The Clymb just launched a sale on Hoka One One trail shoes. For those who have not been following weird shoe technologies, these are a very different kind of shoe -- huge, fat EVA shoes that are supposed to absorb all the rocks in the trail, but still provide a mid-foot strike, similar to many barefoot shoes. Three different models for men and women are available, ranging from $70-$82 (normal prices are $170-$210, and they seldom discount). The huge soles are incredibly light, with the shoes ranging fom ~9-11 oz, depending on the size and model (this is based on what I've read in reviews).

I've read a bunch of reviews for this technology, and reviews are mixed. Many trail runners -- including several serious runners who normally run in barefoot shoes -- like them for certain kinds of trails, particularly bombing downhill on rocky ground. Others like them for protecting their feet if they've recently sustained an injury, since they appear to offer more ground protection than any other lightweight mid-strike shoe. I haven't bit yet on a pair, but I'm considering it as a backup shoe for use if I get injured. I know I've had some recent stubbed toes in VFFs that have been brutal.

Anyway, it's an interesting technology, and this is a great deal for anyone who is curious. But I'd definitely recommend doing some reading up on these before considering a purchase -- they stick to the lightweight philosophy, but are very different than anything else available. Enjoy.

Standard full disclosure for The Clymb or any similar site: if you click through the link and buy anything, they credit $10 to my account... which I appreciate. I have no affiliation with Hoka One One, The Clymb, or any other gear site, except as a fellow gear junkie searching for deals.

Tim
what can you say about this company ??
I just took a chance and bought some Hokas from a company I never heard of.
yes they are very cheap ... if they are for real, and ever show up

Hokas are gaining popularity among the ultra running crowd. They claim that even after a 100 miler the feet and legs feel fine.

The Clymb is a legitimate company, but shipping is slow so be prepared to wait a few weeks.

Edited by jakep_82 on 08/24/2011 14:06:48 MDT.

Art,
Jake's got it right. The Clymb is legit as a company -- I've ordered from them several times, as I know a lot of other users here have, and I've never heard reports of any problems.

The only downside is that shipping is slow. Somewhere around 3 weeks appears to be "normal" for shipping times, based on my experience. My guess is that the site only acts as a front end for merchandise that is warehoused elsewhere by someone else, and it takes a while for all the back end infrastructure to get things in the mail.

However, I've had good communication with them when I had a question on a product, and the stuff I've gotten has been perfect at great prices.

The main thing I keep the site in my feed for is shoe sales. They are the only place I know of that ever does clearance events on Terra Plana VivoBarefoot shoes, which are my current favorites for pretty much every activity -- from the outdoors to the office. No where else I've seen has ever had the Vivo's more than 20% off. In the last six months, they've had three separate sales at The Clymb with Vivo's 50+% off, which is huge savings on shoes that are $150+.

Anyway, I hope the Hoka's work out for you. In general, I've kept getting more minimalist, and I haven't convinced myself that the Hoka's are worth it, since at this point my wife is starting to make fun of me for having more shoes in my closet than she does ... which is weird, since I'm happiest when I'm barefoot. But after two ACL-surgeries (from playing Ultimate), I've been trying different shoes to see whet is going to work out best for long-term health. Living in a city that's 2 hours from decent trails, most of my time is spent on pretty kind terrain, so the Hoka's would just be overkill, but I'm intrigued by the idea behind them.

For "foot protection" and hauling downhill on rocks, I've got two pairs of the Inov-8 X-Talon 240s that I picked up on clearance that are awesome on dry rock (not so good on wet) and loose dirt. Weighing in at 9oz each (size 10.5), they are my current favorites for really bad conditions that need traction. Otherwise, I'm in VFFs or Vivo's.

Tim
I'd be using the Hokas for 50 and 100 mile trail runs.
they look really clunky, but a growing number of ultra runners swear by them.
supposedly your feet and legs feel almost as fresh at the end of a long run as at the start.
Wasn't willing to experiment at $170 (their full price).
but at $70, they are worth testing out at least.
Thanks for the heads up.

Art,
Let me know how they work for you... I may test a pair next time they come up. This is the first time I've seen them on The Clymb, but they seem to have ongoing relationships with a lot of places, and experience leads me to expect a similar sale in another 2-4 months.

Tim