Six Minute Mile Gear Review: HOKA ONE ONE Zinal

HOKA ONE ONE Zinal

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Specifications (according to HOKA ONE ONE)

Weight: 6.9 oz (W) 8.5 oz (M)

Drop: 5 mm

Category: Trail

Stability: Neutral

Cushion: Responsive

($160)

What You’ll Love:

• Vibram® Megagrip with Litebase construction outsole with 4mm lugs

• Mesh upper derived from recycled content

• PROFLY™ construction Early stage Meta-Rocker

HOKA ONE ONE has long been known for its thick soles and maximum cushioning, but the all-new trail runner, HOKA Zinal, goes with a sleeker look and more responsive feel. The Zinal, available for pre-order now, is the jack of all trades. The thinner midsoles might be a change but all the good tech we love about HOKA shoes (the EVA sockliner, the PROFLY midsole, and the Vibram Litebase Outsole), stays solid. We have had our eyes on these for a while and couldn't wait to test them out. Luckily, we got our hands on two pairs, one for our west coast tester to try in the mountains of Idaho and another pair to run around the hills in our backyard of Boston. 

From our Idaho tester:

When testing them out, I went on a three-mile jaunt in the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho. The trail was pretty flat, with a slight incline on the way out. The first thing I noticed when I hit the trail was how light these shoes are. Compared with other HOKA’s I’ve tried, these really allow you to feel the trail under your feet. I felt light on my feet and ultra nimble, partly thanks to the PROFLY midsole, which makes the sole responsive and light without adding a bunch of extra bulk. They also barely took any breaking in: I felt like I had worn them for years on just the first run! 

From our Boston Tester:

The shoe is a lightweight and nimble trail shoe that can take on any terrain or distance and is decked out with some of HOKA’s best tech. The Zinal is built lower to the ground which gives it a very fast and responsive feel. The midsole features the PROFLY design which creates a nice cushion feel and a propulsive experience, while the outsole features a new Vibram light-based design to keep weight at a minimum. The sole of the shoe features lugs that are a bit shallow compared to other trail shoes we’ve tried, but the Zinal is just as sticky and allows for more speed underfoot on longer stretches. In addition, the ultralight EVA gives you more ground feel and protection at the same time. I was very pleased with the performance of the Zinal’s in a variety of trail conditions.  

Overall, if you're looking for a lightweight trail shoe for speed and performance, the HOKA ONE ONE Zinal is the shoe for you. 

Pre-Order the Zinal now.