Hoka Kawana Performance Review

The Hoka Kawana is a new offering from the company that popularized rockered midsoles and big slabs of foam. The Kawana utilizes the same formula that put Hoka on the map. But does it perform as well as our Hoka favorites?

Pros

Comfortable Vegan Upper

A very common question in our DMs is whether an upper is vegan (meaning it uses no animal products). So I’m glad Hoka pointed out the Kawana’s upper is in fact vegan. But vegan doesn’t have anything to do with comfort. And that’s where Hoka really outdid themselves.

Hoka’s generally have comfortable uppers. They definitely prioritize it over high fashion much to the chagrin of some running shoe reviewers. But, at WearTesters, we’re not experts on looks, just performance. And as someone who weartests a ton of shoes, the Kawana’s jacquard mesh upper is top notch.

With a flared heel, achilles pillows and a thickly padded and gusseted tongue, the Hoka Kawana is a breathable pillow for your foot. It’s soft all the way around but at the same time not too heavy. For anyone who prioritizes upper comfort, you need to consider the Kawana.

SwallowTail Heel

Hoka experimented with the SwallowTail heel in a lot of recent models. Sometimes it was comically exaggerated. But with the Kawana they’ve found a the perfect size. The lateral heel extends out less than an inch and features rubber on the bottom for durability. And for heel strikers (which is the majority of us), it’s a feature that makes each landing super smooth.

The transition from the SwallowTail strike point through the midfoot to the toe works seamlessly. The SwallowTail is a great complement to the early stage Meta-Rocker shape that Hoka uses for the outsole. When you feet turnover this smooth, it adds to the feeling that the shoe is working with you and helping you exert less effort with every step.

Cons

Wet Traction

Hoka put so much rubber on the bottom of the Kawana that I’m hesitant to criticize the outsole. It’s one of the better covered Hoka shoes, which is great for durability. As the miles rack up, you won’t burn through the outsole as quickly as other Hokas. The entire forefoot is covered (except, inexplicably for one lateral pod) as is the heel crash zone. Durability isn’t the issue.

The issue is the durabrasion rubber’s ability to grip well when it’s wet outside. I ran into plenty of slippy situations. Wooden boardwalks, cement and very light mud. The Kawana just didn’t bit at all on some wet surfaces. That said, on asphalt and cinder paths it did great. This may or may not be a problem for you depending on where you usually run.

CMEVA Midsole

With such a comfortable upper, I wanted to love the Hoka Kawana top to bottom but the midsole kept getting in the way. It’s not as plush as the Hoka Clifton 8 (our favorite neutral cushioned Hoka running shoe) but comes in at the same price of $140. And if you want to get speedier with Hoka, your best bet is to go Hoka Rincon 3 because of how much lighter it is.

Because of that, I had a hard time figuring out the right use case for the Kawana. But this is what I came up with. Since you don’t sink into the foam as much, the Kawana is a good running shoe to use in the weight room. There are plenty of people who don’t want to buy both a running shoe and a weight lifting shoe. The Kawana can reasonably do both. The trade off is plush cushioning that feels great as the miles stack up.

If you’re looking for a shoe that can do more than running, the Kawana probably works a bit better than other options from Hoka’s line.

Hoka Kawana Summary

The Hoka Kawana is right priced at $140 and you get what you pay for. I wish it’s cushion were a little more plush and lively for running but gym goers will appreciate the versatility and extra stability it provides. And though the outsole is long lasting, avoid using it on rainy days if you don’t run on asphalt. That said, the upper is luxurious and the SwallowTail geometry is perfect for heel strikers. Your thoughts on the Kawana will come down to what you value most in your everyday neutral cushioned running shoes.