Kit & Gear

REVIEW: HOKA Bondi X

Say hello to the HOKA Bondi X - now more responsive and efficient, no matter how many miles you run.

A maximally-cushioned road shoe, the Bondi X has made carbon-fibre speed available to all types of runners - you don’t need to race to feel the optimum difference. The original Bondi cushioning and lines are here, providing the soft, balanced ride for which the franchise is known. Expertly engineered to go the distance, it fine-tunes the geometry with an extended rocker for greater acceleration, while the spring-loaded carbon-fibre plate provides an efficient transition and ultra-smooth toe-off.

This next generation running shoe is designed to deliver a more efficient and responsive ride through every step towards the finishing line.

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Image courtesy ofDavid Miller

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Image courtesy of David Miller

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Alfie Manthorpe has been busy putting the HOKA Bondi X road running shoes to the test. Here he provides a detailed review of HOKA’s latest road running release;

HOKA have been a prominent force in the high stack running shoe space over the last few years, but for me personally they’ve lacked innovation that has put them on a gradual decline compared to other footwear companies that have been prevalent in foam and structure innovation. However, the HOKA Bondi X, as well as the HOKA Ricon 3 and HOKA Mach 4 have firmly established HOKA back at the top of the game.

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THE UPPER

Nothing new here, so if you like the HOKA upper then you’ll like this. For me an upper just needs a good lockdown and to be breathable. The major factors I look for in a shoe are in the midsole. I use the runners knot for this shoe to keep it secure as I would say I needed a bit more extra lockdown around my heel. Although the front part of the shoe was perfect.

Breathability wise I haven’t noticed any issues and with a running shoe, I’d say no news is good news. Meaning if there’s nothing noticeable then it’s a good thing because all the focus can be on your running and you’re confident the shoe is getting its job done. This shoe certainly does this.

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MIDSOLE

It’s HOKA's biggest shoe so what do you expect? It's exactly how you would imagine it to be. A lot of foam means a lot of impact reduction. In terms of impact, it makes running on the road feel like you’re running on grass. Also, the carbon plate does its job perfectly. Rather than making the shoe more aggressive, it allows you to not put the extra effort in like you normally would with heavy shoes. I run a lot of hills so it’s great having a shoe that can handle the impact of going downhill whilst remaining efficient in not making running uphill feel like a living hell.

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Image courtesy of David Miller

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DURABILITY

I think the HOKA Bondi X should go the distance. There’s plenty of sturdy rubber on the outsole grip, which is something that has been an issue in previous HOKA shoes. I’m confident the grip will last longer in the Bondi X. There’s so much foam I also think the carbon plate will keep its integrity for as long as you need it to. I predict at least 600-miles before you need to start thinking about a replacement.

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WHAT I’D LIKE TO SEE

The HOKA Profly foam within the Mach 4 contends with the Nike ZoomX and New Balance Fuelcell foams. In an ideal world I’d love to see that foam used inside the midsole of the Bondi X, as well as other HOKA shoes. Although this shoe is still the best of the bunch for HOKA in terms of mileage, I think that addition would quite possibly put this shoe above any other.

For now, it still very much fits into my rotation, and I’d use it frequently for easy and steady runs on any surface. The one time I’d avoid using it is on very easy days where recovery is number one priority. Previously, my two top shoes for that are the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v11 and the Nike ZoomX Invincible. However, since owning the Bondi X it’s now the shoe I pick up most days.

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Image courtesy of HOKA

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WHO WOULD I RECOMMEND IT FOR?

If you’re already a fan of HOKA shoes then this is a no brainer. Especially if you like the previous Bondi Models. This shoe is ideal for a variety of runners; new runners, it’s great for injury prevention due to the amount of foam underfoot which reduces impact and the same applies for seasoned runners cranking up high mileage.

SHOP THE HOKA BONDI X RUNNING SHOE HERE

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Alfie Manthorpe is the CEO of Trackstaa, a company aiming to inspire athletes all over the world with their exclusive content and dedicated running channels.

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