hoka – Pulpconnection

HOKA Anacapa 2 Low GTX

Gee Why — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 18:00:00 +0000

Along with the Salomon X Ultra 4, the Hoka Anacapa 2 Low GTX received praise online with the biggest complaint being the too big sizing. Zappos had a smaller size 9.5 available in black, and I tried it due to the mis-sizing. I admit that they weren’t a bad fit at half a size smaller. Unfortunately at the time, Zappos did not have a size 10 available for comparision purposes.

The Anacapa 2 Low GTX is one of my finalists of all the waterproof hiking shoes I tried. It fit better than the Transport Chukka and is more streamlined than the Tor Ultra Low. For whatever reason, this model at Zappos was discounted to $118 compared to $180 on Hoka’s web site.

But… that sizing. Yeah, the size 9.5 fits with regular socks on a short try on duration. How would these feel wearing them all day? I would really like to try my true to size 10 for comparison, but there are none at Zappos and none elsewhere at a discounted price. So reluctantly, these were sent back to Zappos although I could have held them longer with Zappos’ unbeatable return policy.

Details

Hoka Anacapa 2 Low GTX
Size 9.5
Black/black
$180 (Hoka)/$118 (Zappos)

Hoka Elite Terrain System Tor Ultra Lo

Gee Why — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 18:00:00 +0000

These Hoka Elite Terrain System Tor Ultra Lo didn’t show up in any online search results for waterproof hiking shoes. However, I remembered a craze for this model a few years back and decided to check them out.

The Tor Ultra Lo features a Vibram Megagrip outsole and is actually waterproof. The product description mentions a “GORE-TEX bootie for splash-proof performance” so not sure how waterproof these really are.

But hey, these shoes look different in a cool way, definitely melding urban lifestyle with the outdoor elements. I do like these although I would pick a different color way if available (it looks like this green colorway is no longer available from Hoka’s web site).

The biggest downside to this shoe is its sheer weight. One Tor Ultra Lo weighs 508 grams whereas the New Balance Hierro trail runner weighs 327 grams. Does it matter? I think it would if wearing these all day while walking/hiking around. And if the upper did absorb some water, that extra weight would further deaden the weight. I think these would be fine for casual outings with sendentary moments.

Details

Hoka Elite Terrain System Tor Ultra Lo
Size 10 (true to size)
Green (forgot to write down the actual color)
$225

Hoka Transport Chukka GTX

Gee Why — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 19:40:00 +0000

My online order of the Hoka Transport Chukka GTX arrived quickly but sadly, were also returned quickly. Visually, I don’t mind the style of the chukka – sorta casual, sorta sporty. It’s a good blend.

The nubuck leather upper isn’t bad at all, but i just feel it’s an odd match with the other synthetic sections near the collar. While I understand the benefits of the quick lacing system, I need to figure out a better way of getting a good fit. Of course the top laces cinch easily, but it’s the lower laces that I need to adjust, and the interlocking toggle just seems to get in the way.

Really though, the fast disapproval for me is simply the fit of the shoe. My foot just does not feel centered in the shoe. There’s a sensation that my feet are sitting on the inner medial side of the Transport Chukkas. It’s just weird, and I didn’t like it, doubtful that I would get used to this feeling.

Details

Hoka Transport Chukka GTX
Size 10 (true to size)
Black/black
$200

Finding Waterproof Hokas Are Irritating

Gee Why — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 18:00:00 +0000

I remembered that I had posted this in late December, and it must have been a portent of what’s in store for 2025 .

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A post shared by Greg Yamane (@geewhy)

Researching Waterproof Hiking Shoes

Gee Why — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 09:32:43 +0000

My hunt begins to find a workable pair of waterproof hiking shoes (or boots) for a future trip. The main criteria are waterproofness and comfort for shorter walks and hikes. I don’t imagine walking for miles while hauling gear, mainly a camera and water in a backpack. Of course, like my other shoes, these will have to have some visual appeal to them, but that’s not the primary focus.

Not knowing any better and after reading a few reviews along with doing a little bit of research, here’s my starting list to test:

The Salomon X Ultra 4 has received many positive reviews across the Internet as the best all around waterproof hiking shoe, but I’ve never owned a Salomon so would like to try out the fit foremost. Another consideration for the shoes are possible wearability in the Hawaii weather. While these are hiking shoes, I don’t need them to necessarily look like hiking shoes while wearing them out and about.

New Balance has been my recent go to brand of late because of its comfort and looks, especially unique collaborations. Currently, NB’s outdoor offerings consist mainly of the Hierro line, in low, mid, and high top form factors. The high top version seems to make the most sense to keep water out but then again, the high top looks more like a hiking shoe.

And then we have Hokas… I’ve had a single pair of Hokas in the past, and I still pause when seeing the massive cushioned outsoles of most Hokas. But despite my poor experience looking for waterproof Hokas at the new-ish Ala Moana location, they do have Gore-Tex protected shoes that could fit my needs.

I’ll continue to research other options and find reviews of (and ideally try on) the above mentioned shoes.

Run Run Hoka One One

Gee Why — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 23:03:09 +0000

Took my new, discounted Hoka One One Mafate Speed for a test run where I learned a thing or two about this running shoe. Like I mentioned before, I only recently learned of the Hoka line and its super cushioned ride. I began to see this brand more in the mainstream, even sold at Nordstrom but finding some pairs at Ross was a surprise.

Anyways, while the Hokas are tall, they look much taller than they feel. I’m thinking I’m six feet tall running in the Hokas but truthfully, when you’re running, you don’t really feel the Hoka height. You do feel the rocking motion of curved sole however. This is kinda irritating while standing around, so I guess the point is run, don’t stand while wearing these.

The Mafate Speed looks heavy but is comparable to other running shoes from Asics and Nike. The speed lacing system is cool. It’s so easy to pull the laces then lock them in. The soles of the Mafate Speed are designed for the outdoor terrain so running on sidewalks was noisy as the soles tried to dig in to the surface.

All in all, the ride itself was well cushioned, sacrificing some “street feel,” but for me, reducing the wear and tear on my body is paramount. There was some discomfort to my toes due to the shoe’s slenderness especially in the toebox area. The shoe looks narrow, maybe a little more bulbous in the forefoot – something used for starfish splitting. But then again, I didn’t allow for any break-in time, instead opting for a short run. Well worth a $50 investment.

Hoka One One Now at Ross

Gee Why — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 06:21:53 +0000

Is it purely coincidental that Ross now has a limited selection of Hoka One One running shoes in stock? This is right after Apple’s Beats 1 global radio station went live. This is after the one extra second we got, and I found these shoes one day after July one.

There’s too much one-ness to be coincidental right? No matter. Although I had heard of Hokas, I wasn’t about to spend the big bucks on those platform-looking but highly regarded shoes. I easily spied the Hokas towering over the other shoes on the Ross shoe rack, and at fifty bucks (not fifty one) I had to get the size one zero aka 10. The Mafate Speed is an outdoor, trail runner that debuted in 2014…at $170. Even though, I’m not going to run on rough terrain, I figure this price point is one good introduction to the Hoka lineup.