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
Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 7.5 oz · 37/32mm stack · 5mm drop
Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock.
How it ranks
The HOKA Carbon X 3’s rating is an early estimate. We’ve collected 6 runner reviews so far, with product line history and external ratings also informing the score.
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
68 Moderate
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.
- Product line track record
- Our ratings
- External ratings
What runners say
“Didn't feel or perform far off from Vaporflys, just less durable.”
“The soles were done in 3 months.”
“They have that bouncy Hoka feel and great speed.”
“The poor man's carbon.”
“The soles hold up horribly.”
“Helpful even in training when coming back from a chronic achilles injury.”
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 Oct 22.
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.
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
80 Good
68 Confidence
-
2020 · 4 reviews
80 Good
79 Confidence
-
2019 · 35 reviews
97 Exceptional
97 Confidence
Specs & fit
Sizing and ride details at a glance.
- Weight
- 7.5 oz
- Men's / women's
- Men's 8.4 oz · Women's 6.6 oz
- Release
- 2022 Q2
- Stack
- 37/32mm
- Drop
- 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