Hoka Mafate X Hiking Review | Maximum Cushion Meets Trail Safety

What happens when Hoka takes a max cushioned running shoe and turns it in to a hiking boot? Very good things, that’s what. Here’s our full review of the Hoka Mafate X hiking.

Previously I reviewed the Hoka Mafate X trail running shoe and let’s be honest I had a lot of really great things to say, which you might see repeated here. Why?

Because Hoka truly took the bottom part of that shoe, all the cushion and the fun outsole and the plate and incorporated in to a hiking boot. And since so many people now reach for a trail running shoe to hike, instead of a boot, we think this might get them to switch back.

So great in fact we watched a number of elite Hoka athletes dawn them for the Canyons 100 miler! Yes, even at 49mm stack height it’s not considered illegal in the trail world.

With that mind blowing bit of information, let’s get in to this.

Hoka Mafate X Hiking Overview

I’ve already told you the Mafate X won me over, but I was curious about what it would mean as a hiking shoe. Since the middle portion and traction are the same, some of this will be repetitive, BUT we need to talk about the upper and the Recco features.

Technically with all the running shoe features, you could indeed run some in this shoe. Always nice in case you run in to the ever asked about “what if you see a bear”.

Introduced 15 years ago, the Hoka Mafate has been a go to for many trail runners. It’s designed to tackle technical trails with a moderate cushion and snug fit. The Mafate X on the other hand is better for gravel and has a wider fit to allow for foot swelling over those long miles.

Seriously, they had me at pizza. Imagine the fun little designs we’re leaving all over the trails!!Now while they said good for gravel, honestly we took these 3.5mm lugs on some sketchy downhills and uphills with zero issues. I’m not a way out in the middle of nowhere hiker, so for me I can’t imagine a trail on which these wouldn’t have enough traction and with the Vibram plenty of grip for wet spots.

If you like cushion, this will not disappoint. It is a big stack and a soft cushion underfoot. You won’t be lacking for support, but you also won’t be questioning if this is a cushioned shoe.

The downside for some is lacking a little ground contact feel. I personally am happy to give that up for longer time hiking in comfort.

Like most carbon plated shoes, they used two foams: super critical EVA on the bottom and PEBA for the top layer. Sandwiching the forked carbon plate between these two provides that combo of super soft feeling with stability.

The forked plate is designed to allow for more mobility and spring in the foot over trail terrain. A really smart design choice that you can feel hitting big rocky areas.Additionally, it has a slight meta rocker. This isn’t old school rocker walking shoes, it has a similar feel to the Hoka Skyward X. That’s another huge cushioned shoe with a plate that always surprises in how it can still pick up the pace…forward motion helps!

The rocker is helping that transition from heel to toe, which prevents you from feeling weighed down. This is a key feature of Hoka shoes and it’s nice to see it carried through in a hiking boot which is often a bit heavier, so that roll is extra beneficial.

This is a shoe that’s going to stand out and they want it that way! From 100 yards you’ll know someone is wearing the Hoka colors and it’s meant to be fun. They even added other fun tactile things on the shoe to go along with those pizza slices on the outsole.

Recco Safety

Have you ever heard that something has Recco, and you knew that meant tracking…but not really how that works? Me too. Luckily, I was able to get a great demonstration of this feature and for those of you who hike solo or do big backcountry adventures it’s a really nice touch that the brand has taken on cost wise.There’s no subscription, nothing you need to to except wear the gear.

Should something happen, a helicopter flying over the forest canopy will hang down a detector that reflects off the Recco tag. It can take the place of hundreds of people searing an area for days and whittle it down to minutes.

This is the first HOKA shoe to ever have this technology.

Mafate X Hiking Fit

Putting these on the first time felt a little funky, but I quickly decided I like it. The neoprene reminds me of years ago wrapping my knee, ha.

You’ll slide your foot in to that bootie like fit. It’s very soft and the outsole piece do add stability, but it just isn’t the same super firm feeling that dissuades me from a lot of hiking boots. This is so much more comfortable!The lacing system is also a win for me. The elastic laces are another easy way to dial in the fit or leave it looser as feet swell overtime. Going uphill or down, I didn’t notice any issues with my foot pulling out of the boot or heel rubbing.

You can see the molded pieces on the outside of the shoe which they call a Rearfoot-Focused Active Foot Frame™.  Every brand has their different tools, but for Hoka it’s small shifts in the height of the midsole foam to ensure you get that locked in feeling.

All right, that’s our Hoka Mafate X Hiking review.

We absolutely love your feedback. Are you a big hiker? Do you usually wear boots or go for trail running shoes?

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