HOKA Tecton X 2
The race-friendly, carbon-plated HOKA Tecton X 2 is built for speed on the trails. It packs the same punchy nitrogen-infused Profly X foam you’ll find in some of HOKA’s all-out road race shoes. It also has not one but two carbon plates, new water-resistant uppers and Vibram Megagrip with Litebase outsoles for tackling technical trails. The original Tecton X was a much-heralded shoe, so does this reincarnation live up to those high standards?
Gripping addition
The Tecton X 2 sticks with a similar formula to the first-gen shoe, with the same stack of Profly X midsole foam, parallel carbon plates and an early-stage metarocker to deliver smoother, quicker transitions from heel to toe and faster toe-offs. Up top, the X 2 has dense and structured new Matryx uppers with hydrophobic properties to keep water out and help them dry faster. The heel collars are medium padded, and there’s a flat-lay gusseted tongue and some overlay to reinforcements across the toes for added protection – but not a lot. Flip it over and there’s a Vibram Megagrip with Litebase outsole, with 4mm lugs to provide grip, traction and durability.
Comfortable ride
The Tecton X 2 stack height comes in at 30mm in the heel and 25mm in the forefoot for a 5mm drop. It tips the scales at 252g in a UK size 8.5. That’s heavier than the first-gen Tecton X, though the X 2 is still a comparatively lightweight trail shoe. In my run tests I’ve done well over 200 miles in this shoe. That includes plenty of lighter trails, at a mix of paces from faster miles to raggedform plods. I’ve also raced a technical, wet, steep and slippery trail marathon in them. Having put in the hard yards, I’ve become a big fan. It offers good comfort out of the box, with a secure fit and hold in the heel and across the midfoot, with no notable slipping even on steep descents. When it comes to the ride, I found it virtually identical to the original Tecton X, and to be honest if you can find those cheaper I see no reason to splash out full price on the X 2. It’s comparatively light and agile for a trail shoe and you get a little extra pop from the combination of those plates and the Profly X foam that really shines when you hit flat, compacted trails or road sections. If you like a directness to your trail shoes, this might not be for you. The stack of cushioning is perhaps a little high, soft and not as connected to what’s underfoot as the likes of the inov-8 TrailFly G270 V 2 or the Altra Outroad 2. But stabilitywise, it copes well moving over stones, roots and uneven terrain.
All distances covered
Grip is something of a mixed bag. The Litebase outsoles cope well enough in all the dry conditions, but I wasn’t 100% confident on wet trails. At times I felt I needed to hold back and you probably wouldn’t want these for muddier routes. The Tecton X 2 is a good, fast and nimble trail shoe and I’d happily use it to race shorter trails. There’s also enough cushion to protect your feet deeper into longer efforts, so it can tackle slower ultra distances too. Speed: ★★★★★ Stability: ★★★★★ Comfort: ★★★★ OVERALL: ★★★★
Pros:
Excellent for road-totrail transitions Fast, agile and responsive Good cushioned protection
Cons:
Fit might be snug for some Grip struggles in trickier conditions