Unboxed: New! Hoka Clifton Edge

Never one to stick with the status quo, Hoka teased a new “extreme” in their already outside-of-the-box line of shoes with the limited release of the TenNine. Now they’ve brought the weirdness into the mainstream with an update to their well-loved Clifton line—meet the Hoka Clifton Edge. The new Clifton Edge has an extended heel (a la the TenNine), a new breed of foam mixed in a new way, and a few other small details that make this shoe nearly unrecognizable compared to the other shoes in the Clifton line.

Check out our video above for the full unboxing, or scroll down for some quick takeaways.

First Impressions

Hoka One One Clifton Edge: $160, 8.9oz., 5mm drop, available mid-June; Hokaoneone.com

What I Like About Hoka’s Clifton Edge

1. What looks like three different types of foam is intended to give a springier feel, as opposed to the “squishiness” what high-foam shoes can have.
2. The weight. Coming in at a claimed 8.9 ounces for the unisex shoe, if it’s responsive enough, this could be a great tempo trainer or even race-day option.
3. As someone who runs down a lot of steep hills, if the extended heel “tail” helps with downhill running, I’ll be very happy.

What Makes Me Worried With Hoka’s Clifton Edge

1. It’s odd to release a shoe that looks like an Easter egg during the summer, but what do I know?
2. The high heel cup makes my achilles’ nervous. The idea was to replace a heel tab for easy on/off, but I never had a problem with heel tabs.

Final Thoughts

1. I really like that Hoka’s willingness to try new things. The whole “maximalist foam” trend was single-handedly started by them, and we all know how well that’s going!
2. This could easily be a tester at seeing if people like the extended heel tail—if it’s well-received, I’d be willing to bet that it makes its way onto other Hoka models.
3. It’s rare that I’m this excited to try a new pair of shoes, and if the Clifton Edge does what it’s supposed to, this could be a huge boon to those who run hills all the time.