Hoka’s (erstwhile Hoka One One, pronounced on-ay on-ay) India launch was perhaps a silent one. The launch lagged all the fanfare otherwise the brand deserves for its success in the rest of the world in such a short duration. Once a trail running shoe manufacturer is now unarguably the loved cushioned running shoe creator. The ‘bulky yet lighter” has been the theme for Hoka since its inception and it’s no different for its latest daily trainer, Hoka Clifton 8. “Why change something that works well, right?” The Clifton 8 also is an exceptional example of “it is not what you see”. While Clifton is in its eighth iteration, Clifton 8 is our 1st review from the series which will naturally limit our analysis to the present iteration without any comparison to its predecessor. 

In India, the shoe is exclusively available on Tata Cliq, and is currently priced at INR 11,999. While even the Carbon X2, Hoka's premier carbon plated shoe is available on discount, there isn't any on the Clifton 8. 

The Hoka Clifton 8 is a maximum cushion neutral trainer. The shoe features an early stage meta rocker and an extended heel crash pad, built using an EVA foam midsole, meant for a smooth and a soft ride respectively. The early-stage meta rocker, like the Hoka’s Carbon X and Rocket X, is placed right behind metatarsal heads to create a smoother ride and a faster transition to the forefoot. 

<ShoeCard shoeCode="012006008M"></ShoeCard>

##### What makes up Clifton 8?

**Midsole**

The midsole of Clifton 8 is made of compression-molded EVA (CMEVA) foam. Hoka changed its midsole compound in the eighth iteration to make the shoe 15% lighter than its predecessor. Even though the cushioning is plush, Clifton 8 doesn’t fail on the responsiveness during the ride. We compared it with other balanced cushion daily trainers and trainers that are plush, and the Clifton 8 is evidently lighter compared to other popular trainers like Nike Pegasus 38 and Puma Velocity Nitro 2.

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    <LightBox src="/images/hcf8-weight.jpg" caption="Very light for a well cushioned trainer" alt="" ></LightBox>
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</div>

We have measured the softness of the midsoles of few popular daily neutral trainers with a Shore Durometer.  In terms of midsole softness Clifton 8 on par with most daily trainers.

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    <LightBox src="/images/hcf8-durometer.jpg" caption="Softness is on par with popular daily trainers" alt="" ></LightBox>
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</div>

The shoe has a stack height of 29mm on the heel and 24mm on the forefoot with a 5mm heel-to-toe drop. That’s just for the heart of the shoe - the midsole. You additionally get a spongy 5mm Ortholite insole, making the ride even more softer. 

**Upper**

The Clifton 8 features a decently ventilated 100% engineered mesh in the upper and a plush gusseted padded tongue. The upper is made of 100% vegan materials. The lacing is traditional and almost enough for you to lock your heel additionally if required. 

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      <LightBox src="/images/hcf8-topview.jpg" caption="Comfy upper with good ventilation" alt="" ></LightBox>
  </div>
</div>

**Heel**

The heel counter on the Clifton 8 is rigid but the plush around the counter is enough to not irritate the Achilles. It carries the ‘elf ear’ design for easy slip-in and also to prevent heel slippage. Saying this, the heel counter is where I struggled, you can attribute it to my Haglund deformity. This is more personal and might not apply to all the runners.

The heel counter packs a reflective material for a safer ride in the low-light conditions. 

**Outsole**

The outer rubber of the Clifton 8 features a more durable and grippier 3mm thick 81HC hard rubber patch. 

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

Since the road races in India were slowly getting back on track since the pandemic, the hope to run my first full marathon at the Tata Mumbai Marathon was wildly back. Putting on mileage to train for the marathon is universally basic, and my plans were nothing different - to stay on foot for as long as possible. The hunt was to find a highly cushioned daily trainer to put on mileage, and the timely Hoka’s launch in India meant a no-brainer to go for the Clifton 8. 

##### Ride In Clifton 8

The Clifton 8 looks huge right out of the box. But hey, don’t let the look of it fool you. It’s certainly one of the lightest cushion trainers out there. It’s genuinely not a highly cushioned shoe, like the Nike Invincible Run, but perhaps a well thought and balanced one. 

The first ride on it was definitely a painful one since I felt irritation on my Achilles through the 5KMs, and since then, a silicon heel cup coupled with heel lock lacing has come to the rescue. If you are someone who has a troublesome Achilles history, please try it before getting them on runs. 

The Clifton 8 felt rigid initially and took a handful of runs to break in and get the comfort out of the cushion. The Clifton 8 will be your long-run and recovery run go-to trainer. The cushion is a balanced one, yet slightly leaning towards the softer side which makes it less responsive. The ride is mildly responsive, thanks to the rocker on the forefoot, and is evident only during the long runs since the rocker isn’t an aggressive one unlike the one in the ride series from Asics. 

I have run more than 220KMs in the Clifton 8. Predominantly I have used them for the long run and the easy run days, while have attempted a few intervals and tempo runs for review perspective. The CMEVA midsole of the Clifton 8 is not just softer, but lighter too, and the credit goes to Hoka designers for perfecting that balance. It's an out of the box long run, easy run, and recovery day shoe. I have done (run) two marshmallow rides of 30KMs and two 25KMs in the past two months, all considering the disappointing break-in experience. The geometry of the shoe suits the midfoot landers and that’s where you will have something to gain from the rocker, especially in the long runs, where your legs feel as fresh as in the start. 

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      <LightBox src="/images/hcf8-rocker.jpg" caption="Rocker works fine and is not aggressive" alt="" ></LightBox>
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If not for this review, I would not use the Clifton 8 for speedier workouts. While it's not impossible to run speed in them, but you'll feel the softness on every stride instead of the required rigid response and the ground feel for intervals and tempo runs. Also for someone like me who trains intervals, tempo, and races with a more aggressive rocker shoe like the [Asics Evoride 2](https://shoegeeks.in/review/asics-evoride2-004010002/), the rocker on the Clifton 8 is a bit disappointing. 

All the miles clocked on this shoe have been on road and while I'm yet to take this off road, I'll be comfortable in taking Clifton 8 off road because of the grippier outsole.

**Fit & Comfort**

Clifton 8 fits true to size, and indeed even more for the narrow feet. It holds the midfoot really firm and yet carries enough space in the toe box. Hoka also runs a wider width option. The upper is made of engineered mesh and has been reasonably breathable during chilled conditions. It’s definitely not ventilated enough to go well with the upcoming hot and humid conditions. The padding around the heel counter and the tongue make sure they run warm. The elf ear heel counter design makes it triathlon friendly - easier to pull on. 

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      <LightBox src="/images/hcf8-heel.jpg" caption="Elf ear heel counter" alt="" ></LightBox>
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**Stability**

Most modern neutral shoes do offer some stability, and like the Hoka Rocket X ([review](https://shoegeeks.in/review/hoka-rocketx-012010000/)), even the Clifton 8 offers a stable ride. The vertical sidewall grove on both the lateral and medial sides of the midsole allows the foam under the heel to compress and make it feel more cushioned and hence making Clifton 8 feel firmer.

**Durability** 

The Clifton 8 has begun to wear out a bit, but this is natural for the 220+ KMs clocked using them. Hoka has done a fair job on the outsole in the Clifton 8. The outsole features a 3mm thick rubber, which has good grip and also aptly placed at hotspots for enhanced durability. 

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      <LightBox src="/images/hcf8-outsole.jpg" caption="Outsole after 200kms of running" alt="" ></LightBox>
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**Aesthetics**

The Clifton 8 was originally currently available in 4 color options - blue, red, yellow, and black. The blue one I have is ‘kinda coral’ blue I believe and is the most appealing option available. The colors are punchier, especially the red sidewalls on both the sides from the heel to the toe add more to the aesthetics. The heel counter and the upper packs overlays with reflective materials which is both pleasing and useful. 

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      <LightBox src="/images/hcf8-heels.jpg" caption="Reflective overlays are a nice touch" alt="" ></LightBox>
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##### Review Summary

<ReviewSummaryCard shoeCode="012006008M"></ReviewSummaryCard>

<ProsCard
  title="PROS"
  pros={[
    "Very well-cushioned",
    "The fit is snug and feels good",
    "Lightweight",
    "Offers a smooth ride",
    "Durable outsole",
  ]}
/>

<ConsCard
  title="CONS"
  cons={[
    "Needs break-in time",
    "Lacks response",
    "Heel slip is experienced by some runners",
    "The laces are too short",
  ]}
/>

<InfoCard title="RECOMMENDATION">
If you are looking to gear up your game from medium distances like a half marathon to marathon and more, Hoka Clifton 8 is highly recommended. 

Recommended rotation within Hoka lineup Clifton 8 long and easy runs, Mach 4 for Speed training and Uptempo runs, and Rocket X[(review](https://shoegeeks.in/review/hoka-rocketx-012010000/)) / Carbon X2 for racing. 

Recommended Rotation from other brands Asics Evoride 2 ([review](https://shoegeeks.in/review/asics-evoride2-004010002/)), Puma Liberate Nitro ([review](https://shoegeeks.in/review/saucony-axon-006011000/)) and Brooks Hyperion Tempo ([review](https://shoegeeks.in/review/brooks-hyperiontempo-007006000/)) for Speed training and Uptempo runs. Nike Next% 2([review](https://shoegeeks.in/review/nike-vaporflynext-002002000/)), Saucony Endorphin Pro 2([review](https://shoegeeks.in/review/saucony-endorphinpro2-006001002/)), Puma Deviate Nitro Elite for racing.
</InfoCard>

<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>

A light-weight neutral daily trainer for your next marathon

Hoka Clifton 8 Review


<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. 

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    <LightBox src="/images/earlyvslatestage.jpg" caption="Rocket X offers faster transitions" alt="" ></LightBox>
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</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.

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    <LightBox src="/images/hrxweight.jpg" caption="217g for UK 10" alt="" ></LightBox>
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    <LightBox src="/images/weightcarbonplatedshoes.jpg" caption="One of the lightest among carbon plated racers" alt="" ></LightBox>
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**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).

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      <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.

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      <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.  

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      <LightBox src="/images/hrxoutsole.jpg" caption="Rubber is only placed at hotspots" alt="" ></LightBox>
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</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. 

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      <LightBox src="/images/hrxheels.jpg" caption="Heels are padded, but still slip" alt="" ></LightBox>
  </div>
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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.

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      <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>


Reviews

Hoka Clifton 8 Review

Hoka Rocket X Review