Hi, I’m James, a foot and ankle specialist. Today, we’re reviewing the Hoka Mach 6. Let’s start with the stack height: 37mm in the heel and 32mm in the forefoot, giving it a 5mm drop. It’s an incredibly lightweight shoe, weighing just 235g for a men’s size 9 US.
Upper & Fit
In the upper, it’s got a creel Jacquard knit, so it’s nice and smooth. It fits and curves around your foot, so the other keynote is that it’s slightly tapered around the foot. As you can see in our video, it’s a nice snug fit on the heel and the midfoot, but it does taper inward towards the big toe joint, so I found that it was a little bit snug and tight on the big toe. It eased up as I ran but might be for some who need a half-size up.
It has a thin tongue that’s secured on either side of the shoe and a nice lockdown, so it felt nice and tight on my foot without compressing it too much.
Cushioning & Midfoot
Regarding the cushioning, we have Hoka’s new supercritical foam, which is resilient and responsive. When you apply pressure, you can feel that pushback, giving you a real spring forward.
It has a nice forefoot rocker, and I really felt like it was pushing me through with my big toe. In the rear, there is a posterior lateral heel bevel, which means it just encourages you to have a nice smooth transition through to the midfoot when you make contact with the ground.
The midfoot is slightly narrower and firmer. When I dropped the speeds down a bit, it wasn’t as enjoyable to run in, but it was really fun at faster speeds. I could feel that propulsion forward from the forefoot rocker, even as a heel striker, so I enjoyed that nice heel bevel.
Stability
In terms of stability, the Hoka Mach 6 is a neutral yet stable shoe. It features medial sidewalls that extend from the heel to the midfoot, providing support and stability. The sidewalls don’t extend as high on the lateral side, but they still help control side-to-side movement, much like bumpers in a bowling alley, keeping your foot centred from heel to midfoot.
As you engage the early rocker, the shoe efficiently propels you forward, guiding your foot through the big toe for a smooth transition. Again I could really feel my big toe pressing me through at faster speeds, which were great
Verdict
Overall, if you’re thinking of upgrading from the Mach 5, this is a much more responsive, comfortable, and stable shoe. Just keep in mind that you might need a half size up due to the taper toe box, but otherwise, it is an excellent performance shoe for quicker runs and intervals.
Similar shoes in the Hoka range include the Clifton 9 and the Rincon 4.
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