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From Fellrnr.com, Running tips
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=Characteristics=
* '''Why you'd buy it'''. You're after a [[MinimaxMaximalist]] 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.
* '''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, and the softness of the RMAT lugs is sticky, so it has great grip on most surfaces.
* '''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 Modifications| cut open the toe box of any Hokas]]. {{H:TryCuttingShoes}}
* '''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. I found there is not enough padding around the ankle opening, which can dig in painfully if you start to twist your ankle (a common issue with [[MinimaxMaximalist]] shoes on trails.)
* '''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.
{{FastBlr|hoka-one-one/stinson-lite-1086|1086|Hoka One One Stinson Lite}}
=Compared with the Asics GT 2000=
I like to compare shoes against the [[Asics GT 2000]] as it represents the traditional running shoe, and the comparison may be useful if you're considering the Mafate instead of a more conventional shoe. Like many shoes, the GT 2000 is over engineered and includes many things that go against [[The Science of Running Shoes]] and are more likely to cause problems than solve them. The Mafate is thicker than the GT 2000, but the difference is mostly in the forefoot, as the Mafate is 10mm thicker there, but only 5mm thicker at the rear. However, the Mafate is much better cushioned, with a soft feeling that is a core part of a [[MinimaxMaximalist]] shoe. The two shoes weigh nearly the same, so they'll slow you down by about the same amount. The Mafate has a far more aggressive outsole than the GT 2000. The Mafate has less drop than the GT 2000, but this is less noticeable when your weight is in the shoe.
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