Last updated: 26-Nov-18

By Alice Morrison

Whatever kind of runner you are, the likelihood is that you will be putting in plenty of miles pounding the tarmac. I love the trails but life intervenes and so I find myself hitting the pavement, and very occasionally the treadmill but the less said about that the better. With that in mind, I have been road testing the HOKA ONE ONE Arahis.

Hokas are an interesting beast. I went for a run in the Arahis with a friend who was wearing Vibrams – we were doing exactly the same activity but from totally opposite ends of the “naked v cushioned” spectrum. It is a maximalist shoe.

For those of you new to HOKAS, the philosophy behind the shoe is to support the foot in such a way that you use the whole foot and the shoe drives the foot movement while cushioning it. The shoes incorporate minimum drop geometry along with a rolling rocker design to promote consistent rhythm in the runner's foot strike. 

With respect to the Arahis, this is what HOKA had to say, “The Arahi is the ideal shoe for runners who are looking for a light and fast shoe with pronation support. It's extremely versatile for daily runs or long distance days. Featuring the same HOKA ONE ONE® cushioning you've grown to love, plus our new J-Frame technology, this light-weight, responsive, nimble shoe is both supportive and comfortable.”

Features

Meta-Rocker: Early Stage (Propulsion)

• Meta-Rocker midsole geometry-sculpting with the transition zone placed behind the metatarsal heads. Designed to encourage a smoother ride, and a faster transition to the forefoot 

Width Fit: Medium

Weight

• 215g in 6.5 US Women EUR 38
• 265g in 9 US Men  EUR 43

Midsole

• 1.6x Volume EVA with Early Stage Meta-Rocker for smooth ride
• Flat-Waisted Geometry provides Inherent Stability
• 23mm under forefoot
• 28mm under heel
• Drop: 5mm

Outsole

• Firmer EVA J-Frame™ for Lightweight Support
• Zonal Rubber Placement for Durability

Upper

• 3D Puff Print Frame for Lightweight, Detailed Support
• Padded Tongue for Additional Comfort

Lacing

• Traditional laces

Insole

• 3mm Ortholite

Sizes

• - Women: 5 - 11 US  EUR 38 - 44
• - Men: 7.5 - 14 US   EUR 41 – 50

PROS: What’s good about the Hoka Arahis

I’m going to start with the obvious. When I took them out of the box there was a bit of a wow factor. The colours and design are fantastic. They looked so good, I put them straight on and went out, and they actually motivate me to go for a run in the morning.

The fit was good for me. I wore my standard size and I found the toe box wide enough and they were comfortable over my arch and across the heel. There was no slipping.

The cushioning definitely protects the knees. I had no jarring and I could feel that there was a definite comfort factor.

The lacing was easy and they didn’t loosen (although I have used them mainly on the flat) and the tongue was comfortable.

They made me go faster. I felt they actually performed a lot better when I picked up my pace and my legs than when I jogged along at my usual plod.

These are shoes that definitely need getting used to, as they do guide your feet. I liked them better after a few runs out once my muscles had come to understand them.

CONS: What’s not so good about the Hoka Arahis

On my first couple of runs, I felt a slight rubbing on the inside of both heels, not to the extent of blisters but I could feel them. This went away as I wore them in/my feet got used to them.

The cushioning means you lose some contact with the ground and I felt a bit clumsy.

They really do guide your foot, so you find that you are running in a slightly different way. This can be positive but it does take some getting used to. For me, and I would say I have a very, very average gait, it meant that my knees were in great shape, but I could feel extra tension in my quads. I do a bit of biking so do tend to lead with my quads. My hips stayed neutral.

CONCLUSION

The shoes look great. They are light and cushioned and encourage you to speed up as they perform better when you are going faster (bear in mind I am a slow runner). If you like HOKAS, you will definitely like this shoe for the road.

Others running shoes you may want to consider:

HOKA ONE ONE Clayton 

HOKA ONE ONE Mafate 

Have you used the HOKA ONE ONE Arahis running shoes? Don’t agree with this review? What’s your opinion? Add your own comment to this review and share your experience and passion for running with others.

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All images Alice Morrison except when stated.

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Useful tips for sizing..

HOKA SIZING

1. Take a sheet of paper, put it on the floor, one side against a wall.
2. Put your naked foot on the paper, with your heel against the wall and mark with a line the extremity of your foot.
3. You now just need to measure the length from the border to the line you drew.

And then check your result in the chart below to know your HOKA size.