Max Cushion

HOKA Skyward X

Hoka's biggest trainer: PEBA foam over a carbon suspension plate, built for easy and long running, not speed.

The Skyward X is the biggest shoe Hoka sells. A slab of PEBA foam sits over a stable EVA frame with a curved carbon plate suspended between them, so the whole midsole compresses and springs back like a suspension unit.

It is built for easy and long running rather than racing. If your legs are sore from a hard block, or you are on your feet for three hours on a Sunday, the amount of protection under you really is different from a normal trainer.

It is not fast and it is not subtle. It is heavy, it is tall, the platform is wide, and the plate is there to keep that stack stable rather than to make you quick. It is also expensive for a shoe you will mostly run slowly in, which is the honest trade.