HOKA Arahi 2

Name: HOKA Arahi 2
Brand: HOKA
Rating: 4.2 (13 reviews)

Daily trainer · Stability · Road · 9.5 oz · 5mm drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The HOKA Arahi 3 replaced it

How it ranks

The HOKA Arahi 2 trails most daily trainers in our data. Cushioning and value are its strongest sub-ratings. Looks scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 13 runner reviews and 7 other rated shoes in the Arahi product line.

Bottom-tier

51/100

Overall

Bottom-tier 51

Cushioning

Excellent 94

Value

Decent 71

Comfort

Decent 70

Durability

Below average 62

Appearance

Bottom-tier 53

Confidence

How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence will score low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

90/100

High 90

What runners say

“Close to 700 miles and still have life left”

4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GT-2000 6

“Heels ripped up after 100 miles and dig into heels”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for middle distance

“Maximum cushion in a super light shoe”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Structure 20

“Very well cushioned but not so soft you feel like running on a sponge”

5/5 Full review 62 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Constant 2

“Super light and comfortable with modicum of stability”

4/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Clifton 4

“Over 600 miles out of each pair”

5/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a marathon came from the Brooks Ravenna 7

“Run small once you get into size 14 and up”

3/5 Full review 45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Stinson

“The opposite of a minimalist; it's maxed out”

5/5 Full review 45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Arahi v1

“Material on top started coming apart almost immediately”

5/5 Full review 62 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Constant 2

“Solid mix of cushioning, stability and fairly light weight protects chronic injuries”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 9

Prefer this shoe over another

40% 4/10

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

Reviewers rate cushioning 4.8 out of 5, and four say it is cushioned without being so soft it is unusable for tempos.
Four reviewers call it light for a stability shoe, and two credit it with keeping chronic leg trouble away.
One of thirteen reviewers so far gets over 600 miles per pair.

Cons

Reviewers rate durability 3.9 out of 5, and two report the upper or heel collar coming apart, one at about 100 miles.
Three of thirteen reviewers so far record it as running small or big, and two report sliding or heel rubbing.
One of thirteen reviewers so far says the high stack makes it risky on technical trails.

Arahi 2 rates 51. This shoe has high certainty. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the HOKA Arahi

Each dot is one version of the Arahi, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.

Rating

40 60 80 100

53 2017 51 2017 68 2019 57 2019 55 2021 91 2022 71 2024 67 2025

Release year

We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating. See why.

Arahi 8

2025 · 1 review

67 Below average

27 Confidence
Arahi 7

2024 · 1 review

71 Decent

53 Confidence
Arahi 6

2022 · 38 reviews

91 Very good

93 Confidence
Arahi 5

2021 · 3 reviews

55 Bottom-tier

74 Confidence
Arahi 4

2019 · 2 reviews

57 Bottom-tier

61 Confidence
Arahi 3

2019 · 8 reviews

68 Below average

82 Confidence
Arahi 2 This shoe

2017 · 13 reviews

51 Bottom-tier

90 Confidence
Arahi v1

2017 · 9 reviews

53 Bottom-tier

85 Confidence

Reader Ratings

13 ratings

5/5 4

4/5 7

3/5 2

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 9.5 oz
Release: 2017 Q4
MSRP: $130
Drop Height: 5mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Better than the Clifton for flat-footed pronators.

4/5

Overall

I was having issues with my lower calves while training in the Cliftons. Historically, I've worn stability shoes. Back in college I was nearly indestructible. I logged 50–80 miles per week for 4 years with no injuries, largely in the NB850 series. I've had a difficult time in my 30s finding a shoe that allows me to approach high volume without developing a host of niggling injuries. I'm on my second pair of Arahi 2s, and I'm really liking them so far. I've been able to do the most consistent training of my adult life in them. They're super light, and comfortable, but they also offer a modicum of stability for people who aren't neutral.

samax · Aug 21, 2018

50 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Clifton 4

Comfort: 4/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 3/5
Appearance: 3/5
Value: 4/5

More shoe than most

5/5

Overall

I've run in the Arahi 1, and now the Arahi 2. Both are great for me. This model is the only one I can easily get my hands on. The fun thing about this shoe is how it not only provides the cushion I like with the support I need, but it also bumps me over 6 feet tall. This thing is the opposite of a minimalist; it's maxed out! I suppose that with my funky pigeon toe toe-off stride on the left foot, it is wearing down on the lateral heel cup liner. But, that's nothing new. When I swore by running in the Asics Kayano, I always did the same thing. But there, I had an issue with the plastic heel cup inside rubbing me raw. Here, it just wears down and doesn't encounter an edge.

Anonymous runner · Jul 24, 2018

45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Arahi v1

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 5/5

Good Daily Trainer

4/5

Overall

I ran in these shoes for close to 700 miles and they still have life left. The outsole started showing wear quickly but mostly cosmetic. The fit was rather narrow and caused a couple blisters throughout the use but I have a wide foot. My biggest issue with hokas is it normally feels kind of sluggish when toeing off but these shoes are much better than my previous tries with Hoka. I have been able to wear these doing 200 intervals and also long runs so it is a great all around shoe.

Anonymous runner · Jul 16, 2018

55 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GT-2000 6

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 4/5
Value: 5/5

Hoka Ahari 2. Solid shoe

4/5

Overall

This shoe has been pretty great for me with all my lower legs injuries. The solid mix of cushioning, stability and fairly light weight has done a good job protecting some chronic injuries. So Solid shoe, however, the high Stack height makes it dangerous on technical trails.

coastierunner · Jul 12, 2018

30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 9

Comfort: 4/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 3/5
Value: 4/5

Needs More widths

3/5

Overall

Perfect show just wish they made them in Narrow Widths too much sliding. Can't lock the show down properly. They also so run small once you get into size 14 and up.. I have to go to a 15 just to get the space 14.5 would help that a lot or a UK 15 would be nice. America 14 is UK 13 1/2 . So Im guessing 15 would 14 1/2?

wardog1439 · Feb 9, 2018

45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Stinson