Introduction to HOKA
HOKA, originally termed HOKA One One, is an athletic shoes company that designs and markets running shoes. The company was founded in 2009 by former Salomon employees, Nicolas Mermoud and Jean-Luc Diard, in France. Well known for its unique and max cushion shoes, HOKA is now a well-established brand in both road and trail running.
Today, HOKA is under the Deckers Outdoor Corporation after Deckers bought HOKA in 2013. Through its initial success with ultramarathon runners, the brand has also diversified into lightweight training, race day shoes, and spikes. HOKA has also recently launched its new ‘Most Extensive’ global marketing campaign together with the debut of the HOKA Mach 5.
Different Types of Midsole Technology
HOKA has one type of midsole technology which is Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) based. Based on research, HOKA’s EVA midsole is made using compression moulding approach and thus termed as CMEVA.
While CMEVA is the only midsole type for HOKA, HOKA does have another technology known as Profly. Profly is a system of dual density midsole which HOKA has in some of their running shoes. The main objective is to balance out the shock absorption function and the energy return ability of the midsole. More recently, HOKA has other naming such as Profly X (in Carbon X2) and Profly+ in Mach 5.
Hoka Running Shoes Map
The median and average price for HOKA running shoes is similar at USD 160 and USD 161.50 respectively. For runners looking to enter the HOKA family, the entry price is USD 125 for the Rincon. The Rincon is currently in its third iteration and serve as a good introduction to HOKA. Rincon 3 is also one of the lightest among all HOKA’s running shoes at 7.7oz or 219 grams. On the other end of the spectrum is the Bondi X, HOKA’s max cushion carbon plated shoes. The Bondi X comes in at USD 215 and hence, HOKA has a min-max price range of USD 90.
(Source: Daily Running Co/ HOKA)
HOKA has a well-balanced product portfolio with 6 running shoes lesser than its median price while 7 is at or above its median price of USD 160.00. Below the median price include the likes of Rincon 3, Mach 5, Arahi 6. At or above the median price includes HOKA’s plated shoes such Rocket X, Carbon X3 as well as Bondi 7 and Gaviota 4.
The carbon plated running shoes forms the most expensive range in HOKA running shoes. There is no clear correlation between the weight of the running shoes with the price. The same can be concluded regarding the use of Profly or Profly+ construction.
For runners needing support in their runs, HOKA has 2 options at different price range for runners. They are namely the Arahi 6 and Gaviota 4 which have HOKA’s J-Frame technology. That said, HOKA’s running shoes typically has a wider width which makes it inherently stable.
[Red Dot = Weight (RHS) / Bar Chart = Price (LHS)]
[Yellow = Plated / Green = Profly or Profly+ / Orange = J-Frame]
(Source: Daily Running Co/ HOKA)
Summary
HOKA is the brand which brought to the market a revolutionary type of running shoes, one which provides cushioning in a lightweight package. The brand utilize primarily an EVA based midsole technology in its products with variations (i.e., Profly/Profly+). Even with just a single midsole technology, HOKA has gained increasing recognition and following in the market.
HOKA’s road running shoes has a min-max range of USD 90 while its median price is at USD 160. Overall, the brand has a well-balanced number of running shoes below and above the median price. Of the 13 pairs, there are 2 with HOKA’s J-Frame technology which provides support with a firmer foam on the median side. While HOKA’s median price is much higher than other brands such as Nike and New Balance, it is a brand with a its own unique product line-up for runners. It starts with the Rincon 3, a pair of running shoes with the versatility and performance built-in. And every pair after the Rincon 3 continues to enhance its performance and caters for the runner expanding their HOKA running shoes experience.
We hope that this article has helped you to understand the HOKA’s running shoes better and make an informed choice about which pair is for you. If you like what we are doing here, please do not forget to subscribe to our newsletter for notification of our latest post. Or you can follow us on social media channels such as Twitter and Instagram.
Till next time, just keep running.
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