HOKA ROCKET X2
£220 ▶ Has Hoka finally made a genuine carbon supershoe?
The brand-spanking new Hoka Rocket X 2 is not so much a sequel as a complete transformation of the previous Rocket X release –considerably more expensive, slicker and brasher. It's likely it'll be far more successful, too, elevating Hoka into the carbon running supershoe world dominated by Nike, Asics, Saucony and Adidas. But there's a catch…
Let's start with the stack height, which has increased over the original by 6mm to a fairly high 36mm (the heel-to-toe drop is 3mm) due to the new PEBA midsole foam (seen on Nike's Vaporfly, among many more) replacing the previous version's compressionmolded EVA foam. The result is a noticeably bounder and more propulsive ride, with Hoka's Meta Rocker and an arched carbon plate increasing my stride length by 3cm. There's enough feel for the asphalt, however, with downhills being the usual Hoka blast.
That foam does add a little bit of weight (236g compared to 2l0g) to these all-gender shoes, but Hoka has largely remedied this by taking a chunk out of the midsole to expose the carbon plate. Further weight savings come from the limited outsole grip (wet cobbles,internal seams. We've yet to test it in midsummer heat, but it doesn't feel as breathable as the original mesh. You'll also want to keep that outsole away from anything approaching gravel tracks.
