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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Best Running Shoe Reviews – Hoka Mafate}}
The [http://www.zappos.com/hoka-mafate Mafate] is only available as a trail version and it's the heaviest , thickest and thickest least flexible of the Hokas, and probably any running shoe made. Even when you're used to running in other Hoka shoes, the Mafate seems like it's a huge beast. I don't think the extra thickness and weight is worth it, and I prefer the [[Hoka BondiClifton]] or the [[Altra Olympus]]. The Mafate does have a more aggressive outsole than the trail [[Hoka Stinson]] but it's not enough for me to recommend the Mafate over the Stinson. However, if you want the most cushioned shoe, with an aggressive outsole for the trail, the Mafate is well worth considering=Characteristics=* '''Midsole'''. The midsole is made of a lightweight EVA foam, but given it's thickness, it's still rather heavy. ** '''Cushioning'''. The Mafate has the highest level of cushioning of any shoe I've tried, with the soft ride that Hoka of famous for. It sometimes seems that the Mafate softens up during the first mile or two of a run, possibly due to the foam warming up, or it might be my imagination.** '''Drop & Shape'''. Like other Hoka shoes, the Mafate is not a zero drop shoe, and the rear is about 6 mm thicker than the front. That's only about half the drop of a standard running shoe. 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.** '''Flexibility'''. The Mafate has no real flexibility, but it's so thick it does deform a little. It's the least flexible shoe I've come across, and similar to a hiking boot. * '''Outsole'''. The Mafate has durable rubber at all contact points, and includes some substantial lugs for grip. 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 [[Shoe Dissection| cut open the toe box of any Hokas]].* '''Upper'''. The upper is thicker than most shoes, with several layers and quite a bit of stitching. It's less flexible than most uppers, probably to help keep the stilt like midsole stable. * '''Tongue'''. The Mafate has a classic tongue rather than a tongue-less sock style of upper. The tongue is thickly padded along its entire length, which is rather nice.* '''Lacing'''. The Mafate uses round laces but I've not had any problem with them coming undone. * '''Heel counter'''. The Mafate has a firm heel counter, similar to other Hokas.=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.=Compared with the Hoka Clifton/Bondi and Stinson=I think it's reasonable to put these four Hoka shoes on a spectrum; Mafate to Stinson to Clifton. As you go along the list the weight and cushioning go down, and flexibility goes up. Other characteristics, such as shape and drop are quite similar. As noted in the review of the [[Hoka Clifton]], it can be thought of as a better Bondi, with similar cushioning at a lighter weight.=Gallery={| class="wikitable" |- valign="top"|[[File:OlyMafBonTop.JPG|none|thumb|500px| The [[Altra Olympus]], Mafate, and [[Hoka Bondi]].]]|[[File:StinMafClifTop.JPG|none|thumb|500px| The [[Hoka Stinson]], Mafate, and [[Hoka Clifton]].]]|[[File:OlyMafBonBack.JPG|none|thumb|500px|The Altra Olympus, Mafate, and Bondi.]]|[[File:StinMafClifBack.JPG|none|thumb|500px| The [[Altra Olympus]], Mafate, and [[Hoka Bondi]].]]|- valign="top"|[[File:MatateSole.JPG|none|thumb|500px| a view of the aggressive outsole.]]|[[File:HokaOrAltra.png|none|thumb|500px|Hoka, like most shoe makers, does not seem to have ever seen a human foot. ]]|}
=A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes=
{{:Shoes-include}}