For certain not being left behind, Hoka, the max cushion pioneer, considerably updates the OG of all max path sneakers, the Mafate. I really ran and hiked across the Mont Blanc within the OG Mafate in 2011. Its massive cushion was a groundbreaking innovation in an period dominated by extremely minimalist sneakers. We now know who received that race!
Unique 2010-2011 Hoka Mafate
Whereas the upcoming Rocket Path X and in line Tecton X 3 with their carbon plates and lighter weights deal with the entrance of the pack, the Mafate 5 focuses on the mid to again of the pack and lengthy days on path.
It ups its cushion recreation with 5 extra mm of stack top on the heel and 2mm extra upfront in comparison with Mafate Pace 4.
It now incorporates a considerably versatile plastic forefoot plate with winglets for stability (Rocker Integrity Expertise) and its loaded with an opulent and delicate but energetic twin density supercritical prime layer and EVA backside layer midsole.
The segmented Vibram Megagrip 5mm with Traction Lug continues.
The higher strikes to a dense but extremely breathable warp knit with intensive overlays.
I’ve to this point taken them for outings on consecutive days: a 12 mile flatter terrain hike and a 5 mile rail path run with mountains to come back. The image is already fairly clear. What an any path terrain, leg pleasant and enjoyable driving large!
Execs:
Experience, geometry, and higher designed for lengthy hours on path at average paces: ultras
Very plush, delicate, deeply cushioned experience with adequate stability from plate and outsole
Beneficiant higher: loads of room for many toes and foot swelling
Deep, very segmented MegaGrip outsole conforms to terrain, has flex and acts as suspension components: no harsh driving outsole on smoother terrain right here.
Cons:
Tongue might have a gusset or be padded to higher help the midfoot
Whereas it has an brisk and supremely cushion experience the load at 10.85 oz / 308g US 9 is up there and felt.
Stats
Approx. Weight: males’s 10.85 oz / 308g US 9 (prior 10.45 oz / 296g) ladies’s oz / g US8
Pattern Weights:
males’s 10.6 oz / 300g US 8.5
ladies’’s oz / g US
Full Stack Top:
males’s 45 mm heel / 37 mm forefoot (prior full stack top approx. 40/35)
ladies’s 43 mm heel / 35mm forefoot
Platform Width: 100 mm heel / 80 mm midfoot / 115 mm forefoot
Most comparable sneakers
La Sportiva Prodigio Max
Merrell MTL Adapt Matryx
First Impressions, Match and Higher
The higher options “warp knit with anti-fray remedy, a TPU cage, gaiter attachment factors, a dynamic vamp and reflective particulars”
The warp knit materials combines loads of construction with the beneficiant and non constricting foot conforming wrap helped by the exterior overlays. Whereas dense, it has some give however not a lot to really feel sloppy and is each particles proof and really breathable. It was scorching throughout my testing.
The semi inflexible heel counter is plushy padded, average in top with the foot nicely held
The tongue is a skinny dense closed mesh with an inside leatherette lining and has pads situated simply behind the lace eyelet reinforcement space.
There isn’t a gusset and the tongue will not be hooked up to the highest close to the eyelets. The midfoot quantity is beneficiant, factor, however I believe an elastic gusset would assist these of us like me with decrease quantity toes get a extra exact maintain for extra technical terrain makes use of given the enormous stack top. Not a problem to this point however I want for a bit extra midfoot safety,
The toe field could seem considerably slender however I discovered this to not be the case because the warp knit entrance of the shoe is delicate and pliable with the exterior overlays offering excellent help and a few give, together with the lengthy seen at Hoka black dynamic vamp insert which has some stretch.
The very entrance of the toe bumper is stout and agency with the perimeters fairly delicate and pliable, as a lot about defending the higher as serving to with room whereas additionally permitting the shoe to flex.
The match is true to dimension in all respects for my slender to medium quantity foot and must also accommodate reasonably huge toes as nicely. My solely match subject being the aforementioned potential want for a tongue gusset.
Midsole & Platform
The midsole options Hoka’s Rocker Integrity Expertise and a brand new dual-density midsole with a firmer supercritical foam prime layer (black above) and a barely softer compression molded EVA backside layer (teal)
The platform may be very excessive at 45 mm heel / 37 mm forefoot (prior full stack top approx. 40/35) and broad at 100 mm heel / 80 mm midfoot / 115 mm forefoot. It is a platform designed for optimum cushion on path
The twin foams midsole is delicate and plush as a result of efficient use of supercritical EVA underfoot (black) with a decrease layer (teal) of extra standard denser compression molded EVA under upfront. We’re not sure presently if the EVA extends as a core to the rear.
To supply some entrance stability and propulsion to the enormous 37mm forefoot stack top, Hoka incorporates Rocker Integrity Expertise, primarily a winged plastic forefoot plate.
Together with the segmented Vibram Megagrip, the entrance of the shoe is surprisingly clean and agile with a average rocker that’s clearly felt in any respect paces and particularly on flat clean terrain as most of my testing up to now has included.
The cushioning is extremely deep and forgiving with out being mushy or with that slowed down feeling which massive stack top sneakers with delicate foam can have.
It is a platform, cushioning, and plate system particularly designed for very lengthy days on path at average paces, be it on the run or mountain climbing on any terrain and not for weight financial savings . After my 12 mile hike on agency clean terrain and even some pavement on a scorching day, completely zero soreness the following day.
Outsole
The Mafate has a Vibram outsole with 5mm lugs and aspect Traction Lug, mini lugs stated to extend traction as much as 25%. So I count on loads of traction for even the roughest terrain and on snow in winter.
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The outsole is very segmented each via to the midsole and by way of its skinny underlying rubber plate. The entrance format provides the shoe a flex level in direction of midfoot (nice for uphills and stroll paces) with, to the entrance, a stiffer rocker profile as a result of plastic plate.
There’s a distinct sense that the outsole (and delicate midsole above) adapts to terrain variations because of its design. In contrast to extra steady rubber over normally firmer foam than right here the rocker impact can be clearly current with a pleasant stately roll in any respect paces and little or no slapping noise on laborious surfaces.
Experience, Conclusions and Suggestions
An enormous shoe for giant days within the mountains or simply a simple days cruiser and very good strolling and mountain climbing shoe.
Not gentle, however loaded with a lot of pleasant and leg pleasant cushion stacked method excessive and a really aggressive however on the identical time additionally clean terrain pleasant outsole design, the Mafate 5 has been a worthy successor to its pioneering OG.
I didn’t run the Mafate Pace 4 however others becoming a member of within the evaluate who’ve will quickly chime in. I may also be updating as quickly as I take them to the mountains. ‘
They’re for certain a candidate for our 8 day trek within the Alps this summer season. I notably just like the roomy but safe and breathable higher for these lengthy days with a lot of vertical and a good dimension pack and naturally all that leg saving cushion depth.
The burden is up there at 10.85 oz / 308g US 9 however one should contemplate the clearly already felt benefits of the enormous 45mm heel stack top and deep Vibram outsole. By the numbers, the 5 is 5mm increased on the heel and 2mm extra on the forefoot than the Pace 4 and will get a brand new supercritical foam on the rear and underfoot and this plush cushion is for certain felt.
I want Hoka would contemplate decreasing the outsole lugs to 4mm and produce the stack top down just a few millimeters to scale back weight. I may also desire that the decrease softer EVA layer be firmed up a bit for but extra stability over terrain with out dropping its floor conforming really feel.
The Mafate is positioned as the gap consolation shoe within the line with the upcoming significantly lighter, barely decrease stack top Rocket X Path and Tecton X 3 Hoka’s extremely race sneakers.
Extra to come back as I run and hike them extra, and the remainder of the RTR staff joins the evaluate, however clearly Hoka is units a excessive bar for lengthy distance path consolation with the Mafate 5.
9.3 /10 😊😊😊😊
Deductions for weight/overbuilt: why not 4mm lugs and fewer stack top though for certain the Mafate makes a really sturdy assertion with regards to nicely balanced tremendous max cushion for path.
4 Comparisons
Hoka Mafate Pace 4 (RTR Overview)
I personally didn’t check the Mafate Pace 4. Our different testers becoming a member of the evaluate quickly did and can intently examine. Their evaluate is above.
