By Brian Metzler

It’s new shoe Friday, but before I get into the details of Hoka’s enticing new Skyflow everyday trainer, let’s review a bit of history that helped get us to this point. 

Ten years ago, in the spring of 2014, Hoka was still a fledgling new shoe brand that hadn’t yet convinced the world that maximally cushioned shoes were a thing of the future. But as soon as it launched the original version of the Clifton everyday trainer, the brand began to skyrocket to the crazy popular brand status it enjoys today.

The Clifton was the first max-cushioned everyday trainer that created an exciting buzz for Hoka. Not only did it have a thick midsole (roughly a 36mm/31mm stack height profile), but it was also exceptionally soft and light (7.5 oz for a men’s 9.0). That combination set the bar higher for what do-everything training shoes should feel like, but the compression-molded EVA midsole was responsive enough for many runners (including me!) to use it as a race-day marathon shoe. (Keep in mind, this was before the carbon-plated shoes and advanced, hyper-responsive midsole foams that are so prevalent today.)

What’s the point of this history lesson? The Clifton ($145) was (and remains) a great shoe, even though it has morphed considerably through the years. It’s still light and soft, but it’s not nearly as responsive or durable as many modern training shoes. That’s where the new Skyflow ($160) comes into play as a new, fairly light and energetic premium everyday trainer that’s ideal for a wide range of running paces and distances.

The Skyflow is perhaps best described as a blending of the Hoka’s soft and light Clifton 9 everyday trainer, Hoka’s Mach 6 ($145) speed trainer, and maybe even a touch of Hoka’s recently launched Skyward X ($225), a max-cushioned recovery trainer with a carbon-fiber plate embedded in the midsole. Built on a super-critically foamed EVA midsole, the new Skyflow offers the best of all of those shoes in one package. It’s cushy, moderately responsive and comfortable, but also versatile and durable, making it ideal for just about any kind of training run you might do during any given week.

What’s New: The Skyflow is a brand new shoe that takes some design traits and materials from several other Hoka models. The super-critically foamed EVA is similar to what is incorporated into the Skyward X shoe (but sans carbon-fiber plate) with a rocker geometry and structure that is much more conducive to heel-toe transitions. The creel jacquard upper is durable, breathable, flexible and supportive with reflective details for night-running safety, while segments of durable rubber are geared for high-mileage longevity. 

Fit/Feel/Ride: The Skyflow fits true to size with a medium interior volume and plenty of room in the long/roomy forefoot for toes to wiggle and splay. (There is also a wide version available for men and women.) The dynamic upper and cushy gusseted tongue offer great interior comfort as well as a locked-down fit for a wide range of foot shapes. The step-in feel is plush, thanks to a premium sockliner, well-padded heel collar, and, of course, the maximal, energetic midsole. That plush, super comfy feeling extends to the ride, serving up a cushy, resilient sensation and near-euphoric heel-toe transitions. The Skyflow’s high heel (40mm stack height for the men’s version) provides significant shock absorption, but it quickly begins to return that energy as you roll to the mid-stance phase of a stride. It’s a toned down sensation from the carbon-plated Skyward X (49mm heel) and not quite as forward-flung as the Mach 6. There isn’t a huge final spark of energy at the toe-off phase like the Mach 6, but the shoe feels appropriately springy for most of the runs I have done in it.

Why It’s Great: It’s great because it puts Hoka into the conversation of what premium daily trainers are all about – a blend of long-haul comfort, vibrant energy return in every stride, high-mileage durability, and, of course, versatility to tackle a wide range of training runs. While the Clifton 9 still offers the light and soft feeling that many runners want and the Mach 6 is a faster speed shoe for fast workouts and near race-day efforts, the Skyflow falls somewhere in between, providing a semi-soft, responsive ride from a cushy higher stack geometry. Although it’s not as light or as soft as the Clifton or as propulsive as the Mach, the Skyflow is very lively, comfortable and versatile. I’ve found it great for long runs, recovery runs, longer, up-tempo workouts and spontaneous pace-changing efforts during just about any run I have done. The bottom line? For the $15-$20 price boost over the Clifton or Mach 6, you get more than your money’s worth in enhanced materials, performance and versatility.

Specs

Weights: 8.6 oz. (women’s 8), 9.9 oz. (men’s 9)

Heel-Toe Offset: 5mm; women: 38mm (heel), 33mm (forefoot); men: 40mm (heel), 35mm (forefoot)

Why You’ll Love It: I’ve loved it because it put a spring in my step on just about any kind of run that I’ve done in it. I did an 11-mile run on a rail trail and paved roads in Chicago and felt the moderate responsive sensation just as much in the latter miles as I did when I first started that run. I have done a couple of 4- to 6-mile tempo runs in Boulder, Colorado, and benefitted from both the semi-soft feeling and the above-average liveliness. And for those days that I just needed to crank out 5 miles at an easy pace, the Skyflow has been a reliable – and enjoyable – choice to lace up and head out the door.

Pro: The Skyflow has a wide base that gives it sufficient inherent stability. It’s a neutral shoe, but it will help neutral runners and those who tend to overpronate late in a stride (or rolling inward while transitioning to the toe-off phase) maintain a more stable and forward-trending gait pattern.

Con: The one point of conflict I have with the Skyflow is that it’s not as light as many everyday trainers and not as light as it could be. For me, that keeps it from being a shoe I would choose for a common track workout like 6×800-meter repeats. It’s slightly under 10 ounces (for a men’s sample size), but just barely. There are many lighter shoes out there, and if the Skylow was even a half-ounce lighter it would make it a better (and more versatile) shoe.