HOKA Carbon X 3 'Mountain Spring Puffin's Bill' 1123192‐MSPBL

I run at least a 5K/day at OrangeTheory Fitness.Upon the X3's launching, I was watching many negative or lackluster reviews on YouTube (more so centered around the upper knit). I was worried however, I went through with the steep-priced purchase; I'm very glad I did! The shoe is super comfortable & supportive IMO. This has become my FAVORITE running shoe and I will purchase again once needed. One thing that stood out the most is the durability (integrity) of how this shoe's PERFORMANCE holds up over time. I've been using mine for 6+ months and I don't feel a noticeable difference (or at all) since my first time using them. I purchased a pair of ON Running shoes and I felt that the responsiveness/integrity of the shoe withered away within just 1-2 months. I don't ... MoreI run at least a 5K/day at OrangeTheory Fitness.Upon the X3's launching, I was watching many negative or lackluster reviews on YouTube (more so centered around the upper knit). I was worried however, I went through with the steep-priced purchase; I'm very glad I did! The shoe is super comfortable & supportive IMO. This has become my FAVORITE running shoe and I will purchase again once needed. One thing that stood out the most is the durability (integrity) of how this shoe's PERFORMANCE holds up over time. I've been using mine for 6+ months and I don't feel a noticeable difference (or at all) since my first time using them. I purchased a pair of ON Running shoes and I felt that the responsiveness/integrity of the shoe withered away within just 1-2 months. I don't know if the X3's seem to hold up so well because of the Carbon Plate or some other factor but I'm a super happy customer. Love the two-toned split design as I feel this is the most attractive pair that Hoka offers; I do wish they had more (subtle/neutral) color options. One con (I went with the black/white two-toned color), is that the white side (inside) has gotten very dirty but that's expected. I'm a bit OCD when it comes to this however, due to the great performance of the shoe, it didn't faze me as much as it normally would. I might go with a darker two-toned color next time around.

At the recommendation of my Podiatric Surgeon I bought these shoes. They are honestly the best show I think I've ever had on my feet. (also the most expensive I've ever worn) Very comfortable and really help with my foot pain.Size was just what I expected and the width was perfect.I have two complaints. The first is color choices. All these fancy colors really look great but because of my medical issues I need to be able to wear these shoes all the time. Work or play, church or business meetings. Can we just get a plain black or white shoe? Heck, I'll even settle for gray or just about any type of darker, way less flashy color. I just don't like the lack of color choices and honestly I don't need all that.Second is the way these shoes "lace up". Basically they ... MoreAt the recommendation of my Podiatric Surgeon I bought these shoes. They are honestly the best show I think I've ever had on my feet. (also the most expensive I've ever worn) Very comfortable and really help with my foot pain.Size was just what I expected and the width was perfect.I have two complaints. The first is color choices. All these fancy colors really look great but because of my medical issues I need to be able to wear these shoes all the time. Work or play, church or business meetings. Can we just get a plain black or white shoe? Heck, I'll even settle for gray or just about any type of darker, way less flashy color. I just don't like the lack of color choices and honestly I don't need all that.Second is the way these shoes "lace up". Basically they don't. The laces are over some sort of elastic type material so they're almost like a slip on except they are very very difficult to get on. I'm not even sure if I was still running that this would be how I would want my shoe to stay on. It's incredibly inconvenient and some days I don't wear them because I just don't feel like wrestling them to get them on my feet. By the next day, however, I'm very motivated to get back in them due to the foot pain.So, can we get these in a style that's easier to get on and can we please have them in some basic colors? Black, white, brown, gray?

This is my second pair of Hokas. I picked these up because I work in a restaurant and have to stand for typically more than 7 hours at a time. I’m 5’9” and weigh 245. I have weak arches (read flat feet) and over pronate so my first pair were Arahi 5’s. Let me be clear about this before I begin. I LOVED my Arahi 5’s. However, I needed a new pair of shoes and I wanted to change the flavor up a bit since more support usually means a heavier shoe. I decided to pull the trigger on the Carbon X because I figured the carbon plate would help with stability/support while still feeling light. I read some mixed reviews on this specific model but went forward with the purchase anyway. So let’s get into it.Feel: these shoes are very very different from the Arahi’s. You can feel ... MoreThis is my second pair of Hokas. I picked these up because I work in a restaurant and have to stand for typically more than 7 hours at a time. I’m 5’9” and weigh 245. I have weak arches (read flat feet) and over pronate so my first pair were Arahi 5’s. Let me be clear about this before I begin. I LOVED my Arahi 5’s. However, I needed a new pair of shoes and I wanted to change the flavor up a bit since more support usually means a heavier shoe. I decided to pull the trigger on the Carbon X because I figured the carbon plate would help with stability/support while still feeling light. I read some mixed reviews on this specific model but went forward with the purchase anyway. So let’s get into it.Feel: these shoes are very very different from the Arahi’s. You can feel the carbon plate in the shoe holding your foot in a very specific manner. The carbon plate and outsole guide your foot through a complete heel to toe strike which is really nice. In addition there’s a ton of return energy in the foam they use in the mid/out sole of this shoe and definitely what makes the package worthwhile. I can totally see why people consider this a race day shoe, or at least for longer distance training.Fit: This is where I have mixed feelings and most of the negative reviews really rose to the surface. The upper part of the shoe is flyknit which is technically supposed to mold to your feet, but truthfully this is one of the areas in which the shoe lacks. This style of shoe is made for those of us that have a thicker instep than outstep (idk if this makes any sense). But if you find that the inside part of your foot from ankle to bottom of foot is wide (read thick) this flyknit design is made for you. However. The flyknit material over the toe box seems “molded”. So if your foot tapers from back to front it may seem “loose” fitting. Which is the antithesis of flyknit. This does not bother me though, as I’m not looking to run 10+ miles. However, what does bother me is that the collar or opening of the shoe really doesn’t stretch much making it a bit difficult to get into. I guess this was Hokas way of making their flyknit different? Here’s the disclaimer— it’s not easy to get your thick foot inside at first. It’s like they made the shoe for us but not necessarily with us in mind. You’ll realize this when you go to lace the shoe for the first time. Again, because it’s flyknit the laces are almost just for decoration instead of for actually securing your foot. Please be aware that my comments on foot thickness should not be misconstrued for wideness. Which brings me to my next point. I don’t require wide shoes. If you do or generally find yourself pushing that boundary on ordinary shoes I would recommend you go for a wide size if available.Finish: The outsole seems as if it is made up of a very soft rubber compound. So I do not anticipate these shoes lasting very long, regardless of what you use them for. I’ve worn these shoes through numerous shifts ranging from as little as 5 hours to 9 hours and they feel exactly the same the last step you take with them on as they did the first step you took that day. There’s no denying that the carbon plate is at least partly responsible for that. The shoes are so light that when I picked up the box they were shipped in, I thought someone had stolen the shoes out of the box and just left the box on my doorstep. They are THAT light!Summary: I’m actually glad that I decided to branch out and try a different product from Hoka. It was a toss up between these Carbon X’s or just going for a brand new pair of Arahi 7’s. The fact that I was saving about $45 from one model to the other is what pushed me in this direction. I will say however that for my intended use (work shoe) the Arahis might’ve been a better option. The color way that was available to me is fine. Grey and highlighter yellow top. They do feel super comfortable and part of that comfort comes from the carbon plate and mid/out sole material working together to get you to heel to toe strike in stride over and over again. I think that if you’re like me (in foot shape) and are able to afford trying something different these shoes would be a good purchase or at the very least a viable candidate on your shortlist.