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If one of many prime feminine finishers of a 100 mile race finds the Hoka Mafate X to have sufficient cushion, plus pop…nicely who am I to disagree? Truly I’m a shoe reviewer with a number of opinions, however on this one I’ve to say we’re aligned.
Just a few months in the past I noticed the outsole of this shoe at an occasion and nicely…it was love at first web site. They dropped in some Easter eggs with the lugs being formed like pizza and tacos. As you’ll see beneath the tacos seem like they’ve smiley faces, however that wasn’t actually the supposed design.
Anyhow, what I do know after a couple of months of operating in these sneakers is that they really feel fairly dang nice.
So nice the truth is we watched numerous elite Hoka athletes daybreak them for the Canyons 100 miler! Sure, even at 49mm stack peak it’s not thought-about unlawful within the path world.
With that thoughts blowing bit of data, let’s get in to this.
- Broad Toes: It’s a roomy match and would undoubtedly work for wider toes.
- Technical Trails: Whereas not as grippy because the Mafate Velocity, we discovered nice traction throughout a wide range of terrain.
- Lengthy Runs: Did you see me point out the 100 miler above? Heck sure.
- Entrance of the Pack: Not as quick as some lighter sneakers, however nonetheless offers you a choose up for lengthy distances.
The Mafate X is a extremely cushioned path shoe with a carbon plate to create stability and scale back power loss. It’s a shoe that’s going to really feel good with nice traction for lengthy miles.
Hoka Mafate X Overview
Sitting down with a few Hoka’s prime lengthy distance runners, it was fascinating to listen to their tackle the Mafate X after having spent a while creating my very own opinions from operating in it.
All mentioned it was a go to restoration path day shoe or a shoe for tremendous lengthy mileage to maintain their legs feeling good. It’s not as bouncy because the Tecton X3 (which is a severely enjoyable, quick shoe), however much more sturdy.
Launched 15 years in the past, the Hoka Mafate has been a go to for a lot of path runners. It’s designed to sort out technical trails with a reasonable cushion and cushty match. The Mafate X however is best for gravel and has a wider match to permit for foot swelling over these lengthy miles.
Severely, they’d me at pizza. Think about the enjoyable little designs we’re leaving everywhere in the trails!!
Now whereas they mentioned good for gravel, actually we took these 3.5mm lugs on some sketchy downhills and uphills with zero points. I felt assured within the traction and Annie wore them by a wet portion of the race feeling good. The sneakers are the truth is designed for fast drainage which she will be able to attest to, I’ve not but wanted to take them by any main downpours.
For those who like cushion, this won’t disappoint.
And but, in some way the shoe doesn’t really feel gradual. Let’s speak about this contradiction.
Like most carbon plated sneakers, they used two foams: tremendous crucial EVA on the underside and PEBA for the highest layer. Sandwiching the forked carbon plate between these two gives that combo of tremendous comfortable feeling with stability.
The forked plate is designed to permit for extra mobility and spring within the foot over path terrain. A very good design alternative which you could really feel hitting massive rocky areas.
Moreover, it has a slight meta rocker. This isn’t old skool rocker strolling sneakers, it has the same really feel to the Hoka Skyward X. That’s one other enormous cushioned shoe with a plate that at all times surprises in the way it can nonetheless choose up the tempo…ahead movement helps! The rocker helps that transition from heel to toe, which prevents you from feeling weighed down.
Just like what Hoka did with the Mach and now the Mach X2, we’re seeing occur right here on the path aspect. It’s taking a stable shoe and making some additions that change the texture. It’s now a max cushion carbon plated path shoe, slightly than only a technical path shoe.
- Heel toe drop: 8mm
- Weight: 10.3 oz girls’s, 12.1 oz males’s
- Stack: 49 mm
- Utilization: Lengthy distance path runner
- Accessible in two colours
- Not out there in Broad
- Accessible at Hoka.com $225
49mm is a giant stack. Like method above the 40mm that’s allowed for elites in street racing. Which implies we’re speaking about a number of shoe. As somebody who can journey on flat floor, I used to be fairly impressed to search out the physique adapts in a short time to this shift.
In reality, there’s some good knowledge round this. So if peak is your concern, let it go. Focus as a substitute on what shoe feels nice to you and makes you need to preserve placing within the miles. 
Which Mafate is Greatest?
This line has a couple of completely different iterations now, so right here’s a fast comparability:
- Mafate X – Carbon plated for lengthy mileage and tremendous cushion
- Mafate Velocity – Lightest for velocity on rugged trails
- Mafate Velocity Mild – Unbelievable traction and possibly good mountain climbing shoe for many or a brief rugged path race
You’ll be noticing this development with a number of manufacturers proper now. One total mannequin that they then tweak for various usages.
Mafate X Match
For those who’ve been operating within the unique Mafate or the Speedgoat that is going to really feel a bit wider. It’s not sloppy or too massive, nevertheless it’s simply extra accommodating.
The tongue may be very skinny and calmly padded, plus hooked up on all sides to stop any motion. It’s an excellent tongue. Severely, a few of these skinny ones get sharp or lack sufficient prime of foot safety, however this felt very nice. 
The heel is padded and the cup feels very safe! Having simply examined a pair different path sneakers the place I seen my heel feeling unstable, it was a pleasure to step again in to those.
In reality, you’ll be able to see the molded items on the skin of the shoe which they name a Rearfoot-Targeted Lively Foot Body™. Each model has their completely different instruments, however for Hoka it’s small shifts within the peak of the midsole foam to make sure your getting that locked in feeling.
The laces are lots lengthy to do a heel lock, however I really didn’t have to! Even with some steep up and downhills, I by no means actually seen my foot pulling.
Mafate X Really feel
That is the primary yr we’ve seen Hoka come out with 2 sneakers which have an 8mm drop as a substitute of their normal 5mm (the Clifton is the opposite!). This feels like a small factor, nevertheless it’s really a giant shift for a lot of of us.
The reasoning is straightforward. Extra cushion requires some adjustments to make sure that your foot doesn’t simply sink proper right down to the bottom. All of that further stuff underfoot then requires a bit extra heel drop to take care of total stability.
Did I discover it whereas operating? No.
Nevertheless it’s actually a distinct feeling than the tons of of miles I’ve put within the Speedgoat. That now nearly appears like a minimal shoe! And for me it’s actually necessary to have a rotation of each emotions. An excessive amount of time within the massive cushion appears to essentially tax the ankles and also you need to have some days the place you’re feeling lighter in your toes.
Actually what you could know it’s appears like cushion.
It appears like traction. It appears like stability and the power to go lengthy distances with rather less fatigue within the legs. Nevertheless it’s not a quick velocity shoe, it’s a future shoe.
Comparable Footwear to the Mafate X
All proper, that’s our Hoka Mafate X overview.
It’s dear. However sturdy. And actually comfortable. Ought to all our evaluations be that quick?!!
We completely love your suggestions. How do you’re feeling concerning the max cushioned path sneakers? Have you ever tried any that you simply actually like?
93%
Deliver on the cushion. We couldn’t think about sneakers getting larger with out feeling slower, however the Mafate X deliver one thing particular to the paths. At $225 it’s extraordinarily sturdy for a carbon plated shoe and going to make the miles really feel actually good for lots of runners.
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