HOKA’s New Carbon-Plated Trail Shoe Is Nearly Two Inches Tall, Why?

Does more equal better? That’s definitely the thinking behind the HOKA Mafate X, a trail runner with big stack, built for big distances.

If you’re into running shoes, you probably don’t need a recap on the size wars, so I’ll keep it short. Road running shoes got thicker, way thicker, and along with the addition of carbon fibre plates, records began tumbling.

 HOKA have been around since the minimalist running shoe craze of 2009, also known as that time when everyone got themselves injured. Ever heard of Born To Run? Essentially, while everyone was running around saying ‘less is more’, HOKA went the other way with the thickest running shoes anyone had ever seen. 

Maximalist running shoes are definitely in vogue again, but trail running shoes have been slow to catch up. That’s because they need to be more stable and more durable than the featherweight shoes you see at a road marathon, and all that height is a lot to handle on trails.

They’re big, but they don’t look or feel as out there as the numbers suggest

Recently, shoes like the HOKA Tecton X 3 and The North Face Vectiv Pro 3 have pushed up the thickness, with 40mm and 37mm stack heights respectively, so why’s the Mafate X so special?

Forty-nine millimetres.

Even with the 8mm heel-to-toe drop the front of this thing is higher than most of its competitors. Compared to road shoes, the HOKA Skyward X (46mm), Adidas Adizero Prime X 2 Strung (46mm, also, what?), and the Saucony Kinvara Pro (45mm) all bow down. I’m six foot tall in these things, but without them? Don’t ask.

More like Mafat-slay (sorry)

Foam For The Long Haul

‘Why?’ I hear you shouting, and fair call, the Mafate X is definitely an outlier. What HOKA has done here is create a shoe that’s all about going the distance (like this) and is less worried about navigating tricky terrain. 

Unlike the Tecton X 3, which has two carbon fibre plates side by side, PEBA performance foam throughout, and a Vibram Litebase sole, the Mafate X uses a more traditional single (but forked) carbon plate for maximum energy return.

On trails like this, with smaller features or sections to navigate, the Mafate X absolutely flies

There’s still PEBA at the core, but also supercritical (filled with tiny air bubbles) EVA foam for cushion. The EVA approach is a little heavier, but it’s also cheaper and durable, which we love. On the sole is Vibram Megagrip, which gives excellent traction, but the lugs are only 3.5mm deep to save weight. More than enough for navigating fire trails and well-made single track though.

All of this leads to a shoe that comes in at 343g for a men’s US10, and 292g for a women’s US8. That’s not light in anyone’s book, but they hide it well.

Heaps of foam, a bit of EVA, heel protection, a sturdy upper, and a carbon plate all contribute to the curb weight

Comfort Reigns Supreme

For long races, like the 100 milers the Mafate X is aimed at, protecting the legs from getting ‘beaten up’ is almost as important as how quickly you can turn them over.

That seems to be the approach with the Mafate X anyway. While you noticeably pull them through your stride, there’s a distinct feeling of freshness post run. Now this isn’t a review, but it’s safe to say that after a few runs, I started to understand.

The cushion and comfort gives you the confidence to up the pace, particularly on descents

I even did an interval workout on a flat road which…worked, but they’re definitely most at home loping along rolling fire trails, bombing down descents, and tackling smooth singletrack.

There’s something called ‘meta rocker’ which is designed to help you keep rolling, but it’s more aggressive than some other trail shoes and only comes alive with a bit of speed. I reckon HOKA’s marketing as a 100 mile shoe is fairly aspirational, as running at that speed for very long is reserved for the best athletes at races like Ultra Trail Australia. However for your weekend long run, or long run with a few harder efforts, the Mafate X is a great option to minimise the impact of all that pounding with a bit of speed in the mix.

Given how hard it is to bend 49mm of foam, even when it doesn’t have a carbon plate, the heel hold and lockdown has a break in period, and you won’t ever feel fully locked in on really steep or technical terrain.

Grip is meatier than 3.5mm might suggest, and features Vibram Megagrip goodness

Actually, running them a bit loose in general seems to be the play. There’s a nice amount of space in the forefoot to allow for your foot to splay properly, so that’s fine. They’re actually pretty stable thanks to their construction and width. It’s just the fear of getting it wrong and falling (rolling) from a height that’s keeping me from descending into the nasty stuff. That and the fact that I can’t feel the trail at all in these. But you know, duh.

The lightweight tongue is racy and best pulled up high before tying your laces

Built To Last

This is just my first look at the HOKA Mafate X, having given them about four runs, all wildly different. The key thing that’s standing out is how built they are. That slab of foam is going to stay springy for ages, the woven textile upper and protective elements feel uber tough, and we know that Vibram grip lasts. 

At $380 they’re by no means cheap, but they’re undercutting a few competitors and I’m all for that at the moment. Personally, I’ll be interested to see if they make it to that many podiums, but as a training companion, I know they’ll go the distance.

Photos by @jackjbrookes