Carbon X
5/5
Overall
Good comfortable running shoe.
Anonymous runner · Nov 9, 2024
20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Hyperion 2
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 5/5
HOKA Carbon X 3
Racing · Neutral · Road · 8.3 oz · 5mm drop · 37/32mm stack
Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock.
How it ranks
The HOKA Carbon X 3 ranks among the stronger racing shoes in our data. Looks and cushioning are its strongest sub-ratings. The rating rests on 6 runner reviews and 2 other rated shoes in the Carbon X product line. Another 6 reviews would set the confidence on this shoe's own reviews.
Good
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.
Confidence
58/100
What runners say
“Didn't feel or perform far off from Vaporflys, just less durable.”
“The poor man's carbon.”
“The soles were done in 3 months.”
“Helpful even in training when coming back from a chronic achilles injury.”
“They have that bouncy Hoka feel and great speed.”
“The soles hold up horribly.”
Prefer this shoe over another
67% 2/3
Where to buy
No offers available
Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.
Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.
Pros
- It weighs 8.3 oz on a 37mm heel stack.
- One reviewer who has run in Vaporflys says it is not far off them for feel and speed.
- Reviewers rate comfort 4.3 out of 5, and two use it for months of base training.
Cons
- Reviewers rate durability 3.5 out of 5, and one reports the soles done in three months.
- The original Carbon X scores 99 on thirty-five reviews, above this version's 87.
Rating & Confidence vs. other shoes for sale
Each dot is one rated shoe for sale, placed by its rating and by how much evidence sits behind it. Shoes toward the top right are both well rated and well established.
50
60
70
80
90
100
25
50
75
100
Better Shoes Rating
Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the HOKA Carbon X
Each dot is one version of the Carbon X, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.
Release year
-
Carbon X 3 This shoe
2022 · 6 reviews
88 Good
58 Confidence
-
2020 · 4 reviews
85 Good
64 Confidence
-
2019 · 35 reviews
99 Exceptional
99 Confidence
Specs & fit
Sizing and ride details at a glance.
- Weight
- 8.3 oz
- Release
- 2022 Q2
- Stack Height
- 37mm heel - 32mm toe
- Drop Height
- 5mm
Runner reviews
Good Training Shoe
4/5
Overall
Been wearing these for a couple of years to maintain base training.
Anonymous runner · Oct 29, 2024
45 mpw training for a half marathon
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Cushioning
- 3/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 3/5
Good race day, but not durable
4/5
Overall
Picked these up for a good price and used them pretty much as a daily trainer (50-60km per week), which admittedly is not their intended use. They have that bouncy Hoka feel and great speed. I swear you can tell the difference when in a good rhythm. I've had Vaporflys before and I would say these didn't feel or perform far off from those, just less durable. The soles, however, hold up horribly. I'm not that high mileage, and the soles were done in 3 months. As a racer you use periodically, I definetly recommend. Just don't try to convert to a daily.
Anonymous runner · Jun 17, 2024
35 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the Nike Zoom Alphafly Next% 2
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 3/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 4/5
My first carbon shoe
5/5
Overall
The poor man's carbon. I have bought four pairs and I really like them. I was coming back from a chronic achilles injury and wanted something "helpful" even in training. I'm the healthiest I've been in several years.
Anonymous runner · Dec 15, 2023
50 mpw training for a marathon
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 4/5
Alternatives
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Compared to other shoes
See how this shoe compares to others like it.
HOKA Carbon X 3 In Context
More on the HOKA Carbon X
- HOKA Carbon X 2 previous version
- HOKA Carbon X
Reviewers Also Ran In
- Nike Zoom Alphafly Next% 2 1 runner
- Brooks Hyperion 2 1 runner