It’s not often that I try new shoes and actually think about replacing them with one of my daily runners. Usually when I try new shoes, they have a couple highlights that I really like but come up short.
The Hoka Cielo Road shoes are different though. I’m surprisingly conflicted by what shoes I’ll continue to run in. My Altra Escalante Racers, Craft Nordlite Speeds, or these?
My Favorite Shoes
Any consistent readers here know that the Altra Escalante Racers are my favorites for the past couple years. I love the fabric mesh upper and how well they allow air to pass through, while being exceptionally comfortable and light. The Hoka Cielo Roads mimic this, but they take things to another level.
Shoes like these with a mesh upper inevitably let small pebbles, water, and other debris in. This happens quite a bit in the Altras because of the size of the holes. Meanwhile, Hoka made their mesh holes a lot smaller. Somehow though, they haven’t sacrificed the Cielo Roads’ breathability. In fact, Hoka’s upper is thinner, lighter, and just as durable.
But the Hoka’s don’t stack up to Altra’s overall comfort.
All Altras have a wide toe box, which makes each step feel sturdy and balanced. Hoka’s toe box is narrower which makes them feel more agile, but less stable.
For example, on one of my runs in the Hokas my feet got pretty wet. And because of the tight toe box my toes started to chafe. Thankfully it was towards the end of my run, but even on mixed surfaces these have small slips. Something that the Altra Escalante Racers don’t do on gravel or other loose areas.
My Backup Shoes
Whenever I’m not running in my Altra Escalante Racers, the Craft Nordlite Speed shoes are on my feet. With the low heel-to-toe drop, carbon plate, wide toe box, and exceptionally thin and light upper, they’re perfect for short speed workouts and long distant runs (10+ miles).
Comparing these to the Hoka Cielo Road shoes, and it’s a lot closer. For example, the Hokas are more comfortable on runs because they have a much softer mid sole. However, both shoes tend to make one of my feet or knees sore every 1 of 3 runs.
The Crafts have a wider toe box than the Hokas. You feel more planted each step.
But my feet tend to shift inside the shoes because of the slippery upper and insole materials. Leaving me to choose which annoyance I prefer to deal with. The internal feet shifts, or the cramped toe box?
I choose the Crafts because after a mile into a run my feet settle in and the shifting fades away. Meanwhile, my mind repeatedly notices the cramped toe box throughout a run.
Even if I try to pick which one has the better upper, it’s either or. The Hokas have holes that breathe great, but let small debris in. The Crafts are hole-less and don’t breathe as well as the Hokas, but you don’t get stuff in the shoes.
Again, I prefer the Craft Nordlite Speed shoes.
The Recap
Hoka has done a phenomenal job with the Cielo Road shoes. They’re remarkable for the road. They truly highlight how personal of a choice running shoes can be. They help you learn and identify what you need or want in your next pair.
After the first 50+ miles in them, I highly recommend you try them out. If you don’t need a wide toe box and like the breathability of a mesh upper, then these are extraordinary.
Keep in mind that these are road running shoes through and through. They’re fantastic on sidewalks, tracks, roads, and paved trails. But if you like to run on gravel or light trails, these don’t have great traction for that terrain.
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