Written by Graham Archer, B.Sc (Kin), C.Ped(C), President of the Pedorthic Association of Canada, 2010/2011
Hoka One One is a company that started in France by a couple of runners looking to create a shoe that allow for a feeling of freedom when running without sacrificing speed and running.
Their “Mafate” model is the first shoe made available in the Hoka One One line, and at the very least it has caught attention with its bright colours and balloon-looking midsole. In case you’re wondering, “Hoka” can loosely be translated to ‘Time to Fly’ in Maori and “One One” translated to Earth.
There are some key things to note about the midsole of the Mafate. Firstly, it uses very thick and soft EVA foam. The thickness of the midsole layer has allowed Hoka to use a soft material to keep weight to a minimum. Secondly, it is a rockered (curved) shoe, from the heel to the forefoot (front of the shoe). This rocker profile allows the foot to naturally transition from the heel to the forefoot during your stride, reducing stress and strain on the joints and soft tissues of the foot and ankle. The added benefit to the aggressive rocker is that it also increases the contact area of the shoe to the ground when running up and down hills.
My impressions of the Hoka One One Mafate are very positive. The shoes required virtually no break-in time, although the first run with them did feel different compared to running in a traditional trail running shoe. My legs felt a little heavier (due to a change in running motion, not because of the weight of the shoes) and it took about 20 minutes to get used to the increased cushioning in the shoes.
The biggest thing I noticed right away was how fast I could run downhill. Since I am an avid mountain bike rider, my first initial reaction to running downhill was similar to riding a suspension bike downhill versus a hardtail The thick cushioned sole absorbed all the rocks and roots in the train without any impact into my foot and it compressed to have more of the shoe in contact with the ground at all times. The extra contact and width at the outsole gave me a real feeling of stability, adding to my confidence level.
If there is one complaint about the shoes, it has got to be related to the funky colours and chunky look of the extra cushioned midsole. I have gotten used to the loud colours, but the more subdued colours that will be coming down the pipeline in the Spring of 2011 are more attractive to me.
At almost $170 it is not the most expensive trail shoe on the market but it is higher up on the price range for trail runners. The good news is that because of the thick midsole, the shoe does not break down as quickly as a traditional midsole in a tradition shoe. Therefore, over the life of the shoe you will be getting back your value for money. However, it is just a bit of a hit at the start.
Overall, with the Hoka Mafates, my feet and legs feel less fatigued after a run, and I feel like I am running faster. Shortly after this shoe test with the Hokas, I went for a run in one of my old trail runners, and they felt hard and stiff after running in the Mafates. I definitely feel “spoiled” after using the Mafate for a few weeks.
Graham Archer is Vice President of Pedorthic Services at Kintec and the President of the Pedorthic Association of Canada for 2010/2011. Graham joined Kintec in 2000 with a passion for helping people stay active on their feet. Graham holds a Bachelors of Kinesiology from Simon Fraser University and is a Canadian Certified Pedorthist with the College of Pedorthics of Canada. Outside of pedorthics, Graham spends his time riding and racing mountain bikes, fishing, trail-running and hanging with his wife and two daughters.
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