The Mach X was conceived to meet Hoka-sponsored athletes’ desires for a shoe that could boost their training. The shoe combines the signature comfort and support the Mach franchise is known for with a Pebax plate to provide a propulsive edge during hard workouts. The midsole foam, called ProflyX, is made from PEBA and EVA and replaces the Mach 5 and Mach Supersonic’s supercritical Profly+ material, giving the Hoka Mach X a bouncier ride.
Pros
- Pebax plate provides propulsion
- High energy return
- Rocker geometry for smooth ride
- Versatile for training and racing
Cons
- Runs a half size long
- Testers wanted a higher drop
Key Specs
| Type | Neutral Road |
|---|---|
| Weight | 9.1 oz (M), 7.5 oz (W) |
| Drop | 5 mm |
| Heel Height | 39 mm (M), 37 mm (W) |
| Forefoot Height | 34 mm (M), 32 mm (W) |
- Who It’s For: Runners training for a race who want both a propulsive ride and plush, responsive cushioning as they rack up mileage
- Preceded By: Mach Supersonic, Mach 5
- For Runners Who Like: Endorphin Pro/Speed 3, Hoka Bondi X, Brooks Aurora-BL
- Midsole Foam: ProflyX (comprised of PEBA and EVA)
- Key Tech: Rockered midsole with Pebax plate
Hoka took learnings from existing trainers, like the Carbon X, to design a blueprint of a plated workhorse shoe. “Wesley Kiptoo and Aliphine Tuliamuk have been the biggest advocates for the shoe, wearing it for almost all of their hard workouts and fast long runs, preferring to save the Rocket X 2 for race day,” said Ben Rosario, executive director of Hoka Northern Arizona Elite racing team. That didn’t stop our testers from racing in the Mach X.
“I raced a 5K in the Mach X right out of the box and loved the shoe’s rebound,” said RW deputy health & fitness editor Mallory Creveling. “It wasn’t very stable on the portions of gravel, but it helped me hit an average pace of 7:46 per mile.”
Others wished for higher energy return, finding the ride harsh and unresponsive. “I fault the multiple foams used in addition to the plate. Too many cooks in the kitchen,” said tester Jason Plageman, who preferred the simpler setup of the Mach 5.
I didn’t mind the busier, less-conventional midsole of the Mach X, and felt energized. Trevor Raab, RW photographer, also found the shoe felt a bit snappier at speed than the rest of the Mach series. “The Pebax plate straddles the middle ground nicely between a non-plated midsole and carbon-fiber,” he said.
Training Shoe or Racing Shoe?
I first tested the Mach X racing around NYC during a Fly Human Fly scavenger hunt hosted by Hoka. The run was sporadic with the usual starts and stops from metropolitan traffic. Luckily, my partner in crime Marnie Salup, podcast host of Marni On the Move, had mapped out a route where we’d hit the listed landmarks.
Adhering to stoplights and dodging tourists, the Mach X performed well on the city’s streets. It’s not for 800s on the track, but it’ll carry you through surges—or when the walking sign countdown is about to hit zero—during your workouts.
But could the Mach X bode well in an actual race? Esquire’s lifestyle and culture director, Kevin Sintumuang, seems to think so.
I first met Sintumuang when we were both testing Hoka’s Rocket X 2 as we raced the Miami Half Marathon back in February 2023. Sintumuang ran his first marathon that fall in NYC.
“I ran the marathon in the Rocket X 2, but in retrospect,” he said, “I might have been better off in the Mach X as it’s a bit roomier and more comfortable. The Rocket X 2 feels like a race weapon, where the Mach X feels more like something you could use everyday, in addition to racing.”
Because it was his first rodeo, Sintumuang figures the Mach X would have been more forgiving as he tackled the five boroughs in New York.
“I honestly don’t feel like I’m a fast or powerful enough runner to harness the power of a full-length carbon-fiber plate, so the Mach X feels like it’s more my thing. It’s something that’s plush and durable enough for everyday runs and races,” he said. “When I run with faster folks or do speed workouts, I put aside the Cliftons (my usual daily trainer), and put on the Mach X.”
Sintumuang is currently training for California’s Big Sur Marathon, which takes place in April. He plans to race in a yet-to-be-released Hoka shoe.
Good for Easy Runs
One tester who wasn’t initially thrilled with the Mach X: RW’s director of test operations, Jeff Dengate.
Months after testing the shoe and including it our winter Runner’s World Shoe Awards issue, Dengate still isn’t wild about the Mach X. Still, he has found a way to fit it into his training.
“They feel flat and I struggle to get any kind of speed in them,” he said. “I love Pebax foam, but I think the carrier construction takes away a little of the magic. I’ve been wearing them for really easy jogs and like them better for that.”
The Mach X can work for any kind of workout, but it all depends on the runner. Maybe it’ll serve you as a marathon shoe, a mid-distance racer—like it did for Creveling—or as a trainer for easy efforts. You might just choose it for all three.
Amanda Furrer, Editor, Running Reviews, studied journalism at NYU and writing at Emerson College. She has reviewed gear and covered other topics in the running space for almost 10 years. Since 2013, she has consecutively run the Boston Marathon. She also has a master’s degree in gastronomy from Boston University and was formerly a professional baker for two years before hanging up her apron.
