HOKA Clifton 4

Name: HOKA Clifton 4
Brand: HOKA
Rating: 4.4 (51 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 9.6 oz · 5mm drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The HOKA Clifton 5 replaced it

How it ranks

The HOKA Clifton 4 trails most 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 51 runner reviews and 10 other rated shoes in the Clifton product line.

Below average

64/100

Overall

Below average 64

Cushioning

Exceptional 99

Comfort

Excellent 94

Durability

Decent 78

Value

Below average 64

Appearance

Below average 63

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

98/100

Very high 98

What runners say

“Every time I run for more than 1:20, I get a blister on top of second toe”

4/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a marathon

“Amazing feel, super light, nice roll off toe, plenty of cushioning”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the adidas Energy Boost 2

“After 6 weeks, plantar fasciitis almost gone, training mileage way up”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34

“The height of toe box was shallow, rubbed blister on top of two toes”

4/5 Full review 70 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 4

“Stretch the mileage out to 700–800 miles without feeling much besides quads a little more sore”

4/5 Full review 70 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Bondi 5

“Sustained major upper calf injury after five runs”

3/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 10

“Extremely cushioned, stable, and quick to run in”

4/5 Full review 12 mpw came from the Under Armour Threadborne Shift

“Achilles pain went away within two weeks”

4/5 Full review 45 mpw training for a marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 8

“Added bulk and rocker design make stride feel awkward at pace”

4/5 Full review 70 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 4

“Cushioning helped prevent shin splints during long runs”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw came from the Brooks Glycerin 15

Prefer this shoe over another

40% 29/73

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

Five reviewers call it light for the amount of cushioning it carries.
Four reviewers say their legs feel fresher after long runs.
Ten reviewers with foot, achilles or big-toe joint problems say it works for them.

Cons

Seven reviewers find the toe box narrow, and five get blisters on the toes or the arch.
Nine reviewers report the outsole or upper wearing out early, several of them by 200 to 300 miles.
Five reviewers find it awkward or flat at faster paces.

Clifton 4 rates 64. This shoe has very high certainty. See how we rate shoes.

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

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

Clifton 11

2026 · 3 reviews

86 Good

70 Confidence
Clifton 10

2025 · 11 reviews

95 Excellent

87 Confidence
Clifton 9

2023 · 130 reviews

99 Exceptional

100 Confidence
Clifton 8

2021 · 57 reviews

95 Excellent

97 Confidence
Clifton 7

2020 · 8 reviews

81 Good

83 Confidence
Clifton 6

2019 · 68 reviews

87 Good

97 Confidence
Clifton 5

2018 · 48 reviews

88 Good

97 Confidence
Clifton 4 This shoe

2017 · 51 reviews

64 Below average

98 Confidence
Clifton 3

2016 · 37 reviews

98 Exceptional

98 Confidence
Clifton 2

2015 · 5 reviews

97 Exceptional

90 Confidence
Clifton 1

2014 · 16 reviews

99 Exceptional

97 Confidence

Reader Ratings

51 ratings

5/5 23

4/5 27

3/5 1

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 9.6 oz
Release: 2017 Q3
MSRP: $130
Drop Height: 5mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Mileage hog running buddies

4/5

Overall

The Clifton 4’s have a smooth cloud like ride. They make paved road running much more doable. Light enough to get in some good tempo runs and sturdy enough with cushioning to plug away at some easy mileage. I personally love these shoes. I wish they’d last a bit longer but I guess 500 miles and then wearing them around a lot is pretty good. I recommend to anyone with a neutral foot and even someone who who needs mild support will suffice.

Anonymous runner · Jul 22, 2018

40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Guide 9

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

Hoka Clifton 4

4/5

Overall

I've had these shoes for about 200 miles now and so far have found them to be very reliable and comfortable. The price tag made me a little hesitant to buy these but I have found them to be a great investment for someone who is looking to put in longer distance runs.

Anonymous runner · Jul 20, 2018

70 mpw training for a half marathon

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

Maximum Cushioning

4/5

Overall

The Clifton is ideal for longer mileage runners, those seeking a lot of cushioning, and those who don't care if their footwear looks a little like clown shoes.

Anonymous runner · Jul 16, 2018

50 mpw training for a marathon came from the HOKA Clifton 3

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

Ol' Reliable

4/5

Overall

I'm currently just under 400 miles into my third pair of Clifton 4s. The pair I'm in now is the all-white version, which, while it is muddy up-close, is still fine and snazzy when they're on moving feet. I like this shoe because it is the basic Hoka model- lots of cushioning with a frame that fits most. I like to stay with Hoka partially because of the lower risk of injury, but also because I can stretch the mileage out to 700-800 miles without feeling much of anything besides quads that are a little more sore than normal. I am a collegiate athlete, so these shoes are great for ensuring recovery between workouts as well as for my bank account with the lower cost per mile. The Clifton 4s are also pretty light, so I'm not afraid to wear them during track workouts and I feel comfortable in them running pretty much any distance 400m and above. I do wish that there was a little more cushion like in the Clifton 2s, but I have also run about 100 miles further in each pair of my 4s than I did in my 2s, so maybe I'm getting a little more than I give in that respect. The only problem I've had with these shoes is that the side of my previous pair ripped making it difficult to keep my foot in place during runs, so I had to ditch them and get a new pair. I had run 697 miles in them up until that point and I think I could have gotten another 100 out of them without the rip. I am not ready to say that the rip was the fault of the shoe, however. I had the same thing happen to another brand of shoe a few weeks prior to this rip so it is likely there were environmental factors at play. All being said, the Hoka Clifton 4 is a very reliable model of running shoe. Whether I am running a 65-second 400m or a 15-mile long run, these shoes get the job done.

Anonymous runner · Jul 15, 2018

70 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Bondi 5

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

Great toe box room for me

5/5

Overall

A couple of years ago I had a hammer toe surgically repaired and need a shoe with enough toe box room for my new foot. The Clifton 4 did the trick! Great ride.

sheltered · Jul 12, 2018

15 mpw came from the HOKA Clifton 3