> Well its been a few weeks since I took receipt of a pair of Hoka One One Stinson Evos. These rather go against the grain of the minimalist barefoot shoe movement and instead provide the wearer with a good inch of cushioning between foot and trail. The result is a shoe that definitely stands out from the crowd.
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> Hoka refer to themselves as the 'Ultra running shoe company' and the target market is those who run long. And want extra comfort as they do so. They certainly divide opinion but many with such an opinion have probably never actually run in them. I was curious enough to find out for myself and shell out £100 for the Stinson Evos (£35 off too!) which is their racing trail version. I had a very specific reason for wanting them and that is the small matter of 22000ft of descent at WSER. Some of these are apparently over an hour in length of constant descending and pounding of the quads! :-O Hoka are designed specifically to descend such terrain without the impact and pounding. So let's see shall we...
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> I have been out in them a good few times now on all types of terrain and different distances. The very first run was the MK Park Run on what was a very cold and icy morning. The race was cancelled because of unrunnable conditions so I was left skidding and sliding around Willen lake. It wouldn't have mattered what was on my feet (bar some cramp-ons). One highlight however was some downhill reps on a grassy hill which was the first taste of what the Hokas can do. It felt effortless even in the snow and slush.
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> One might think that because of the bulk of these shoes that they are ungainly and heavy to run in. But this simply isn't the case. They actually weigh no more than a conventional shoe and in actual fact probably weigh less than most due to the super light EVA foam construction. They also feel quite nimble too as you float along the trail.
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> These aren't a road racing shoe though in my opinion. Whilst marketed as hybrid shoe for road and trail a 5 mile run on the road left me feeling that I was putting in more effort that necessary for each foot strike. So responsiveness on the road is somewhat lacking.
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> My first long run in them was 15 miles on the road (simply due to the fact it was dark and club night). They are supportive and despite the extra height you don't feel any different to being in ordinary shoes. This is probably because they have about an extra 15% footprint so the weight is dissipated across a bigger surface area providing good stability. I wouldn't however do high road mileage in them due to the non-aggressive tread which I wouldn't want to wear out making them less useful and grippy on the trails.
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> The real test was to hit the trails in them. My first proper trail run was an 18 miler looping around Ivinghoe Beacon which is the start (or end) of the Ridgeway national trail. This is the hilliest area near me and I was determined to put them through their paces. They are simply awesome on the downhills providing a really soft cushioned ride yet at the same time you still feel in contact with the trail which is important. This particular downhill section is grassy and fast. I felt confident and blasted down past oncoming hikers. Not sure what they thought!
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> The final test was my Monday lunchtime hill reps session which is on a winding rocky trail that is uneven with plenty of potholes. The ultimate test! They 'rocked' were very stable and surprisingly fast. Even going up I felt a certain spring in my step but that could just be the result of 1 month of solid training.
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> So in summary some of the good and bad points about the Hoka One One Stinson Evo:
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> GOOD
> * extremely comfortable
> * good support and stable (despite the height)
> * amazing on the downhills
> * light
> * quick lace system a nice touch
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> BAD
> * don't perform well in thick mud due to non-aggressive tread
> * pricey
> * slightly sluggish on the roads
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