Wore these for 2 days working. Walked about 12 miles between the 2 days and was thoroughly disappointed. Killed my feet and back, sounds like you are walking on suction cups due to the tread design. Initially felt comfortable, but 1 hour into wearing them the first day, I had wished I had another pair of shoes to change into. Felt like a soft cushiony no support experience while walking around. First day was walking between a grassy area and sidewalks. By the end of the night my feet and backed ached beyond belief. Gave them the benefit of the doubt the second day since they were new and not broken in and formed to my feet. What a mistake. 2nd day was all walking on a cement floor, and 2 hours into my shift I was so uncomfortable, it was beyond belief. I could not wait to get off work and get out of these shoes. The memory foam or whatever they use for a cushion inside the shoe has no support, just a squishy feel under your feet. I was o pumped for my first pair of Hoka shoes after reading reviews and recommendations for someone that is on their feet all day. Not sure where all the top reviews came from but this will not be one of them. If your purchase these be prepared for a very wide shoe base and platform. Kind of an odd, orthopedic look to the shoe that you do not observe from the pictures on display. Swapping out for the Bondi 8 and hoping for a better experience on my second try. Hopefully the exchange experience goes well with their advertised exchange policy and I do not get any hassles after wearing them for 2 days. I do not recommend these shoes for anyone standing or on their feet all day.

Having bounced around between multiple brands searching for a new trainer after both Adidas and Mizuno did unspeakable things to the Bostons and Wave Riders, I experimented with joining the growing camp of runners who have enjoyed success with the Hoka One One Cliftons. For me, the shoe is a tale of two mileages, one of which being the first 100-200mi, and the other being everything else. When I first wore the shoe I was surprised by how little of the “platform” look was actually noticeable. Make no mistake, there is a lot of shoe there, but it didn’t feel like it. Similarly the 5mm offset was a bit less than I was used to, but it certainly didn’t feel like it. I still got the sense of being rocked forward on my toes, and although it lacked the snap of my typical workout shoes, it also wasn’t the marshmallow I was expecting. Over time however, this was the big change for me. While I initially would have quantified them as “comfortably firm”, as they wear in, I found them to grow softer and softer, to the point where it felt like more of an impediment than a boost. Similarly, I also felt as though I was sitting “deep” in the shoe, with a significant amount of heel collar grasping my ankle. While I enjoyed the shoe at first and would certainly consider them on short runs during double sessions, they’re not going to be a shoe I reach for particularly often.

Greetings!
First and foremost, I was never a person who never really cared or put much effort into purchasing shoes. However, that all changed with my first pair of Hoka Cliftons, roughly 5 years ago. I was introduced to this company by a friend who recommended them for my foot problem known as plantar fasciitis, which I had lived with for over a year. This is a painful condition I developed in my feet from wearing shoes that were not supportive, nor did they have the proper amount of cushion. I resisted buying these shoes for over 6 months. and I finally came to the conclusion that I had to do something to make my feet feel better. I drove to Road Runner Sports, located in Centennial Colorado, where they took a complete analysis of my feet. Upon finishing, they recommended the Hola Clifton, which I quickly purchased on the spot! At this time, I was in the middle of painting my house, and I did not want to sacrifice a pair of Hokas to dirt, dust, debris, and paint over spray. However, I was done with my foot pain, and decided to give them a shot. To my disbelief, within a week my pain was almost gone, and within 2 weeks it had vanished. To be honest, I wish I would have known about these shoes earlier, but you don't know, what you don't know.... ya know!?
Fast forward to now, I currently own 51 pairs and counting! Not to mention the pairs I have already worn out and donated to the landfill! My background is in automotive painting, and part of my job was matching colors, which I still do today with my clothing, as well as the massive color pallet from Hoka! I match every part of my outfit from head to toe, including my sun glasses. What started out as a solution to my foot pain, has ended up a huge passion in creativity and fashion! Whether you want a shoe for comfort, walking, running, hiking, a day at the lake, etc. Hoka has you covered! Take it from a guy who fell in love with this brand, and grab a pair... or 2... or 3!

Thanks for reading!

Kevin

This is my second pair of Hoka running shoes. As I was with the first pair, I am impressed by the quality of construction and materials. This is an extremely well-made, high-quality shoe.

My first pair of Hokas was the Mach X, and those shoes are buttery soft for speed workouts. I had hoped that the Clifton 9s would be equally as soft, if not as responsive. To my surprise, the Cliftons are not nearly as soft. This isn't a bad thing, it just wasn't my expectation. The forward roll is perhaps a bit too aggressive for my taste, so although the shoe itself is great, this was the wrong model choice for me. Not for nothing, Hoka's shoe finder *did not* recommend these to me. Perhaps I should have listened to the shoe finder.

At any rate, these shoes are not a dud. I like them. I got them to replace Nike Pegasus shoes, and I think they are better than those. The feel is actually similar, just a bit more cushioning in the Cliftons. They feel better for long runs and easy runs. For fast workouts, I'm already hooked on the Mach X. If you want a basic, neutral, well-built running shoe for everyday runs, Clifton 9 is a good choice.