Type a shoe name, like Pegasus, Clifton or Kayano.

Karhu Mestari

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 11.0 oz · 33/25mm stack · 8mm drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock.

How it ranks

The Karhu Mestari’s rating is an early estimate. We’ve collected 1 runner review so far, with brand history and external ratings also informing the score.

Current estimate: Good

81
Overall
81
Value
75
Comfort
71
Durability
70
Appearance
67
Cushioning
65
Confidence

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

35 Very low

35

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.

  1. Brand rating
  2. External ratings
  3. Our ratings

Where to buy

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Check back soon for prices

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.

Pros

  • The one reviewer so far describes a wide toe box with a narrow heel and says it helped change her gait for the better.
  • That reviewer finds it more cushioned than Brooks, and her feet are no longer numb at the end of a run.

Cons

  • That reviewer finds it heavier than the Brooks trainers she had run in, and less cushioned than Hoka.
  • She had to go up half a size, which she says is typical for Karhu.

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

Mestari rates 81. This shoe has very low confidence. See how we rate shoes.

Runner Ratings

1 rating
5/5 1
4/5 0
3/5 0
2/5 0
1/5 0
See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight
11.0 oz
Men's / women's
Men's 12.0 oz · Women's 9.9 oz
Release
2025
Stack
33/25mm
Drop
8mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Showing 1–1 of 1 written review

Best Shoe I Don't Know How I Hadn't Heard Of

5/5

Overall

I started running in the women's Karhu Mestari Run last spring and it helped change my gait for the better. I'd been in Hokas for several years, mostly the Clifton, plus Brooks now and then when I wanted more speed or travel (PACKING HOKAS IS THE WORST).

The shoe has a wide toebox and narrow heel, both of which I need. Not as cushioned as Hoka but moreso than Brooks, heavier than Brooks but I'll take that since the bottoms of my feet aren't numb at the end of a run. 

I needed to go up half a size and my LRS/the internet agree that's typical for Karhu. 

Anonymous runner · Nov 7, 2024

25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Clifton 8

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

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Compared to other shoes

See how this shoe compares to others like it.

Shoe image placeholder
HOKA Bondi 8
HOKA Clifton 9
Mestari
Bondi 8
Clifton 9
Current shoe
Choose a model
Newest
Lowest price / Best overall / Best cushioning
Lightest / Best appearance / Best value rating
Shoe properties
Type
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Pronation
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
11.0 oz
9.9 oz
8.0 oz Lightest
Stack
33/25mm
40/35mm
38/33mm
Drop
8mm
4mm
5mm
Release
2025 Newest
2022 Q3
2023 Q1
MSRP
—
$165
$145
Best price
—
$95 Lowest price
$170
Ratings
Overall
81 Good
99 Exceptional Best overall
98 Exceptional
Comfort
71 Decent
99 Exceptional
99 Exceptional
Cushioning
65 Below average
99 Exceptional Best cushioning
98 Exceptional
Durability
70 Decent
97 Exceptional Best durability
87 Good
Appearance
67 Below average
75 Decent
86 Good Best appearance
Value
75 Decent
77 Decent
83 Good Best value rating
Specific shoe

Search for the exact model to add to this comparison.

Karhu Mestari In Context

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