Part of us didn’t want to love these when they first came in because honestly the initial Elevon weren’t that impressive and didn’t really find a solid place for us in the Hoka lineup. We are very happy to report though that the Elevon 2 feels like a massive improvement and while it’s targeted at runners who need a bit of stability, it’s not a requirement. We hit on the highs and the lows of this update and try to zero in on who this shoe is really for.
Quick Details, Specs, and Availability
- Weighs in at 10.1oz or 286g for a US Men’s 9 (which is crazy given how plush they are)
- Has just a ton of cushion and a 5mm heel/toe drop
- Billed as a Support or Stability Road shoe, BUT not a requirement
- Retails at $160.00 USD and comes in 3 colors for Men and Women
Run Test
The midsole on the Elevon 2 is just insane looking. It is big and chunky with those invested shark teeth pointing up from the outsole into the upper, but wow is that heel plush on your foot. So while they look a little nutty from midline down, the heel strikers out there will rejoice because your landing area has plenty of cushion.
The next area that surprised us was the weight given how much cushion we are talking about. I mean only 10oz for all this cushion and support puts this in a class by itself. The upper adds Hoka’s support wings to the heel which are designed to offer increased stability. They also added their new asymmetric tongue which has no padding in it at all.
Where it fell flat for us was in a couple of areas. First, the midsole is really only for heel strikers. While the rear is plush, it falls a little flatter for those that land at the mid or front of the foot and to really get that pop you are going to want to land on the heel. Next, the tongue is super weird for some reason. It is too small and tends to slide down into the laces and while it’s asymmetrical, it also tends to slides down the sides of the shoe.
Construction: Upper
The upper on the Elevon 2 has a bunch of new updates. First off, it uses a lightweight engineered mesh that is light and breathable. The toe box is wide but does taper a little more than we would like on the lateral sides. The tongue has a whole new design in that it is both asymmetrical and also has these crazy cutouts which are supposed to help breathability. Our only issue here is that we feel the tongue rides a little low and we would love if it came up above the laces just a bit more.
Construction: Midsole
Midsole changes probably don’t get more radical than this one. Hoka extended the heel to give you a broader landing area and clearly aimed it right at heel strikers. They have implemented their Active Foot Frame which gives you that additional stability and support for those that need it. Lastly, they have added their PROFLY tech as well as grooving their forefoot which all helps with the transition and responsiveness during foot transition and toe-off.
Construction: Outsole
The outsole on the Elevon 2 uses a crystal transparent rubber so it basically blends right into the midsole and while still maintaining durability, does a good job maintaining clean lines.
Style & Aesthetics
The Elevon 2 is pretty bonkers looking at first glance. That midsole really stand out more than anything, but the use of color by Hoka has actually done a decent job toning it down a bit. It does come in 3 colors for men and women and the breadth of choice is decent.
Overall Conclusion
The updated Elevon 2 from Hoka is a great update to the original and puts it in a stability class by itself. Sporting a low weight and tons of cushion, it is definitely targeting road running heel strikers who need a bit more stability.
Learn more on the Hoka website
|
|
|
Check Out Other Reviewers Thoughts
As always, we gather together some of our favorite reviewers so you can get a well-rounded view of the shoe. Here are our favorites.
|
|
|
|
|
