If you have bought a pair of Hoka running shoes recently, you may have seen some numbers and letters on the inside of the midsole. Below is a list of what they mean.
Letter | Description |
---|---|
S | The ‘spring’ of the shoe. How far off the ground in millimetres the toe and heel sections are |
V | The volume of the midsole cushion in cm³ (cubic centimetres) |
W | The weight of the shoe in grams |
C | The carbon plate version number |
And below are some shoe examples.
Shoe | Spring | Volume | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
Clifton Edge | 36 x 20 | 734 | 246 |
Torrent 2 | 33 x 16 | 395 | 270 |
Challenger 6 | 37 x 30 | 641 | 276 |
Mach 4 | 39 x 25 | 642 | 238 |
Clifton 8 | 34 x 22 | 655 | 250 |
Rincon 3 | 38 x 24 | 603 | 215 |
Kawana | 35 x 32 | 712 | 288 |
Speedgoat 5 | 35 x 21 | 651 | 284 |
Arahi 6 | 33 x 23 | 667 | 269 |
Zinal | 32 x 19 | 490 | 242 |
Stinson 6 | 42 x 33 | 809 | 332 |
Cielo X LD | 12 x 45 | 211 | 104 |
Cielo X MD | 14 x 49 | 173 | 126 |
It’s worth emphasising that the ‘spring’ measurement is the curvature of the shoe – not the heel-to-toe drop (normally 4-5mm). Hokas have a signature rocker feel to them, hence why something like the Mach 4 has a difference of 14mm from back to front.
With regards to the carbon plate numbers, these currently range from C001 to C003. Below is a list of what plate is in each shoe. And yes, the stats are the same for both Carbon X shoes!
Shoe | Spring | Volume | Plate no. |
---|---|---|---|
Carbon X 2 | 41 x 36 | 728 | C001 |
Carbon X 3 | 41 x 36 | 728 | C001 |
Rocket X | 40 x 15 | 612 | C001 |
Bondi X | 35 x 30 | 884 | C002 |
Tecton X | 36 x 26 | 701 | C003 |
How is this information useful? Well the more you know, the more informed a decision you can make about which shoe is best for you.
This only really applies if you are browsing for shoes in an actual shop of course. Remember those?
2 Comments
How to remove the numbers off the side of the shoes?? Thanks
I’m curious to know why, but something alcohol-based would probably work. Probably not great for the foam, though.