As Tech-Loaded Super Shoes Gain Speed, Hoka Unveils Its Innovative Cielo X1 Road Racer
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Calling all serious road runners, Hoka has a new race day shoe for you.
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Hoka revealed the Cielo X1 shoe on Thursday, a look designed with the help of the brand’s elite athletes using innovative geometry and plate technology with a goal of providing ultimate energy return. The shoe, which Hoka explained were created to give marathon runners a leg up on race day, the Cielo X1 combines a new exaggerated rocker profile with an asymmetrical Active Foot Frame and a winged carbon fiber plate for propulsion and stability.
The technology story continues on the Cielo X1 with its resilient two-layer PEBA midsole with strategic cut-outs in order to offer a soft, light and bouncy feel underfoot for extended miles. Hoka also added an all-new engineered knit upper, which provides lightweight breathability, and an asymmetrical gusseted knit tongue that allows for easy entry and offers a secure, locked-in fit.
In terms of the shoe’s look, Hoka added knit uppers featuring a colorful gradient design, merging different shades of blue and green with hits of red and orange.
The shoe is also lightweight, with a women’s size 8 weighing in at 7.4 oz. and a men’s size 10 weighing 9.3 oz. With a 40 mm stack height and 7 mm drop, it features the most rocker and cushioning of any other Hoka race shoe on the market.
The Hoka Cielo X1 is available via Hoka.com and retails for $275.
Although Hoka’s Cielo X1 is the latest super shoe to hit the market, it’s part of a larger trend in the ultracompetitive category. Super shoes, which are models replete with technology that brands claim can help improve performance, have been a dominant topic in run market conversations in recent years, and leading brands showcasing this year’s footwear at The Running Event in November 2023 proved the best was yet to come. Aside from Hoka, industry leaders including Nike (AlphaFly 3), Puma (Fast-R Nitro Elite 2) and New Balance (FuelCell SuperComp Pacer v2) revealed looks you’re sure to see on the feet of marathoners in 2024.
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