If you had asked us a calendar year ago, Hoka had not yet cracked the code within the super-shoe category. It's a WHOLE different world we live in now. With the launch of Cielo x1, Hoka not only has one, but two shoes that rank at the absolute top of the super shoes we have tested in the office.
Perhaps you are already familiar with Hoka's first race-day option, namely Rocket x2, so the natural question would then be, how does Cielo x1 stand out from it? And why is it necessary? Hoka Rocket x2 was and is indeed an excellent race shoe, perhaps one of the best, so which runner is out there longing for Cielo x1?
It is inevitable that we will end up repeating ourselves a bit when creating these articles. This is because our perspectives are constantly being shifted and challenged. Hoka Cielo x1 is a shoe that ONCE AGAIN pushes the limits and challenges our notion of what a running shoe can achieve.
Before we delve into this wonder of a race-day shoe, here are a few quick facts about Cielo x1:
Facts:
Type: Race day, neutral
Heel-to-toe drop: 7mm
Stack height: 39mm in the forefoot, 32mm in the heel
Midsole material: Two-layered PEBA
Carbon: Wing-shaped carbon plate.
A small masterpiece - Hoka Cielo x1
The upper is made of a knitted material that actually has quite a bit of structure and substance to it, considering it's a race-day shoe. In my opinion, this is a small masterpiece, as a midsole with so much (comfortable) noise in it benefits from an upper that helps keep the foot in place. The tongue itself, I believe, can be divisive, it is certainly stretchy, and then I haven't said too much. In a shoe where a lot of thought has been put into things, I think Hokas team decided on the laces just before the coffee break, because they are a bit tricky to deal with. Well, moving on to a whole lot of positives!
Rocker geometry from the top shelf
Two-layered PEBA midsole. You heard right, two-layered. In between, a carbon plate, what else, it's 2024 after all. In the shoe, you also have what we call an "Early Stage Meta-Rocker". I'm throwing around terms, I apologize! But it actually just means that you get this rolling run, and early-stage means that this rolling sensation starts early in your landing. My experience of Cielo x1 is that you get a very strong energy return if you land quite noticeably on your mid-forefoot. Not in that trampoline-like manner, as you know it from e.g. Nike Alphafly, but more like a shoe that propels you quickly to the next step.
On the outsole, you'll find a relatively large amount of rubber on the surface, which can be really good for several things, durability and grip, but it certainly doesn't contribute to pulling the weight down, so here it probably depends a bit on the individual runner whether it's a plus or a minus. Generally, most runners prefer light running shoes for race day, and that's a team I'll probably join. But weight isn't always the deciding factor for me in a racing shoe.
For those on Team "I-just-want-to-know-how-it-feels":
Hoka Cielo x1 is soft as butter.
Yes please! Hoka Cielo x1
"Yes please!", "Yessss please Hoka!" I almost had to shout when I finally found myself running in Cielo x1, on a run with a bit of marathon intensity. It just felt smooth, effortless, and those who know me personally know that all my runs are certainly not without grimaces and hardships. I don't hold back verbally when my body isn't cooperating. But it did this day, and Cielo x1 was absolutely instrumental in that.
In Hoka's lineup of race-day shoes, Cielo x1 is the obvious choice for longer distances, whereas Rocket x2 is a bit more versatile and in our opinion can be used on all distances. Cielo x1 is heavier, but it's not just dead weight, you get something extra fun for those grams, both in the midsole but also in terms of stability in the upper. I think it's an important point that these 20-30 grams are not always just extra weight you have to carry around, but that you actually get something in return. You get this ultra smooth roll from midfoot to forefoot, which you really benefit from when you start to get a bit tired towards the end of the run - or at km 35 of your marathon, when the seriousness really sets in. If you know, you know.
Hoka Cielo x1 makes running fun, and that is after all one of the biggest compliments you can give a shoe.
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