Hoka Clifton 9 - Women's Review

With a 34 mm stack underfoot in the heel and a 28 mm stack beneath the forefoot, the updated Hoka Clifton is known for its underfoot comfort. If your running takes you on lengthy paved routes most days of the week, the plush protective cushion of this shoe is where it's at.

Performance Comparison

Landing Comfort

This is the metric where the Clifton 9 shines brightest. It is a great daily running shoe all around, but it earns the highest marks for its bouncy landing comfort. Slipping your feet into the higher-than-ever Clifton feels a bit disorienting at first, as this shoe is noticeably higher than your standard road shoe. But after a few quick spins around the block, our testers grew accustomed to the height, which set the stage for long, pavement-laden testing runs.

The EVA foam midsole is thick and bouncy, while the Durabrasion rubber outsole provides an additional, grippy layer between your feet and the road. The insole's build creates a cradle-like sensation for your feet, preventing them from sliding around within the shoe's body. The forefoot of the Clifton is somewhat flexible, which allows your feet and toes to work with your gait.

Responsiveness

As is often the case in the world of running shoes, comfort and responsiveness don't always coexist perfectly together. While there is nothing wrong with the responsiveness of the Clifton 9, it isn't a shoe we recommend for speed demons looking to push their boundaries. It is, however, an incredible option if comfort is king and smooth strides reign supreme. The semi-flexible outsole encourages you to rely on your muscles and strength more than a shoe with a rigid plate in its outsole. Racers might prefer a more rigid outsole, but there is plenty of pep within the outsole of the Clifton so that you can achieve your next PR. The underfoot foam rides bouncy and has an early-stage meta rocker, which is Hoka-specific tech that allows one footfall to roll right into the next.

Stability

The overbuilt aesthetic of the Clifton renders it incredibly stable for a neutral running shoe. The contoured heel cup and thick heel cushion lock your heel in place, creating stability from the back forward. The midfoot doesn't have extra structures for lateral support, but the engineered mesh upper is strong. The outsole extends upward ever so slightly, which helps feet stay comfortably locked into place. The 6 mm drop (our measurement — Hoka claims 5 mm) forces the heel to sit on a similar plane to the toes, unlike more traditional road shoes with a 8-10 mm drop. This further encourages comfortable stability.

Upper Comfort

The upper mesh of the Clifton 9 is comfortable, but not necessarily more so than many other shoes. The mesh is breathable, which helps keep feet cool on warm days. The plush tongue is partially adhered, so besides providing comfort, it stays where you want it once the laces are locked down. The toe box is rather spacious but not dramatically so. A wide-width option of the Clifton is available, which allows for a bit more flexibility when choosing a size that serves your feet. Our testers found this shoe comfortable all around, but its highly shaped heel cup might not appeal to all runners. The heel tab extends higher than most, and the thickness on the lateral edges of the cup might not suit all anatomies. The balance between softness and strength around the heel collar is good, so we never had any issues with discomfort, but it is easy to see how different ankle bones might find discomfort with this shape. As per usual, we recommend trying this shoe on before shelling out the cash because of these quirks.

Weight

With each women's size 6.5 shoe weighing 7.16 ounces, the Clifton 9 is pretty lightweight considering the cushioning it offers. It is not super often that ultra-comfy shoes weigh in on the lower end of the spectrum, but the Clifton is an outlier. Most of the weight lives in the outsole of the shoe, which can feel a bit clunky at first.

Traction

The outsole of the Clifton is made of durabrasion rubber and exposed foam. The width of the outsole combined with these materials makes for good enough traction on moderate dirt paths and loose gravel. The outsole did not thrive, however, on saturated roads. We were successful while running across misty and dewy terrain, but the traction started to give as soon as the wetness became a bit more serious.

Should You Buy the Hoka Clifton 9?

For long-distance road enthusiasts or people who spend many hours on their feet, we recommend the Clifton 9. It is a bouncy shoe constructed with underfoot comfort in mind, making it a standout choice for pavement pounding. The responsiveness via the meta rocker lends itself well enough to leg turnover, making some speed work and PRs possible in this comfy road kick. If you are in the market for a stable shoe with bouncy underfoot cushion, the Clifton is a worthy contender. It's also one of our favorite walking shoes.

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