HOKA Arahi 8 Review
By Matthew Klein
HOKA Arahi 8Price: $149.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 9.8 oz, 278 g (men's size 9), 7.7 oz, 218 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 39 mm heel / 31 mm forefoot
Drop: 8 mm
Shoe Purpose: Moderate Stability Daily Training Shoe
Pros: More Upper Volume/Width, Softer Ride Than Previous, Light for a Stability Shoe
Cons: Clunky Medial Heel Bevel, Less Pronounced Medial Stability, Slower Ride, Poor Outsole Durability
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Hoka Arahi 8 is a mild to moderate stability shoe for those who want a walking, standing and slower running shoe. A brand new 8mm heel drop and redesigned H-Frame provide a more centered ride throughout the length of the shoe. A new upper provides a slightly wider and higher volume fit that sets this shoe apart from prior models. A smooth forefoot transition offsets a clunky rearfoot ride, making this a decent option for walking, standing and those who land a little farther forward needing some stability and guidance.
SIMILAR SHOES: Saucony Guide 18, New Balance 860 v14
PAST MODEL: Hoka Arahi 7
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The Hoka Arahi 8 fits me true to size in my normal Men's US size 10. The upper is a double-jacquard mesh that is comfortable yet thicker. The mesh is not breathable and gets noticeably warm on longer efforts. The fit is wider than the narrow-fitting Arahi 7. There is also a greater volume, particularly in the forefoot. The toe box is tapered but does stretch. This moves into a slightly wider forefoot thanks to the higher volume. The midfoot has a little extra volume and width that required me to tighten down the laces more than normal. The tongue is thick, not gusseted and did slide a little during runs. The heel fits normally in width with moderate heel collar padding and a moderately stiff heel counter. The counter padding is only present at the top and the counter bothered my heel during longer runs, walks and while sitting. Those with sensitive heels will need to avoid this shoe, while those wanting a stiff and present counter will do well. The inner liner of the upper is comfortable and fairly seamless, so those wanting to go sockless should be fine. However, the slippage of the tongue did cause some irritation on the top of my foot, so I personally would use socks.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: On Cloudboom Strike, Asics Gel-Nimbus 27, Xero HFS, Topo Cyclone 3, Adidas Adizero Evo SL
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Brooks Launch 11, Diadora Mythos Vigore 3
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: No
How Flexible is the Shoe: Not Flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel:
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: Yes
Recommended for Sockless: Somewhat
Durability Expectation: Below Average
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Hoka Arahi 8 is a stability daily training shoe. The midsole is full-length EVA and feels moderately soft underfoot. This is in contrast to the firm/stiff midsole of version 7. The stack height has increased, and the Arahi 8 feels like a maximal shoe. The weight has stayed under 10 oz for men's size 9, which is still on the lighter end for a stability shoe. There is now an 8mm heel drop listed and while it does feel higher than the lower-feeling version 7, it feels in the realm of 6-8 mm. Despite the presence of a large heel bevel, the heel is quite clunky due to it being medially biased with a lateral heel flare. This awkwardly transitions into a solid but stiffer midfoot. The forefoot has the smoothest transition of the entire shoe thanks to an early forefoot (meta) rocker. The entire shoe is quite stiff with no major flexibility. The forefoot has a small bit of flexibility, but the extension of the H-frame (stability mechanism) into the medial and lateral forefoot adds additional stiffness that should be enough for those with toe mobility problems looking for a stiffer rocker.
Due to the less responsive midsole and stiffer back half of the shoe, the Hoka Arahi 8 is best for easy running miles and walking. The EVA midsole is not responsive and with clunky heel makes running faster feel like a chore. The generally stable platform feels better during walking and standing, so those looking for a more relaxed ride will do better in this shoe.
Surface-wise the Hoka Arahi 8 is meant for road. The outsole does provide decent traction on wet road and some traction on softer ground due to the large lug like outsole. However, the exposed EVA outsole started showing early wear after only 10 miles in this shoe especially at the exposed midfoot, so I would keep this shoe on man-made surfaces. For the durability, I have concerns given the early wear and the fact the midsole is already starting to firm up at 40 miles. I therefore expect lower than average durability if using these for running. These should be fine long term for walking usage.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The Hoka Arahi 8 is a mild stability / moderate guidance shoe. The stability mostly comes from the H-frame, which provides an H-like extension of firmer EVA along the center midfoot and medial/lateral heel/forefoot. There is more of this material at the medial midfoot, extending the entire height of the midsole. The H extensions also move all the way in the forefoot, provide some central guidance and resistance to medial/lateral motion. The extensions provide mild guidance/stability compared to the more prominent J-frame of prior versions. The medial midfoot component is not obtrusive, feeling fairly mild but still keeping the foot centered on the platform. There is more medial support than lateral in the midfoot thanks to the extra material. The H-frame mostly makes the midfoot feel stiff instead of medially stable, providing a more centered, guidance feel. This does add to the midfoot transition feeling clunky until about 30 miles. The heel also features a similar large amount of medial firmer EVA with a little bit of lateral material. This is offset by the previously mentioned medial heel bevel and lateral heel flare, which does cause the foot to be pitched inward upon landing. This is all combined with medial and lateral sidewalls that extend from the heel to the midfoot and a wider sole. The sum of these parts make for a moderate level of guidance throughout the length of the shoe and mild to moderate stability in the medial heel and midfoot.
Thoughts as a DPT: Heel Bevel Angles
By Matthew Klein
The presence of a heel bevel is important in footwear design for maximal shoes. The heel bevel refers to the curve rear portion of a shoe. It is meant to imitate the natural heel rocker, an efficient mechanism in the rearfoot. The primary rearfoot bone, called the calcaneus, is curved to allow an efficient rolling forward of the center of mass upon heel strike and allowing the foot to gently transition from a dorsiflexed to plantarflexed position. Lack of this mechanism can cause a more aggressive and abrupt foot transition during a rearfoot strike. As shoes get taller, any natural mechanisms of the foot are muted, so artificial ones must be added to maintain forward momentum during gait.
Although it is good to have a heel bevel in a maximal shoe, the design of the bevel can make just as big of a difference as the presence. In the case of the Arahi 8, the heel bevel is angled medially with a flex groove in the midsole on the medial side. This creates a lateral heel flare, which not only resists lateral motion, it emphasizes and facilitates medial motion aggressively. This makes no sense in a stability shoe and little sense in a shoe in general given that the most common place to land is the posterolateral heel, not posteromedial heel. This somewhat defeats the purpose of the bevel in the first place. While the resistance to lateral motion would be fine for someone with lateral instabilities, most stability shoes are designed to help control medial motion.
It is for this reason that despite the presence of a bevel, the Hoka Arahi 8 has an abrupt and clunky rearfoot transition. It would be a far better idea to have a centered bevel than a medial facing one, as this would do a better job of creating central guidance, rather than facilitating a motion you are supposed to be helping the user control... at least based on the category you claim this shoe is in. Therefore, this shoe will do far better for those who land farther forward or those who need resistance to excessive lateral motion at heel strike (which is far more rare than those who need resistance to excessive medial motion).
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: Like many of the recent Hoka training shoes, I am somewhat disappointed in this update. I like the softer feel and wider upper compared to the harshly firm and narrow upper of the previous version. However, I am not a fan of the sliding tongue, irritating heel counter, continued poor outsole durability, the clunky medial heel bevel and a midsole foam that feels dead. I understand that Hoka trainers are mostly bought as walking shoes and this is a solid option for that. From a running perspective, this shoe leaves something to be desired.
My stereotypical comment is to fix the heel bevel so it is either more centered or is laterally beveled. I would also suggest updating the non-H frame midsole to something that is more resilient. This foam compresses only slightly, and there is not a huge difference in feel between the two different foams. This makes the stability not as apparent as it could be and feels less like a moderate stability shoe than the prior version. The exposed midsole material on the outsole is still getting ripped up, so as usual, I would suggest having the "super abrasion rubber" outsole extend the length of the shoe rather than in patches. The Hoka Arahi used to be a really unique series that had versatility from walking all the way to marathon racing for some people. The current version has drifted greatly from that, feeling less smooth and less stable. I am hoping Hoka can apply some of the things they have learned from their racing shoes to the rest of their shoes as I am more likely to suggest the Arahi as a walking shoe than a running shoe currently.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The Hoka Arahi 8 is a moderate stability, guidance-based shoe for those who want a stable walking, standing and slower running shoe. The H-frame frame provides medial and lateral support, but the medial heel bevel causes a clunky and aggressive medial push at heel strike. Those who want mild stability will do better whereas those with greater support needs may want to look at the Gaviota or outside the Hoka line-up (or the Arahi 7). The fit is slightly wider and higher volume, making it better for those with normal to slightly wider feet. The midsole is not responsive and will do better for those wanting an easy mileage shoe. While I am happy about the integration of the H-frame and its potential, it doesn't quite hit the mark due to the poor heel design and non-responsive midsole foam. The upper is also better in some ways with the additional volume (after being so narrow previously), but the hard heel counter and slipping tongue is annoying. Hoka seems to be struggling with their training shoes while hitting their recent race shoes out of the park. Hopefully, they can balance that out in the future. At least it is still a decent walking and standing shoe.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: B+ (Slightly wider and higher volume fit. Hard, irritating heel counter and warm but soft upper)
Performance: B- (Lighter for a stability shoe, but clunky heel, non-responsive midsole makes it feel better for walking than running)
Stability: B+ [Mild-Moderate Stability/Guidance] (Large H-Frame with more material on the medial side, sidewalls and wider base provide a stable ride, although less so than prior versions. Feels more mild and stiff)
Value: B ($150 is still decent for a standard shoe, but the durability and lower pace versatility makes this feel like it should cost less than prior versions, not more)
Personal: C (Irritating heel counter, non-responsive sole, clunky heel, early outsole wear makes this a disappointment for me while running. Walking is better but I would rather use the current iteration of the Gaviota)
Overall Design: B-
SHOP | SUPPORT DORHOKA Arahi 8Price: $149.95 at Running Warehouse
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