Type: Neutral
Price: £160
Weight: 227g
What everyone's reading
Drop: 5mm
The shoe
Hoka is best known for creating super-cushioned shoes designed for long days on road or trail – but its Zinal range is a little bit different. Positioned as a more paired-back option for faster efforts and races, this relatively lightweight trail shoe has only moderate levels of cushioning. If you’re in the market for a shoe to help you move fast and light on the trails, the Zinal 2 could be for you.
How does the Hoka Zinal 2 differ from the Hoka Zinal 1?
The biggest changes are the drop in weight (down from 242g to 227g) and stack height (from 32mm/27mm to 30mm/25mm). The lug length has increased, from 4mm to 5mm, in an attempt to make the shoe fair up better in mud and on more technically challenging terrain. In addition, there’s a stretch-knit collar designed to keep out debris.
What is the Hoka Zinal 2 like to run in?
Even though this is a relatively stripped-back shoe by Hoka standards, it still provides a relatively plush feeling underfoot. The grippy outsole held up well across a variety of off-road terrain, although it’s still not a shoe for the thickest of mud and happiest on relatively dry and non-technical terrain.
Comfortable on road and gravel, it’s an option for door-to-trail runs that will likely be bookended by road sections. Whether it’s a “true racer” is a moot point: for me, it’s still a little too cushioned to provide the necessary responsiveness required from an out-and-out racer. However, runners who enjoy a little more protection on race day, may feel the Zinal 2 provides the right blend of comfort and speed.
My main gripe is with the lateral instability (eg side-to-side wobble of the foot) I experienced while wearing it – which is perhaps, in part, due to the relatively high stack height (30mm in the heel and 25mm in the forefoot). This made me feel less secure than I’d like when running in it at faster speeds.
How does the Hoka Zinal 2 fit?
As someone with quite a narrow foot, I had no issues with the fit of the Zinal 2, although some wider-footed runners might find it on the snug size. The shoe fits true to size and the lacing system was comfortable and secure.
RW verdict
If you’re a fan of Hoka shoes but want something with a bit more pep for race day, the Zinal 2 could be a smart bet. It’s impressively lightweight given the amount of cushioning you still get, and the premium features such as the plush lacing system, stretch-knit collar and Vibram outsole create a largely enjoyable running experience. However, it drops marks for its lateral instability and, perhaps, being neither an everyday workhorse or an out-and-out racer.
