Hoka has become one the most recognizable names in running this year, and that brand recognition is only going to get stronger as the 2024 Olympics get closer — especially with the it’s latest shoe release, the Hoka Cielo X1.
This buzzy, just-launched shoe is being touted by Hoka as the “ultimate road-racing shoe for the most discerning athletes,” leading us to guess that pros like Olympian Aliphine Tuliamuk and Futsum Zienasellassie may even be sporting them at this weekend’s US Olympic Trials Marathon.
But non-elite runners want to run fast too, and they can attempt to do just that in the Cielo X1,?whether they’re aiming to race a 10K or a marathon. It’s packed with new technology designed to help you hit your goal paces, just like other popular super shoes including the Nike Alphafly and Vaporfly, Adidas Adizero Adios Pro, Brooks Hyperion Elite and more.
To see just how fast it could go, we put the Cielo X1 through its paces over two weeks and 50 miles of training. Here’s what we thought.
The Hoka Cielo X1 features the most rocker and cushioning of any HOKA race shoe yet, and has a winged carbon plate and two-layer PEBA midsole to create the most advantageous running experience for race day.?
What we liked about them
The propulsive momentum
At this point, it’s common for serious runners to invest in shoes specifically designed for race day, and that’s the category the Hoka Cielo X1 falls into. We’ve mostly been running at an easy pace since the New York City Marathon in November, so the arrival of the Cielo X1 was a great excuse to reintroduce speed workouts. And, whew, did these shoes feel speedy. During an interval track workout, we were hitting paces we haven’t seen in months — and our heart rate definitely wasn’t reflecting the effort, which is a sign that the shoes improved how efficiently we were running.
Hoka was one of the first brands to embrace a rocker — a curved bottom that helps propel you forward — and that profile is exaggerated on the Cielo X1. We could feel the shoe pushing us up onto our toes with each step, creating this spring-like effect (similar to how we felt when wearing the record-breaking Adidas Adizeo Adios Pro Evo 1). And when you consider the carbon plate sandwiched between two layers of PEBA foam — which is known for its excellent cushioning and energy return properties — everything seemed to work together to create a super-fast ride.
The stack height still felt stable
The Cielo X1 isn’t the tallest racing shoe out there, though it adheres to the World Athletic Organizations rule that all competitive shoes must max out at 40 millimeters of foam between the foot and the ground. But a men’s size 10 has 39 millimeters of foam under the heel, and a women’s size 8 has 37 millimeters, so it’s definitely still considered a maximally cushioned shoe. In fact, though it has the most cushioning of any Hoka race shoe yet, we didn’t constantly feel on the verge of rolling an ankle while wearing it, even when navigating some icy spots on our route.
A carbon plate provides a certain amount of stability in a shoe with lots of responsive cushioning, and the way the Cielo X1’s plate extends slightly up the sides of the shoe in a winged design probably enhances that feeling. But it’s more likely that we were feeling the effects of Hoka’s Active Foot Frame. This design approach has your foot sitting more in the shoe than on top of it (think of it like a bucket seat), so the shoe cradles your midfoot and locks in your heel. You’ll feel this support more in the rearfoot in Hoka daily trainers like the Bondi and Clifton, but it’s moved up in Cielo X1 because you’re more likely to be on your midfoot or forefoot when moving fast.
What we didn’t like about them
There’s a learning curve
Between the 40 millimeters of foam underfoot, the exaggerated rocker and the carbon plate, the Cielo X1 is not a shoe you just jump into, it’s a shoe that requires foot strength and ankle stability. While there are definitely science-backed benefits to wearing these kinds of shoes, carbon-plated shoes were linked to bone stress injuries in one small 2023 study published in Sports Medicine, and runners in maximal-cushioning shoes exhibited increased impact forces and loading rates — variables that have been associated with a higher risk of running-related injuries, according to a 2018 study published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine.
We’re pretty used to running in super shoes, and we still noticed some soreness in our ankles after our first trial run. That’s not to say that the Cielo X1 (or any other carbon-plated shoe) is going to injure runners; it’s just a reminder that runners do need to train their feet to handle this kind of shoe, and it’s not the kind of shoe you wear every day.
They’re pretty pricey
Super shoes like this are not cheap. While the average retail price of a running shoe is around $121, the Cielo X1 rings up at $275. (FYI: That is on par with the $285 Nike Alphafly, $275 Saucony Endorphin Elite and $250 Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4.) This kind of a price tag assigns a certain value to a shoe: If it’s that expensive, it must make you faster, right? Not necessarily. Carbon-plated shoes don’t benefit all runners equally, and people running at slower paces tend to see less of a boost in performance. At the end of the day, the best shoe for you is the one you feel most comfortable in, not the most expensive option packed with the most advanced tech.
Bottom line
Super shoes are always going to appeal to a certain kind of runner, and the Hoka Cielo X1 is a fast and fun evolution to the brand’s racing shoes. Between the carbon plate, the soft, bouncy foam and the exaggerated rocker profile, this shoe is a hundred percent built for speed.
That said, this kind of shoe technology comes with a high price tag, and not all runners need (or are ready for) all those features. If you’re an experienced racer looking to hit a PR in your next 10K to marathon, the Cielo X1 might get you there. And if you’re intrigued but aren’t quite willing to part with that kind of money on a running shoe, Hoka has plenty of more affordable options that can help you go the distance.
