Hoka Carbon X2

Hoka carbon x2 here. They're worth about 5-7 seconds/km for me. I'm slow and old, with a 5km pb of 21:18. All of my shoes are Hoka, so I'm used to the shape and fit. The carbons are quicker for sure, but way harder than a non-carbon sole.

Yesterday i went to my local store to purchase some carbon x2s but they didn't have my size so i had to order them online. The shoes I received were used and not lightly used either.. At first i thought the soles were just a bit dirty from someone trying them on in the store and walking around a bit...

Lightweight, stiff and stable shoe with minimal upper. Plenty of cushion but it didn't feel spongy. Looking forward to running longer distances in these. I typically can't wear Hoka's because I have a wider forefoot and they tend to run small, but these were an exception. They fit well and didn't gi...

Perfect fit

I’m on my first hoka Carbon x2, and ya…you notice a difference. I’m in the 4-4:30hr on the run of IM. Shoes are comfy, stable and feel quick. My cadence increased right away and i can’t wait to try them in STG.

Cue this second-edition of Hoka’s Carbon X, which faces carbon competition from the likes of Adidas, Brooks and the giants who re-started this carbon craze, Nike (Reebok and Zoot were both experimenting with carbon soles in the 1990s and 2000s, respectively). How much is performance-based versus sellable-based is hard to quantify short of a lab, especially in the X2 as the carbon plate is sandwiched between a soft-foam insole and rubberised-foam outsole that results in a foundation that’s 32mm at the heel and 27mm in the forefoot (it’s 30mm heel, 25mm forefoot in the women’s version). The result is a carbon plate that’s arguably consumed by foam, meaning it lacks the explosive propulsion of, say, Nike’s ground-breaking Alphafly

They're not as fast as a plated shoe, but are wonderfully light for the amount of cushion you get. I use them for my long runs at the moment. I've recently bought my first carbon played shoe (Hoka Carbon X2) and use them for all my fast days.

With the Carbon X 2, HOKA has truly delivered on a really strong plated offering more for the average runners.

But the X 2 was the wiser choice. The shoe surprisingly worked in my favor because of its comfort and stiffness. When I ran the Boston Marathon virtually last fall in the Pros, by mile 20 the top of my right foot was sore from pressure, the shoe’s upper too narrow, the lacing too tight

Hoka Carbon X2

Great for both racing and training. You have that wide Hoka platform so no stability issues. Rocker + close to the ground carbon plate makes turnover super easy for many miles.