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Hoka’s Latest Trainer Might Be Its Most Well-Rounded Shoe Yet

There are plenty of good reasons to rotate your running shoes. With Hoka’s latest super trainer, you may not want to.

Hoka running shoeHoka

By Jack Seemer

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A seasoned runner knows the benefits of a running-shoe rotation — that is, a considered lineup of three or four pairs tailored to different kinds of runs.

A cushioned trainer for easy days. A lightweight, responsive silhouette for workouts. An aggressive, plated super shoe for race days. They all stimulate different muscles, and rotating through them is one of the many ways runners can stay injury free (not to mention extend the lifespan of the footwear, itself).

But there’s something to be said of a do-it-all workhorse that that’s easy on the legs but quick when it needs to be — exactly the premise of Hoka’s upcoming trainer, the Mach X 2.

Hoka Mach X 2

The Mach X 2 is the followup to last year’s Mach X, a plated version of Hoka’s Mach series of everyday trainers that are a bit more responsive than some of the brand’s heavily cushioned shoes.

Hoka calls it a “racing shoe,” but that’s selling it a little short, overlooking its range as a trainer that can go long and slow, all-out or any pace in-between.

Hoka running shoe
The Mach X 2 features two layers of foam — one PEBA and the other EVA.
Hoka

To start, the midsole feature two thick layers of foam, one on either side of a winged Pebax plate. But they’re not the same.

The first is PEBA, a squishy, high-rebound material found in a dizzying array of super shoes like the record-breaking Nike Vaporfly and newly released On Cloudboom Strike.

There’s also trusty EVA foam, which gives the the shoe a bit of well-rounded firmness, while upping the durability to guarantee the shoe can go the distance.

Hoka running shoe
Gone is the creel jacquard upper. In its place: an ultrabreathable woven material that looks and feels fast.
Hoka

However, one of the most exciting changes pertains the upper. Last year’s Mach X had a creel jacquard upper that ran a little hot — despite plenty of perforations.

The Mach X 2 has a woven upper that not addresses the issue but helps to drop a bit of weight. Finally, a sleek, minimal collar adds to its streamlined geometry.

Pricing and availability

The Mach X 2 goes on sale early next month in two colorways — white with a Citrus yellow midsole and black with orange and teal accents.

If there’s one knock against it, it may be the price. At $190, Hoka raises not only the bar but the price of entry to ride a plated Mach (the original Mach X was $180).

That said, a shoe this well-rounded means it can replace more than one pair in the rotation.

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