While on the surface Altra and HOKA running shoes look extremely different, there are in fact some similarities that might drive you to enjoy both shoes. In fact, I run in both brands most weeks!
Neither is a superior brand. Both offer great cushion and have a wider toebox than most brands, but they are indeed quite different in their approach to what your foot needs. For many runners, the fit of Altra and HOKA offer something they just having found in traditional shoe brands ASICS, New Balance, or Nike (especially if you have a wide foot!)
I first tested Altra after a few years on the market and I wasn’t so sure about them, but they have come a LONG way and you’ll find two pairs in my running shoe rotation now.
Meanwhile I loved the very first HOKA Clifton I tried and now you’ll find a slew of different models scattered around my running gear closets. Yes…closets. I test too much stuff!
Let’s dive in to how to pick which of these running shoes is best for you.
The Main Differences Altra vs HOKA
Like most running shoe brands, they offer a variety of styles for different levels of cushion, support and trail or road. They differ in fit and philosophy.
Hoka One One first became popular with Ultrarunners and has since moved in the to main stream of running. I myself…
