Best HOKA Trail Shoes 2023 | Jim Walmsley Shoe Rotation

We caught up with Jim Walmsley on a pre-UTMB training camp in Val Thorens, France, to chat about his HOKA trail shoe rotation for both training and racing.
Find out what to look for when choosing a trail shoe.
Shop the HOKA Trail range:
HOKA trail store: bit.ly/3OSr3vM
Speedgoat 5: bit.ly/3KVTffW
Zinal 2: bit.ly/3Eg2lAA
Tecton x 2 : bit.ly/3PfXi9B
Mafate Speed 4: bit.ly/3OVg04J
In this video:
00:00 Intro
00:21 Speedgoat 5
02:05 Zinal 2
03:48 Tecton X 2
05:31 HOKA prototypes
10:41 Jim's choice for race day
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Visit our website: www.sportsshoes.com

[@tombriggs-hx2gm]

Jim must be the most articulate sponsored athlete I’ve ever heard talking about shoes (and discussing weight in gms). He’s more knowledgeable than many of the marketing people that get interviewed at trade shows. What a pro!

[@rmsrmsrmsrms]

finally a current shoe tech video. thumbs up

[@cpruns4501]

Awesome video - love hearing Jim's overview of shoes. What a great dude!! Take down UTMB this year Jim! You got this!

[@sturmunro]

Great video! Loved hearing about the prototypes

[@user-kq9oc2ew7g]

It's always great to know that the athletes play such an important role in developing the greatest products.

[@steevoridgeline]

great interview !

[@user-kq9oc2ew7g]

We're glad you enjoyed it!

[@peakproofuk]

Cool video. Love the idea of a tectonX with a softer peba foam and a stiffer plate! I just picked up the first tecton from Sportsshoes - got them for a good price!

[@user-kq9oc2ew7g]

Let us know what you think

[@popopopo4981]

hoping they (hoka) will revive the EVO speedgoat...

[@darightcoast1912]

Best trail shoe ever

[@busanite]

There is quite a bit of editing where the negative stuff has been cut out. For example at 7:09, I believe he wanted to say how stones get into tectonic 2, but was cut out. A more honest review would be great. (another edited out part is at 4:33)

[@peasthree546]

Utmb champ

[@mattlogan1]

Jim Walmsleh

[@Nbstevens78]

Shmae the SG's dont last or grip particular well on the lake district wet rocks... lugs wear fast. Decent comfort but definitely made for the American "trails"

[@lukecotter169]

wait so i didnt catch which shoe Jim will be wearing in UTMB. Was it the tecton x2?

[@ovechkinata]

Yes that’s what he said!

[@peakproofuk]

No. It was the prototype shoe with the high ankle collar. But it sounds like the TectonX3 might be similar.

[@radoslavstoev4550]

Speedgoat is the opposite of durable as well as most of the Hoka shoes. Mine look like they are were worn in the world war II after one summer of running. It's a shame, because their shoes are very comfortable and suit my leg shape very well.

[@Mapalves27]

É bom saber,você não é o unico a falar da falta de durabilidade dos tênis hoka!😊

[@TK-ok6hk]

would you recommend some durable brand of shoes which can withstand high volumes so I dont have to buy new pair of shoes every season? I had similar experience with inov8 parkclaw shoes this season.. they are so damn sweet in all aspects, but i can throw them away because of the damage.. thanks!

[@radoslavstoev4550]

@@TK-ok6hk Well, I recently bought Saucony Xodus Ultra 1 on a great bargain(because it's an older model) and so far I am pretty impressed with shoe. The outsole is almost a 100-percent covered in rubber, which greatly improves durability. The midsole is a little bit firmer compared to the Speedgoat, but it also feels more stable and bouncier. The grip is also excellent. .My girlfriend has Asics Trabuco 11 and they also seem pretty sturdy although not as soft compared to the Speedgoat.

[@TK-ok6hk]

​@@radoslavstoev4550 Thank you for the valuable info. I might try Saucony shoes instead of Hoka this time!

[@paulnorman8274]

@@TK-ok6hk Nnormal claims being designed/built for great durability. Asics and Mizuno, being above average subject to Japanese QA protocols and buyer expectations, will almost certainly hold up as well. More and more shoes are purely designed for "performance." Shoes are sold on the back of race wins and release-day KZbin-tester "best in test" now. Any KZbinr who waits until next season to finish his review, in order to gather reliable data on extended wear, won't have many viewers for long..... Leading to "high volume" users being conditioned to rotate darned near every month now, never mind once a season...... The latest Asics super marathon shoes, come with a disclaimer that they are built for ONE RACE. $500 for a bit over 2hrs of wear............ New World Record, by a landslide, though; so I suppose it's all about different strokes for different folks. Killian/Nnormal, for environmental reasons supposedly, claim they are trying to change this model. Going about it the way only Killian can: By winning race after race in the exact same pair. While also training in the same pair, for 1000+ miles. From what I have seen, the shoes are very pared down, and likely won't fit everyone. But if they fit you, and your intended use, they're likely to be among the better options. Otherwise, I'd try one of the "Japanese" brands.