Hoka One One Clifton 5

Hoka One One Clifton 5: Super comfy shoes but beware of the blisters!

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So I’ve done lots of mileage in preparation for my Ironman, but in the lead-up, I decided I wanted something a little more forgiving on my feet. A good friend of mine at work only runs in HOKA’s and swears by them so I thought I’d give them a go.

The Clifton 5 was the logical choice. I know they have just re-released the original Clifton’s, but you have to assume there are 5 generations of improvements in the new shoe.

I’m not sure what I think – my feet do feel fresh at half marathon distance, but no matter what I’ve done, blisters on my little toe are the end result. They are hugely cushioned, and there is a good spring in every step.

You really feel the difference over a lesser cushioned shoe. This, in turn, does feel a little more draining. You’re working harder with each step, but overall, the lightweight nature of this shoe is forgiving.

I found these online at Runners Need for £69, which is quite cheap for a HOKA running shoe. But following the marathon, I’m not sure I’ll be using them for longer distance runs.

Sole

As most of you can see from the photos, the most striking part of all HOKA shoes is the size of the sole. It’s massive. Certain colours can make this better or worse but the heel stack is 30mm, and heel drop is 5mm.

I, for the first time, noticed an ache in the metatarsal arch, which I think is down to being used to trainers with a higher drop. This only really occurred on longer runs, but it’s not something I’ve never experienced on other shoes.

My understanding is that the sole is the same rubber throughout which, as mentioned previously, provides a really cushioned ride but at the expense of blisters. If this isn’t the case then apologies, but the rubber feels as cushioned throughout the whole sole.

Heel

Unlike ON shoes there is no 3D mould or cushioning to secure the heel in place during running preventing and heel slip. The outer part of the shoe is quite stiff around the base of the heel, but as you go higher the support is lost and is quite soft.

I have had no issues with heel slip or and heel issues in this shoe, so whilst it’s not the most expensive solution it works. There is also a strap on the top of the heel to make putting the shoe on easier – a nice touch.

Upper & midsole

Around the toe box, there is a slight stiffening of the material to give you some extra support, but it doesn’t have much of an effect. The rest of the sole is lightweight and breathable. I never suffered any overheating or wet feet, so I feel like these shoes have a perfect balance.

As mentioned, I suffered rubbing on both feet just on my little toe (not sure what the reason was). You may suffer the same, but you may not. I did try different socks, anti-blister plasters and anti-chafing cream – no luck.

Tongue & laces

The tongue, compared to other shoes, is just a simple tongue. It isn’t elasticated to the rest of the shoe, which means I did suffer from the tongue slipping on long runs.

One of the laces does cross through the tongue, but it isn’t enough to stop the tongue riding down. It’s nicely padded without being too padded.

There is a reinforcement around the fabric to support the laces with the Hoka logo at the bottom of the laces. The laces are a good length, and I didn’t suffer any loosening off during running.

Insole

Again, for me, as with Nike’s, this is a very simple insole. The Ortholite logo is printed on the arch but it is quite a cheap feeling part. It’s quite rough around the inside arch edge which caused another blister on my longer runs.

I may try modifying this part just to reduce the sharpness, but for some reason, I only noticed this on one foot. It may be that I just got a bad insole on the left shoe.

Grip

Overall, I’ve been quite impressed with the grip levels. There are different patterns and different materials on the bottom of the shoe to aid grip.

The extended sole sections are not very grippy at all, but the black and grey over mouldings are high friction and look built to last.

Other notable features

I had the Evening Primrose/Nine Iron colour, which is quite appealing to the eyes. It also impressive how much reflective material there is on this shoe.

It would be perfect for running late at night. There’s no doubt that you’ll be seen. It’s still really impressive as well that for a shoe with so much rubber to be so lightweight.

At a size 10.5, the shoe comes in at 308g per shoe. It’s not the lightest, but other long-distance shoes are at least 50-60g’s heavier.

Summary

I really wanted to like this shoe, I did. I used it to run Brighton Marathon, and I did accomplish my mission (although the time wasn’t all that I’d hoped).

However, this can’t be the shoe I use at the Ironman. I’m not sure my feet will ever forgive me. I do understand why so many people rave about Hoka, but they are just not for me.

The ride is cushioned, and they are comfy to a point. Very lightweight for the size and, for the price I paid, a reasonable shoe. However, I will continue my search for the perfect shoe as these are not quite the shoe I need.

For me, costs have been cut on the insole and the tongue which, in my opinion, make a running shoe a shoe. Overall, they may be perfect for others, but they don’t really work for me, sorry HOKA!

Hoka One One Clifton 5: Another step in the right direction

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If you didn’t like the Clifton 4, this shoe isn’t for you. But if you did, you will love the 5. I picked up a pair of Hoka Clifton 5 last October 2018 after being confirmed into the double-super-elite-secret society of marshmallow cushioned semi-orthotics known as “Those Weird HOKA People.” 

We tend to get little smirks because of the Rocket boot, clown shoe nature of our chosen footwear. I say let them smirk.

I started with the Bondi 6 and have become a missionary delivering numerous pairs of Hoka’s to friends and family members this past Christmas. I also grabbed a pair of Clifton 4, but that is another review for another day. 

I had high standards for these Clifton’s backing down from the Bondi 6 knowing they were a step down on the cushion. Also knowing the Bondi is more for the LR and Recovery, while the Clifton reached a little further into the Tempo/Threshold runs.

Of course, I wouldn’t use these for speed work since they are just so massive. But who would? These kind of Hoka’s are for comfort, not setting land speed records.

First impression

Having already owned the “Black Iris” color scheme in the Bondi, I opted to buy the same Black Iris scheme for the Clifton 5. Right away the colors popped out of the box.

The subtle difference in the two shoes was most prevalent in the vertical lines from toe to heel making the shoe look streamlined and less bulky than its more round and wide counterpart.

Upper

I always adorn my shoes with lock laces and a nice pair of orange laces complemented the already Brunswick green and orange shoes. The lace holes were a bit difficult to have round eye laces through flat eye holes. 

The mesh upper is very soft, feeling more like cotton than nylon, and the little holes integrated throughout the mesh are not only fashionable but functional too in their breathability.

Midsole

The midsole is rocking that patented Hoka cushion from heel to toe, on top of its standard meta-rocker giving the shoe not only a streamlined appearance, but a curvy one at that.

Outsole

The outsole leaves a little to be desired in terms of durability. Instead of a fully covering rubber outsole to protect against the elements, there are only strategically placed rubber patches through the hot spots of a runner’s foot strike, the heel, the ball/midfoot and the toe. 

The rest of the outsole is the soft foam which unfortunately gets scuffed up pretty fast and compromises the integrity of the rubberized hot spots.

Insole

The Insole is what I’ve come to expect as a standard insole from Hoka - not excessively thick, but pretty springy.

The lycra inner and heel were delightful to slip into wearing spandex socks. The heel hugs your Achilles and roots you in place in the shoe giving a feeling of security.

Fit

The fit was a bit narrow. I felt a bit compressed in the midfoot up to the ball of my foot.

The toe box is snug, but it doesn't rub my toes. I also have frog flippers for feet so it might not be an issue with the shoe, and more so an issue with my genetics.

The ride

I tried these out on a 10 miler and wasn’t exactly as thrilled with them out of the box. I had been with the Bondi’s, but I chalk it up to the shoes needing to break in a bit, as usual. 

The insole tended to slip away from the ball of my foot, and I felt a small pinch where the gap between the insole and midsole had happened. I found myself giving a good sideways stomp every 5-6 miles to slide the insole over back into place. 

After about 40 miles, I stopped noticing this and assume that I got it in place with use. You may want to consider custom insoles with these if you have wide feet since the midfoot can be a bit narrow.

The cushion isn’t the same in the Clifton as the Bondi, but the rest of the runs left my legs feeling rested and refreshed. That was only about 100 miles with these shoes. I found that when running at my threshold pace, the shoes had better energy return than the Bondi’s.

Moral of that story? I use the Bondi for the LR and recovery and the Clifton for the tempo/threshold. I wouldn’t use these for speed work based on the "disconnected feeling" from the ground with extra cushion, as well as the slippage of the insole.

Pros

• Great looks
• Very comfortable

Cons

• Durability
• The insole slips

Overall

I love the color scheme and streamline appearance. It is comfortable and well cushioned. The upper is in great condition after a 100-mile run. Also, the 8.5 heel is great, and the lock laces work well with the shoe. 

On the other hand, I find these shoes to be a little narrow, and during a run, the insole often slips. The outsole foam after a 100 mile is breaking down faster than I wanted. 

Overall, this is still a great shoe for me. It has its vulnerabilities, but I'm looking forward to Clifton 6.