Hoka One One Stinson B Evo, Review With Update!

After reading the glowing recommendations from ultra-running icons Karl Meltzer, Dave Mackey and Marshall Ulrich about the Hoka One One, my curiosity was aroused and several days later, I had a pair of the Hoka One One Stinson B Evo shoes at my door step...

(Update at bottom)

One might say that the Hoka shoes are a step in the opposite direction from the minimalist shoe to “maximalist” shoe, but that would not be entirely correct.  I believe one would be better off not attempting to define or categorize the Hoka concept, but rather embrace them for what they have to offer.  After several runs on technical single track, forest roads and pavement, I can attest that the Hoka One One Stinson B Evo definitely ease impact to a level I have never before experienced without sacrificing stability.

My first impression after taking the shoes out of the box was, "Herman Munster would love these things." "Voluminous" also came to mind.  Then when I tried them on, I thought "this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever had on my feet"; however, after taking a few steps around the living room, these thoughts were quickly nullified as I began to experience something completely different from any running shoe I have ever had.  I felt like I was literally floating across the floor when I walked.  My experience after several longer runs on trails and roads with these shoes was a complete surprise in the way my lower legs felt both during the run and afterwards.  These shoes definitely absorb impact and encourage mid-foot strike due to their minimal 4mm drop from heel to toe and mid-sole geometry.  On rough technical trails, I feel as if I am running more over the rocks and roots, rather than around them.  Just as a full suspension fat tire mountain bike is easier on your butt, the same is true for the manner these shoes treat your feet and legs.

The Stinson B Evo runs true to size and the roomy forefoot provides plenty of room for my summer time barefoot toes to spread out.  I particularly liked the speed lacing however Hoka does provide standard laces with the shoes for those that prefer knots.  They also provide an additional set of thinner insoles to customize the fit.  They tip the scales at approximately 300 gram or 11 oz. for a size 12 but impressed me as feeling lighter on the feet than shoes of similar weight.  The outer sole provided bomb proof traction and were stable even under wet conditions.  The price tag for these shoes at approximately $170 a pair might seem very steep, but testers of the Hoka One One have reported exceptional wear characteristics.  I will keep you posted on the conditions of these shoes as I rack up the miles on them.

The word Hoka One One is derived from the ancient Maori language and roughly translates to "now it is time to fly"  I suppose nothing could summarize better my experience thus far with the Stinson B Evo.  If you're interested in a pair, they can be purchased through 

Backcountry.com:  http://tinyurl.com/Hoka-Backcountry

zappos.com:  http://tinyurl.com/Hoka-Zappos

amazon.com: http://tinyurl.com/Hoka-amazon

Hoka One One Stinson B Evo: Update 9/21/12

I have now had the Stinson B Evo under foot for a little over two months.  During this time I have used them in all type of conditions and circumstances varying from 25 mile runs to 10k trail races.  Here is a summary of my experience so far.

The Stinson B Evo (SBE) has completely dispelled the fears I had initially of being unstable in rocky, rooty uneven terrain.  In fact they are quite the opposite, and they came through with flying colors on muddy, root technical terrain that had other competitors stumbling around me.  The two races in which I wore the SBE were the Xterra 15k trail race at Beech Mountain NC at the end of July and the Continental Divide Trail Race at Laurel Springs NC which was also the USATF National 10k Trail Championships.  Both races were on very demanding courses, extremely hilly and with substantial sections that were technically difficult.  At all the times the SBE provided excellent traction.

What did I learn from the shoe?  Well, I found it necessary to re-lace the shoes and skip the lowest eyelet.  Lacing that far down the shoe put too much pressure across the head of the metatarsals.  The re-lacing solved that problem.  The other issue was the speed lacing; it just did not hold properly when running up and down steep terrain, and I would find myself constantly re-tightening the laces.  I am confident the speed lacing would work fine for when running on milder climbs and descents or on typical roads conditions.  Thus I abandoned the speed laces for the normal variety.

Bottom line: I am extremely pleased with the Hoka One One Stinson B Evo.  It is currently my go-to-shoe for racing and training.  Even after 4 to 6 hour trail runs my lower legs and feet are amazingly fresh and other than the normal general fatigue, feel fully recovered the following day.

One closing comment: The Hoka’s DO NOT compensate for improper running form.  The shoes are made for a mid-foot strike executed under the runner’s center of mass.  When used in this manner the shoes are extremely stable.  It has however, come to my attention that a few runners who have a tendency to over stride, are experiencing a level of instability that has led to knee and ankle problems and are having a less blissful experience with the Hoka’s than that I have enjoyed.

Happy Trails!

Bart & Eve