Hoka Mafate 3 Cascade Review
These are my new trail running shoes - they are the Hoka Mafate 3 Cascades specially designed for trail running.
Up until now I have always been a Nike girl and so far they have served me well but I wanted to try something new for my outdoor running and I had heard very good things about Hoka so I decided to give them a go!
I can't say I have ever reviewed a pair of trainers so I will try and give you the best description and break-down that I can.
I have walked in these, done a treadmill run and one outdoor run on pavements/uneven ground.
I will break it down into several categories:
Support: ✩✩✩✩/5
I think, especially with outdoor running shoes, support is an important area that you need to look at. I want to make sure that when I am running I won't go over on my ankle or trip on a loose stone that's floating around. These trainers definitely offer a high level of support, I can feel that my feet perfectly fit into these shoes, in fact, I didn't even have to break these shoes in which I always have to do with my Nikes so that was a great benefit! I can feel that my feet are flat and the height of the shoe definitely negates any uneven terrain. They offer a lot of comfort and that serves me well when I am on my long runs.
Height/Sole: ✩✩✩✩/5
They have a really good platform on them and the tread really helps to grip onto the uneven surfaces when you are running on trails when I was running it was raining and I was not scared of slipping at any point in these shoes. They may be thick but they are incredibly light and I found them very pleasant to run in.
"Engineered with KPU moulded overlays for protective support, the Mafate Speed 3 from HOKA bites into the ground with an aggressive, dual-density outsole comprised of EVA and rubberised EVA with Vibram® 5mm lugs"
As you can see from the above information they have been designed and engineered with a lot of thought and they have certainly made a shoe fit for trail running.
Design/Look: ✩✩✩/5
I will be the first to admit I like simple trainers and plain colours, if I can I will buy the black/white version of any shoe, this is the first time I have ordered a brightly coloured trainer and in all honesty, I do not regret it! I like the colour of these shoes and they bring a change for me which is refreshing. As most of my running gear is black/grey/white they go with all my outfits, for now. It all comes down to personal preference on this one but I like the design/colour.
Price: ✩✩/5
These shoes are not cheap, at full price they were £150, however, I did get them in the sale for just £72 so I got them at less than half price (I like to look around for the cheapest price) - so if you're like me and like a bargain, you can go searching for a sale, but if I were to pay full price, I would say based on the first try that they were worth it but I would have to see how well they last over time - you have to get the most miles for your money!
Positives:
- Well fitted
- Good support
- Light and thick sole
- Good grip for trails
- Funky colours
- The grip goes all the way up on the front of the shoe
Negatives:
- Price could be an issue for some people (pricey)
- When I run it hits the sole of my feet quite hard and did hurt my shin a little (this could be my own issue, I am flat-footed)
- Laces ( I prefer the flyknit fit with no laces)
- Can fit too tight if you don't do the laces up correctly
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