Hoka Mach X 3 Review: Fixed and More Fun

JON: This was one of the best super trainers I’ve tested this year. It was really fun to test and was versatile for what I need. It gave me something I could use on easy recovery days, but could jump into the next gear so I could stay in the front of the pack on group run days. I could easily take it on longer efforts into double-digit miles and over 2 hours without regretting it the next day.

While I’ve been a fan of Hoka’s trail lineup for some time, I had yet to find a pair of road shoes that I liked until now. I can see Meg’s gripes about the lack of innovation, but it didn’t make things dull for me. That’s a label better suited for something like the Zoom Fly, which I feel like has been on autopilot since the third version. I was glad to see that past mistakes on the upper were addressed while maintaining a if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it approach on the rest.

THOMAS: I thought the Mach X 3 was going to be an easy win for Hoka. Putting a better upper on a shoe that people loved is a no-brainer. Seeing Jon’s review makes me think maybe I was expecting too much. My previous affection for the X 2 set this review up to fall short. On the other hand, Meg’s comment about the competition in the category, which leaves the X 3 feeling flat, resonates with me as well. Clearly, the Mach X 3 will be a star with some and mediocre for others.