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Comment by loeg | Hacker News Reader

Hoka blew up in the running space, like, ten+ years ago. The first Cliftons were pretty novel for being extremely plush. Light-ish weight maxi shoes weren't really a thing before Hoka popularized them. Now every running shoe brand offers something in that space.

More recently I think they've been adopted by the "active retiree" crowd? They're nice to walk in.

(I owned some of the original Cliftons myself. Did not love the flimsy tongue or cheap insoles that would slide around and crumple under your toes.)

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Yes, for running mountain centuries and ultras.

Karl "Speedgoat" Meltzer broke the Appalachian Trail record in them, and whoever was doing marketing then really blew a big bubble with that result.

Trad brands didn't stand a chance against that sole and backstory.

https://thewalkahead.com/2016/09/21/karl-meltzer-crushes-at-...

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/run/clown-shoe-th...

Thats interesting because what your first link tells is that he did change shoes twice as often as normal (every 122 miles instead of every 300 miles), which for me personally would be a clear sign to stay away from these shoes. But ok, I guess many runners are more fixated on their racing clock instead of longevity of their shoes.

I wouldn't let that concern me at all. Large sections of the Appalachian Trail (including all of PA) are extremely rocky. It's hell on shoes. Having said that, I much prefer my Nike trail shoes to the Speedgoats I had.

Yes it was a speedrun. Fresh kicks, more clicks.

I think Hoka's Speedgoat trainers really do live up to the marketing.

I do a lot of mountain and trail running here in Norway, and I've exclusively used Hoka Speedgoats for the last five years. Their performance is excellent.

(Just walking around any Norwegian town, it seems like the majority of trainers are Hokas.)

Just running in general. Not only ultras.

My orthopedic doc and Google doc both said to get Hoka for the foot pain I am having.

I was at a small restaurant last week. Was chatting with the two owners. All three of us were wearing Hoka Bondi.

I am an ex-runner (hip issues). Wore Asics gel kayano for 30 years. Now I'm a Hoka man.

> and Google doc

A doctor employed by Google? A document you maintain and the AI autocomplete recommended Hoka? Something else?

"Google doc" is my girlfriend's term for asking Google medical questions.

Lol thank you for the explanation

Ran in Asics Gel Kayanos for 20+ years and I'm in Hokas now too.

Hoka was advertised as walking on clouds, I bought a pair just for walking and being comfortable. My knees were hurting me sometimes after physical exercise and these shoes are everything advertised.

I just posted something similar. I think Hokas are in Facebook territory now. My 75 year old dad has been wearing them for 3 years. We just hiked in Alaska, and every single person retirement age or older was wearing Hokas.

I wonder if this is a market signal to short Hoka; old people wearing them will be dead in <10 years, and no young person will be caught dead wearing them because it's an old person shoe. What is the Instagram of shoes?

Good thing for Hoka that the world keeps producing fresh batches of old people. They’ll do fine.

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