With the Hoka Tecton X, the model brings its carbon plate know-how into a light-weight path working shoe. On this shoe, you’ll discover a refined higher, twin carbon plates, and a Vibram Megagrip outsole. Our reviewer discovered it nice on quick, easy trails however felt it lacked the actually safe lockdown wanted for tackling extra technical terrain at velocity.
The iRunFar workforce loves this shoe sufficient that we named it one of many prime sneakers in our greatest cushioned path trainers information.
Watch our detailed video assessment under to be taught extra about its strengths and weaknesses.
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Hoka Tecton X Evaluation Transcript
Hey, welcome to Path Trials, the video assessment part of iRunFar.com. My title is Travis Liles and on this assessment, we’re wanting on the Hoka Tecton X.
The Hoka Tecton X. All pictures: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Hoka Tecton X Outsole
Let’s begin off by speaking concerning the Hoka Tecton X outsole. On the backside, what you’re going to see is Vibram Megagrip, which is the Litebase model of Megagrip. And what which means is it’s actually only a lighter-weight compound than the traditional Vibram Megagrip. It’s used on higher-end path trainers that need to hold their weight down. And this undoubtedly is an instance of a higher-end path working shoe that’s attempting to remain on the decrease spectrum of weight. On this case, the precise weight is sub-9 ounces (8.9 ounces, 252 grams) in a males’s dimension 9.
From a lug sample standpoint, there are some various lugs however for essentially the most half, it has reverse lugs sitting at angles. The place you’d do some braking, behind the shoe, you’ve gotten three rows of those. After which while you change to the entrance, these change. You’ve obtained front-facing lugs interspersed with a few completely different directional ones so it’s not all one or the opposite.
It’s slightly little bit of a combined sample however for essentially the most half, these lugs are created in the best way for braking downhill and, in fact, grip going up. They’re 4-millimeter lugs, they aren’t tremendous, tremendous deep. They will be your general-purpose lugs. They will grip on rocks, on bridges, and in dust. They aren’t going to be actually nice for excessive depths of mud however that’s undoubtedly not what the shoe is constructed for, so that you shouldn’t have that expectation to start with if you end up going along with his shoe.
On the backside, the place you’ll see a lighter orange colour in the course of the foot, there’s uncovered foam. It has held up pretty nicely, there are a few creases in some spots on the shoe. However it’s executed for weight-saving so you’ve gotten much less safety down right here, much less protection, however it’s meant for the sake of chopping weight on the shoe basically. Once more you see this lots, not solely with Hoka however within the trade at massive.
It’s going to most likely break down and doesn’t present as a lot safety, even because the light-weight rubber elsewhere on the outsole, which continues to be going to supply some puncture safety. You aren’t getting that in the course of your foot however most often, you’re most likely touchdown on a heel, or you’re touchdown on the forefoot. So, your likelihood of hitting right here, whereas not nonexistent, is lower than these different spots. Simply one thing to bear in mind, relying on the kind of terrain that you just plan on taking the shoe on.
However general, this can be a good outsole. I like Litebase, I actually like Vibram Megagrip basically. It’s not spring right here within the U.S. Pacific Northwest, so I can’t take a look at in each situation however general, I by no means actually felt wanting for grip with this shoe basically. It’s a extremely good general-purpose cowl of all of the bases — probably not particular pushed kind of outsole.
I suppose the opposite factor I’ll add right here, is that I wore the shoe an honest quantity for street working due to the kind of shoe that it’s. That is the kind of outsole that type of will get out of the best way, so that you don’t have any massive lugs or something like that poking by if you end up working on one thing flatter.
The outsole of the Hoka Tecton X.
Hoka Tecton X Midsole
Subsequent up, let’s speak concerning the Hoka Tecton X midsole. This makes use of a ProFlyX midsole, from Hoka. And what that is imagined to be is a agency foam with a really delicate foam mixed with it. So, the thought is you’ve obtained that type of snap that makes it slightly bit quicker working, with that agency foam that’s going to offer more durable rubber, so the return is slightly bit faster. You sink much less into it. However then it’s obtained some very delicate foam added to it, a coloured foam that provides that consolation on your foot, or that shock absorption.
So, you’re getting slightly little bit of each by way of speed-to-comfort ratio. And I feel in case you examine this to one thing like, let’s say the Hoka Zinal — watch our Hoka Zinal assessment to be taught extra — this shoe has extra of that softer really feel to it, which is extra Hoka I feel than the Zinal. It matches extra like an on a regular basis path working shoe.
The true play right here that we’re going to speak about is one thing we will’t see, and which is the entire cause that this shoe known as the Tecton — and that’s within this midsole, there’s a carbon plate. In reality, that there are two carbon plates, and so they run parallel to one another within the shoe. So, a number of carbon sneakers are inclined to have one plate. If you step down, it creates bounce and provides power and the shoe pushes down, after which when the plate pops up, it bounces your shoe and propels you ahead.
That’s slightly extra harmful, I’d assume, or a minimum of within the sneakers I’ve worn which are carbon plated, they’re undoubtedly extra active-feeling than an ordinary street shoe. So, the aim right here was to create two plates that ran side-by-side, with much less of that punch of the carbon plate. And that’s going to run contained in the shoe, form of down the aspect.
The opposite factor that carbon plates are going to do are to behave as a rock plate. Despite the fact that it’s carbon fiber, it’s nonetheless a rock plate that’s contained in the shoe and in reality, this can be a characteristic that’s been within path trainers for so long as I can keep in mind.
So, that’s actually the primary showpiece right here, one thing that you would be able to’t see. And simply by way of really feel, I feel this foam works rather well. It feels good, it feels energetic, it additionally looks like there’s sufficient foam. It doesn’t really feel like a light-weight racing flat. It’s obtained this center floor of being comfy but in addition snappy, which I suppose is what Hoka was going for, and I feel achieved on this shoe.
A medial view of the Hoka Tecton X.
Hoka Tecton X Higher
Subsequent up, let’s check out the Hoka Tecton X higher. The lacing is admittedly fascinating, and to me was the factor I observed earlier than anything. It’s a really, very low lacing system; it goes virtually the entire manner all the way down to your toes. It jogs my memory a number of a Danner boot in the best way that it simply retains going and going. It’s a actually comfy higher, which was one of many issues I observed early on along with his shoe.
It’s all engineered mesh and there are actually no overlays in any respect, with a slight exception of slightly little bit of rubberized space across the prime higher lace, on either side. Of locking my foot in, if I used to be to check this shoe to the Hoka Speedgoat 5 — watch our Hoka Speedgoat 5 assessment for extra on this shoe — this can be a higher lockdown than that shoe was. It’s much less dishevelled, it’s extra exact. It simply matches higher.
However what I don’t have on this higher is sort of as a lot athletic lockdown as I would really like. That is among the downsides to me of the shoe is when I’m cornering actually laborious, as a result of there’s actually nothing holding this shoe in place. It nonetheless, even with a great, safe match, form of strikes round lots on my foot. Or strikes round sufficient that I discover it and to me, that’s the distinction between an ideal higher and a great higher.
On an ideal higher, I don’t discover the truth that my foot is holding nonetheless. Whereas with a great higher, my foot is shifting so then it’s one thing that I take into consideration once I do a tough cornering or soar slightly bit and should land laborious. That is one the place my foot does have some motion inside, and it simply doesn’t lock down hyper good as I would really like it to.
However general, the course right here that that is going — lighter-weight higher, engineered mesh — it’s cool, it appears good, it appears fashionable. And it holds my foot in place for 90% of the issues I need to do. And that’s in some instances going to be sufficient for most individuals.
Final couple of issues right here, we now have a toe bumper. There’s some safety right here, it’s a part of the outsole. That is very, very laborious proper right here on the tip. That is being introduced up from the outsole. There’s some extra materials right here for some abrasion resistance across the toe, in addition to creating just a bit little bit of construction for that toe cap.
The lacing system is I suppose slightly bizarre, simply up on the prime. I carry this up due to the heel lock. It’s obtained a reasonably slim to regular heel, it’s going to fall extra towards the slim to straightforward match on the heel. It does have a slight little bit of a heel cup, however as I’m inspecting the shoe, my thumb can squash that down pretty simply.
So, there’s slightly little bit of one thing in right here that type of runs across the heel. It’s sufficient to create some construction and to create an space on your foot to sit down down and lock into, nevertheless it’s not a lot that it’s inflexible and you actually discover it. The lacing system, by way of the heel, I at all times use the again lace, and it’s slightly bizarre because it has these wings that simply flop out right here. It doesn’t essentially change a lot. It simply doesn’t appear sleek.
I do know that doesn’t matter, however aesthetically it’s this piece simply type of flopped round out right here. In the event you don’t have to make use of it, it doesn’t matter. I’ve to make use of it and each time I put this shoe on there’s this factor hanging up right here. Anyway, that’s extra of a desire, however for essentially the most half, you do have a great match out of the shoe.
Fascinating lacing. I want extra sneakers would do that sample as a result of it begins to take that lacing farther and farther down, and it will get it off of the highest of your foot. And it strikes it extra towards the knuckle of your toes, that are going to sit down decrease than that higher a part of your foot. So, I like this, I’m a fan of this, and I hope to see a few of this progress.
A lateral view of the Hoka Tecton X.
Hoka Tecton X General Impressions
In closing, I feel what you’ve obtained right here within the Hoka Tecton X is a extremely nice shoe and, for me, I’ve to place that in context — this can be a actually nice shoe for my quiver. This isn’t a extremely nice shoe for me to put on for every thing. This to me is a shoe that has a particular space, once I need to go quick, once I don’t want as a lot safety, once I’m in search of a firmer journey.
Once I’m not going to be in massive mountain, technical issues the place very exact becoming and management are a should. Now could be that due to the carbon plate? Perhaps. I feel a few of it’s the higher. The results of the removing of those overlays, for lighter weight, to me is misplaced lockdown. Your foot’s going to range, it might lock down your foot good.
This locks higher than the Hoka Speedgoat 5 does, however not sufficient to actually really feel assured that I can simply go down one thing that’s going to have a number of terrain variations and sharp rocks and issues that I’ve obtained to navigate round at a fast cadence. It is a shoe for that fast cadence of pretty continuous, constant terrain or dust path stuff with fewer obstacles. Stuff with fewer twists and turns and laborious cornering, this can be a nice shoe for that. So, this is a bit more purpose-driven for me.
So, you’ve obtained form of an fascinating proposition right here. It’s extra sturdy than the Hoka Zinal. Feels slightly thicker, slightly extra cushioned. You’ve obtained slightly extra happening right here general than that shoe, nevertheless it’s not as a lot as a Hoka Speedgoat 5. So, type of sitting in between these two.
After which you’ve got the carbon plate, which does add slightly little bit of snap, although I don’t have any scientific info to say whether it is actually offering that a lot. Since you’ve obtained geometry, and also you’ve obtained match, and also you’ve obtained all these items that play into it. No matter what that’s, the truth that we’re getting most of these applied sciences in our path trainers, to me, is superior. It’s not simply saved for the mass-market marathon kind of shoe, we’re bringing that to path working, we’re bringing that to our sport and I feel that’s at all times actually thrilling.
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Name for Feedback
What’s your tackle the Hoka Tecton X, and the way do you are feeling about it? Are you utilizing it for super-long-distance issues? How do you cope with it on actually technical terrain? What do you concentrate on the carbon plate? Do you discover it? Or is it actually only a rock plate and one thing that we’ve had in our path trainers for some time — we’re simply utilizing a distinct mixture of supplies to make that rock plate? Once more, questions and feedback, go away these under this assessment. Thanks for watching, we’ll catch you subsequent time.
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A prime view of the Hoka Tecton X.
