The Hoka Running Shoe Lineup Explained
Here, we’re going to break down the 2025 Hoka running shoe lineup and explain the purpose of each model. We’ll also share our thoughts on which shoes are worth adding to your rotation and which ones you can skip. This includes daily trainers like the Mach 6 and Skyflow, the Mach X2 for speed sessions, the max-cushion Bondi 9 and Skyward X, and how to position the Rocket X3 and Cielo X1 2.0 across different race distances.
We’re laying out where each Hoka model fits in your rotation and what it’s built for. From recovery workhorses to plated racers, here’s how every pair stacks up—plus which ones earned that “banger” status.
Mach 6: Hoka's Uptempo Daily Trainer
Hoka Mach 6
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The Mach 6 is a lower-stack, uptempo daily trainer with a peppy and fun ride. It’s not a high-mileage training shoe, but it works really well for lower mileage daily training. The ride is bouncy, a little unstable, but also energetic. It feels lightweight and nimble, which makes it fun for daily miles. It’s nimble and light and has more ground feel than many of the daily trainers on the market. Because of the slightly fitted and more narrow platform, runners with narrow feet will enjoy the way that the Mach 6 upper securely hugs the foot.
Skyflow: Hoka's Standard DailyTrainer
Hoka Skyflow
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The Skyflow is a standard daily trainer with a firm and cushioned feel. We recently named the Skyflow a great choice for runners with narrow feet. It has a snug-fitting upper and narrower platform that will feel dialed-in for those who like a streamlined, narrow midfoot and toebox. If you feel like your foot is swimming in the ASICS Novablast 5, the Skyflow will provide a much more fitted feel. It shines as a workhorse style daily trainer with an EVA-based midsole that is bouncy, yet on the firmer side. It is not super max-stack, but it provides plenty of bounce and protection; it’s not soft, but it is comfortable; it’s not plated, but it is good for picking up the pace. The Skyflow is not fancy, but it gets the job done well.
Bondi 9: Hoka's Recovery Workhorse
Hoka Bondi 9
The Bondi 9 is a max-cushion recovery workhorse built for easy daily miles. It stands out as a lower drop recovery shoe, providing a different stimulus compared to other higher-drop max cushion shoes like the Puma MagMax or ASICS Gel Nimbus 27. It has a bouncy, protective, midsole made from a supercritical EVA foam that can go the distance for high mileage training, unlike some other EVA-based shoes. The ride is incredibly smooth with a great rocker and geometry, which just rolls you along in cushioned comfort. It is also great for bigger runners who are putting a lot of force down into a shoe—it won’t bottom out and it will retain its responsive qualities. It is also super comfortable and has a wide base for runners who have stability needs.
Skyward X: Hoka's Mileage Cheat Code
The Skyward X is a max-stack, carbon-plated behemoth that delivers a bouncy, fun ride. It has been out for over a year now, which in Shoe Sicko years translates to 3 presidential terms. It was one of the first max stack daily trainers to hit the market. At the time, its stack height, crazy looks, and incredibly fun and bouncy ride made it a real stand-out in the market. It has now been around long enough to remember when a 40mm stack was impressive and when no one else was putting a plate in a non-speed oriented shoe. Having the plate combined with the PEBA and supercritical EVA has made for an absolute mileage eater with no signs of slowing down. Despite all the new shoes that have come to market since then, it still remains a banger. While it’s not the newest shiny object anymore, it still does have one of the most fun rides on the market. The bounce is unmatched, especially for runners who drive power through the midfoot. Competitor shoes are starting to come in lighter, so we’re hoping the next gen can shave some weight.
Mach X2: Hoka's Versatile Speed Trainer
Hoka Mach X2
The Mach X2 is a dual-foam PEBA/EVA speed trainer designed to handle long miles. The X3 is coming out soon, but it is an upper update only to make it more comfortable and plush after complaints from runners who got achilles irritation in this version. The Mach X2 is a great marathon training and long run shoe. If you want some speed, it has a nice, cushioned feel without feeling too soft. It features a top layer of PEBA race foam, a plastic plate, and a firmer foam on the bottom. It does have a snug fit, but it gives a welcome, secure race-day feel.
Rocket X3: Hoka's Classic Marathon Racer
Hoka Rocket X 3
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The Rocket X3 is a stability-focused race shoe with a no-nonsense fit and comfortable ride. It is a highly capable, but slightly confusing, race shoe. Positioned as a traditional racer built for speed and reliability, the Rocket X3 features a stable platform and a less-aggressive rocker than the Cielo X1 2.0. Given the firm and harsh midsole feel, however, we feel that the Cielo’s more comfort-oriented foam would better complement the Rocket’s stable geometry. Confusingly, Hoka made this version more stability oriented than the previous version. The Rocket X3 feels more like a super trainer than a true marathon racing shoe. It is stable, wide, and heavier, almost like a stable Vaporfly. It doesn’t have an aggressive toe-off or geometry, it doesn't have a lot of bite, and it doesn’t have any fun or interesting tech. We are not a fan of the forefoot feeling and toe-off of this new version. Because they switched the top layer of foam to be softer than the previous version, it is not as fast as the Rocket X2. There’s nothing really wrong with it, but nothing that makes us excited to lace it up either.
Cielo X1 2.0: Hoka's Experimental Marathon Racer
Hoka Cielo X1 2.0
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The Cielo X1 2.0 is a marathon racer with aggressive geometry and a soft midsole. The OG Cielo X1 was a hobby jogger favorite, especially among bigger runners and as a long run shoe. Many people also used it as their marathon race shoe, especially those were running a four hour plus marathon. Hoka made this version less stability oriented and quite unstable with the medial cut-out. It is no longer the stable, bigger runner, long run favorite among hobby joggers. It is now lighter, but not as light and fast as the best marathon race shoes on the market and we are not fans of the mushiness of the foam in this version. If Hoka put the foam of the Rocket X3 in the Cielo, they’d have a serious demon time shoe on their hands. As it stands, the Cielo is caught in a no-man’s land between comfort and speed, falling short of top-tier in either category.
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