Hoka Bondi 9 Performance Review

In 2024, Hoka itself released two shoes, the Skyflow and Skyward X, that seemed targeted towards different segments of the huge audience that loves the Bondi line. We thought we figured out how the high-stack portion of Hoka’s lineup would fit into a coherent lineup. But now, after testing the Hoka Bondi 9, we’re not so sure. 

And that’s not because the Bondi 9 is bad. On the contrary, it’s really good. Good enough to get us wondering if the Skyflow is even needed…and we liked that shoe! [Editor’s Note: Well, we were more like 50/50 on it…]

So let’s get into why the Hoka Bondi 9 is so good and who we believe is best suited to use it daily.

What is the Hoka Bondi 9?

According to Hoka, “one of the hardest working shoes in the Hoka lineup, the Bondi 9 delivers peak plushness for everyday miles. Overhauled from top to bottom, we’ve increased the stack height and added a new premium foam midsole to deliver that soft, resilient ride that’s become synonymous with the Bondi”.

Putting aside our quibbles with the ridiculous “hardest working shoe” line [Editor’s Note: I want to know which Hoka shoe isn’t a hard worker. I bet the Cielo X 1 is pretty lazy, getting by with its good looks, super foam, and carbon plate like a typical trust fund kid.], the rest is accurate. New foam, more stack, and overflowing with plushness. That’s a pretty good description of the Hoka Bondi 9.

Cushion

Drew: The Hoka Skyflow – the shoe we thought was meant for more hardcore runners – also features a supercritical EVA midsole, but the midsole on the Hoka Bondi 9 is way better. Now, the Bondi 9 is half an ounce heavier than the Skyflow, but the midsole feels much softer and bouncier. In fact, it’s the bounciest Bondi to date and a big upgrade from the sluggish midsole of the Bondi 8. The Bondi has always been well-cushioned, but it never felt like it was giving energy back like this year’s version.

And yes, there are 2mm of additional cushion underfoot, but the Bondi didn’t necessarily need more foam. It needed to be more lively. And Hoka nailed it.

It’s also super smooth. Hoka’s MetaRockers are typically smooth, but this one makes the weight of the shoe just disappear – making my footfalls and push-offs feel so natural I kept forgetting how much stack height this monster was packing.

But I’m also 6’6” and 200lbs, so I eat this much cushion for breakfast [Editor’s Note: You eat supercritical foam for breakfast?]. Annie, our other reviewer, comes at shoes from a completely different perspective [Editor’s Note: One where she can’t see the start line because the people in front are normal-sized], so I’m curious to see if the foam was as tasty for her [Editor’s Note: STOP IMPLYING YOU EAT FOAM].

Annie: There are in fact three reasons I cannot see the start line, thank you very much:

1) As rightly noted above, I am indeed too short to see over other humans – including many children,

2) I’m so middling that my corral is too far back to see the start line anyway, and

3) I could be both as tall and as fast as Drew and still not see the start line due to my need to update my contact lens prescription.

So, ha (*whispers to herself, “I know the joke’s still on me…”).

Despite our downright comical differences in both height and running talent…and, apparently, our dietary proclivities in relation to foam…I had a not-too-different experience with the Hoka Bondi 9’s cushion.

That said, it took me a while to feel that way. As will be a common theme when talking about pretty much all aspects of the Bondi 9, it took some breaking-in for me to be able to enjoy it. Even then, I still wouldn’t call it super soft – at least not in a squishy sense. But its ride is indeed smoother than it looks, and I also felt the midsole foam outperforms that of the Skyflow. It has a little bit of plushness in the forefoot and an overall protective feel.

The Bondi 9 didn’t disappear on-foot for me like it did for Drew, but it also didn’t feel like a clunker. And I wouldn’t have guessed it outweighs the Skyflow based on how each shoe feels on the run.

Something about my running style doesn’t always align with Hoka’s MetaRocker geometries, often making me feel like I’m working a bit harder than usual to find the sweet spot, so to speak. But the setup in the Bondi 9 was a surprise, as my picky stride was better able to establish a rhythm in it.

Support

Drew: A basic heel counter, a well-fitting upper, and a wide base do the heavy lifting here and make the Hoka Bondi 9 very stable for a shoe that sits so high off the ground. As a reviewer that experienced the instability of the first 40mm+ midsoles, it’s impressive to me that the Bondi 9 just feels like a normal running shoe in terms of support.

Annie: Agreed. It’s a very stable (neutral) shoe. I think that’s a good thing for the most part and will serve most people well in a shoe built for cruisy comfort. But this is one of those areas where shoes can sometimes have too much of a good thing for my personal preferences.

There’s a touch more support and structure here than necessarily feels ideal to me. It doesn’t do any physical harm, but I don’t feel like my feet can work as freely as I’d like with the amount of stiffness in the mid-to-rearfoot. But the security within the shoe is excellent and provides a lot of confidence.

Traction

Drew: Two things on the outsole. One good and one bad. The grip on the Hoka Bondi 9 was really good. I did the majority of my testing in the humid, wet climate of Orlando during a holiday break from the mountain air. The Bondi 9 handled excess moisture like a champ, and slippage was rare.

That said, the Durabrasion rubber outsole is wearing down at an alarming rate in my high-wear areas. There’s still plenty of rubber, but the tread is disappearing. It may partially be my size, but I don’t expect the outsole of the Bondi 9 to outlive the midsole. Annie used it in largely cold climates… Was the result any different?

Annie: I’m seeing the tiniest amount of tread wear right under the ball of the foot on my pair, though it looks to be holding up well otherwise. But it’s also pretty rare for me to chew up a rubber outsole (Drew, exactly how many shoe components are you eating…?).

As for the traction, it performed well – after roughing it up. My first run in the Hoka Bondi 9 was on a rainy day, and I was slipping all over the roads.

But the traction must have just needed a few runs to establish its grip, because it showed above-average performance as I got deeper into testing. While no road shoe is going to conquer ice, I was able to take it out in snowy conditions and live to tell the tale with relatively minor reminders of my mortality.

Upper

Drew: The Hoka Bondi 9 sports an engineered mesh upper with plenty of comfortable padding around the collar and in the tongue. But what’s interesting about it is the upper definitely feels more like an engineered knit upper, despite the Hoka tech specs saying otherwise. In other words, it’s a nice upgrade from the typical Hoka-style engineered upper. I found it incredibly comfortable and loved how it molded to my foot after a couple runs.

Annie: I totally agree with Drew. This upper feels like a plush, well-fitting knit rather than mesh. In keeping with the “you may need to be patient” theme, I experienced rubbing on the medial side of my big toe during my first several outings in the Hoka Bondi 9. But that eventually went away as the upper (and the rest of the shoe) slowly broke-in, and it was comfortable thereon.

Is the Hoka Bondi 9 wide foot friendly?

Drew: I wouldn’t consider the regular Hoka Bondi 9 wide-foot friendly. It’s too constrictive in the midfoot and heel. It’s got a touch more room in the toebox, but not enough for true wide-footers. But that’s ok because it will be available in both wide and extra wide. All wide-footers should grab one of the larger widths.

Annie: What Drew said. While there is more forefoot width here than in most standard-width Hoka models, it’s still not ideal for those with wider feet. Where the midfoot leads into the ankle collar doesn’t have a ton of volume either. So if you’re on the bubble, I’d go with wide sizing – especially because the upper does lock the foot down so effectively.

Is the Hoka Bondi 9 worth $170?

Drew: With most of the competition in this max-cushioned, everyday running category sitting around $160, anyone could argue the Hoka Bondi 9 is overpriced. But I won’t. The Bondi 9 is livelier, more fun, and just a bit more comfortable than its competitive set. I’d reach for it over the Asics Nimbus 27 and Brooks Glycerin 22 (review coming soon)…which is not something I’ve done in previous years.

Annie: I’m one of those people giving the $170 price tag a touch of side-eye…

My preferences mean that on one hand, I’m likely to gravitate toward moderately-stacked shoes that sit around $140-$150 for my daily runs. And if I’m looking for more distance, I’d opt for the long-run crushers with a lighter weight and uptempo versatility that often go for around $180-$200.

Since the Bondi 9 operates best for me as strictly a recovery run shoe, it becomes harder to justify the in-between price. For example, I liked the New Balance 1080 v14 as an extra plush, high-cushioned ride for relaxed miles – and I was already slightly perturbed at its price of $165. So it just feels like Hoka is pushing the envelope a hair too much in this instance.

But as is so often the case, it’s going to depend on what you actually need from a shoe in this category and what has/hasn’t worked for you in the past. While I’d love to see it $5-$10 cheaper, the Bondi 9 is still a very well-constructed shoe that is going to be a supportive dreamboat for a ton of runners. If it can be your daily trainer, recovery shoe, and long-run shoe, then it certainly earns its cost.

How to use the Hoka Bondi 9

The Hoka Bondi 9 is best used for easy runs, recovery runs, some long runs, walking, and/or standing all day. It doesn’t pick up speed easily but is super comfortable in all other use cases.

Hoka Bondi 9 Summary

Drew: The Hoka Bondi 9 is the best Bondi ever thanks to a superpowered midsole and an upscale, knit-like upper. It’s likely to have some durability problems with the outsole, but while it lasts, it’ll be a go-to easy and long-run shoe.

Annie: The Hoka Bondi 9 is a bit of a surprise in that it takes what we thought the Hoka Skyflow was meant to be and improves upon it. The supercritical midsole and rocker combine for a smooth and pleasant ride with subtle forefoot bounce, and the premium-feeling upper keeps the foot comfortably secured within the platform. The Bondi 9 is best suited to those who like a supportive companion for their easy-paced miles, yet it successfully forgoes the blocky feel associated with its predecessors.

How does the Author Run?

Drew Whitcomb (age 42, 6’6″ 195lbs): Runs daily with a once a week rest day. Runs a lot of miles due to testing needs and a growing affinity for long-distance races. Regularly competes in marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races.

Annie Keris (age 39, 5’0” 117lbs): Typically follows a “two days on, one day off” running routine. “On” days include daily miles, speed work, and long runs. An “off” day usually involves yoga and mobility/recovery work. Enjoys occasional racing but perhaps enjoys the training process even more. Gravitates most toward the half marathon distance, but ventures into the 10k and 5k as well. The marathon is thus far uncharted territory…

Disclosure

While Hoka did provide a pair of the Hoka Bondi 9 to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.