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JOIN NOWHoka Bondi 8
Category
Neutral Running Shoes / Hoka Road Running Shoes
Summary
Average Weight: Men's 303g / Women's 252g
Offset: 4mm
Heel-to-Toe Drop: 31mm/ 27mm
Looking for a smooth, efficient ride with maximum cushioning? Then these are the running shoes for you. Lightweight, comfortable and responsive, it will keep you running happily through 2024 and beyond. Thanks to the superb shock absorption, this is also an excellent choice for getting back to running after an injury, or a shoe to put on as soon as you feel any niggles in your feet.
Features
Upper: Breathable mesh feels nice and comfortable, even though it is not as soft and giving as in some other shoes. This new version comes with a memory foam heel collar that offers a great fit and secure comfort for the ankle. Despite the fact that with some other shoe models of different brands I sometime have to go for a wider width, in case of the Bondi 8 the standard width fits me well. The toe box is not so deep, but I haven't had any problems with my toes rubbing against the upper.
Midsole: Full-length compression-moulded EVA midsole with TPU overlays offer maximal cushioning without feeling too soft or bulky. One can also really feel the benefits of the refined early-stage Meta-Rocker technology that is built in the midsole to work as a wheel for your foot. As a result, rolling through transitions is much easier and the ride feels really smooth and efficient.
Outsole: Rubber outsole minimises weight and maximises durability of the shoe, which is already above standard.
Pros
- A unique blend of a maximum cushioning in a lightweight shoe
- Active Foot Frame technology cradles the heel and embeds the foot securely, so even though the Bondi officially belongs to the neutral category, it feels really stable.
- Smooth, efficient ride thanks to the Meta-Rocker technology
- In women's fit available in two different widths (standard and wide).
- In men's fitting available in three different widths (standard, wide and extra-wide).
Cons
- The cushioning feels a bit firmer, which may not suit to runners who are used to soft cushioning.
In Testing
If you haven't seen Hoka shoes before, you may be surprised how bulky they look. The second surprise is that it feels unexpectedly lightweight. And the third revelation may appear as soon as you start running in them... Judging by the look, one wouldn't expect that featherlight and smooth ride.
In my opinion, one of the biggest benefits of this shoe is the maximum amount of cushioning. Hoka shoes are famous for being more cushioned than any of their competitors, and the Bondi 8 is no exception. Shoes with superior cushioning may on the other hand sometimes be lacking in responsiveness. This is, luckily, not the case with the Bondi 8.
The superior cushioning of Hoka running shoes is very popular with long distance runners and people who like comfortable shoes in general. I myself, belong to both the categories. But there is also the third category of runners that will appreciate these shoes. Hoka trainers are also often recommended by podiatrists to their patients with various foot problems or injuries, like Morton's neuroma, plantar fasciitis etc.
Due to my recent heel injury, I've had an opportunity to test the benefits of the Bondi 8 during my recovery. And I have to say that the shoe worked miracles for me, as it offered me the superior cushioning that was very much needed to protect my injured heel from the shocks caused by hitting the ground while landing. Thanks to the comfort and confidence the shoe provided, I was able to gradually get back to running at a time when my heel was still hurting a bit. When compared to other shoes of different brands, I haven't found another shoe that would be able to do the same trick for injured runners or walkers.
Another mind-blowing feature of this shoe is its stability. And here I am not talking about the stability in the anti-pronation control sense. I am talking more about the way how your foot feels inside the shoe and how it's guided through the stride. Simply feeling stable without any interference caused by the anti-pronation control of a medial stability post, which is often the case with the regular support shoes. The Bondi 8 usually works really well for mild over-pronators (which is my case), or people with neutral gait. However, strong over-pronators, may need to look for a shoe with a proper anti-pronation control that is built in the midsole.
If you are not sure about what kind of shoe is suitable for your gait, check out our Natural Gait Analysis service.
Verdict
I absolutely love this latest model of the Hoka Bondi 8. Thanks to its ultimate shock absorption it enabled me to keep running while I was still recovering from my foot injury. Its lightness, maximum cushioning, smooth and efficient transitions make them my favourite daily trainer for all kind of distances, from 2 miles up to marathon distance and more...
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WilfriedeAugust 17, 2022 at 12:08am
Exactly what my podiatrist also said. Actually the ones you show on your pictures are really nice. My podiatrist said it is impotant that the power of the impact goes not on the balls of the feet and this is what these shoes are not doing. You roll /rock with them. Additionally the front part should be wide and not squeeze the feet, and that's what they also do. Plus , they have different width. Thank you for this great review and the pictures. I was also searching for pictures where I could see how to dress when going around in the city. Thank you ???? ???? ReplyJeanetteMarch 12, 2021 at 9:40pm
Hi, I’m in agony with balls of feet and I only walk. I end up with blisters all the time and am looking for a comfy trainer that supports that part of foot. Will these help with that? ReplyJana DuskovaMarch 19, 2021 at 8:21pm
Dear Jeanette,
ReplyThank you for your query. And sorry to hear about your pain in the balls of your feet. There may be different reasons for that, which only a foot specialist would be able to assess. One of the reasons could be various foot conditions that may require a specific treatment by a podiatrist.
If there’s no particular foot condition causing the pain in your forefoot, then a correct footwear would be another very important thing to look at. And often we see with our customers that wrong footwear with not enough cushioning or support can cause all sorts of problems, including blisters.
If your gait is neutral or a mild overpronator, then the Hoka Bondi would be a great option for you. Since it offers a superb cushioning for your entire foot, i.e. including the front of the foot, it should also help to decrease the blistering or pain in your forefoot, provided there is no other underlying foot condition. I wouldn’t recommend this shoe for strong over-pronators, as in those cases they might do better in shoes with strong arch support.
If you are not sure about your gait, then I would recommend you getting your gait analysed. We can either assess your gait with a natural gait analysis in our store, once we re-open, or we can help you online / over the phone via our Online Gait Analysis.
I would also recommend getting a good quality pair of running socks that can also help to prevent blisters, even to those people who use them for walking. In particular, Hilly Clothing Twin Skin socks would be a good option for you, as they are specifically designed to prevent blisters.
Hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Jana