HOKA ONE ONE CARBON X3

£160 ▶ Hoka’s latest iteration of the Carbon X

The X3 is pitched at athletes looking for ample support and propulsion for fast endurance road racing and training. The new perforated upper aims to offer a more secure fit and improved breathability over the original.

It looks stylish and performanceready, feels extremely light and is flexible when on. The material expands comfortably as the foot swells during long runs, while the sock liner and oversized heel tab means it’s quick and easy to slip your foot into it – ideal for a swift T2.

The downsides of having such a malleable upper are that it provides less structure than a more built-up shoe. The heel’s well supported, but the midfoot and forefoot must rely on the large sole and bevelled heel for stability. The eyelets also don’t reach very far up the shoe, so you’ve got to rely on the sock liner for top closure. We’ve no problem with this, but if you require extra support or have particularly narrow feet, then these might not be for you.

Meanwhile, the softer EVA midsole is great at absorbing impact and feels soft on the joints. There’s propulsion a-plenty thanks to the same ‘responsive carbon fibre plate and aggressive Meta-Rocker’ as seen in the X2. Meanwhile, the curved geometry with 5mm drop encourages a smooth rolling movement from heel-strike to toe-off, helping to maintain an efficient foot strike.

Though the sole seems chunky, the shoe still feels agile in motion, our UK size 5.5 coming in at 199g per shoe. The X3 performs best over tempo efforts and makes a solid companion for longer distances.