FIRST LOOK: HOKA CIELO X1 3.0

HOKA have just dropped the third iteration of their pinnacle race day shoe and dropping some significant weight in the process to make the Cielo X1 range more competitive than ever.

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Now the lightest supershoe in HOKA's race day line-up, the Cielo X1 3.0 has undergone some serious upgrades to offer the experience of racing in the fast lane.

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Read on to find out more about what to expect in this all new carbon racer.

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Straight out of the box, the Cielo X1 3.0 feels like it's ready to race. Lighter than the Cielo X1 2.0, the Cielo X1 3.0 comes in at 213g for a men’s UK 9.5, a cool 16g lighter than the Cielo X1 2.0 and 13g lighter than its supershoe counterpart, the Rocket X 3. For women, you're looking at 175g for a UK 6.5.

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When you consider how far the Cielo has come in terms of its weight from its inception, you’re looking at an overall weight cut of 51g, which shows HOKA’s real big push to be up there with its competitors.

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In terms of who the Cielo X1 3.0 is for, it certainly maintains its place for those looking for pure speed in their road races, from 5K up to the marathon, however when you consider the technology as a whole, the Cielo X1 3.0 is going to tackle the marathon distances better on race day, particularly now since this third iteration offers a more stable option than its predecessor thanks to the lack of midsole cutouts which both the first and second version featured.

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The Cielo X1 3.0 features an all new full length carbon fibre plate design which omits the “winged” design found in the previous versions and compliments the all new heel geometry design which has been refined for enhanced stability - fans of the Cielo X1 2.0 who found this version more unstable rejoice!

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While the same 7mm drop features in the Cielo X1 3.0 as the Cielo X1 2.0 (and Rocket X 3), we have a 1mm increase in stack height, which features the same supercritical PEBA foam as the Cielo X1 2.0 so will continue to deliver the top performance you'd expect from a supershoe.

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A noticeable change is the material which has been used for the upper of this 3rd version compared to its predecessor. This version 3 features a highly engineered Leno weave textile which is an effective, strong and sheer weaving technique that makes the overall upper of this model more streamlined. Quite the difference to the jacquard mesh we saw on the 2.0.

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Where we see the weight reductions made to this version is in the heel and tongue where the 3.0 has been stripped of some of its material in pursuit of a lighter overall shoe all the while maintaining a secure fit thanks to the added asymmetrical lacing.

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Supershoes historically lack the grip for taking on race conditions that may encounter wetter conditions and compared to the sticky rubber outsole found on both the 2.0 and Rocket X 3, the Cielo X1 3.0 features a compression-moulded polyurethane outsole to offer better grip at a reduced weight

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Want to find out more? We've been busy collecting all the latest tips & expert advice for marathon training and race days. Our Marathon category lets you experience real in-the-moment stories as we dive deeper into Q&A with athletes, kit reviews, nutritional advice and so much more!