The Hoka One One Claytons

The long awaited Clayton shoe has finally arrived and I've managed to get in three runs in order to form a somewhat respectable review. I know I should log a few more miles in them, but I can say I've done a 22 miler and two moderate 10k's.

I've been anticipating this shoe for a while after hearing rumors about the slightly larger forefoot area, slimmer profile, yet supreme cushion and lightness. It seemed too good to be true! I bought them at Running Warehouse for $150.

side by side with the Hoka Odyssey 1's

Out of the box, the shoe looks great. It's feather light, probably the lightest running shoe I've ever owned, coming in at 6.3 oz for a women's size 9 shoe, almost a full ounce less than the Odyssey 2. I wouldn't say it's their prettiest design, but it's okay. The way they built up the sole on the sides make them look much taller than they actually are, so you still kind of look like you're wearing moon shoes.

sorry...I got these a little dirty, not like this out of the box! 

The women's came in this bright orange and black color, or a blue/orange color. Neither of them were really screaming to me, so I just went with the bright orange since the blue wouldn't match with my already bright clothes.

The tongue design is great, and way better than their attempt at the Odyssey 2 tongue. It's flexible, not too rigid and not paper thin. The laces also appear to be just the right length, and I don't worry about them coming undone.

One of the features the shoe boasts about is the firmer forefoot and softer heel to enable a better push off with your toe. I personally didn't notice a firm forefoot, or at least the sensation didn't bother me.

my dog is bored with me

When I put them on, they immediately felt comfortable. They were truly more roomy in the forefoot which is something I've been dreaming for since Hoka's even came out. With all of their shoes I've always gotten blisters on either the side of my foot or the side of my big toes. It is a common complaint, and one that a lot of runners just deal with since they love the cushioning so much.

I took them on a 10k run with coworkers. They were great! I could tell that they were lower to the ground at 19mm in the forefoot and 23 in the heel, but they remain super cushy. One of my favorite parts about them were the lack of hard rubber in the bottom so the footfall was nearly silent.

The only thing was that I noticed my left foot was developing a blister under the arch where the insole meets the shoe. My right foot did not have this issue at all, so I'm not sure if this is anything to really worry about unless maybe your feet are wider.

The very next morning I had a 22 mile run scheduled. I tried to peel myself out of bed to catch the sunrise, which left me chaotically grabbing my running gear out of order to get out the door in time.

Since I figured the blister might flare up or get larger, I cut out a piece of moleskin in case I would need to use it.

Sorry for the gross foot photo, but this is where my blister formed

I did. I wasn't even a mile in before I started to feel it again, so I slapped a piece of moleskin on it. By the way, this stuff is AWESOME. I continued to run in them with absolutely zero issues.

The shoes are light and responsive. They are built to have a more firm forefoot and a cushioned heel for runners that start to lose form and heel strike. I know that I have a tendency to heel strike, I think because my gate is so neutral without any pronation.

Running 22 miles is never easy, but I was able to maintain a really good pace without a lot of effort. I'm not sure how much the shoes contributed, but they never got uncomfortable and my feet never hurt which has to be saying something.

Post-run, I did notice that my lower legs did feel a little more battered than normal. My shins were not sore but tight. These issues didn't carry over into the next day though, but I think your lower legs will get more of a workout with these shoes if you're used to one of the more highly cushioned Hoka's.

Finally, tonight I took them for another spin with my coworkers. They were great, and I did put another piece of moleskin on just in case. I'm hoping I can break them in so that part is less bothersome.

All was going well until I tripped over a rock and everything started to move into slow motion. My toe caught onto this medium sized stone embedded into the trail, and I accepted my fate and nearly face planted into the cement.

I was fine. I'm sure I'm going to get some pretty major bruising on my hip, and I have to get my phone fixed since I shattered the screen. I also ripped my jacket but hey, at least I was wearing the jacket or there would have for sure been blood!

That's when I got home and really looked at the size of the Claytons. The toe juts out a little father than I would like. I compared it to my Nike Wildhorses since they fit my feet like a dream and are my all time favorite fitting shoes in the same size 7, and the Claytons look a full size larger!

side by side with the Nike Wildhorse

I have a full thumbs width between my big toe and the top of the shoe, so maybe I should size down but I am not entirely sure since I am already getting some blisters on my arch. Usually size 7 is my go to for Hoka's, especially because of the blistering on the toes. I mayyy try for 6.5.

It's not really fair to compare those two though since they are wildly different shoes, and when compared to the Hoka Challengers (Basically these are the Cliftons with additional tread for trails), they seemed pretty similar in length.

side by side with the Hoka Challenger

The Claytons are a little bit wider though. Since they are so wide and flat in the forefoot, it's hard not to think they feel very paddle-like. It doesn't bother me much but it would be nice to have more forefoot in the upper and less on the sole, they don't feel as nimble as I would like.

this is the overlap of the forefoot, the other side of the foot is flush.

Here's how it looks against my old Altra Olympus shoes. I really love Olympus uppers and the foot shape. They are wide and let my toes splay out but not too long so I don't trip over them. Unfortunately they are pretty friggen ugly, and the soles are super stiff and heavy. You can really see how pointy the Hoka's are in comparison though.

side by side with the Altra Olympus

side by side with the Altra Olympus

So...it's kind of a mixed review. I love them, but I think there is still plenty of room for improvement. I love how lightweight they are, and how they were able to maintain the signature Hoka cushioning with a lower profile and a SUPER light shoe. I wish they contoured my fit more and were a little more refined around the sides. It's certainly a step into a great direction, and I'll keep putting the miles in these to see if I warm up to them more. Probably going to be alternating between these and my Odyssey's from now on; let's just hope I don't take any more falls!