HOKA Tecton X 3 Review

HOKA’s Tecton X 3 is the third update of HOKA’s carbon plate trail racing shoe, designed to be fast, responsive and dynamic over the most gnarly terrain. It’s heavily influenced by feedback and development work with ultrarunning superstar Jim Walmsley, but is this the ultimate trail racing shoe for the rest of us?  

What we liked about the HOKA Tecton X 3

• It’s responsive, bouncy, comfortable and a lot of fun to run in
• Excellent grip on the trails
• Pro runners have proven that this a fast shoe, with Jim Walmsley wearing a development version of this shoe to win Western States and UTMB

Things to consider about the HOKA Tecton X 3

• With a high stack you need to watch the stability, especially for runners who are less confident on the trails
• The gaiter might take some getting used to for some runners
• At £225 ($275) it’s at the top end of trail shoe prices

ABOUT THE HOKA TECTON X 3 & THE KEY STATS 

The third version of HOKA’s carbon plate trail racing shoe is a significant development from previous versions, working closely with Jim Walmsley to produce the ultimate long-distance trail racing shoe. Jim has run in development versions of this shoe for two years, and worn them to win Western States and UTMB. While the shoes have been made with the mountains in mind, they should work just as well on other trail terrain.

From the ground up, there’s a grippy Vibram outsole with 4mm lugs. There’s a major update in the midsole, which is now made from PEBA which is soft, light and very responsive – it’s HOKA’s first use of PEBA in a trail shoe. HOKA call the carbon plates ‘winglets’ and there are two which run parallel down the length of the shoe, allowing more flexibility over rocky terrain. The upper is a quick-drying Matryx textile, while the toe box has a dynamic vamp to allow for footsplay. Finally there’s a distinctive built-in gaiter to keep out debris.

• Price: £225 ($275) (Released 15 August 2024)
• Weight: 294g (10.4oz) Men’s UK 10 / 223g (7.9oz) Women’s UK 7
• Stack & Drop: Men’s 40mm/35mm (5mm drop) / Women’s 39mm/34mm (5mm drop)
• Outsole & Lugs: Vibram Megagrip Lightbase with 4mm lugs
• Fit: Normal to narrow
• Reviewed by: Mark and Jess C 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

We’ve run in a limited edition all-black colourway and seen the regular purple, red and black colourway and both are great – they look and feel like shoes you want to race in.

The most striking initial feature is a built-in gaiter around the ankles, and while this may be unusual on the first step in, it fits very comfortably and you shouldn’t have problems getting the shoes on or off.

The shoe is plush and comfortable. The fit is true to size but slightly narrow in the forefoot, especially around the outside/little toes. It fits very securely around the midfoot and heel.

Once you’ve laced them up you’ll probably jump up and down on the spot and you’ll notice how responsive and bouncy they are – they make you want to run in them.

COMFORT 

This is one of the most comfortable trail shoes we’ve tried. It’s plush but not squishy, giving it a soft ride, but it’s also a responsive one – exactly what many of us want over long distances. They are equally comfortable on steep rocky descents as they are on flat, fast gravel tracks or forest trails.

Because of the 40mm stack of foam at the heel, runners who like to have more ground-feel on the trails will feel less connected to the terrain. They are also probably not recommended for runners who are inexperienced running on the trails as they can be unstable – but then this is a shoe designed to be used in races by runners aiming for faster times, who already have confidence over their race environment.

The gaiter works well and is supportive, plus it comes with the great bonus of not getting stones in your shoes. Generally the shoe can feel warm, especially on hot days (though we’ve only tested this in very warm weather so far). Because of the gaiter they may be preferred by runners who already wear crew socks and not ankle socks, but they work fine whatever socks you like best. 

Mark was initially worried about the width of the forefoot as it was tight around his toes, but the material has plenty of stretch to it, and while his little toes press against the outside of the toe box, he hasn’t felt like the shoes are too tight, however, for him this shoe might be best for shorter races because of the width. Jess had no issues and would happily choose the Tecton X 3 to run a marathon or ultras. 

PERFORMANCE

One of the best compliments we can give is that we forgot we were wearing them because we were just having a lot of fun running in them, and didn’t have to worry about their performance. But that confidence only came after a few runs.

The higher stack doesn’t offer much (or any!) ground-feel, and naturally challenges the shoe’s stability. On initial runs on Alpine trails we experienced some instability, and our feet moved around (on the trail, and inside the shoe), but we were running on terrain which was unfamiliar to us, with different cambers, gradients, roots and rocks, so we were naturally more cautious and less confident in our strides. A few runs later, and back on our home trails, the shoe filled us with more confidence to run hard because we understood the ground we were running on and how the shoe performs. 

Because of this we’d suggest that it’s a shoe you need to learn to run in to get the most out of it. That might not be for everyone, but it may reward those trail runners who are hoping to have an edge in longer races, because once you are confident in how it runs, then the responsiveness and comfort of the shoe may be hard to beat on the trails.

The Vibram grip has been excellent on all terrains that we’ve run on (steep hills, rocks, gravel, grass), though we haven’t tested it in the rain or mud yet. It also runs well (and fast) on road sections. We wouldn’t necessarily want to run a road race in them, given the grippy lugs, but for any runs or races with road sections these remain comfortable and quick.

The responsiveness from the PEBA foam in the shoe gives a really nice bouncy feeling, and it works at a range of paces – from slow hikes and climbs, to fast downhills and flats. It felt most effective on steady climbs and it felt most fun on rolling terrain where you can up the tempo. 

COMPARISONS

These remind us a lot of HOKA’s Mafate Speed 4. They have a similar stack and comfort underfoot, with the X 3’s being more bouncy, a little lighter, and narrower in the forefoot. If you already like a Mafate or HOKA’s Speedgoat but want something with a carbon plate then these could work well for you as a race option.

Compared to the Tecton X 2, the new foam compound in the X 3 makes them more comfortable, while updates to the outsole and upper should provide more durability. Jess also felt the X 3 was more flexible and adjusted to the foot better than X 2.

CONCLUSION

HOKA’s Tecton X 3 is a comfortable, bouncy and fast trail shoe which is responsive over different terrain, where the comfort and speed make them a lot of fun to run in – and race in. The gaiter and fit may take some getting used to, but it’s a worthwhile addition based on comfort and performance (and not needing to stop to remove debris from your shoes!). They will likely reward runners who are already confident over their race terrain and want a shoe which has excellent grip and comfort which can help them run fast times.

Two main considerations will be the price, which is high (though it seems to be a fair price in the market), and whether you want or need to have a carbon plate racing shoe for the trails. Runners with wide feet may want to try the shoe on before buying it, but know that the upper has some good flexibility to it.

ABOUT THE REVIEWERS

• Mark Dredge runs most of his miles on the South Downs and often takes part in trail races from half marathons to ultras, where he aims to finish in the top 20. He has wide feet and favours shoes with a high stack and soft cushioning.
• Jess Carter tends to run across Hampstead Heath in North London or through the trails in Bristol and South Wales. She runs trail marathons and ultras. She has small, narrow feet and prefers a snug fit and large amount of grip.