Hoka One One Clayton Review

Today we wanted to chat about the Hoka One One Clayton, a shoe everyone has been curious about. This super light neutral road shoe came out late Spring and represents a very distinct design change for the company. Most Hoka fans will probably structurally see the shoe as a mix of the Huaka and the Clifton, just with updated graphics, but the similarities really end there. It looks like Hoka isn’t content to just sit back and rest on what they’ve built which is really good for runners.

Construction: The Upper

The Clayton upper, like most other Hoka shoes, is entirely no-sew or seamless, but the big difference with the Clayton is in the lattice overlay across the front. This is not just for looks, but instead adds a level of structure to the upper and keeps your foot on track.

Construction: Midsole

The mid on the Clayton is made up of Hoka’s PRO2LITE technology. To sum this tech up, this means the mid is basically a dual density design featuring a cushioned heel, but also maintains a firm forefoot. This is designed to lead to better rebounding and should also contribute to a quicker pace. The Clayton has a 4mm drop heel to toe and comes in with 20mm stack height. This really leads to be better fore to mid foot strides and less heel striking.

Construction: Outsole

The outsole is made of RMAT which is really just a blended EVA foam, but designed in a way where it reduces the weight while allowing you to maintain a consistent rebound and give ample cushioning.

Style and Aesthetics

The Clayton is really an all new body style from anything you may have seen from Hoka prior. Each shoe features a gradient pattern design that runs from a primary upfront into white in the back where a large version of the logo sits at the heel. They are available in two color options for men, a red/yellow/white which we tested and a yellow/white combo. For women they offer a coral color and then a purple version they call aquamarine. Its definitely a love/hate for folks that see them and I found them really visually appealing. If anything, just something different.

Run Test

I have put over 200 miles on these including numerous half marathons and most recently for Seattle’s Rock n Roll Marathon. I can truly say I’m impressed with the shoe and I didn’t think I would be at first just given how different it was from the other Hoka’s on the market. Overall, I have found the shoe consistent from a performance perspective and at 7.3 ounces, they feel really light under foot which I love. I also really like the new tongue and lace design as I really feel like losing some of the padding in the tongue allows you a more secure overall fit.

In full flight with the @hokaoneone Clayton for more @wearekinematix Tune testing. More pavement tomorrow!

A photo posted by Running Northwest (@runningnwmag) on Jun 29, 2016 at 7:06pm PDT

Overall Conclusion

The Hoka One One Clayton are probably one of my new favorites from Hoka. They run really close with the Cliftons and there are times I find myself reaches for these instead more and more. I think each has their place and I tend to look to these on days where I feel quicker and the miles are shorter, but I have also taken them 20+ a few times and have nothing bad to report. My only caveat would be around the width as it leans more to the narrower end as compared to the Clifton. Still, overall it is a big thumbs up for me.

Technical Stats, Pricing & Availability