Why Is THIS The Best Rated Hoka Running Shoe? (Hoka Skyward X Honest Review)

[@SuboptimalRunner]

Great review, Ben. After over 300 miles run in the Hoka Skyward X, I'd say it might be my favorite running shoe of all time. This includes running a full marathon in them as well as summer training in Texas heat. As you said, they're just so fun to run in. The bounce is unlike any other shoe I've tried, with the cushioning and leg protection of a max cushioned shoe, but without the feeling so many give you of sinking into the foam. And as far as build quality goes, mine look nearly new after hundreds of miles (minus the mud stains from a rainy marathon). The foam is just as bouncy and no visible wear and tear. It's a no-brainer that I'll get another pair when I've run through the first.

[@apollocreed3263]

The fact you purchase the shoe ( all you shoes ) with your own money Ben , stands out like a GOLD standart review of shoe reviews . Thankyou for spending your own money to give us a 100 percent unbiased review .

[@peterledrew2556]

As a bigger runner I've really enjoyed these. Wish they had a better colorway though. If you enjoy this shoe i think you would also love the Mach X2 if the fit doesn't cause you issues. Hoka is really killing it this year. i need to run in both more but i think the Mach X2 might be my favorite because it can do everything.

[@vaughnmadsen7966]

55 years old running for a year now. Did my 5k parkrun pb in skyward x a week ago 18.22. I beat my previous time by 10s set in saucony pro 4s so yes they are heavy but they are still some how fast! .....and they CAN pick up the pace.😅

[@Sergedb74]

Wow, what is your secret for 18.22 at 55? Do you run long miles or speed works? Any tips for avoiding injuries?

[@vaughnmadsen7966]

@Sergedb74 hi I started running park runs with my 2 sons (23 & 25) 10 months ago. My times then was around 25 minutes. I cut sugar and processed food out of my diet and started running about 5km a day to start with. Lost 10kg in 6 weeks( I'm now 74kg 192cm ) I do 30min stretching and massaging my legs as well as core exercises daily. Today I'm doing 1 longer run a week (18 -22km) and 8km runs most days . I don't do much speed training.....found its too hard on the body but I don't run slow either. Usually around 4min to 430/km pace. Also take fish oil pills and glucosamine pills. Did my 1st half marathon 6weeks ago and loved it 1.23.06 . I'm feeling like a new man and my goal is to keep enjoying this new lifestyle as long as I can. Parkruns are great.....meeting like minded people. Having max cushioned shoes has aloud me to run on the road. Ive tried lighter shoes with lower stack heights and find its to hard on my joints. Hope this helps you . All the best

[@rajsaysrun]

Great review Ben. I absolutely love this shoe. Weirdly I don’t notice the stack height at all. 😅 I use it for easy and longer runs and it’s fast become a favourite. So comfortable and so much fun too, also very stable for me. About 200 miles in the current pair and a second pair is on its way, the black version for the winter.

[@eurekaflows]

I'm in the two pair camp. The moment I ran in Skyward X, I ordered a second pair as soon as I got home.

[@timedwards2066]

Best shoe of 2024. Awesome shoe! I think you can pick up the pace in them.. you just have to put enough power down . I’m 103kg so they respond well for me

[@mattmecham]

Ive used this shoe for months. As a heavier runner it’s been amazing.

[@surfeno]

I bought a pair and at the beginning, struggling with the weight and stack height but after 50-60 miles…man! This is so good. I don’t know what they did but I can run 5-10 secs quicker with same HR rate in this shoe. Well done Hoka!

[@MichaelBrashier]

This is the first pair of new running shoes I have purchased in years. I needed a pair for marathon training. The first time i put them on i was blown away. They've come a long way with foam since the last time i bought shoes.

[@247Performance]

Great review Hoka skyward great shoe setup only why more and more brands make the the shoe higher in the arch. When you remove the sole look at the Stitching. In the arch it go upwards. So in midstance where you have to pronate you can less. For some people that are more staying lateral it is a bigger problem. You toe of is less now.A flat model is so much better your could better have support in your forefoot on the inside if needed. For my puma mag max is best recovery long run shoe this one is flat inside. Hurricane is also oke but when you compare it is more a walking shoe.

[@RichardHitchcock-ig4lj]

This shoe seems to have almost exactly the same attributes as my Puma Nitro Magnify 2s except that the Pumas are lighter, faster and cheaper (I got a 2nd pair online for £90 plus shipping). And the Pumas have excellent grip and are incredibly durable (670 kms so far, still going strong). Shop around, people!

[@HealTheWorld17]

I have these and Ben is spot on with everything he said! This shoe is perfect for slow runs.

[@mattpeters6224]

Aqua fresh. Good one Ben.

[@cyber_crypto]

Just returned mine because i have very low arches and this would hurt the soles of my feet after a run. They are great shoes but be ready for literally MAX stack height at 1.89 inches. The stack is real.

[@kevinscott4938]

It’s refreshing with 100 gazillions running shoe reviewers that your shoes are bought with your hard heard pennies. Utmost respect.

[@eoincasey5461]

Think I'll stick with my Prime X Strung.. have yet to find a shoe better for long runs.

[@StephanRunning]

I recently got the model, I just did 10k and it feels amazing, I will do a long run on the weekend to make up my mind completly

[@DeepakRamachandran1]

I like this shoe a lot. Used a pair for Comrades (86km in 11h30m; I’m slow). Very comfortable. These are my first Hokas; I’m going to try some other models in a store, to see if there’s a lighter one I’ll like as much (eg Clifton 9?).

[@MrCav35]

I love mine and also love the Mach X 2

[@peterledrew2556]

Appreciate the quality and very non biased reviews. Strange so many reviewers are sent all these expensive shoes for free and they claim non bias but C'mon!! And then companies are sending them on trips and everything. It's crazy that it's not questioned more.

[@karlbratby4349]

Want to love mine but seems to force me to land where I don’t want to and causes pain in the toes, walking around it’s great but running! It’s on hold as I’m not giving up on it yet… Great review Ben 🎉

[@BenitoR2]

I LOVE this shoe. It works so well with my hallux rigidus thanks to the carbon plate, rocker, and wide platform. The original colourway, which is what I also have, does suck, though. Like a cross between clown and bowling shoes.

[@ivorsuttie6930]

" Aqua fresh " made me absolutely crease hahah very accurate . Kudos for the banter

[@mkmstillstackin]

"Aquafresh-type colorway" 😂 .....a perfect descriptor. It does sort of look like Aquafresh toothpaste. Lol Great review, Ben! I would seriously consider buying these if I didn't already own a new pair of Mach X 2's, which I am enjoying quite nicely as well.

[@Biscuit1rl]

i tried the mach x 2's on monday , hoka were doing a run with my local shop and found them good for speed work but had zero support for ankles ,with a result i picked up a bruise on my right ankle. Going to stick with my Brooks Hyperion Max 2 which i picked up on saturday.

[@mkmstillstackin]

@@Biscuit1rl Thanks, You're not alone by any means. I believe a number of folks have said they've also experienced bruising along the heal collar from the X 2's. I haven't had this yet, but then again, mine are still new. So, I'll give it some time, but for now, as mentioned, (fingers crossed) I'm doin ok. Nervously hoping this doesn't change. 🙄😏 Glad you've found joy in the Hyperion Max 2's!

[@HS-fm9kv]

My take away- perfect for middle-aged mid pack runner (with money to spend).

[@Larsschmidt14]

I got the prime X v1 and tried a shorter run in the Skywards vs the Cielo X1. The skywards are frankly a horrible shoe at a crazy price. It is super heavy and super mushy and suchs all energy out of your strides. Any attempt of pushing into zone 3 was like running with ankle weights attached. So if you want to pay crazy amounts for a zone 2 shoe, sure go ahead, but its not more comfy than my nimbus albeit more bouncy, but what good does that in zone 2? If you want something versatile, then this is so bad. On trick pony.

[@YouTubedarek]

Great reviews as always! In your opinion, what's the best can do all shoe right now? Some speed work to gentle out the front door long runs. I normally do trail running so not looking for several pairs of road shoes :) . My current shoes are the Brooks Glycerine 19 but they are getting up there in miles!

[@coralputman5342]

When you say good for heavy runners, is that good for heavy-footed runners? I'm small, but heavy footed. I usually go for Brooks Ghost, but after a half marathon my feet hurt. I tried Hoka Challenger. The standard fit was snug, so I went for the wide. Walking they are like slippers, but I get the heel slip you mentioned so they aren't any good for running. I've never used it, but at least Brooks give you 90 days to test trainers outdoors. Once you've taken the Hoka outdoors, you can't send them back. So I'm looking for something cushioned as a petite runner who can't help but stamp... or for recommendations about how to train myself to run lightly. Brooks Ghost Max didn't suit my feet

[@ljohnst88]

I have 800km on my pair and the wear has been great, the foam feels really good still. I think this is an easy 1000km shoe.

[@yuwa888]

Great review as usual! I have similar wondering as someone earlier. Your slow run pace is probably faster than my 5k 10k. Should I interpret that as the shoe is actually good for my speed training?

[@BBBoysZg]

Shoe made for heavier runners with narrow feet... Not a huge demographic. Such a bummer there is no wide option or if they made it wider by default.

[@macau.friend]

Ben has a marathon pace of under 4 minutes, which I would hardly consider slow. If he can run at that pace with this shoe, then I don’t think it’s a slow shoe 😂

[@HyperOpticalSaint]

yeah，I am running my 5k in it and PBed once.

[@izmadness4]

😂

[@cook1e2000robturnerxG]

I would just consider a shoe like the Nike Vomero 17, haven’t tried the new Pegasus turbo thing but the vomeros were supportive for me and could eat miles while being able to pick up the pace and were cheaper in Aus.

[@MattWarren100k]

I love my Skyward X, the original RRP for the UK was £220 when it was released, not sure why it dropped but I'm not complaining!

[@risefromyourpain]

Just bought my pair today. Looking forward to see how I perform in them

[@c.patane7899]

I bought them when they were first released and have 550 miles on them and they still feel great. So even though they are pricey, you get your moneys worth.

[@cheungjason3191]

Thanks Ben, this is one pair that I am really thinking about. Can you do a comparison with Glycerin Max? Or if anyone has any experience with both?

[@MrJamesWood95]

Ben running through a puddle with brand new white shoes makes me cringe so hard 7:11 😂

[@millechemins8436]

i saw that too, i was expect him to avoid it

[@dri1811ya]

Tried it in the store, felt really heavy. Picked up the Puma Deviate instead 👍

[@markoljustina]

i try them and they feel awesome; few days later when i won’t to buy them there is no my size; hope to find them in Chicago

[@run-are]

This shoe is the same price as the Alphafly in Australia and more expensive than most other super shoes. If you had to pay an Alphafly price for this shoe, would your opinion still be the same?

[@BertoBatista]

Absolutely love the skyward X

[@stargazerdigital]

Great review! What’s the width like in these?

[@randmcnally.]

size up a half size and it's fine. I wear wides in all shoes but was able to get away with these in regular. I wear 11 in long run shoes, 11.5 in these.

[@davidernst5708]

This is my shoe of the year, better than the Superblast 2. I’ll be wearing it for Berlin this weekend and if all goes well, it’ll also be on my feet for Chicago in a couple of weeks.

[@MedicineRunner]

This colorway aside, hoka has had the worst colorways of the year IMO, compared to other brands. Really wanted to try a lot of the newer releases but still waiting on better colorways ⏳ If I’m paying this much, I gotta vibe with the color

[@RaizinRun]

I really want to try other shoe brands. Asics Superblast have been the best shoe I have ever used, although I do not get to try that many shoes. I want to try Hoka, but living in Japan, they are way higher priced than Asics. Not sure if they are really worth the difference in price, or how long they would last. I am a heavier runner around 90kg.

[@rctony710]

When I tried them i said sold so fast. A very special shoe like no other I've tried extremely comfortable but not perfect the carbon plate gives you speed only thing not much stability and card to take sharp turns also still got bad blisters doing a half marathon

[@stevenlennie]

Had my eye on the New Balance More v5 but maybe I should be considering these instead.

[@markoljustina]

More v5 can’t compare with Skyward

[@skofijak]

@@markoljustina expand, I run in more v4, still waiting for skyward delivery.

[@markoljustina]

@@skofijak 😎

[@garethmorgan7474]

Great review as usual, could your recommend a shoe for someone that underpronations

[@mpmd]

I tried these when they first came out and did not like them at all. Very heavy compared to other modern running shoes and also super clunky. Sent them back after 3 runs.

[@tevinpratama]

Best rated hoka? I can undestand why. Because it's for almost everyone would enjoy it. It's soft and stable. And majority of people are recreationally runner. And it's work for them. The don't care about this weight and clunkynes. But. for me, this shoe are nightmare. That amount of money for really "slow" shoes is a waste.

[@neilcam]

Funny that they're not calling it the Bondi X, given that Bondi has been one of the names that Hoka have used since the very beginning when they were the only manufacturer flogging "max stack" (aka cushioned like awful bloody pillows at the time) shoes wayyyyy back when they first came into the running shoe biz. In other words, "Bondi" is like Nike's Pegasus name. And yes, I'm aware Hoka are still flogging non-X versions of the Bondi, just that I would have thought the name was almost sacrosanct to their marketing department.

[@amirzenga5723]

I think this is the best time to compare the Hoka Skyward X with BROOKS GLEYCERIN MAX

[@balazskovacs6618]

Hi Ben, you keep mentioning marathon pace. What sort of pace does that mean in min / km? Thanks

[@davidtaylor3]

That depends on the individual, which is why he doesn’t give a number. If you can complete a marathon in 4 hours, then your marathon pace is around 5:40/km. Ben’s marathon pace is sub-4:00/km, which is faster than most people’s 5k pace!

[@danw7864]

Ben Parkes is the best

[@scott_strool]

Aquafresh foam

[@Jjkplayz1]

I would put it like this , If you know Hoka you used to um and arr about Hoka Clifton vs Bondi and which was softer / This Skywood is miles better best purchase i ever did

[@elvisorbison77]

Can I just use these for normal gym and every day shoes ?

[@ABucc]

I think, judging by this review, I would enjoy the Adidas Prime X 2 Strung a bit better. Similar in weight, but at least with the Prime X 2 Strung, you are getting an extra layer of foam and a double carbon plate, along with the energy rods. That's just my opinion, though.

[@theghostofpcs2391]

No rods, but a phenomenal shoe though!

[@tayoidowu11]

hoka Vs nimbus for long slow comfort runs?

[@afcjxmes]

Wondering whether to go for this or the Nike Invincibles 3, any advice?

[@DaddyGokky]

Skyward X 100% based on reviews.

[@afcjxmes]

@@DaddyGokkyappreciate it!

[@ralfm3470]

Jonas Deichmann can't be wrong, he finished 120 marathons in those shoes. Plus a little swimming and biking 😉

[@Barry3326]

Are you good for 24hr ultras?

[@bigge3189]

The shoe is not on the approved list from World athletics right? The stack height is too high if im not mistaken.

[@dcamos78]

If you’re not competing for awards or money, it doesn’t matter.

[@Selucus1Nicator]

This colour way is horrendous but there are some nice other ones available now

[@nrgamingtech2797]

This shoe really do be E X T R A T H I C C

[@johnatnip9516]

great shoe

[@robs1714]

Best walk around shoe for someone a year out from a broken ankle … lemme know

[@fecardona]

Colorway looks like The Joker’s makeup

[@ecoworks88]

Hurt the outside of my feet ): they felt fast but after 1km the outside of my feet started to hurt.

[@ngb09229]

5:43 👀

[@dyingpentas]

I cannot afford these😢

[@xntriktq]

Maybe in his size it’s dandy…..in a 13, it’s an army boot 😂

[@tadejdanev5030]

new ADIDAS EVO SL will rox !!!!!!!!!!!

[@Aviation_VNO]

They actually look pretty sick thoo

[@ihussain1011]

could do with a non-white colour scheme.

[@onlineo2263]

Absolutely hideous. White should definitely not be on any shoe, let alone the main colour. Sure some all white shoe can look pretty nice casually. It is not practical run wise, and adding in the other colours makes it look really terrible.

[@benbauer7866]

I’m sorry, it’s just too much money. At least the Superblast has some versatility for the price?

[@mkscott12]

I have been using barefoot shoes for walking and best decision I have made, been wearing the Hykes Flex and love how they feel, once you get used to them you will never go back to regular shoes.

[@aSkibidiRunner]

Just a worse sc trainee imo

[@andorkish]

Thing is so ugly. Looks like a 90s basketball sneaker.

[@itsahardmuttlife9263]

But you have to admit, it looks like a clown shoe.

[@ads-porewealth96]

Hoka on a mission to make the worlds ugliest shoes