HOKA MACH X review: It’s probably not what you think!

[@josephmadrigal9491]

i am huge Hoka Mach fan! and I believe this shoe was meant for people like me. people who prefer cushion but still want to go fast.

[@its_Matt_B_]

Good to hear! Yep! It’s a well cushioned shoe that can do the work when you ask it to!

[@brucemihalick4117]

Great Review, I love the clifton and bondi. I never thought of the Mach, but the Mach X I'm going to try.

[@its_Matt_B_]

Cheers, Bruce! You’re already a Hoka fan so these will suit you nicely and fit well into your lineup! Now you should pick up a pair of Rocket X2s and you’ll have all bases covered! 😄

[@brucemihalick4117]

@its_Matt_B_ Thank you! Did I read right in the comments that Hoka is releasing the Bondi 9 this year? Yes, Matt, I love Hoka, but my best years of running and racing were in the Mizuno wave rider, precision, and elixir. I love what Mizuno is doing, too!

[@its_Matt_B_]

@@brucemihalick4117 Yes, it looks like a Bondi 9 could drop next month! We’ll see! You’re right about Mizuno; they’ve really been crushing it lately!

[@seanwise7464]

I just checked them out yesterday, as I really like mach 5 - these were not what I was hoping for at all. Ironically there was a pair of Boston 12 on shelf next to them that seemed promising so I ended up taking the adidas home with me

[@its_Matt_B_]

The Boston 12s are a great shoe, and not dissimilar from the Mach X!

[@seanwise7464]

@@its_Matt_B_ Boston felt a little less stiff and looser laterally to me. To be honest they also looked way cooler which helped the decision

[@its_Matt_B_]

@@seanwise7464 We all agree; looks count for a lot!

[@austinvinas5939]

Now that you mentioned the endorphin speeds I realized this shoe feels like the speeds combined with the Nike zoom fly 5 to me. I was hoping the Mach x would keep the softness of Mach 5 with a little more spring with the plate, but it’s a little harder with a better forward roll feeling. So now it became my long run trainers when there is some tempo mixed in. Not fast enough for race day or speed days, but it makes the longer runs feel like I’m working still at an easy pace but I can still hit near marathon pace with some effort involved still.

[@its_Matt_B_]

You’ve nailed it with the MX being your long run shoe when mixing in a bit of tempo. That’s exactly what it’s good for! 👊🏽

[@jimoconnor8597]

Thanks for the in-depth review Matt. Think I'll stick with the SuperBlast, Hyperion Max and ES 3 for now.

[@its_Matt_B_]

Cheers, Jim! You’ve got a great rotation already!

[@JeDindk]

This is a brilliant review. I like that you're also a little bit critical. That makes you trustworthy. Personally, I never believe people who are so positive and enthusiastic that they sound like a commercial. 🙂 I've had a few pairs of shoes from Hoka, but I have never been really fond of either of them. They don't really fit me, and I just feel like they were not made for my feet. It's the opposite with Asics - they always feel comfortable and they always fit my feet quite nicely. I think it's funny there's such a difference between brands.

[@its_Matt_B_]

Thanks for watching and your kind comment! I’ve also thought how funny it is that some shoes just work when others simply don’t. When it comes down to it they’re really not too different! 😄

[@Chungdol]

I dont know Matt... I have 17pairs of running shoes (no, I dont run them all down, I just have a running shoe tick haha, heck I'm not even a good runner), I work in a performence center, sell running shoes, I know the foams, their stiffness, their performance on paper, the technologies... I'm often in contact with tech reps from brands like Brooks, Saucony, TrueMotion, ON, Mizuno... BUT: I have never ever even tried a HOKA... what is actually kinda absurd because I'm actually really interested into this brand. Would you be so nice and give me an advice which one would be suitable? (31, 175cm, 68kg, neutral runner with a light scoliosis, average pace 5:30-5:50/km at 145bpm) I know that I actually like shoes with Pebax a lot, the Saucony Triumph 20 (and I can tell you already the 21 will be the same, tried it last week) feels kinda nice for me, also the Mizuno Wave Sky 6, those are the 2 shoes I really love for my "daily" training. But I also run shoes like the Wave Rider 26, Pegasus 36, Pegasus Turbo 2, Cloudmonster and Zoom Fly 5. If you can see a paddern there maybe. weird question but... I never shy away to ask people with more experience c:

[@its_Matt_B_]

Hey! I think you’re really going to enjoy Hoka shoes. This one, the Mach X, is definitely one to look at and I think you would also enjoy the Clifton 9 as a daily trainer! The Clifton uses EVA but it’s light and feels great under foot!

[@largeeddie]

Great stuff, Matt! I love your remark about judging breathability at this time of year. I thought the same while running yesterday. When every other body part is so hot and it all ending up in my shoes, I have no clue either. I can't recall if I've seen you in Endorphin Speeds but I get a similar vibe from these. with super foam, a flexible plate, and a racy but not totally minimal upper. They're at a similar price point too. I picked up a discounted pair of Speed 2s earlier this year because there was a big buzz a year or two back and they seemed super versatile, and a number of people prefer v2 over v3. They're great for speed work and tempo runs, but also for racing if someone prioritizes comfort over the last increment of performance; as well as for recovery runs, long slow runs, and paved ultra distance. They're an appealing option more days than not, and the Mach X could be another good choice in that category, especially if as you say Hoka finds a way to take at least an ounce out of them.

[@its_Matt_B_]

I have the Speed 3 and actually ran in them last week! The Speed is a good comparison, however I find the Speed has more “pop,” which may not always be a good thing; The plate in the Mach X feels less stiff than the Speed, which I’m sure will appeal to a lot of people! You’re right about it being an option for a less-paired-down race shoe!

[@largeeddie]

@@its_Matt_B_ The people that I've heard interviewed from shoe companies like to mention how long the lead time is to bring out a shoe, and I hope that other brands have something like this in the pipeline too. With all of the design details that can be tweaked here, there could be a shoe that would make just about anyone happy. But yes, for me the toughest role to fill has been the true zone 1 runs, finding something that I can plod along in at 11:00/mile and not feel a need to speed up--something to alternate with the Gel-Nimbus 24 which is all I've got for it so far. For that, pop isn't what I want. For just about anything else, the Endorphin Speeds are at least a contender.

[@chasernopacer]

Seems like a perfect long run shoe with all that stack and the plate for stability…am I right?

[@its_Matt_B_]

That’s exactly it! The plate makes it feel good at speed to so if you’re doing a fast finish on your long runs it would work well!

[@mawilliams777]

How’s the Mach x going for you now Matt? My Superblasts are getting closer to their demise and looking for a replacement, not confident in ‘On’yet, but looking around

[@its_Matt_B_]

The Mach X still feel great! You may have seen I ran in them this morning. It won’t be long before you try On! The Cloudeclipse are one of my favs atm.

[@Leporkchop34]

I second this review. I got a Mach x , 86 miles later, I think it’s a great do it all shoe.

[@its_Matt_B_]

Nice! I appreciate the support and vote of confidence in the Mach X! It’s a new breed of daily trainer! 👊🏽

[@MyFatAdaptedLife]

Not a Hoka fan; but, thx for yet another solid review. Cheers, Matt.

[@its_Matt_B_]

Thanks for always watching, Michael! 👊🏽 Out of curiosity, what is it about Hoka you’re not a fan of?

[@MyFatAdaptedLife]

@its_Matt_B_ Back in the day was the lower stack height (dare I say minimalist) movement. Then Hoka came out w the 1st Clifton. For giggles, I tried it; I didn't like it; I returned it for an Altra. I guess I've been Hoka-averse ever since.

[@mawilliams777]

Any chance of a durometer comparison to the Bondi 8 please?

[@its_Matt_B_]

Sorry, Mark; I don’t have the Bondi 8 and with the Bondi 9 probably releasing next month, it’s unlikely I’ll get a pair.

[@mawilliams777]

@@its_Matt_B_ arhhh I thought you did, me neither now as they were much to hard for the thickness of the sole, hence I asked for the durometer comparison

[@i.p2088]

I just don't do well with dual types of midsole.. Tempus is one of the worse shoes I tried.. Why not stick with the Rocket X2.?

[@its_Matt_B_]

🤣 I thought the Tempus was a solid shoe! The Rocket X2 is in another class! They (ideally) have different uses.

[@markhill8590]

Bought these other day a fantastic tempo shoe in my opinion

[@its_Matt_B_]

Yes, they work well at speed and I was also happily surprised with how good they feel at an easier pace!

[@markhill8590]

@@its_Matt_B_ I found that myself, I think alot off people are trying to compare them to the X'2s but they are completely built differently

[@its_Matt_B_]

@@markhill8590 Yeah, the Mach X and RX2 are apples and oranges.

[@markhill8590]

@@its_Matt_B_ I'm just glad I've both pairs :D

[@its_Matt_B_]

@@markhill8590 Perfect! That eliminates all possible problems! 🤣

[@mawilliams777]

Laces don’t really matter? I beg to differ Matthew! 🤷🏻‍♂️😳 The Takumi sen8 laces are atrocious, they almost break my opinion of the whole shoe, but not quite as it’s such a good shoe everywhere else!

[@jimoconnor8597]

Agree. Replaced mine as they were really bad. Makes a huge difference in the fit for me for the TS8/9.

[@its_Matt_B_]

This seems like a good opportunity for me to add a little meaningless ramblings to my future videos: laces don’t really matter, until they do.

[@its_Matt_B_]

I hate the idea of having to replace part of a shoe just to make it work! You would think Adidas would have figured it out in the testing phase. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@mawilliams777]

@@its_Matt_B_ I did pick up on the implied false irreverence and decided to exploit it

[@mawilliams777]

@@its_Matt_B_ yep, 100%, not sure who actually said, ‘yep, they work well’ time to request some more meeting minutes I think Matt?

[@eriktred]

💸💸💸💸💸💸

[@its_Matt_B_]

Repeat after me: Running is a cheap sport!

[@eriktred]

@@its_Matt_B_ It's cheaper than cycling! (I'm talking to you my friends with 4-5 $5k bikes 😂).

[@its_Matt_B_]

@@eriktred The sad thing is those $4-5k bikes are very close to “entry level!” 🤣

[@eriktred]

@@its_Matt_B_ I'm outdated on my bike pricing! I only own one "entry" level bike.

[@its_Matt_B_]

@@eriktred The entry level comment was a little tongue-in-cheek because of how many really expensive bikes are available now (+$10k).

[@i.p2088]

🥚🥚🥚

[@its_Matt_B_]

Thanks, but want the 🥚 from another video? 🤣

[@i.p2088]

@@its_Matt_B_ Yes but I did not hear you ask for a new one.. 🥚

[@its_Matt_B_]

@@i.p2088 You’re right! Wow! You’re really in the ball, or egg! 🤣