Hoka Skyward X
The Warmup
Men: 11.3 oz
Women: 9.2 oz
Drop: 5mm
MSRP: $225
Mileage at Time of Review: 22
Release Date: April 25, 2024
For years when you think of maximum cushion running shoes, Hoka has been the brand that first comes to mind. The title of max cushion king has been challenged by many brands in the past 2-3 years as new foams have been used in daily trainers and we’ve seen the advent of the super trainers becoming more prevalent for use by the average runner. With the introduction of the Skyward X, I’m not sure that Hoka takes the title definitively, but this shoe puts Hoka right back into contention for the crown. This is also Hoka’s first super trainer that has a full length carbon plate in it.*
*The Cielo X1 might be considered a super trainer by some, I am categorizing that shoe as a racing shoe.
The Breakdown
The Outsole
I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am about how much rubber is on the bottom of this shoe! This shoe is not meant to be an ultralight racing shoe, so I am beyond thankful to Hoka for putting some extra rubber on the bottom of this shoe. One of my biggest complaints for Hoka over the years has been the rubberized EVA stuff that they have put on the bottom of their shoes. When Hoka’s got wet, you could kiss traction goodbye, but they are finally putting some real rubber on the outsoles and this shoe may be the best yet.
The Midsole
The Skyward X has a whopping 48mm of stack height in the midsole! There is so much technology packed into this midsole so bear with me a bit.
The base of the midsole is made with a supercritical EVA. For those unfamiliar with this term, supercritical EVA starts out just like the foam you would see on a regular running shoe (in the Hoka line the Clifton would be a good example) but is treated with an extra chemical process that gives it a springier feel to me than a regular EVA.
Between the supercritical EVA and upper layer is a carbon plate. The plate in this shoe does give some extra forward propulsion, but is designed primarily as a suspension tool, to give extra bounce without loading the calf and achilles like a traditional racing plate.
The arch in the shoe has that traditional higher position that Hoka tends to take, so if you’re new to shoes with a higher arch, give yourself a little time to adjust to the height on this arch. It feels better and better with every wear.
The Upper
The upper on this shoe feels very comfortable, but also oddly reminiscent of a shoe from about 10-15 years ago? It’s breathable and has a sock like texture, but aesthetically looks quite different from shoes I’ve seen from Hoka recently. Hoka refers to it as a flat knit upper, that is supposed to mold to your foot. I think the best way to describe the upper is that it gives some dad vibes?
The upper is the biggest concern I have about this shoe heading into my Houston summer, worried that it will hold in more moisture next to the foot. This moisture buildup hasn’t been an issue so far in the spring running with humidity levels into the 90%, but so far I’ve been keeping my runs at or below an hour. In the end regardless of what the shoe is made of, outdoor running through the Houston summer will turn the shoe into a swamp, but if it becomes an issue I will definitely update this review with an edit.
Running and Walking
This shoe is a meant to be a carbon plated daily trainer, and it delivers. I’ve taken this shoe out on easy runs up through tempo sessions as well as walks with the dog and it is comfortable and fun to wear at multiple paces.
While most carbon plated shoes use the plate for propulsion, Hoka is using this plate more for a suspension system and it works. The ride on this shoe feels to me (and some readers may not get this reference) like the older model Cadillac’s with the air ride suspension. I’m talking about the bigger boxy ones from the 80’s and 90’s that when you rode in that thing you could tell you were moving up and down but it felt so smooth that it didn’t matter. If you’re looking for that old school Cadillac feel in your running, this shoe has it.
While I did take this shoe out for quicker runs into the tempo zone, I do think that it favors a bit more easy running. There is a lot of shoe beneath you and with a plate that favors suspension over propulsion, that translates to being amazing at the easy paces and a bit more work at the faster paces. I think that you could definitely use this as your primary shoe for everything, but when it comes to the go fast work, I lean toward something a bit more responsive. From Hoka that could be the Mach X, Mach 6 or my favorite pairing is the Cielo X1.
If you’re a run/walker or a walker, I like that the lower super critical eva frame on the midsole provides extra stability that a midsole fully made of peba sometimes lacks. It does lack the stability of the Clifton or the Bondi, but that is the cost of wearing the softest shoe I’ve put on my feet in a long time, and I’ll gladly pay that admission price. I think you still have that same sense of suspension when walking that you have when running, though by the nature of the lower impact, you feel the suspension to a lower degree.
**My only PS moment is that, in my opinion, this shoe is built for the road only. If you run on a cinder path, that will be fine, but I do feel that the stability you have on the road, you lose if you travel off path so this is not a shoe I am gonna take onto a dirt trail, even if it is fairly manicured.
The Gym
I think this is a bit too much shoe for the gym. It is made for running and walking and I don’t think that it would be the best choice for lifting, classes or most forms of cardio outside of running on the treadmill or perhaps the elliptical.
Work
I think this would be a very comfortable shoe to wear to work all day for most people. One of the biggest draws of the shoe is the suspension plate in the midsole for running and walking and I think that if you move a lot during the work day, there could be benefit there, but if you’re sitting or standing in place for long periods of time, you lose some of the magic of the shoe.
The Cooldown
I’ve still got a lot of miles that I want to put on this shoe, but I think that it will definitely be in the running for one of my favorite shoes of the year. As a bigger guy, I’m all about the max cushion life, and this shoe delivers every run. It makes the easy runs feel even easier and more fun, and can still pick up the pace when it needs to. It is a bit pricier and doesn’t have that sleek race day feel that some of the other super trainers have, but it is built to do work and doesn’t need to be super shiny. I highly recommend this shoe to anyone looking to put in some good miles and stay healthy heading into their next training block.
The Skyward X will be available from Wild Pear Running beginning April 25, 2024.