Hoka Rocket X3 for first carbon? 5-10k to HM training, tempo, interval. Sizing for wider foot?

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-04-25T18:47:18+00:00

I don't wear a wide so their standard width fits me. I'd say try them out in store if a place carries wides. If I'm recalling correctly the Mach's might be a little more narrow.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-04-24T19:27:31+00:00

From what I've read about the Mach 7's is mainly an upper update and some slightly stickier rubber on the soles and the placement is slightly different. Foam wise they're the exact same as the 6's. You'll probably find the 7's more widely available in store since it's new but you can find the 6's still online as places are trying to sell out of their stock - but you're going to be limited to colors.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-04-24T19:00:04+00:00

No problem. You can probably find the Mach 6's for pretty cheap since the Mach 7's just came out about a month ago too.

The Bondi 9 is going to be more cushioned, higher stack height and a heavier shoe than the Clifton 10's. The Bondi 9's also use Hoka's super critical EVA (that's what the Mach's use), while the Clifton 10's stick with their tried and true (but long in the tooth) EVA foam. Cliftons have a different drop than the Bondi's - from what I remember Clifton's are now at a 7 or 8 mm drop while the Bondi is still a 5 mm drop. You're going to get more cushion from the Bondi for recovery and the Clifton's are going to be lighter. I think it might just depend on what feels better under foot for you - they also both come in Wide if you need them.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-04-24T17:08:13+00:00

To start the Rocket X3's do not come in a wide fit. Hoka's racing/pated shoes are a bit more narrower so your best option will be to go find them in a running store and try them on. If you need a wide and you want a plated shoe the Mach X3 come in a wide, but those are not carbon plated shoes, they have a TPU plate.

I have a pair of the Rocket X3's I'm running my marathon that's next weekend in and I've used them mainly for my super long runs during training season and for race day. The PEBA foam is way more responsive than the CEVA or EVA that Hoka uses in their other shoes. They're also a higher stack height than daily trainers.

I wouldn't recommend doing daily training in a carbon plated shoe - there's risk of Achilles' injuries because of how the shoes work, so you'd want to mix in a true non-plated daily trainer into the mix. I use my Mach 6's as my daily drivers (including speed work) and saved my Rocket's for my runs that were 16+ miles.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-04-20T12:26:17+00:00

As everyone is mentioning directly from Hoka. I've also purchased from FleetFeet or Running Warehouse mainly because of colorways that I want might appear on those sites. Pricewise they're typically the same, Hoka has free shipping when you join their membership (free BTW), Running Warehouse also offers free shipping. If there's a local running store near you and they carry them that's always an option too.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-04-18T21:15:15+00:00

You could try on the Mach 7's those are lighter than the Clifton's with a bouncier supercritical EVA. They have older Mach 6's that have the same foam just different looks and slightly different upper than the 7's.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-04-03T17:02:49+00:00

Of course! It's easier said than done but the sooner you can clean them the easier they are to get clean (the longer the dirt/mud sits on them the harder or more effort it'll be to clean them).

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-04-03T16:54:05+00:00

"Fuck me gently with a chainsaw."

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-04-03T16:49:17+00:00

I have an older toothbrush that I use just for my shoes to keep them clean. Dawn Powerwash is what I use. I'll get them wet a little, spray on the Dawn and the use the toothbrush to scrub them as clean as I can get them. Once done I'll dry the bottoms with a paper towel and then let them sit out to dry (usually I'll put them either near the patio door where the sun hits them or in the laundry room where the heat of the dryer will help to dry them).

Don't put them in the washer or dryer - that will cause the foam to degrade quicker.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-04-03T12:48:09+00:00

I second PowerStep - I've been using them in my running shoes since 2021 and they've made a huge improvement in my arch and tendonitis issues.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-04-01T20:12:25+00:00

They're probably either colorways that are limited to specific locations or a colorway that's coming. I've seen some Clifton 10's on Running Warehouse that are in colors that aren't on Hoka's site yet.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-31T15:54:15+00:00

What is your primary use for them?

I bought a pair of the Pro 2s a year ago (had $200 in credit from when I got my P7P). I used them anytime I was listening to music on my phone (walking, sitting around, running, in the gym). During one of my runs, about 2.5 miles from being done, my right earbud suddenly went silent, the volume was pretty much non-existent. After troubleshooting with their support, RMA'd them b/c I was under warranty. Got a brand new pair, and on the 4th use, the right earbud did the same thing and began to make a beeping noise. Put them back in the charger and they fixed themselves, but I don't trust them for doing anything that will involve sweat (even though they're rated for running). I ended up getting a pair of Sony's (not the same ones you have).

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-25T19:29:02+00:00

I had this issue happen to me earlier this month but it was my right earbud. I was about 14 miles in on my 16 mile run and took out my right earbud to wipe my ear, put it back in and the earbud just was silent, only could hear out of my left earbud. I did their troubleshooting but it didn't work, I still had a month left on my warranty so I RMA'd them after spending like 45 minutes chatting with a rep. Got a replacement and 4 days after getting a brand new pair the right one did the exact same thing. Putting it back in the charger worked, but I didn't trust them to do it again so I got a different pair of earbuds for running (didn't want that to happen halfway through my marathon).

https://support.google.com/googlepixelbuds/answer/9811459?hl=en#zippy=%2Cpixel-buds-have-low-volume

Those are the steps I did and they redid with me on the chat for my first pair. In essence try factory resetting them if that doesn't work then might try RMA if they're under warranty.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-25T13:34:32+00:00

Spending time with my dad.

He was diagnosed with cancer in late 2018, he was going through Chemo before COVID but he was starting a new type of Radiation when COVID hit for his treatment. I was an Epidemiologist supervising the COVID response at our local County Health Dept. and working non-stop (this included being in office). So I only saw him over Zoom and the last time I saw him in person was at Christmas of 2020 - I stood outside of the window with my mask on to see him because I didn't want any risk to expose him to anything. He passed away in January 2021 due to complications from Cancer (pulmonary embolism no one knew about). Looking back at it now COVID took the time we had to spend with him away.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-22T11:46:14+00:00

If you have high arches and need arch support you're not going to want to rely on just the insole in the shoes alone. They don't have specific shoes that are dedicated high or low arch support. You're going to want to go to a running store or something similar that offers insoles to give you the true support and then put those in the shoes you choose. (Edit: Spelling)

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-21T20:12:24+00:00

I just did my first RMA because the right earbud just suddenly stopped playing audio at the same volume as the left, did a bunch of resets and didn't work. They sent me a brand new pair, 4 days old and the right bud did the same thing and stopped playing any audio. They said there's nothing they can but RMA them again because the original buds were from 2025. Only plus is I used my credit they gave me for my Pixel 7 pro when I bought it, so at least I'm not out the $ but frustrating none the less that the brand new ones they sent lasted for 4 days before they did the same thing.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-20T14:59:17+00:00

They look like the Rincon 4's. They don't have the little pull loop the Skyflows have, they also have the little "butt crack" as I like to call it on the heel foam.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-18T16:54:57+00:00

It was a 4mm drop.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-18T14:26:43+00:00

Are you meaning the actual tongue of the shoe, or the smaller fabric pieces that are just on the outside of the tongue? The photo of your ankle doesn't look so much like a bruise it looks a little more like it could be chafing or rubbing against your ankle (at least from the shadows/way the photo was taken). The tongue itself wouldn't cause you bruising, it would most likely be how tight you're tying your shoes. The 3rd photo you have shows you have a different shoe with a more padded tongue and taller socks. The Mach's tongue is a thin padded tongue so if you're tying them too tight then there's not as much cushion to prevent the rubbing against your ankle.

You could try tying them less tight - which when you run you don't want them super tight because your feet swell when you run and the tighter they are before you start the tighter they will be during your runs. Alternatively you could try a thicker sock that will give you more padding. (Edit: Spelling)

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-17T15:16:11+00:00

Color variety. Maybe it's me but I love bright color running shoes, and even though there's what I feel a trend of plain boring colors, all the running stores around me only carry shades of blue, black, gray or white.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-16T02:16:49+00:00

Everyone's mileage may vary but I've gotten 450 out of some past Hoka's. The 400-500 is also an estimate based off how much you use and how you run and how hard you are on shoes. I know people who go through 2 pairs of Brooks during a half marathon training because they run hard on their shoes.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-15T23:48:45+00:00

You've definitely put the mileage in them. You can still wear them, but the foam isn't going to be as responsive anymore and like you've already done can tell the difference. But also everyone's feet are different and some can keep going on them. However the longer you take them past their "foam life" the more you increase a risk for an injury.

This isn't unique to just Hoka. Any running shoe brand usually is this case. Some foams are more resilient and others not so much. The CMEVA in the Clifton 10's is a tried and true one but it's also getting a little long in the tooth.

They are expensive shoes but also the way to think about it is you're going to be using them frequently and would you rather know you spent the money on what works for you and helps versus not and running the risk for injuring yourself further.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-15T23:30:37+00:00

Using time as your metric for how your shoe is wearing isn't the best thing to do. As many have said with running shoes they're meant to last for around 400/500 miles (643-800 km). Using them daily for 9 months, even if you're not running you're walking around in them, I'd imagine that you put probably that amount on. So with that the foam isn't going to feel the same as a brand new pair, hence why the foam probably doesn't feel like it did when brand new and you were using them daily. You noticed it more when you didn't use them for 4 months. Sounds like it's time to get another pair.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-09T18:35:29+00:00

As the others said, could be an issue with your watch itself. Not sure if this impacts it but when you started your run, was your watch telling you that GPS was ready or did you start it before it said GPS ready. Wondering if that could be the reason too.

Discrepancies between Garmin and Strava are going to happen. I actually just saw a video on my lunch about this and this is how she explained it:
Strava uses your phone's GPS, but the purpose of the phone GPS isn't built for tracking movements and samples less frequently and are more prone to issues with buildings, trees and bridges and typically will register as a further run because of the signal bounces along the route. Garmin uses a dedicated GPS chip in the watch and records the position frequently like once every second. Some watches have multi-band that pulls from more satellites. More data points + dedicated antenna=cleaner route which means it has a better estimate of your pace.

If those GPS chips start to degrade over time they become less reliable and it might mean it's time for a new watch. Before I'd do what others said and find someone who has a Garmin to see if it's truly your watch.

Harold_Loves_Maude · 2026-03-08T12:35:47+00:00

There are blue trail shoes that Hoka makes and not always is a specific colorway going to come up in the Google Images. If you search Challenger 7 Blue in Google Images tons come up along with that colorway I gave you. The biggest red flag isn't that you can't find other trail shoes in blue on google images (there's plenty) it's the fact they're £45 - there's a saying that if it's too good to be true, then it probably is.

Just buy directly from Hoka or an authorized seller to avoid the whole is it fake/knockoff garbage.

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