Hoka in 60 seconds — what you need to know
Hoka was founded in 2009 in Annecy, France, by ex-Salomon designers Nicolas Mermoud and Jean-Luc Diard, who wanted a running shoe that could descend Alpine trails faster than a normal trainer. Their answer was to roughly double the midsole stack while keeping the shoe light. That maximalist geometry — counterintuitive in 2009, mainstream in 2026 — is the entire brand thesis. The company was acquired by Deckers in 2013 and has grown UK revenue an estimated 38% year-on-year in 2025, with road models now outselling On's flagship Cloudswift in several UK retailer dashboards.
The 2026 lineup at a glance
| Model | Use case | Stack height | UK price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton 10 | Versatile daily trainer | 32mm heel | £125 |
| Mach Remastered | Light daily / tempo | 29mm heel | £140 |
| Mach X Caged | Tempo / race day | 36mm heel | £170 |
| Transport 2 | Lifestyle / commute | 30mm heel | £155 |
| Bondi 9 | Max-cushion long runs | 43mm heel | £175 |
| Anacapa 2 Low GTX | Hike / trail-lite | 33mm heel | £185 |
| Anacapa Mid GTX | Waterproof hike | 33mm heel | £220 |
| Speedgoat 5 | Technical trail | 34mm heel | £175 |
What makes a Hoka a Hoka — three signature features
Active Foot Frame (AFF)
The midsole rises around the foot rather than sitting flat beneath it. AFF cradles the heel and arch, reducing lateral roll on uneven ground. It's why a 43mm-stack Bondi 9 feels stable rather than tippy at standstill.
Meta-Rocker
A subtle banana-shape from heel to toe replaces a hard flex point. Walkers feel it as a gentle forward tilt; runners feel it as guided gait. The Meta-Rocker is what lets Hoka build a shoe with very high stack and still keep transitions fluid.
Supercritical CMEVA midsole
EVA blown with supercritical CO2 instead of standard chemical blowing agents. The result: lower density, more rebound per gram, and 18–22% better energy return than standard EVA, by Hoka's published lab data.
How Hoka beat On in UK 2025–26
Three reasons. First, distribution: Hoka secured premium positioning at JD Sports, Selfridges, and Sports Direct in 2024, while On stayed boutique-led until late 2025. Second, lifestyle: Mach Remastered and Transport gave Hoka credible casual silhouettes; On's CloudTec aesthetic stayed sport-coded. Third, plus-size cushion: UK shoppers over 80kg adopted Bondi 9 for joint protection in numbers On could not match without a max-cushion model of its own.
Hoka's bet — that more midsole, not less, is the future of comfort — was contrarian in 2009 and is consensus in 2026. The brand isn't slowing; expect a Bondi 10 and a road-racing flagship before year-end.
Three Hoka pairs for three different UK shoppers
The commuter who walks 8km a day
Hoka Transport 2 in 'Cream Vintage Yellow' at £155. Lifestyle upper, deep cushioning, secure midfoot. It looks at home with chinos and an overshirt, and the supercritical foam handles concrete without joint fatigue.
The 5-day-a-week runner
Clifton 10 at £125 for daily runs, Mach X Caged at £170 for one tempo session a week. The two-shoe rotation extends both shoes' lifespans by ~28% versus single-shoe use.
The weekend hill walker
Anacapa Mid GTX at £220 in 'Eggnog Shifting Sand'. Waterproof, grippy on UK chalk and limestone, and the mid collar protects ankles on Lake District descents.
