Hoka Revises Its Flagship Shoe. But Is It What Today’s Runners Actually Want?

A new Clifton should be one of the biggest stories of the year.

After all, it’s not just Hoka’s best-selling franchise but one of the most popular shoes in the world. Without it, Hoka wouldn’t be the Nike-slaying juggernaut it is today.

The company recently reported its best quarter ever, thanks to a 15 percent increase in sales. Chances are good that the Clifton was responsible.

But the truth is, the upcoming Clifton 11 isn’t a new shoe. At least not entirely. And its arrival this month feels more like a software patch than a breakthrough update.

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Tried, true, outdated?

The model, which finally arrives this month after a preview at The Running Event in December, follows closely in the footsteps of its predecessor.

Weighing virtually the same, the Clifton 10 and Clifton 11 share the same stack height (42mm), drop (8mm) and even the exact foam underfoot: compression-molded EVA.

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At face value, that should be good news to anyone who enjoyed previous versions of the Clifton, which has used some form of EVA-based cushioning since the very first version more than a decade ago.

Indeed, there are few things more frustrating in running than a brand drastically retooling a fan-favorite model.

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Then again, CMEVA is a rather uninspired choice given the innovations happening elsewhere in the daily-trainer category.

Asics, Adidas, New Balance, Nike and Puma have all moved on to so-called super foams for even entry-level models, some of which cost less than the Clifton.

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Consistency is key

To be fair to Hoka, the Clifton 11 does come with some degree of novelty.

According to the product page, now live on the brand’s site, the shoe boasts a new upper made out of engineered mesh, as well a 3D-printed, open-cell sockliner.

Otherwise, this is largely the same Clifton that Hoka delivered last year … and the year before that … and so on.

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Many hardcore runners left the Clifton generations ago, only to discover bouncier foams, lighter uppers and livelier rides elsewhere. The Clifton 11 offers little in an attempt to win them back.

But as they say in the sport, consistency is everything. And on some level, it’s refreshing to see Hoka stick to its guns.

In the case of the Clifton, that means a proven combination of foam, fabric and glue it knows will get the masses moving.

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Availability and pricing

Releasing this month, the Clifton 11 retails for $155 and comes in a handful of launch colorways, including white “Frost” (pictured below).

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Hoka Clifton 11

• $155 at Hoka