Great shoe, but needs longer life span
Anonymous runner · Nov 7, 2024
4/5
Overall
At around age 36-38 I developed "old man calf" problems, essentially meaning the more aggressive my workout or run (e.g., getting up on my toes) the more likely I was to strain my calf. To prevent my calf flair ups I started running in the Hoka, Clifton 5 or 6 and really liked it, then Hoka modified the shoe. I switched to a couple other shoes and didn't like them for various reasons. After trying the Bondi 7 I knew I had my shoe. The Bondi 7 helped place me back on my mid-forefoot, without the aggressive rock to the toes I didn't want. The engineered design is supportive and cushiony, but not a boat. The sole has a firmness that doesn't bend at the mid-foot like most shoes. It's fairly neutral in drop. The aesthetic is pleasing, but not flashy.
Overall, I really like the shoe, and have found it is nearly the only shoe (and definitely the most supportive shoe) I have run in to prevent calf strains and soreness. I say this because Hoka (and probably all shoe companies) continually try to "improve" on a series of shoe and typically make them worse. For instance, after Hoka discontinued production on the Bondi 7, I tried the Bondi 8. Horrible shoe! Feels like a boat with a stiff sole and none of the cushioned ride. Couldn't stand them. Nothing like the Bondi 7 (how are they the same line of shoe?).
My primary complaints about the Bondi 7 are; 1. It's no longer in production. 2. The cushion fades at about 200-250 miles ish. 3. The shoe used to blow out at the seems near the forefoot, but improvements from the Bondi 6 to 7 improved that feature, so no longer an issue.
It's not perfect, but it's literally the only shoe for me.
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 3/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 3/5