Hoka Clifton 8
There is so much nonsense written about running shoes it’s incredible. More so, it’s incredible because the nonsense that’s written obscures the actual purpose of the shoes. All shoe manufacturers are guilty of this and the problem is further compounded by many runners not understanding the kinds of runner they are nor the shoe they need.
Blimey. And then you’re expected to pay way over $/£100 for the privilege of buying a pair that could, perhaps, be right for you. Or not.
Hoka Clifton 8 – What Are They?
Hoka is a ‘thick soled’ brand that looks cool, in my opinion. You can surmise from the thick sole that they offer more cushioning, so if you do lots of running or suffer from Achilles/calf injuries then my experience is that this kind of brand’s shoes might be the ones to go for.
Indeed that is so with the Clifton 8 which has MAXIMAL CUSHIONING and a not-so-bad weight as a result.
If you wanted a lighter HOKA shoe you’d go for the Rincon 2 which has good cushioning but is not quite as good as the Clifton 8. I use the Rincon 2 a fair bit and I wish it was more cushioned for my training but it’s fine as a long-distance race shoe. I wouldn’t use the Clifton 8 as a race shoe myself.
If you want an all-out carbon plate shoe then the Hoka Carbon X 2 would be a reasonable choice but the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly 2 Next% is a superior and faster race shoe at twice the price.
Clifton 8 Details:
250g, 5mm heel to toe drop (higher means less Achilles/calf damage) and designed for a neutral runner. If you pronate then your inner ankle appears to collapse inwards (usually) and your Achilles will not be vertical when standing still…you are probably also flat-footed or with a small arch. Don’t buy these shoes if you pronate noticeably, although orthotics could make them fine to use.
Do buy them if you want a highly cushioned pair of shoes for lots of running.
€ 140,00 : Buy Hoka Clifton 8 here.
€ 140,00 : Buy Hoka Clifton 8 (womens) here.
Last Updated on 25 January 2026 by the5krunner
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
Science doesn’t support that more cushioning prevent injury 😉
https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a27259092/how-maximalist-shoes-affect-biomechanics/ “The study didn’t find enough evidence to recommend or warn against using maximalist shoes.” I’ll rephrase what I wrote to reflect my experience 😉
Max cushion shoes subjectively feel the right choice for me. I run about 50-80mi @ 8min/mi and appreciate how they feel. Hopefully there are some Clifton 7 deals to be had, as £140 is a bit steep for me, £80 is my usual spend on shoes.