It may come as no surprise that I am a fan of the run shoes by Hoka One One. I first started using the shoes in April 2011. I was prompted to try the brand for two reasons:

• I had seen the trail version ‘Mafate’ in several trail races and this planted a seed of  curiosity in my mind. Of course, my initial reaction to the shoes was like most peoples reaction ‘what are they?!?!’ – they are not a normal looking run shoe.
• In long races I have always suffered from leg pain. It hasn’t been down to training or a lack of it but primarily due to my build. I have big muscular legs from years of cycling. So, the prospect of more cushioning and less fatigue for the same effort was a real interest to me.

The last 4 months have been a run revelation for me. In a ‘barefoot’ obsessed market I bucked the trend, bought myself a pair of Hoka One One ‘Bondi B’ road shoes and 2 days later ran Paris road marathon.

Seven days later I ran London Marathon. Within a month Hoka One One had become my only run shoe. I was using the Mafate for tough trail and the Bondi B for road and light trail. I was so impressed with the shoes, the feel and the benefits they gave that I contacted Nicolas Mermoud (one of the shoes creators) and asked if I could help increase the profile and sell the shoe to the UK market. Nicolas put me in contact with UK distributor and I am now slowly and surely helping to promote the shoes and increase sales.

The Combo XT

When I scoured the internet and looked for reports and feedback on the Hoka range I was really impressed by all the positive comments the shoes generated. Don’t get me wrong, not everything I have read has been positive. I wouldn’t expect that and I would be somewhat dubious if that was the only reviews I read. Like any run shoe brand, they work for some people and not for others! What is important though as a consumer is NOT to be put off by the look. If you do, you may very well be neglecting yourself of a really great run experience. I personally don’t find the Hoka One One range ‘ugly’ (not my words). They are different but for me that is a bonus. Hoka have been quite clever in producing some great colour ways, particularly with the Mafate, that actually draw your attention to the shoes and not the opposite.

Two key high profile users of the Hoka One One range have been ultra runners Karl Meltzer (http://karlmeltzer.com/) and Dave Mackey (http://davemackey.blogspot.com/) Both of these guys have been using the shoes for some time and with great results. Karl has been running some mega distances and Dave has been racing fast over the 50 and 100 mile distances. What has been interesting in following these guys is that in general, they have chose the Bondi B as the shoe of choice, even on trail (not the very tough trail). This is something that I have found. For most mixed terrain runs I was using the Bondi B. The feel of the shoe, the lower profile (still deep and cushioned) seemed to be ideal on good trail. However, the outer sole of the shoe had less grip and was much softer than the Mafate. So, left with a dilema of shoe choice, Hoka One One only had one option; COMBO the Mafate and Bondi B and come up with the Combo XT.

The Shoe

I was in the English Lakes at the end of July for a ‘special birthday’. This happened to perfectly coincide with the ‘Lakeland 100’ race and me having the Combo XT to test. What better way to test a new shoe than run on a really tough course and put it through its paces. Don’t get me wrong here…. I wasn’t racing the ‘100’, I was merely extremely fortunate to be staying on the race route.

First impression of the shoe and I was a little surprised. I expected the sole depth to be the same as the Bondi B – it wasn’t! I actually thought it was as deep as the Mafate but after looking at the 3 shoes and comparing them, the Combo XT sits in the middle which I guess makes sense considering it is a ‘combo’ of the two. The shoes are ‘neutral’ as all the shoes in the Hoka range. They are extremely stable as your foot sits ‘within’ the sole. They are ‘zero’ rise and therefore have received many compliments from the barefoot running community. If you need ‘inserts’ or ‘orthotics’ the shoes are designed to accept this.

Width and fit is certainly much more in line with the Mafate. It is wider in the toe box in comparison to the Bondi B and therefore when purchasing I recommend going a half size ‘up’ from your current run shoe. If you are already using Hoka One One shoes and depending on which shoe you have, for the Combo XT I would recommend you get the same size shoe if you have the Mafate and go a half size smaller if you are using the Bondi B.

The upper of the shoe is mesh and breathable. If I had a criticism of the Bondi B it would be that the shoe is hot and is certainly less breathable than the Mafate and Combo XT. I hope in time that this is something that Hoka One One can address. I found running in the Combo XT really enjoyable and my foot temperature was no hotter than when I have used any other run shoes. For a note, I use Injinji socks (http://www.injinji.com/tetratsok/p_midweight.htm) which I have found work very well with the Hoka range of shoes.

Cushioning

As you would expect, cushioning is superb and after now running some 150 miles in them and doing one trail marathon race they have become my favourite shoe in the range. They are so versatile. The cushioning is softer than the Mafate giving a wonderful ‘spring’ to your step. In comparison to the Bondi B they are a little higher off the ground and a little more flexible. The transition from trail to road is great. They really excel on rocky, rutted and gnarly trail. In classic Hoke One One fashion they enable you to run through the rough stuff without battering your feet or legs.

Grip

One significant feature of the new Combo XT is the sole. It is hard wearing and grippy offering great traction on the road and wonderful grip on rocky, gnarly and stoney trail. In testing I have put the shoes through everything the English Lakes and the Peak District had to offer (see video below). The Combo XT never came up short and certainly in the trail race I did I was running much quicker and much more confidently than my fellow runners who where having to strategically place foot strikes to avoid rocks and problematic terrain. On soft grassy and boggy terrain the increased footprint size allowed me to sit on top of the terrain and not sink. I only had one or two minor issues on wet and slippery mud. This was obviously no surprise! Certainly if I was racing in that sort of terrain I would require a sole with more grip and the Mafate would be a better choice. In comparison to the Bondi B the sole is significantly different. The increased grip is noticeable on wet corners and makes every foot strike feel confident and secure.

Longevity

It is too early to tell how long the Combo XT will last. I guess it will depend on the percentages of trail to road use. The outer sole is harder wearing than the Bondi B and of course with that level of cushioning you have plenty to work at. I have been using the Bondi B on mixed terrain for some time and I have found that they can easily last for 800 miles. That is a really big benefit over other shoe brands. When you consider that current advice for a run shoe is approximately 400-500 miles before you need to change them.

Price

Current UK price is £99 and with postage £104 from http://www.runwildrunfree.co.uk

Summary

The Combo XT really is a superb shoe. It offers many of the benefits of the Mafate and combines them with the benefits of the Bondi B. If you haven’t used Hoka One One shoes this may be a great place to start as this will allow you to test the benefits of the supreme cushioning over road and trail.

If you would like to know more about the Hoka One One technology, please go to : http://www.runwildrunfree.co.uk/#/hoka-one-one/4552418632 or to http://www.hokaoneone.com