best shoe for support
5/5
Overall
the best
Anonymous runner · Dec 9, 2024
50 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 5/5
HOKA Arahi 6
Daily trainer · Stability · Road · 8.5 oz · 34/29mm stack · 5mm drop
Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The HOKA Arahi 7 replaced it
How it ranks
The HOKA Arahi 6 ranks among the stronger daily trainers in our data. Comfort and cushioning are its strongest sub-ratings. Looks scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating is based on 38 runner reviews and 7 other rated shoes in the Arahi product line.
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 is low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.
Confidence
97 Very high
External retailer ratings
We break apart ratings from mass-market retailers and specialty running shops since they serve different audiences.
The middle of the bar marks the typical shoe at each type of retailer. The dot shows where this shoe ranks in comparison.
Based on
The bars show roughly how much each source contributes to this shoe’s rating. Their influence depends on how many reviews we’ve collected, how many earlier versions are in the product line, and the external ratings available.
- Our ratings
- Product line track record
- External ratings
What runners say
“Due to these shoes, I have lost 3 toenails”
“Wears out quickly—rarely get much more than 300 miles before I start feeling my knees again”
“They are hard hitting the ground. It hurts running on pavement for a while”
“The sole is very firm. It is not soft or cushioned”
“Absolutely love the comfort but durability leaves a lot to be desired”
“It provides the right mix of cushion and stability to make it a great shoe”
“Front of toe box is a bit slim”
“I thought this was necessary for stability, but the New Balance 860 had all the stability and support and was extremely plush”
“Good for shin splints”
“Although the Arahi is not as cushioned as some other Hoka models, it provides the right mix of cushion and stability”
“Good stability control and cushioning feels great under the feet”
“The Arahi has always taken care of me with my pronation”
“I personally enjoy the stack height and the J-frame that this Hoka shoe markets”
“Good cushioning but not too soft”
“Comfortable and just the right amount of support”
“This is my third pair, so they are good”
“These shoes actually held out pretty well”
Prefer this shoe over another
56% 14/25
Where to buy
No offers available
Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.
Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.
Pros
- Reviewers credit its support with easing knee and shin pain.
- Reviewers rate comfort 4.7 out of 5, including runners with wide, flat feet.
- It weighs 9.3 oz on a 34mm heel stack, light for a stability shoe.
Cons
- Reviewers rate durability 4.2 out of 5, its lowest dimension, and three say it wears out quickly.
- Two reviewers find the ride firm and hard on pavement.
- Six of twenty-two reviewers who answered report an injury while running in it.
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.
Better Shoes Rating
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.
Release year
-
2025 · 1 review
84 Good
66 Confidence
-
2024 · 1 review
76 Decent
70 Confidence
-
Arahi 6 This shoe
2022 · 38 reviews
86 Good
97 Confidence
-
2021 · 3 reviews
71 Decent
73 Confidence
-
2019 · 2 reviews
66 Below average
76 Confidence
-
2019 · 8 reviews
70 Decent
89 Confidence
-
2017 · 13 reviews
55 Bottom-tier
91 Confidence
-
2017 · 9 reviews
57 Bottom-tier
88 Confidence
Specs & fit
Sizing and ride details at a glance.
- Weight
- 8.5 oz
- Men's / women's
- Men's 9.3 oz · Women's 7.7 oz
- Release
- 2022 Q1
- MSRP
- $140
- Stack
- 34/29mm
- Drop
- 5mm
Runner reviews
Good pronation stability, but pretty hard
4/5
Overall
This shoe is my default stability shoe and it has all the support I need to avoid pain. My only complaint is that the sole is very firm. It is not soft or cushioned and I think it gave me some pain from the pounding of running. I thought that this was necessary for the stability, but then I tried the New Balance 860, which had all the stability and support and were extremely plush. Hoka could definitely put more cushioning in the Arahi line, because right now I would recommend the New Balance 860s for sure.
Anonymous runner · Dec 6, 2024
29 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the New Balance 860 v10
- Comfort
- 3/5
- Cushioning
- 2/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 4/5
Fully converted to Hoka
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Nov 8, 2024
60 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Nike Pegasus 41
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 2/5
4/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Jul 25, 2024
40 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the HOKA Arahi 5
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Cushioning
- 4/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 4/5
Great shoe but poor durability.
4/5
Overall
Absolutely love the comfort but durability leaves a lot to be desired. Also can’t be cleaned easily and get filthy. Disappointing because they are pricey
Anonymous runner · Jun 21, 2024
15 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v14
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 2/5
- Appearance
- 3/5
- Value
- 2/5
Alternatives
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Compared to other shoes
See how this shoe compares to others like it.
HOKA Arahi 6 In Context
More on the HOKA Arahi
- HOKA Arahi 8
- HOKA Arahi 7 next version
- HOKA Arahi 5 previous version
- HOKA Arahi 4
- HOKA Arahi 3
- HOKA Arahi v1
Reviewers Also Ran In
- HOKA Arahi 5 3 runners
- Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22 2 runners
- Brooks Launch 7 1 runner