Hoka Clifton 8 In-Depth Review // Roads, Trails, This Shoe Does it All!

[@ZeRo-22-]

Picked up the 7’s about two weeks ago from Running Warehouse - they’re discounted due to the release of the 8s! My first Hoka pair were the Rincons; if you have issues with a narrower shoe, I’d say stay away from those too. The Clifton’s, to me, are a more roomy and comfortable shoe than the Rincons (albeit a little heavier). As for the 7s, I’m really enjoying them. In the past I dabbled in Vibram Five-Fingers for running, Saucony Virratas (a personal favorite zero drop, now discontinued), and have stuck with Saucony for the past few years (mainly the Kinvaras). I’ve only recently branched out to the Hoka One One brand. But I like it, I think as I get into my mid 30s, years of running have tired out my legs. It’s nice to have a softer ride as I get older and I find myself gravitating towards that and away from the zero-drop shoes. Side note, always wanted to try Altra but was afraid of spending the money and not liking them (they ain’t cheap 😂)

[@drews1290]

Thanks for the review. I have the 7s. I have seen reviews describing little difference between the 7 and the 8 and the 7s are quite a bit cheaper. Great all round everyday running shoe. I have narrow feet so they fit me perfectly with no hot spots. I have Bondi 8's too which are surprisingly a little firmer (compared to the Clifton 7 and Bondi 7) though a little more stable on tracks. As a 63 yr old runner Hokas are now a must as anything else gives me sore knees. They are a good way to ween yourself off over striding with a heavy heel strike (my milestone foot pod used to tell me that I am 100% heel strike!) as the drop is low but the heel is well cushioned. The biomechanics however seem to work best with a higher cadence (of around 85-90 ) but if one continues to run with a low cadence, over striding with a heavy heel strike (essentially fighting the shoe's design philosophy) you are unlikely to get on with it.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Thanks for sharing. Sounds like a good fit!

[@tedportnay4086]

Wearing the Hoka Mach 4 and loving it. Had been a Brooks fan for years but switched the the Mach 4 about 3 months ago and think they are amazing. Saw your review on the Torrent and May give those a try for a trail running specific show

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Oh nice! I'll have to check out the Mach 4

[@RunWithMyDog]

Again Dave, you’re a mind reader! I planned today to go out to the store and try it on and then I saw a notification of you reviewing this shoe. That’s crazy! Thanks

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Haha! Nice. Glad it was the right topic for you!

[@SuperAloeFresh]

Don’t have the Clifton but I got the Mach 4 and loving them

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Nice!

[@ma3ek]

I have the same issue with mid foot width since Challenger ATR 4. Till then I had no problems at all and I've adore Hoka. When I bought ATR 4 I've start to get blisters on my foot arch every time. Altra solved the problem. Right now I'm switching from Olympus to Loan Peak. I hope LP will last longer than Olympus.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Thanks for sharing!

[@pauldaniel2527]

Good video again Dave. I have the Clifton 6, but they have seen better days, been looking at the 8's so think I will get a pair ordered.

[@wyattcrapo8655]

I recently got Clifton 8s and I love them so far

[@northernwreck]

Initially tried the clifton 5s which were a smidge narrow for me under my arch which lead to some discomfort similar to your experience. Met a Hoka rep at a group run and he promised the 6s were wider, so I gave those a shot and I have been in cliftons ever since. I have not bumped up to the 8 yet so time will tell if I stay. I love the shoe for all the reasons you listed, it's a comfortable ride with out being too soft or heavy, so my legs are protected but I still have road feel and the grip is good. It's a great daily driver and I have marathoned in them at a comfortable pace but they are heavier than I would want for a race shoe.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Thanks for sharing! I think you hit the nail on the head. They're a great "casual marathon" shoe but not really a "race" shoe.

[@soofitnsexy]

im a avg runner like it occasionaly...I was wearing the new balance 880s for years and omg they changed it...smaller tighter toe box!! yesterday I bought these exact kooll blue Hokas and u are absolutely correct it doesnt feel too cushy at all!! and I bought th wide size ! amazing room in toe box havent run in them yet but Im impressed!!

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Nice! Hope you enjoy them!

[@soofitnsexy]

@@ChaseTheSummit yessss the color is like a miami blue! I run in miami when I go there

[@Runnerrwe]

Great shoe. I have been wearing since model 4.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Nice! Thanks for sharing.

[@LifeInTheLongRun]

I have the Clifton 7 put 475km in them and still ride as new. We have the same wide mid foot and overtime it's not a concern to me in the area you described. The Clifton has been my long run and recovery shoe.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Thanks for sharing! Does the 7 also have the narrow midfoot?

[@LifeInTheLongRun]

@@ChaseTheSummit I did use the Clifton 7 wide 2E and midfoot width is fine but it takes 25kms to break in though.

[@pablo_elizalde]

The Clifton 3 were my favorite shoes ever. The 4 were okay. The 5 were my last Clifton because they suddenly felt too narrow for me. I'm always tempted to go back, but dunno...

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Maybe I need some 3's!

[@pablo_elizalde]

@@ChaseTheSummit Nah, get a pair of Rincons instead.

[@Dogwalkerdave]

Another great review. And entertaining 😜

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Thank you kindly!

[@filoIII]

Clifton 8 is supposedly wider than the 6/7, which are not that tight. I just loosen everything alot.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

They're wide in the forefoot. My problem is the mid-foot width. I want to like them!

[@mthuthuzelimsobantu5546]

The midfoot spillover is definitely not a you-problem it’s a Hoka Clifton issue and has been for years. I returned the Clifton versions 4 & 5 and persevered with the 6.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Good to know! It's strange that it still so narrow in the midfoot even on the "wide" sized model.

[@dukebb2274]

Good review!

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Thanks!

[@emmasvensson160]

Like your videos 👍🏻

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Glad you like them!

[@tentimetex]

New KZbin rules specifically state that creators can only say ''One-One'' once when talking about Hoka. ;-) on a different note, i think the Clifton 8 is interesting because it still has a heel drop (of 5 mm i think?) which is not balanced like an Altra, but is still a very small difference. Perhaps a good compromise.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Yeah it's a little cringe how many times I say it... ugh lol.

[@teddyjordan8266]

LIKEEEE 👌 I didnt know though that you do shoes!!!!

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Yep! More coming soon as spring approaches!

[@chch242]

If your midfoot is wide, you should try HOKA Gaviota 3. I have the same problem with a little low arch and wide midfoot. Gaviota 3 solved the problem for good.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Thanks for sharing!

[@marky1974]

Theyre really comfortable..size up half a size..

[@lensineer]

Tried the Clifton 7 against a brooks glycerin and both were great comfort, I felt like the heel of the Hoka was not that stable for me.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Interesting, what part wasn't stable?

[@lensineer]

@@ChaseTheSummit The heel felt kind of instable when making a step. Especially in a curve or corner it felt like the heel is slipping or shifting outwards. In another store a sales rep told me hoka does this on purpose (maybe only in some models) to make "middle foot running" more appealing.

[@filoIII]

@@lensineer I find the Clifton fine, but that Novablast 1 was HORRAWFULLY unstable.

[@SirDVV]

Thank you for the review, it is fantastic and you talk exactly about the same problem I have: wide midfoot. Weirdly I am running very confortably on the On Cloudmonsters. I am looking for a second pair of shoes for my rotation and I am struggling to find the right shoe. I am thinking the NB 1080 v12 Extra Wide (4E) but I'd like something with a smaller drop, like this Hokas. I am almost sure I'll find them too narrow even in the Wide version (only 2E in this case). Do you have any recommendations? Thank you!

[@ChaseTheSummit]

For road I've had good luck with Altra Paradigm and Torins. For trail the new Hoka Tecton X is surprisingly wide/comfortable on my feet.

[@moyolenovo3914]

I am not surprised again. The same thing with all the reviewers. Someone got a gift from a brand worth 150$ in order to make a review but it's not a bribe in ones mind because it is not money and so on. And every time only positive conclusions as a result. I have never heard anything critical about any product from any blogger in that kind of relations with brands.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

I try to be as unbiased as I can. If you don't like the videos feel free to watch someone elses. ✌️

[@etiennericco]

Thanks for the review... I have been rotating between the Torin 4.5 & the Clifton 7... Those are soon the be replaced thus wanted to ask which shoe you would be recommending between the Torin 5 & the Clifton 8?

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Really depends on your foot. For me, I've been really enjoying both shoes but as I mention in this video the Clifton is a little too tight in my mid-foot. Lately I've been wearing the Torin 5 a lot more but unfortunately the outsole has been falling apart a little too fast. Altra replaced my first pair under warranty... time will tell with the second pair!

[@sorinen]

Thanks for the review! I have a pair of barely worn Clifton 5, because of the narrow midfoot section. They seemed fine for the first few runs, but then became annoying and even painful. What makes it even more annoying is that I only have issues with the left foot. Are all Hokas narrow like that, or is this a Clifton particularity?

[@ChaseTheSummit]

I don't think they're all this way. I have the Torrent 2 trail shoes and they are super comfortable in the mid-foot. Not sure which road shoes follow that last. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@i.p2088]

I have the Clifton 7 wide and the midfoot is not wide enough for me. Altra Rivera without the insole seems to be good for the road runs.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

I've got the Altra Torin 5.0's coming in this week. We'll see how they feel!

[@venkatshashank]

Heard 8 is little softer than 7. My 7 is up to 250miles and soon will be upgrading to 8

[@ChaseTheSummit]

I didn't have the 7's but the 8's do feel a little stiff for how much cushion they have.

[@krzysztofw1569]

Can't stop thinking that alphaflys would kill your feet, they are soooo narrow in the midfoot,don't know why Nike is so stubborn about it. Maybe I'll try some hokas when my invincible runs are out :)

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Probably because Nike knows how slow I am 😂

[@krzysztofw1569]

@@ChaseTheSummit Believe me, I'm muuuuch slower and got them ;) Got to treat yourself for running at 5 AM :D However, I think the only effect on my tempo they have is that it feels nice when I look at them lol

[@filoIII]

I've heard the Invincible is a good bit more unstable than the Clifton.

[@johanrr4]

Does it work as an easy day shoe in your opinion? I've been thinking about pairing these up with my Mach 4's

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Absolutely. These can be a race day shoe (for mid-pack folks) or a great every day trainer including easy days thanks to the above average cushion.

[@adityaraut2191]

Hey I wanted to know if I should go for the wide one? What do you recommend? I wear the pegasus 37 normal ones as of now

[@ChaseTheSummit]

If your peg 37's aren't wide I wouldn't go wide on these. My feet are weird shaped and the pinch point for me is right in the mid-foot / arch area. Otherwise these Hoka's fit pretty well. Thanks for watching!

[@adityaraut2191]

@@ChaseTheSummit thank you so much man!

[@varcity23]

How is the toe box room compared to the altra?

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Much narrower but not too bad.

[@robotone2812]

“I just realised there’s dirt on my table from my shoe” Asians: “Exactly! That’s why we don’t wear shoes into the house!” Americans: “I wear them on my bed too.”

[@ChaseTheSummit]

😬

[@comodice905]

Does it all snow ice 🍧 ❄️ 🧊 🤔 😕 😋 🍧 ❄️ 🧊 🤔 😕 😋 🍧 ❄️ 🧊 🤔 😕 😋 🍧 ❄️ 🧊 🤔 😕 😋 🍧 ❄️ 🧊 🤔 😕 😋 🍧 ❄️ 🧊 🤔 😕????????????

[@chch242]

Stopping video to Google how much grams are 9.55 ounces. Play. Stopping video to Google us men size 10 1/2.

[@ChaseTheSummit]

Ha! I'll incorporate some metric units in the next one!

[@chch242]

@@ChaseTheSummit thanks a lot, I'm of course aware that your audience is mainly US based.

[@zulfikranzulmos4066]

Just say Hoka Clifton 8.. Why tf they must put One One 😂😂

[@ChaseTheSummit]

🤷‍♂️

[@filoIII]

What does Hoka One One mean? Literally Hoka One One (pronounced Hoka O-nay O-nay or Onei Onei) means "fly over the earth," 'freedom to fly?" or "time to fly." It's believed to be Polynesian.

[@soofitnsexy]

@@filoIII i think it means I love pizza??

[@zulfikranzulmos4066]

The tongue too thick and a bit short.. The heel tab just awful..

[@ChaseTheSummit]

I don't mind the heel tab but the tongue is a little thick yes.