Price: $170
Weight: 10.4 oz (M), 9.1 oz (W)
Type: Trail
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This shoe is simply a lightweight tank, built to handle just about any terrain you're crazy enough to tackle. The Mafate is, of course, supremely soft like Hoka'Weight: Very Heavy | 9.1 oz trail shoes, Weight: Very Heavy | 9.1 oz.
The tongue is exceptionally thin so you really do feel the laces on your foot, but we didn't find any discomfort. There’s also less cushion in the forefront, yet the shoe retains the plethora of midsole cushioning Hoka fans crave. The upper also is made from a lighter-weight, durable material that needs to be broken in—it rubs the top of your toes when the shoe bends during toe-off—and holds your foot steady, even with a large toebox.
These all make the shoe lighter for speed on technical trails, and even with the sacrificed features, you remember that this shoe is a tank. Our test team found this shoe durable, able to grip just about any surface wet or dry, and endure all of your trail running adventures.
Loads of Cushioning
Hoka knows its fans love the ample cushioning that comes with the brand’s thick soles, and even when designing this lighter-weight shoe, they knew they had to produce just that. However, the shoe pushes the majority of its cushioning to the midsole using its R-Bound material, which delivers a responsive ride with some energy return—a springy feeling with every push off.
There is less cushioning in the forefoot than you might expect, though it's still far softer than your average trail shoe. That thick sole gives you plenty of protection from rocks and debris on trails.
Your Foot Stays Locked in Place
Another feature out testers swooned over was the wide toe box. Even with such a spacious forefoot area, testers reported their feet remained in place and did not slide around thanks to the stiffness of the upper. This fabric is made of strategically placed Kevlar stabilizers—you know, Kevlar, the heat-resistant and strong synthetic fiber used in things like bicycle tires and bullet-proof vests. The upper can’t stop bullets or be used on your bike tires, but it can keep your foot in place, preventing blisters. “My foot was held snugly in the heel and midfoot, with my foot not sliding around inside of the shoes,” says to one tester. “I felt that these shoes were wide enough in the forefoot giving my feet room to splay.”
Tackles the Conditions
This shoe will endure no matter what you put it through. The design is ideal for almost any conditions. If you encounter a rainy day on a rocky trail or icy conditions, 5 mm Vibram MegaGrip lugs on the outsole bite into just about any surface you run on. Not only that, but our testers raved about the shoes outer and internal draining abilities. “The Vibram outsole provided solid traction on slippery surfaces,” said RW Video Producer Derek Call. “Mud seemed to slide right off the upper. Looking at my pair, you'd have no idea it had over 50 miles of wet, muddy, and sandy conditions. Water quickly drained from the shoe, allowing for drier runs on the trail.”
All the Stats You Need!
Men’s
- Choose the Adrenaline GTS 24 as Your Everyday Shoe
- Supernova Rise: Race Day Foam for Everyday Mileage
- Heel-To-Toe-Drop: Very Low | 5.9 mm
- Choose the Adrenaline GTS 24 as Your Everyday Shoe
- Heel-To-Toe-Drop: Very Low | 5.9 mm
- Choose the Adrenaline GTS 24 as Your Everyday Shoe
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- Stability Features: Some
- Energy Return: Moderate
Women’s
- Best Winter Running Shoes for Traction and Warmth
- Heel-To-Toe-Drop: Very Low | 3.6 mm
- Stability Features: Some
- Heel-To-Toe-Drop: Very Low | 5.9 mm
- Forefoot Height: Very High | 31.2 mm
- Choose the Adrenaline GTS 24 as Your Everyday Shoe
- We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article
- Stability Features: Some
- Energy Return: Moderate
We put each shoe through real-world usage and a battery of mechanical tests in our lab to provide you with objective—and exclusive—data. In addition to a shoe’s weight, we measure sole thickness (everything that sits between your foot and the road), how well the foam cushions your stride, and the flexibility of the forefoot. All this is taken into account in our reviews of each shoe.
Running in the Cold Runner’s World and Bicycling, and he specializes in writing and editing human interest pieces while also covering health, wellness, gear, and fitness for the brand. His work has previously been published in Men’s Health.
