Reader review
3/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Jul 3, 2019
35 mpw training for a half marathon
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 1/5
- Value
- 4/5
HOKA Clifton 3
Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 9.6 oz · 5mm drop
Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The HOKA Clifton 4 replaced it
How it ranks
The HOKA Clifton 3 is one of the strongest daily trainers in our data. Cushioning and comfort are its strongest sub-ratings. Looks scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 37 runner reviews and 10 other rated shoes in the Clifton product line.
Exceptional
98/100
Overall
98
Cushioning
99
Comfort
93
Durability
91
Value
86
Appearance
50
Confidence
98
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
98/100
What runners say
“The sole is extremely thick without feeling bulky or clunky”
“Surprisingly durable with at least 550 miles and still good for shorter runs”
“The first week in these things is dreadful on your feet”
“Don't let the marshmallow-like midsole scare you—one can and will run fast in this shoe”
“Durability could have been better—exposed EVA got shredded quickly, about 200 miles before they stopped feeling good”
“A marvel—high levels of cushion in a package that is surprisingly fast”
“Can put 500+ miles on the shoe without it breaking down”
“At 80-110 mpw, over 1000 miles and still runs pretty comfortably”
“At 9 oz, handles tempos, long runs, and recovery runs with no problem trying to run fast”
“As light as racing flats yet provides just as much cushion as Adios boots minus the weight”
Prefer this shoe over another
54% 34/63
Where to buy
No offers available
Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.
Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.
Pros
- Reviewers get cushioned long-run miles from a 9.6 oz build.
- Many reviewers report 500 to 1000 miles before it breaks down.
- Four reviewers coming back from injury describe comfortable, easy training in it.
Cons
- Three reviewers want a wider toe box, though three others call it comfortable.
- Two reviewers find it spongy and hard to turn over faster than 5K pace.
- It lists at $130, and four reviewers call it expensive at full price.
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.
Confidence
50
60
70
80
90
100
25
50
75
100
Better Shoes Rating
Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the HOKA Clifton
Each dot is one version of the Clifton, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.
Rating
40
60
80
100
99
2014
97
2015
98
2016
64
2017
88
2018
87
2019
81
2020
95
2021
99
2023
95
2025
86
2026
Release year
-
2026 · 3 reviews
86 Good
70 Confidence
-
2025 · 11 reviews
95 Excellent
87 Confidence
-
2023 · 130 reviews
99 Exceptional
100 Confidence
-
2021 · 57 reviews
95 Excellent
97 Confidence
-
2020 · 8 reviews
81 Good
83 Confidence
-
2019 · 68 reviews
87 Good
97 Confidence
-
2018 · 48 reviews
88 Good
97 Confidence
-
2017 · 51 reviews
64 Below average
98 Confidence
-
Clifton 3 This shoe
2016 · 37 reviews
98 Exceptional
98 Confidence
-
2015 · 5 reviews
97 Exceptional
90 Confidence
-
2014 · 16 reviews
99 Exceptional
97 Confidence
Specs & fit
Sizing and ride details at a glance.
- Weight
- 9.6 oz
- Release
- 2016 Q3
- MSRP
- $130
- Drop Height
- 5mm
Runner reviews
Reader review
5/5
Overall
I’ve been using the Clifton 3 since 8th grade (I’m now a senior). I tried the Clifton 5’s when I couldn’t find them online anymore and hated them and got injured within a month. I managed to find them online again though and stocked up.
Anonymous runner · Jul 3, 2019
55 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Clifton 5
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 4/5
Clifton 3's are a steal
5/5
Overall
The Clifton 3's are a freaking dream, a combination of cushion and lightness make it a good shoe for both Long Runs and short workouts. I got them on sale and they couldn't have been a better pick price-wise or fit wise. I'm very particular about the bottom shape of the shoe and Hoka hit it right on the head with the 3's. The only thing about the shoe is that they are super ugly, no offense to the creators but I got the blue/green ones because they were the cheapest option but they look very gaudy in person, not that it's a big deal because they feel so good.
Anonymous runner · Jul 21, 2018
35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Ravenna 8
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 4/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 2/5
- Value
- 5/5
Hoka Clifton 3
5/5
Overall
I loved this shoe. I'm not a heavy runner but I used it predominantly in my marathon training for slower days and long runs. They've held up incredibly well after a short break-in period (retired them at 838 miles). The comfortable, cushioned ride went strong for me up to 500 miles.
InsertNameHere · Jul 9, 2018
50 mpw training for a marathon came from the Saucony Triumph ISO 2
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 3/5
- Value
- 5/5
Marshmallow Heaven
4/5
Overall
I bought these because I travel often to a city whose only running surface is miles and miles of flat ceramic tile, which feels way too hard on the joints in regular running shoes. The Hokas are great for this surface, and I can get in lots and lots of easy miles with no pounding. They are super comfortable, unexpectedly lightweight, and are wonderfully cushiony, though not so much as to inspire knee issues. On the down side, they are a bit bulky, and it’s hard to get up on your toes to do any real pick-ups or strides in these floaty boats. For the same reason, I don’t take them trail running; they are just a little unresponsive.
Anonymous runner · Apr 25, 2018
40 mpw came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 2/5
- Value
- 3/5
Alternatives
Other shoes worth considering.
More from HOKA
Compared to other shoes
See how this shoe compares to others like it.
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Reference shoe
Newest
Lightest
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Shoe properties
Type
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Pronation
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
9.6 oz M
—
8.5 oz M
Lightest
Stack
—
—
40/35mm
Drop
5mm
—
5mm
Release
2016 Q3
2026
Newest
2023 Q1
MSRP
$130
$155
$145
Best price
—
$154
$149.99
Lowest price
Ratings
Overall
Exceptional (98)
Good (86)
Exceptional (99)
Best overall
Comfort
Very good (93)
Exceptional (97)
Exceptional (99)
Best comfort
Cushioning
Exceptional (99)
Exceptional (99)
Exceptional (99)
Best cushioning
Durability
Very good (91)
Decent (78)
Very good (92)
Best durability
Appearance
Bottom-tier (50)
Below average (67)
Very good (91)
Best appearance
Value
Good (86)
Decent (76)
Good (88)
Best value
HOKA Clifton 3 In Context
More on the HOKA Clifton
- HOKA Clifton 11
- HOKA Clifton 10
- HOKA Clifton 9
- HOKA Clifton 8
- HOKA Clifton 7
- HOKA Clifton 6
- HOKA Clifton 4 next version
- HOKA Clifton 2 previous version
Reviewers Also Ran In
- Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 33 3 runners
- Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34 2 runners
- HOKA Challenger ATR 3 2 runners