By Paul Freary
Since its launch in 2014, the HOKA Clifton has slowly become one of the most popular shoes of the 2020s. At a time when the running market believed that highly cushioned shoes had to be heavy and cumbersome, the original Clifton challenged that by delivering an unprecedented combination of maximum cushioning and low weight.
Let's find out if the Clifton 11 has any major updates.
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Stats
HOKA | Clifton 11 |
|---|---|
Best for | Daily trainer for those wanting a deep, soft cushioned ride |
Support | Stability |
Cushion | Max cushioning |
Stack Height | 42mm Heel 34mm Forefoot |
Drop | 8mm |
Weight | Men 283g (9.99oz) Women 236g (8.32oz) |
Suggested Retail Price | $155 |
Fit | (for HOKA – see Fit below) |
Rating | 8.0/ 10 |
Design
HOKA’s MetaRocker is the geometry of the shoe, describing the rocker shape from the heel to the forefoot, designed to help the high stack of foam roll forward more easily.
Rearfoot-focused Active Foot Frame for more supportive landings. See Performance section below.
A new open cell sockliner provides a slightly improved step-in feel.
Hoka Clifton 11 - Top View Inside Shoe
Compression-moulded EVA foam midsole provides the cushioning.
Clifton 11
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Fit
The new Clifton 11 fits true-to-size for HOKA in terms of both length and width. As always with HOKA, where many brands convert from US to UK sizes by subtracting one full size, HOKA goes a half size smaller.
Hoka Clifton 11 - Midsole
To avoid confusion, go with your usual US size!
Hoka Clifton 11
The HOKA Clifton 11 is available in three width fittings and 7 color options at launch.
Performance
It is very difficult to say anything new about the Clifton 11 in terms of ride simply because it is so very similar to the previous model, the Clifton 10.
Hoka Clifton 11 - Heel Rear
The only difference that affects the ride at all is the addition of a new sockliner, but this is a very minor improvement and being only a few mm thick, any additional cushioning bottoms out upon initial impact.
The rearfoot-focused Active Foot Frame goes largely unnoticed; in fact, when examining the shoe, I struggle to find what it might actually refer to other than the general geometry of the rearfoot. The midsole cups the heel a little and creates ‘general’ stability.
For its lack of change, the Clifton 11 still remains a very capable shoe and offers a deeply cushioned ride with a relatively smooth forward rolling experience.
Hoka Clifton 11 - Side View
The shoe fits well and provides a nice enough running experience in a very competitive section of the market. Given its longevity, it deserves more attention from the brand to help it keep abreast of the ever-evolving competition.
Shoes Similar to Clifton 11
The neutral cushioned daily training shoe sector of the running market is perhaps the most competitive. With that, every brand has a model that potentially competes with the Clifton 11.
Hoka Clifton 11 - Upper
The Saucony Ride 19 now uses a PEBA-based midsole foam. One of the latest generations of midsole materials, it offers a highly responsive, almost ‘springy’ ride.
Brooks Ghost 18
Brooks Ghost 18 uses nitrogen-infused foam in its midsole. Again, nitrogen midsoles are a ‘new-generation’ of cushioning and provide a lighter, livelier and more durable cushioning material.
Mizuno Wave Rider 30
The recently released Mizuno Wave Rider 30 is the most recent update to this popular model and again uses a nitrogen-infused foam, Enerzy. The deep stack used in the new Wave Rider really transforms the ride of this model and offers a modern, responsive feel.
These popular competitor brand shoes all offer a new, more responsive feel than the now somewhat ‘old-school’ CM-EVA foam.
This said, HOKA have also recently released a new version of the Clifton, the Clifton PRO. The model features a new, super-critical foam to provide an all-together more energized ride experience!
My Verdict
With such minor updates from the previous model, it really isn’t worth rushing to buy the new Clifton 11.
Hoka Clifton 11 - Lacing
These are just a few of the most popular options around; each offers something slightly different in terms of ride, but each is aimed at the same type of runner.
In fact, the Clifton has remained largely unchanged for several generations. The Clifton 10 went to an 8mm drop from a 4mm, and that made the shoe a better option for a wider range of runners, but the cushioning remains pretty much unchanged since its launch.
The CM-EVA is okay as a cushioning material, but HOKA really should have given this, their most popular model, a more modern super-critical, nitrogen-infused or PEBA type material to help it keep pace with the competition.
Hoka Clifton 11
Fans of the Clifton will obviously enjoy the shoe, but many will be waiting for something new. That may come in the shape of the Clifton PRO. Only time will tell as to how many may convert to the PRO model.
At launch, the Clifton 11 is available in 7 colors, but the outgoing Clifton 10 was available in around 20 color options. Bear that in mind as there will undoubtedly be excess inventory around and HOKA are already discounting the Clifton 10 be 20%!
With such a big discount on the previous model and the new version being so very similar, it really is difficult to look beyond opting for the Clifton 10.
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