performance.
The midsole foam used by HOKA is still their proprietary EVA, they haven’t switched to PEBAX foam used in a few other road racing shoes. The midsole foam found in the Rocket X is the lightest foam that HOKA has ever produced. The EVA foam works for HOKA, and if it ain’t broke….
Runner’s Tribe took the Rockets through three sessions (15km in total).
Another year, another Hoka Clifton, perhaps Hoka’s most popular shoe. A highly cushioned, neutral high mileage trainer. A workhorse for endless miles. HOKA called it their ‘Ultra comfortable go to daily runner’ – it’s hard to argue with that
Not designed for speed, but for long distances or easy runs.
The Clifton 7 is very similar to the Clifton 6 – a nice, soft, lightweight, cushioned ride. The only significant changes are a new upper (mesh) and various minor changes to it’s last/upper/heel counter. The differences between the 6 and 7 are pretty much negligible, some minor tweaks, but hardly noticeable.
Runner’s Tribe took these shoes through 110km of mostly road and light trail running, and below is our unpaid for analysis.
Tested for over 11,000 miles, the UA Flow Velociti Wind is the latest chapter in running innovation with a disruptive design and all-in-one cushioning system that eliminates the rubber outsole. What is the flow state? The feeling you get when you could keep running for miles. The feeling of wanting to keep going one more mile - because you feel so good. The feeling of light, effortless speed. The feeling of the wind at your back. Every runner is searching for that flow state.
Oakley® has launched the next chapter of innovation with Re:SubZero, an advanced, lightweight frame made to wear during a run, training session, or whenever you’re breaking a sweat in pursuit of self-betterment.
The Brooks Levitate 4 is a true workhorse of a neutral high mileage training shoe. Not the lightest of shoes, nor the fastest; but the trade off is you'll get many extra k's out of a pair of Levitates than you may in many other brands.
Runner's Tribe were lucky enough to take a pair through 210km, and below is our unpaid for analysis.
Some of us have seen those unique new shoes, the ones with the strange pod-like midsoles. Fad or legit? We smashed the ON Cloudflows (the shoe that broke the Ironman world record) through 800km of road and trails. Below is how they stacked up.
Specs
Type: Neutral lightweight trainer. Ideal for tempo...
In recent years, the running world has seen a seismic shift in footwear technology, most acutely impacting the elite level. Long-standing world records are continually getting shattered, athletes are getting faster, and qualifying standards keep getting lowered. Advancements in materials innovation have paved the way for a new landscape of ‘super shoes’, where runners are opting for higher stack, more cushioned, and more propulsive racing shoes.
The design of the ACTIBREEZE™ HYBRID SANDAL has been revamped from its predecessor to offer even better preparation from one performance to the next. It now features a 3D printed footbed, parametrically designed in an extra-thick lattice structure to provide advanced breathability and zoned comfort.
