Hoka's most iconic trail running shoe has received a major upgrade in the technical department, and is looking more super than ever before.
The Mafate is the shoe that started it all for Hoka. Released by the Annecy-based brand back in 2010, it featured a thick midsole and rocker geometry, which won't sound that odd if you only started trail running in the last 10 years. At the time though? Those shoes looked like they'd just landed from Mars compared to other minimalist shoes dominating the trail space.
Fast forward to 2025 and super-stacked midsoles look like they're here for the foreseeable. Now the Hoka Mafate X is taking things to the next level.
The inclusion of X in the title means that, like the Tecton X 3, and any other Hoka shoe with X in the name, the newest Mafate will have a forked carbon plate to improve the shoe's propulsiveness. In this case, it's sandwiched between foam midsoles made of PEBA (Polyether Block Amide) and super critically foamed EVA carriers that are injected with gas to make them ultra-light. Altogether, that makes for a gargantuan 41.5mm of foam under the heel which is up more than 8mm on the Mafate Speed 4.
Needless to say it features the same MetaRocker design as previous models to help you move forward with less effort, and the drop has increased from 4mm to 8mm.
A Hoka midsole getting bigger isn't necessarily breaking news, but what's upstairs in these shoes is worth a bulletin. Compared to the single-layer jacquard mesh uppers of the 4, the brand has utilized what it says are patent-pending dynamic ultralight woven textile uppers that allow for easy drainage, which could make these shoes a good choice for routes with lots of river crossings.
Underfoot, it's no surprise that the brand has once again gone with the reliability of Vibram Megagrip outsoles, but in place of the chevron-shaped 5mm Vibram Traction lugs are the pizza and taco shapes the brand unveiled at last year's Running Event with 3.5 mm lugs for variable terrain.
It's a little surprising to see the Mafate dressed up in such a technical outfit, and the updates have added a modest two ounces per shoe, but it's clear that Hoka means for the newest edition to be built for the long haul. How it all holds up requires the test of time.
The Hoka Mafate X trail running shoes are out on April 15 with a retail price of $225, but you can pre-order men's sizing in the Zest/Mountain Fog now at REI and have them on the trails by Easter.
