Hoka Mafate Speed Review

Previous versions of the Mafate have been the most cushioned shoe in the Hoka range, as well as including an aggressive outsole for grip on soft trails. With the latest iteration of the Hoka range the cushioning of the Mafate, Stinson, and Bondi has become closer. The Mafate still has the most heel cushioning, but it's so close to the Bondi that it's hard to tell, even when wearing one on each foot. The forefoot cushioning of the Stinson Lite is slightly greater than the Mafate, but again it's close. Before, you might select the Mafate to get the Hoka with the most cushioning possible, but now the Mafate is best selected if you need the aggressive outsole. (I use The Science of Running Shoes as the basis of how I test running shoes and what you should look for in a running shoe.)

Hoka Mafate Speed top

Hoka Mafate Speed bottom

Hoka Mafate Speed inside

Hoka Mafate Speed outside

1 Characteristics

• Why you'd buy it. You're after a Minimax shoe with an aggressive outsole.
• Cushioning. The Mafate has the high level of cushioning that made Hoka popular. The cushioning is similar to the latest versions of the Hoka Bondi and the Hoka Stinson.
• Drop. Hoka claim the Mafate is a 4mm drop, but I measured it as only 1mm. I also measured the midsole as thicker than Hoka claim, so maybe they don't include the lugs in their measurements. The Mafate has a less abrupt taper at the very front of the shoe than the Bondi, but not as gentle as the Altra Olympus. The very rear of the shoe is cut away slightly to create a rocker shape that's almost identical to the Bondi. The midsole wraps around the lower part of the foot for additional stability, offsetting some of the problems of a thick sole creating a stilt like instability, which is especially a problem with a sole as thick as this.
• Structure. This shoe is made of a single type of foam. (There is mention of using RMAT foam in the midsole, but I think that the RMAT is mostly limited to the outsole.)
• Flexibility. The Mafate has no real flexibility, but it's so thick it deforms a little. It's the least flexible shoe I've come across, and similar to a hiking boot.
• Outsole. The Mafate has aggressive lugs for grip on soft surfaces, and some of these are made of hard, durable rubber. However, most of the outsole is made of the softer RMAT foam, and I'm not sure how well this will wear. In the pictures above, the hard rubber is black and the RMAT is red. You can see that Hoka were concerned about the RMAT wearing as they added the harder rubber in the highest abrasion areas. The Mafate outsole is reasonably happy on roads, though I've found the outsole sometimes lacks grip on wet asphalt
• Shape. The Mafate has the typical Hoka shape, which includes a horribly constricted toe box. In fact, the Mafate seems a little worse than most Hokas. The Hoka toe box tends to cause a distinctive pattern of blisters, so it's critical to cut open the toe box of any Hokas.
• Upper. The upper is inflexible and has a little padding. It's not quite as breathable as I'd like, but it's not terrible. There are a few seams, but they should not cause problems.
• Tongue. The Mafate has a tongue-less sock style of upper, but getting into the shoe is not as difficult as many shoes that use this approach. The tongue is quite thin and unpadded. The narrow speed laces didn't cause me a problem with the thin tongue, but it's something to be aware of when you try them.
• Lacing. The Mafate uses their speed lacing system, but you can replace it with normal laces. These speed laces are thin, with a plastic locking mechanism rather than being tied. This can make it quicker to lace up the shoes, but I generally find it harder to get the tension right.
• Heel counter. The Mafate has a moderate heel counter that's softer than I expected for such a large shoe. It's an external 'exoskeleton' approach that doesn't cause problems.

Please support this site This review was made possible by readers like you buying products via my links. I buy all the products I review through normal retail channels, which allows me to create unbiased reviews free from the influence of reciprocity, or the need to keep vendors happy. It also ensures I don't get "reviewer specials" that are better than the retail versions. Buy Hoka Mafate at Zappos Buy Hoka Mafate at Road Runner Sports Buy Hoka Mafate at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy Hoka Mafate at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

2 Cushioning and Shoes

It's intuitively obvious that the cushioning in a shoe will reduce the impact on your body when running. However, The Science of Running Shoes indicates that the reality is rather more complex. While slight cushioning may reduce the effort needed to run by improving your Running Economy, most scientific research indicates that more cushioning does further improve Running Economy. In addition, cushioning does not generally reduce impact and may actually increase it. This is counterintuitive, but is likely to be due to the way a runners mind and body adapts to softer cushioning. Unfortunately, the scientific evidence is far from complete and it's hard to give clear recommendations. I believe that some runners will prefer more cushioning, while others prefer less, and typically those running further have a fondness for greater cushioning. I also believe that a shoe should be as light as possible, and a shoe should justify its weight with the cushioning it provides. My advice is to decide what level of cushioning you're looking for, and then find the lightest shoes that also fit well and are comfortable.

3 Visualizing the Attributes of the Hoka Mafate

How Hoka Mafate compares showing rearfoot cushioning against the performance penalty of its weight. Upper right is better.	How Hoka Mafate compares showing forefoot cushioning against the performance penalty of its weight. Upper right is better.
How Hoka Mafate compares showing the price against the benefit (cushioning/performance penalty). Upper left is better.	How Hoka Mafate compares showing the loaded drop against the benefit (cushioning/performance penalty). Upper left is better.

4 Compared with the Earlier Mafate

Hoka has made a number of changes between the original Mafate and the Mafate Speed. The update is rather mixed, with some improvements and some declines. Overall, I think I prefer the original version, but it's close.

• A large portion of the outsole is now made from the softer RMAT foam. I think this will reduce the life of the shoe, but it's too early to be sure.
• The upper is thinner and has far fewer seams, but is less padded.
• The laces are now the Hoka "speed laces", which is probably why they added the "speed" suffix. You can use standard laces instead.
• The toe box seems slightly worse, as it's even narrower.
• The tongue is now attached to the upper, in a sock-style arrangement.

Hoka Mafate Speed top	Hoka Mafate Speed bottom	Hoka Mafate Speed inside	Hoka Mafate Speed outside
Hoka Mafate 2 Low top	Hoka Mafate 2 Low bottom	Hoka Mafate 2 Low inside	Hoka Mafate 2 Low outside

5 Compared with Altra Olympus

The Altra Olympus is much thinner, lighter, and more flexible than the Mafate. The Altra toe box is shaped for the human foot, and it's zero drop, which makes it better shoe. However the Olympus has nothing like the cushioning of the Mafate.

Hoka Mafate Speed top	Hoka Mafate Speed bottom	Hoka Mafate Speed inside	Hoka Mafate Speed outside
Altra Olympus top	Altra Olympus bottom	Altra Olympus inside	Altra Olympus outside

6 Compared with the Hoka Clifton

While the Mafate has more cushioning, the Hoka Clifton is much lighter, and the weight difference translates to reduced effort for running. The Clifton will work quite well on rocky trails, so unless you need the aggressive outsole for grip on soft terrain, I'd recommend the Clifton as a better shoe.

Hoka Mafate Speed top	Hoka Mafate Speed bottom	Hoka Mafate Speed inside	Hoka Mafate Speed outside
Hoka OneOne Clifton top	Hoka OneOne Clifton bottom	Hoka OneOne Clifton inside	Hoka OneOne Clifton outside

7 Compared with the Hoka Bondi/Stinson Lite

The Hoka Bondi and Hoka Stinson Lite have nearly as much cushioning as the Mafate, but are a little lighter. If you want more cushioning than the Clifton, I'd suggest either the Hoka Bondi or the Hoka Stinson Lite.

Hoka Mafate Speed top	Hoka Mafate Speed bottom	Hoka Mafate Speed inside	Hoka Mafate Speed outside
Hoka Bondi 4 top	Hoka Bondi 4 bottom	Hoka Bondi 4 inside	Hoka Bondi 4 outside
Hoka Stinson Lite top	Hoka Stinson Lite bottom	Hoka Stinson Lite outside

8 Dissection Gallery

Here are some images of the dissection of the earlier version of the Mafate.

The Mafate dissected.	Mafate and Hoka Bondi.
Mafate and Altra Olympus.	Mafate and Hoka Stinson.
Mafate and Hoka Clifton.	Hoka, like most shoe makers, does not seem to have ever seen a human foot.

9 A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes

If you're looking for "the best of the best" running shoe, here are my top picks. Of course, the answer will depend a little on what you're looking for, so I have recommendations for various categories. Best All Round Shoe. The Altra Escalante is my current all-round favorite. It has plenty of cushioning for its weight, it has a very springy midsole, it lasts well, and it has a shape that's closer to the shape of a human foot than most shoes. It's a great shoe for any runner, including those Starting to run. It's also a fairly easy shoe to find due to its popularity. Best Maximalist Shoe: If you want something massively cushioned, then I'd recommend the Saucony Kinvara 8. It's remarkably light and remarkably cushioned, beating Hoka at their own game. Best Optimal Shoe: For those looking to trade cushioning for speed, the Nike Zoom Streak LT 3 was my top pick, but the latest version (LT 4) falls short of it's predecessor. There are lots of great optimal running shoes, which provide just enough cushioning with light weight and minimal frills, but all have their weak spots. Probably the best option at the moment is the Altra Vanish-R, which offers great cushioning for just over 5oz/150g. Fastest Shoe: If you really want speed, then check out the Nike Vaporfly 4%. It's light, massively cushioned, and has a carbon fiber plate. Nothing comes close, not even the now defunct New Balance RC5000‏‎ or New Balance RC5000v2‏‎. There are a number of caveats; it's really expensive, it's really hard to find, and there's a significant injury risk. Best Minimalist Shoe: Merrell Trail Glove. I recommend the trail glove for road running in spite of the 'trail' moniker. It's not a fast shoe by any means, but it's comfortable and will last well. All Terrain Shoe. For trail running, I've become a fan of Altra, and I think their best shoe is the the Altra Timp, though the Altra Lone Peak is really close. Honorable Mention: It's not really a running shoe, but the Vivobarefoot Ra is comfortable, minimalist and can more or less pass as a dress shoe. I've worn mine to weddings with a suit and they've not looked out of place. You can run in the Ra, but the leather means it doesn't breathe well.

For a more detailed on running shoes see the Recommendations for Best Running Shoes. This table lists the key attributes of What to Look for in Running Shoes. For more detailed information, on the shoes see detailed shoe comparison.

Full Review	Brand	Name	Rating	Recommended price	Benefit	Weight (oz)	Penalty (sec/mile)	Forefoot Thickness	Heel Thickness	Loaded Drop mm	Cushioning	Flexibility
Saucony Type A Review	Saucony	A/A7	Recommended	$100	6.4	6.7	12.1	19	22	1	4.3	7
Saucony Type A6 Review	Saucony	A6	Highly Recommended	$100	8.2	6.1	9.5	17	21	4	5.0	7
Saucony Type A8 Review	Saucony	A8	Highly Recommended	$90	7.5	6.2	9.7	19	20	-1	4.7	7
Adidas Adios Boost 2 Review	Adidas	Adios	Worth considering	$140	4.7	8.6	13.4	17	27	11	4.0	6
Hoka Bondi 5 Review	Hoka	Bondi	Recommended	$150	6.1	11.6	18.1	38	42	5	7.1	2
Hoka Clayton 2 Review	Hoka	Clayton2	Highly Recommended	$150	9.1	8.3	12.9	23	28	1	7.5	5
Hoka Clifton 4 Review	Hoka	Clifton4	Worth considering	$130	7.7	9.3	14.5	30	35	10	7.2	3
ON Cloudflash Review	On Cloud	Cloudflash	Worth considering	$180	4.4	8.3	14.6	19	26	7	3.7	6
On Cloudracer Review	On Cloud	Cloudracer	Worth considering	$130	5.7	8.2	12.8	19	27	5	4.7	7
ON Cloud X Review	On Cloud	CloudX	Not recommended	$140	4.5	8.3	16.3	21	27	7	3.8	7
Mizuno Wave Cruise Review	Mizuno	Cruise	Worth considering	$120	6.6	5.9	12.5	17	20	7	3.9	6
Newton Distance IV Review	Newton	Distance	Worth considering	$155	7.5	9.1	14.2	26	31	3	6.8	5
Asics Gel DS Racer 10 Review	Asics	DS Racer	Worth considering	$110	8.2	7.0	10.9	21	26	6	5.8	5
Altra Duo Review	Altra	Duo	Recommended	$130	6.0	8.4	13.1	29	29	1	5.0	5
Mizuno Wave Ekiden 8 Review	Mizuno	Ekiden	Worth considering	$115	5.7	5.7	14.6	13	18	6	3.2	8
Saucony Endorphin 2 Review	Saucony	Endorphin 2	Worth considering	$115	8.0	5.1	9.6	15	13	-1	4.1	8
Adidas Energy Boost Review	Adidas	Energy	Worth considering	$160	7.2	10.0	15.6	20	30	7	7.2	5
Altra Escalante Review	Altra	Escalante	Best of the Best	$130	9.1	8.7	13.5	28	25	-1	7.9	6
Altra Escalante 1.5 Review	Altra	Escalante 1.5	Best of the Best	$130	8.2	9.0	14.0	26	27	-1	7.4	7
Saucony Fastwitch Review	Saucony	Fastwitch	Highly Recommended	$90	9.5	7.1	11.1	20	22	4	6.8	7
Topo Fli-Lyte 2 Review	Topo	Fli-Lyte2	Highly Recommended	$100	6.7	9.1	14.2	24	26	3	6.1	5
Reebok Floatride Run Review	Reebok	Floatride	Worth considering	$150	7.7	9.6	14.9	28	34	10	7.4	5
Saucony Freedom Review	Saucony	Freedom	Recommended	$160	5.4	10.7	16.6	25	29	3	5.8	6
Skechers GORun 4 Review	Skechers	GORun	Not recommended	$100	6.1	7.5	11.7	15	23	3	4.5	7
Skechers GOrun Ultra 2 Review	Skechers	GRU	Worth considering	$90	7.5	10.0	15.6	28	34	8	7.5	4
Asics GT 2000 Review	Asics	GT 2000	Not recommended	$120	4.8	11.2	17.4	28	35	5	5.4	2
New Balance Hanzo S Review	New Balance	Hanzo	Worth considering	$110	7.6	6.9	10.7	21	19	2	5.2	5
Hoka Hupana Review	Hoka	Hupana	Recommended	$115	6.1	8.9	13.9	31	36	7	5.4	4
Asics Gel Hyper Speed 7 Review	Asics	Hyper Speed	Highly Recommended	$75	10.9	6.3	9.8	22	26	5	6.8	6
Altra Instinct 4.0 Review	Altra	Instinct 4.0	Worth considering	$120	6.0	9.8	15.3	29	25	-1	5.9	5
Asics Tarther Kainos 3 Review	Asics	Kainos	Worth considering	$130	10.0	6.9	10.7	17	27	9	6.8	6
Altra King MT 1.5 Review	Altra	King MT	Recommended	$140	7.5	10.7	16.7	19	21	3	8.0	5
Saucony Kinvara 8 Review	Saucony	Kinvara 8	Best of the Best	$110	9.3	8.6	13.4	26	31	3	8.0	5
Altra Lone Peak 3.5 Review	Altra	Lone Peak	Highly Recommended	$120	4.2	11.4	17.7	24	25	4	4.8	5
Nike Zoom Streak LT 3 Review	Nike	LT3	Best of the Best	$80	9.8	5.4	8.4	16	21	5	5.3	7
Nike Zoom Streak LT 4 Review	Nike	LT4	Recommended	$90	8.5	5.5	8.5	15	21	3	4.6	6
Nike LunarSpider R5 Review	Nike	LunarSpider	Recommended	$125	6.9	6.7	10.4	17	21	3	4.6	6
Hoka Mafate Speed Review	Hoka	Mafate	Best of the Best	$170	7.6	11.9	18.5	39	40	4	9.0	1
Pearl Izumi EM Road N0 v2 Review	Pearl	N0	Highly Recommended	$100	7.9	6.5	10.1	14	20	4	5.2	8
Saucony Nomad Review	Saucony	Nomad	Worth considering	$110	4.3	10.5	17.2	25	27	2	4.5	4
Hoka Odyssey Review	Hoka	Odyssey	Highly Recommended	$130	8.5	9.4	14.6	37	45	5	8.0	3
Altra Olympus 2.5 Review	Altra	Olympus	Highly Recommended	$150	4.6	11.8	18.4	35	34	0	5.4	6
Altra One 3.0 Review	Altra	One	Recommended	$100	6.1	8.8	13.7	23	23	0	5.4	6
Altra Paradigm 4.0 Review	Altra	Paradigm	Highly Recommended	$150	5.3	11.0	17.1	28	30	5	5.8	8
Asics Piranha SP 5 Review	Asics	Piranha	Recommended	$100	10.1	4.2	6.5	11	15	3	4.2	9
Brooks PureFlow 5 Review	Brooks	PureFlow	Worth considering	$110	6.0	9.7	15.1	26	29	5	5.8	8
Salming Race Review	Salming	Race	Worth considering	$130	6.9	6.5	10.1	16	19	4	4.5	6
Altra Escalante Racer Review	Altra	Racer	Highly Recommended	$140	6.6	7.6	11.8	24	26	6	5.0	8
New Balance RC1600 v2 Review	New Balance	RC1600	Highly Recommended	$110	8.8	5.6	8.7	15	21	5	4.9	8
New Balance RC5000v2 Review	New Balance	RC5000v2	Best of the Best	$125	14.2	4.0	6.2	13	21	6	5.7	7
Skechers GoRun Ride 3 Review	Skechers	Ride	Worth considering	$85	5.9	8.5	13.2	18	28	6	5.0	8
Nike RN Distance 2 Review	Nike	RNDist2	Worth considering	$120	8.0	9.2	14.3	25	28	4	7.4	7
Inov-8 RoadXTreme 220 Review	Inov-8	RXT-220	Worth considering	$120	5.2	8.0	18.2	14	17	3	4.2	8
Salomon Sense Ride Review	Salomon	Sense	Worth considering	$120	8.5	10.0	15.6	26	29	6	8.5	0
Altra Solstice Review	Altra	Solstice	Highly Recommended	$90	7.1	8.1	12.5	23	25	0	5.7	5
Topo ST-2 Review	Topo	ST-2	Highly Recommended	$90	8.2	7.3	11.4	20	18	0	6.0	7
Hoka Stinson Lite Review	Hoka	Stinson	Highly Recommended	$160	7.3	11.6	18.1	35	40	6	8.5	0
Altra Superior	Altra	Superior	Highly Recommended	$110	5.6	9.9	15.5	21	25	-1	5.5	4
Adidas Takumi Sen 3 Review	Adidas	Takumi Sen 3	Highly Recommended	$160	7.7	6.6	10.2	17	21	4	5.1	5
Topo Terraventure	Topo	Terraventure	Review Pending	$110	2.6	10.8	27.5	24	24	0	2.8	10
Altra Timp Review	Altra	Timp	Best of the Best	$130	3.7	11.6	18.1	30	31	-1	4.3	6
Altra Torin 2.0 Review	Altra	Torin	Worth considering	$125	3.4	9.6	20.7	30	25	1	3.3	9
Altra Torin 3.5 Review	Altra	Torin 3.5	Worth considering	$125	5.8	9.3	14.5	27	28	0	5.4	8
Hoka Tracer Review	Hoka	Tracer	Recommended	$130	7.2	7.4	11.5	21	24	2	5.3	5
Merrell Trail Glove 4 Review	Merrell	Trail Glove 4	Best of the Best	$100	3.4	8.4	23.8	13	13	0	2.8	10
Topo Tribute Review	Topo	Tribute	Recommended	$100	5.9	7.3	11.4	20	18	-1	4.3	6
Mizuno Wave Universe 5 Review	Mizuno	Universe	Highly Recommended	$125	10.7	3.1	10.6	9	12	1	3.3	9
Altra Vanish-R Review	Altra	Vanish-R	Recommended	$100	16.1	5.3	8.2	19	21	4	8.5	6
Merrell Vapor Glove 3 Review	Merrell	Vapor Glove 3	Highly Recommended	$85	2.1	6.1	27.6	6	5	0	1.3	10
Nike Vaporfly 4% Review	Nike	Vaporfly	Best of the Best	$250	10.4	7.2	11.2	25	37	8	7.5	2
New Balance Vazee Pace Review	New Balance	Vazee Pace	Worth considering	$110	6.0	8.6	13.4	18	24	6	5.2	5
Asics TartherZeal 3 Review	Asics	Zeal	Worth considering	$140	10.9	6.3	9.8	17	27	9	6.8	6
Saucony Zealot 3 Review	Saucony	Zealot3	Recommended	$130	8.9	9.5	14.8	29	32	4	8.5	6
Nike Zoom Fly Review	Nike	Zoom Fly	Worth considering	$150	8.3	8.7	13.5	29	36	8	7.2	3

It's not a running shoe, but I love the Hoka Tor Ultra hiking boot and I've tested the Altra Lone Peak Boot, the Hoka Tor Speed 2, and the Inov-8 Roclite 325 hiking boots
Older shoe reviews: Saucony Hattori Review, Mizuno Cursoris Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, Hoka Clifton Review, Saucony Virrata 2 Review, Brooks PureCadence 3 Review, Brooks PureConnect 3 Review, Brooks PureFlow 3 Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, New Balance 980 Review, Brooks Transcend 2 Review, Hoka Huaka Review, Patagonia EVERlong Review, Asics 33-DFA Review, Hoka Conquest Review, Saucony Cortana Review, Puma Faas 100 R Review, Saucony Fastwitch Review, Nike Free Review, Asics Gel Lyte 33 Review, Skechers GOmeb Speed Review, Skechers GOrun Ultra Road Review, Nike LunaRacer Review, Altra Paradigm Review.