
<WarningCard title="Caution when buying online">
Beware of the fake websites that claim to sell Hoka shoes on the cheap. As far as we know, Hoka shoes are currently sold only through <a href="https://www.tatacliq.com/hoka">Tata Cliq</a> in India. The following websites are fake
<li>https://www.hokaoneone-india.com/</li> 
<li>https://hoka-india.co.in</li> 
<li>https://www.hokaindia.com</li>
</WarningCard>

While we can continue to argue if the current trend of super shoes are good for the sport or not, we can all agree that these shoes with curved carbon plates have brought plenty of excitement to long-distance running. However, these are expensive and are targeted mostly for high-performance racing. Most runners find very little use of them in their training. Shoe manufacturers have been experimenting with carbon fiber plates that can be used to help runners of all types.  

Hoka has been bold with their shoe designs in the past, and the way they use carbon plates in their line-up is no different. Hoka Rocket X is designed differently from super shoes and fills a niche among carbon-plated shoes. _A mid-profile rocker with a full-length carbon plate, primarily aimed at speed runs and racing_. Unlike others, it doesn’t have a high level of softer cushioning, nor does it offer the springy bounce. The carbon plate is primarily designed to provide faster transitions.  

The pricing is a differentiator as well. The shoe is priced competitively on par with the other entry-level carbon shoes such as Nike ZoomFly, and Puma Deviate Nitro. Hoka Carbon X2, the other carbon plated shoe in Hoka stable, is priced slightly higher in India, offers more cushioning and better stability, is suitable for longer runs.

##### What makes up Rocket X?

<ShoeCard shoeCode="012010000M"></ShoeCard>

Rocket X is what Hoka calls an “Early Stage Metarocker”.  Rocker shoes as compared to traditional running shoes have a midsole shape with a noticeable rise of heel and forefoot areas. These shoes offer better transitioning through the gait cycle from initial contact to push-off.  “Early Stage Metarocker” shoes like Rocket X, Clifton 8, and Carbon X have their midsole rise up from just behind the metatarsal head. In other words, the rocker starts working as soon as the weight of the body shifts to the point just behind the metatarsal head. This is what makes early-stage rockers good for faster transitions.

The picture below shows the midsoles of Hoka Rocket X, and Nike Pegasus 38.  As you can see the midsole starts rising up roughly about 4.6cm from the center of the shoe (for a shoe length of 30cm). However, the rocker in Pegasus 38 is much farther from the center of the shoe (8.4cm).  So it engages much later in the gait cycle when compared to Rocket X. 

<div class="d-flex flex-row align-items-center justify-content-center">
<div class="col-12 col-md-8 px-1">
    <LightBox src="/images/earlyvslatestage.jpg" caption="Rocket X offers faster transitions" alt="" ></LightBox>
</div>
</div>

Published shoe weight is 210g (at UK 8), which is what makes it ideal for racing.  We have measured the weight UK 10 at 217g.   When compared to other carbon plated shoes in the Indian market, it is one of the lowest next only to VaporFly and Metaspeed Sky. In the sub 15k INR price range, it is the cheapest shoe.

<div class="d-flex flex-row align-items-center justify-content-center">
<div class="col-12 col-md-8 px-1">
    <LightBox src="/images/hrxweight.jpg" caption="217g for UK 10" alt="" ></LightBox>
</div>
</div>

<div class="d-flex flex-row align-items-center justify-content-center">
<div class="col-12 col-md-8 px-1">
    <LightBox src="/images/weightcarbonplatedshoes.jpg" caption="One of the lightest among carbon plated racers" alt="" ></LightBox>
</div>
</div>


**Midsole**

The midsole of Rocket X is made of compression-molded EVA (CMEVA) foam. It has a stack height of 30mm at the heel and 25mm at the forefoot with a 5mm heel-to-toe drop.  The midsole has two layers of foam between which the carbon plate is placed.  The foam is well balanced, not very firm nor very soft.  Both the layers have more or less the same softness when measured with a Shore Durometer.

The midsole foam is very well balanced in terms of softness.  To get a view of the softness of the midsole, we have measured the softness of multiple shoes. it is softer than other carbon plated shoes like Nike ZoomFly 3 (React foam) and Puma Deviate Nitro (Nitro foam), while firmer than New Balance Rebel V2 (Fuelcell foam).

<div class="d-flex flex-row align-items-center justify-content-center">
  <div class="col-12 col-md-8 px-1">
      <LightBox src="/images/hrxmidsolesofteness.jpg" caption="Well balanced in terms of midsole softness" alt="" ></LightBox>
  </div>
</div>

The carbon plate in Rocket X is much closer to the ground and has very little curvature compared to super shoes like VaporFly. This is the reason why Rocket X doesn’t have the springboard effect but primarily helps the transition from mid-foot to toe-off transition.

**Upper**

The upper is made of an extremely thin mesh. The mesh says loud and clear that this shoe is meant for racing.  There are no overlays and not much support.  It is highly breathable and airy, however, durability is a question.  Though the forefoot runs a bit narrow when compared to other shoes, it doesn’t feel so when you wear it, as the upper is very light.  

The tongue has no padding. It is attached to the upper with a thin supporting fabric.  The laces go through the tongue at the fourth eyelet keeping the tongue in place.

<div class="d-flex flex-row align-items-center justify-content-center">
  <div class="col-12 col-md-8 px-1">
      <LightBox src="/images/hrx-topview.jpg" caption="Upper is minimal and highly breathable" alt="" ></LightBox>
  </div>
</div>

**Heel**

Heel has decent padding, which is an interesting design decision given other shoes in this category have very little to no padding. Despite the padding, the heel didn’t lock very well for me.   


**Outsole**

Well talking about outsole, there is not much to it. The lower layer of the midsole foam is exposed, except at a few important hotspots such as the lateral and medial heel, and the forefoot where durable rubber is placed below.  

<div class="d-flex flex-row align-items-center justify-content-center">
  <div class="col-12 col-md-8 px-1">
      <LightBox src="/images/hrxoutsole.jpg" caption="Rubber is only placed at hotspots" alt="" ></LightBox>
  </div>
</div>

##### Why did I consider this shoe?

I have been in quest of finding an affordable and lightweight racer for my next marathon.  My current rotation of carbon plated shoes Nike Zoom Fly 3 and Puma Deviate Nitro are too heavy for racing. Now that Hoka is officially sold in India, Rocket X was a natural choice for me to try.  It is affordable and lightweight.

##### Ride In Rocket X

The first thing I’ve noticed when wearing the shoe is how less of a shoe it is. It is quite light, and with the thin upper it has it feels I am all set for some fast strides.  The rocker can be felt almost immediately, and the fast transitions as you toe-off are clearly noticeable.  My first run in the shoe was a half-marathon at my current marathon goal pace. I felt at home through the run, and no break-in was needed. 

**Fit & Comfort**

The shoe is true to its size, it however feels slightly narrower at the forefoot. The upper is thin and stretches a bit, so it is not a deal-breaker for me.  If you have a wider foot, please try the fit before using it.  The upper is extremely breathable and feels comfortable through the distance. 

So far I have run about 100kms in the shoe. Given the purpose of the shoe, I have used it only for the faster runs, such as longer marathon effort runs, tempo runs, and speed intervals.  The shoe has done remarkably well in all of them.  

**Long Runs**

The cushioning is well balanced and just right for the longer runs. It is not too soft and not hard either. While I haven’t tried the shoe for more than 25km of distance, it seems capable to take it beyond.  However, I am still not convinced if it can take a marathon distance.   The stability of the shoe is not that great.  Especially, in the latter parts of the runs, you can feel the lack of support.

**Tempo Runs & Speed Intervals** 

The shoe responds well as I pick up the pace during my speed runs.  The fast transitions really make it a joy to run the tempos.  Lack of support does come in the way, and one needs to be cognizant about it. 

**Stability**

Most modern neutral shoes do offer some stability. Hoka claims the use of two foam layers and placing the carbon plate close to the ground helps stability.  Given the stack height is also not very high, one would expect the shoe to be stable.  I feel the delicate upper is the reason why the shoe doesn’t feel stable.  The foot moves laterally despite tightening the laces. 

<div class="d-flex flex-row align-items-center justify-content-center">
  <div class="col-12 col-md-8 px-1">
      <LightBox src="/images/hrxheels.jpg" caption="Heels are padded, but still slip" alt="" ></LightBox>
  </div>
</div>

While the heel padding is good, I could feel minor heel slip when speeding up during strides. While the heel slip is not a spoiler, it is an inconvenience. 

**Road Grip**

As expected, the lack of tread on the outsole makes it slippery on Indian roads. One has to be careful on roads with construction debris, especially while speeding on the corners.

**Durability** 

While I didn’t feel any degradation in its ride characteristics even after 100 km, I can see the foam that is exposed at the bottom already has creases developed.  That makes me wonder if this shoe can endure a lot of miles. Given it is a racer, durability probably is not its design goal.  So if you are looking for a durable shoe, Rocket X may not be the one to pick.

<div class="d-flex flex-row align-items-center justify-content-center">
  <div class="col-12 col-md-8 px-1">
      <LightBox src="/images/hrxwear.jpg" caption="Outsole after 100kms of running" alt="" ></LightBox>
  </div>
</div>

**Aesthetics**

I have the eggshell blue colorway.  The two-color pattern with a line separating them from heel all the way to midsole (at forefoot) sets it apart from other shoes.  The color of the laces matches the upper too.  The shoe really looked beautiful when it was new and clean.  But it can get dirty quickly.  The other colorways that are available in India are white and blue. Neither of these can handle the dirt well.  So the only option is to clean it frequently. 


##### Review Summary

<ReviewSummaryCard shoeCode="012010000M"></ReviewSummaryCard>

<ProsCard
  title="PROS"
  pros={[
    "Super light carbon plated racer",
    "Well balanced cushioning - neither soft nor hard",
    "Super fast foot transitions from landing to toe-off",
    "Priced well among the competition ",
    "Highly breathable",
  ]}
/>

<ConsCard
  title="CONS"
  cons={[
    "Stability is not great even among racers",
    "Heel fit is on the looser side",
  ]}
/>

<InfoCard title="RECOMMENDATION">
If you are looking for an affordable carbon plated shoe for racing or speed training Hoka Rocket X is highly recommended. It is priced very well when compared to the competition. Rocket X however serves the niche of fast transition, and cannot be compared with premium racers such as VaporFly.
</InfoCard>


A light weight carbon plated racer that helps with faster transitions

Hoka Rocket X Review


Take the design language of VaporFly and build an affordable shoe for everyday use, then it is Nike Rival Fly. Similar to Vaporfly, it has a highly tapered heel and swoosh extending all the way to top of the upper, and feels fast. In its 3rd edition, Rival Fly 3 fills the gap in Nike running shoes line-up that is left void by discontinued Zoom Elite, and the directional change of Pegasus.

Rival Fly 3 is aptly named. Like other shoes that use “Rival” prefix, Rival Fly 3 is affordable. While its design language is similar to Zoom Fly and VaporFly, it has no similarity in terms of how the shoe is constructed.  This is my first time using the Rival Fly Series since its launch in 2019. I purchased it from Nike.com ₹7,307 (includes Customs).

<ShoeCard shoeCode="002015003M"></ShoeCard>

### What makes up Rival Fly 3?

Nike’s Rival Fly 3 is a lightweight shoe, and weighs around 210gms. The shoe has a 8mm heel-toe drop. At the stack height of 20mm, it is quite a low profile shoe, and is designed for short distances and speed training. In comparison to Nike Pegasus 38 which has 10mm drop and 33mm stack height, one can feel the ground more distinctly.  

__Midsole__

The midsole uses a proprietary cushioned foam, which is quite springy and responsive. While it cannot be compared with modern foams it is soft for a shoe in this range. The midsole also includes a Zoom Air Bag in the forefoot, which is what makes it responsive. 

<LightBox src="/images/nrf3-toebox.jpg" caption="Toe box is roomy" alt="" ></LightBox>

__Outsole__

The outsole of the shoe is as minimal as it can get. It is designed with cutouts  that span from back to front  to make the foot transition easy.  The lugs on the outsole are put together in a wave-like pattern.  On the heel however, there is plenty of rubber for durability.

<LightBox src="/images/nrf3-outsole.jpg" caption="Outsole is optimized for fast transitions" alt="" ></LightBox>

__Upper__

The upper is made of mesh and the design is very thoughtful with Nike swoosh extending all the way till the top top of the forefoot.  The upper mesh keeps the toe box well gripped, with enough room in the front. The laces are unique as the width is slightly bigger than the usual Nike shoes that I’ve tried.  Having said this it is intact and stays firm through the run. 

<LightBox src="/images/nrf3-upper.jpg" caption="Uppper is minimal and airy" alt="" ></LightBox>

### Why did I consider this shoe?

I have been using Nike Pegasus 38 ([see the review here](https://shoegeeks.in/review/nike-airzoompegasus38-002010038/)) as my daily trainer. However, it is not to my liking because of its weight, and they feel slower. I was looking for an alternative neutral daily trainer with a good grip & bounce shoe.  Nike Rival Fly 3 seems to have both of these.  

### Ride in Rival Fly 3

I have run about ~150 kms so far in the shoe.  The runs are a mix of tempo runs, strides, and long endurance runs. Given the minimal nature of the shoe, I did not take time to break in. Even the first run of 10+ kms felt very natural. 

**Tempo Runs**

The shoe fits snugly and with excellent grip and during the tempo runs.  Excellent transitions it offers from initial contact to and toe off makes the running enjoyable. The cushioning is just right for tempo runs. (not too bulky or wobbly like Pegasus 38).

<LightBox src="/images/nrf3-topview.jpg" caption="Light weight, feels very minimal and fast" alt="" ></LightBox>

**Long & Easy runs**

Given its lightweight and softer cushioning it is good for me on long easy run days. I could push and go harder in the last 5-6 kms without any extra effort. The legs were not as tired, there is not much soreness post the run. 

The heel is nicely locked with good paddling and does not slide. The tongue is designed unusually with an asymmetry, however it is just for aesthetics and does not affect the running.  

The mesh upper keeps the toe box airy. It is great for shorter distances of 10kms, up to half marathons. I might even try running a marathon distance in this shoe. 

<LightBox src="/images/nrf3-heel.jpg" caption="Heel is well padded, locks very well, and doesn't slide" alt="" ></LightBox>

**Stability**

I have neutral feet and Nike Rival fly 3 provides good enough stability be it speed or easy runs.

**Road Grip**

I have run on a variety of surfaces that include road, and even on wet surfaces. Through all the terrains the grip is decent.

**Aesthetics**

The color of my shoe is bright and quite eye catchy. The tongue is designed unusually with an asymmetry (similar to other shoes with VaporFly design language) which gives a character to this shoe.  

### Review Summary

<ReviewSummaryCard shoeCode="002015003M"></ReviewSummaryCard>

<ProsCard
  title="PROS"
  pros={[
    "Great for short middle distance daily trainer and short races", 
    "Lightweight and responsive", 
    "Modern aesthetics ",
    "Affordable pricing" 
  ]}
/>

<ConsCard
  title="CONS"
  cons={[
    "Cushioning is low can be an issue for some",
    ]}
/>

<InfoCard title="RECOMMENDATION">
Nike RivalFly 3 is an excellent neutral daily trainer for distances up to half-marathon.  It also works great for short races.  If you are looking for an affordable shoe with modern aesthetics, it is a shoe that is highly recommended.
</InfoCard>


Review of Rival Fly 3 - Lightweight neutral daily trainer with modern aesthetic and an affordable price tag.

Nike Rival Fly 3 Review

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Reviews

Hoka Rocket X Review

Nike Rival Fly 3 Review