Hoka Mach X 3 Performance Review

We liked the Hoka Mach X 2 except the upper was a pain (literally) in more than one way. The Hoka Mach X 3 keeps the same midsole/outsole combo and swaps out a completely new upper. And we mean completely, nothing at all remains from the Mach X 2’s ill-fated upper.

At first glance, that’s a fantastic decision. Keep what works and replace what doesn’t. Let’s find out if this swap can solve all the issues and catapult the Hoka Mach X 3 onto our best running shoes list.

What is the Hoka Mach X 3?

According to Hoka, the Mach X 3 is “a propulsive speed training partner” where “we’ve refined the collar and implemented a breathable woven upper to keep things light, cool, and fast for those next-level efforts” and “a plated daily trainer that brings the heat to speedwork.”

But our favorite line from the product description is “Who doesn’t want to go Mach speed?” That is some A+ marketing cheese right there. Who, indeed.

But as for the “propulsive speed training partner” part? That is exactly what the Mach X series purports to be and something we hope continues with the third iteration.

Cushion

Drew: The Hoka Mach X 3 features the same midsole as the Mach X 2. Here’s what we said about it last year:

It’s “a dual-layer midsole that’s composed of a lively, PEBA top layer and an EVA bottom layer. Hoka says it has increased the amount of foam in the PEBA layer specifically when compared to the original Mach X, and the listed stack heights reflect a 5 mm increase overall.

Sandwiched in between the two layers of foam is a Pebax plate (rather than carbon) with what Hoka describes as “extended winglets” at the forefoot, which are visible on the lateral side. Along with extending the Pebax plate, Hoka has attempted to up the aggression factor of the Metarocker geometry for speedier toe-offs.

The Hoka Mach X 2 also sports an Active Foot Frame to aid with keeping you nestled into the footbed – a signature feature of the brand. However, the Foot Frame is forefoot-focused here in the Mach X 2 rather than heel-focused.”

All that’s still the same. And just like last year, the midsole is fun. It’s bouncy, not too stiff, with a smooth rocker as you contact and leave the ground. The Pebax plate adds just enough oomph to make the midsole even livelier and the top layer of PEBA is soft, plush, but still adds to the overall bounce.

This is a midsole that can easily handle double digit long runs, especially the ones with some marathon or tempo pace work tucked inside.

Annie: I was delighted that Hoka would be sticking with the same midsole setup in the Mach X 3 as I really enjoyed that aspect of the previous version. The Mach X 3 retains its same lively ride with lots of speed versatility. I loved it at marathon, half-marathon, tempo, 10K, and 5K paces. And it even managed to reward more powerful strides at mile effort and during all-out sprints. The midsole continues to really protect the body at those highest impact efforts, and the bounding sensation stays under control with all the momentum channeling very smoothly forward thanks to the well-executed rocker.

The resultant forgiving-but-also-fast-and-fun ride makes it a totally viable race option for loads of runners like myself. The Mach X 3 may be far from featherlight (in fact, it’s gained some weight this year according to the specs), but the midsole setup has enough bounce and zip that it resists any feeling of bulkiness and doesn’t get too heavy for tired legs. So it wears its weight pretty well in practice.

The Hoka Mach X 3 is not going to have the kind of horsepower you’ll find in the fastest, most aggressive race models out there, and the combination of foams has a firmer feel than some ultra-squishy, 100% PEBA midsoles, but it’s perfectly capable of getting the job done. Though I will always harp on the fact that I’d like to see a roomier fit from the ball of the foot forward—especially for a shoe that can go long (but more on that later).

If anything, I found it legitimately tough to ask the Hoka Mach X 3 to cruise more languidly for my easiest efforts. I always felt the shoe naturally pull me toward more moderate, uptempo paces. For that reason, I’d say you could get away with a two-shoe rotation with another shoe for your easiest recovery runs and the Mach X 3 deftly covering everything else.

Support

Drew: The Hoka Mach X 3 delivers about what you’d expect from a soft, bouncy tempo shoe in the support department. Which is to say, not a ton, but enough to feel more like a protective daily trainer versus a race day shoe while still maintaining some of that uptempo DNA.

Annie: I see what Drew means here. I’ve (historically) been more likely to feel too much support in some of Hoka’s daily trainers and max-cushion models, and I really like where the company ended up in the Mach X 3’s execution. I never felt like features of the shoe were controlling my foot’s motion. But I was also (pleasantly) surprised by how stable the midsole actually was in the midst of its bounding ride.

It’s a sort of rare thing for a shoe of this type (and stack height, for that matter) to allow for standing figure-4 stretches on uneven pavement without sending you wobbling all over the place. That’s perhaps a result of the forefoot-focused Active Foot Frame and the mildly winged Pebax plate giving the foot a bit of a cradle in the right spot. As someone who sometimes doesn’t like such features in Hoka models (particularly when the Active Foot Frame is focused on the mid-to-rearfoot), I can say it all works a charm here. And harmonizing with that is a geometry that keeps you focused ever forward and without a bunch of wasted movement or sloppiness.

All of which is to say that while the Hoka Mach X 3 doesn’t pack a bunch of traditional support features and structure and is still very friendly to runners (like me) who generally prefer neutral shoes, it manages to keep you extremely centered over the footbed and provides solid confidence and cornering at any pace. That reliability could also be a reason some runners may reach for the Mach X 3 over true race-day models that can be more squirrelly underfoot.

Traction

Drew: Just like last year, the outsole on the Hoka Mach X 3 features plentiful, thick rubber and will last a long time. This shoe will hit the upper band of anyone’s personal durability scale and likely get closer to 500 miles than many of the shoes on today’s running shoe market.

Annie: In addition to that durability, the grip performed very nicely and held up through super rainy road conditions that included sopping wooden footbridges and the like.

Upper

Drew: Hooray, the weird heel is dead. The Hoka Mach X 3 uses a more traditional upper with an especially vanilla heel that just works without causing issues. The upper is a warp knit that ups the durability from a traditional engineered knit.

The tongue is a disaster as it’s weirdly shaped and only attaches at the bottom. When I laced the Hoka Mach X 3 loosely, the tongue jimmies itself out of the shoe and tries to flop around. It’s got solid padding but its odd behavior and shape make it annoying. Once I got the Mach X 3 fully tied it was no longer a problem but it could have been easily solved with the correct attention to detail pre-production.

The upper as a whole is comfortable but it’s narrow. More about that in the next section.

Annie: Apart from the obvious of the Mach X 2’s heel doing literal damage at times, I’m thrilled to see the Mach X 3’s redesigned upper for another reason: the Mach X 2 was an absolute pain in the ass to put on in the first place. The heel cup collapsed hopelessly every time you tried to slide your foot into the shoe.

Happily, the Hoka Mach X 3 and its now, as Drew so aptly put it, “vanilla” heel design resolves that annoyance as well. I’ll take vanilla any day so long as it does the job comfortably and reliably.

As such, the only issue I had with the upper (and, in fact, with the shoe on the whole) was that pesky last shape…

Is the Hoka Mach X 3 wide foot friendly?

Drew: The Hoka Mach X 3 is not wide foot friendly in its regular version but Hoka offers a wide version in both men’s and women’s sizing. I’d recommend anyone with even a slightly wide foot choose the wide version. The regular version is too streamlined and straight and lacks proper room, especially in the forefoot.

Annie: The forefoot fit is disappointing if not unsurprising. It breaks in slightly after a few runs, but it’s simply too slim and straight (particularly through the forefoot, which I’m considering the area from the ball of the foot to the toes).

And while I’m always happy to see readily available wide versions of solid shoes (which the Hoka Mach X 3 very much is), I’m nevertheless a tad less forgiving of seeing the repeated pattern (from Hoka and from the non-anatomical-fit-focused majority of the industry) of such slim last shapes through the forefoot. People’s feet just aren’t shaped like that.

I especially mention it here because I found the secure, snug fit through the midfoot and heel of the standard version very comfortable and highly effective and don’t really want or need the extra space that a wide version would offer in those areas. I just want to keep my forefoot and toes working naturally and healthily. And given how great the Mach X 3’s midsole is for long-distance running, there’s an even greater case for opening up the general shape of the forefoot in both the standard and wide versions.

Is the Hoka Mach X 3 worth $190?

Drew: Lots of super trainers are priced around $190 so the Hoka Mach X 3 is properly priced compared to its peers. But it won’t be near the top of our best super trainers list. There are other options that pack a lot more value for around the same price or slightly more.

Annie: I think the Hoka Mach X 3’s performance may rank a smidge higher in my personal book, but that’s very possibly just because I haven’t run in some of the super trainers that top Drew’s list. I do like that the Mach X 3 is snappier and runs a bit lighter than its listed weight compared to the Skechers Aero Burst or the Brooks Hyperion Max 3, for example. But other super trainers nevertheless have it beat when it comes to some of the insanely featherlight offerings on the market. For that reason, I think the Mach X 3 sits in the correct middle ground when it comes to price in its category.

How to use the Hoka Mach X 3

The Hoka Mach X 3 is a versatile and peppy running shoe that’s best when you pick up the pace on longer efforts.

Hoka Mach X 3 Summary

Drew: The Hoka Mach X 3 fixes the biggest issues from the Mach X 2 while only introducing some small issues that many will be able to overlook. It’s a fun shoe but fits narrow and isn’t in the top tier of super trainers. That said, if you’re a big fan of the Hoka fit, this may be the perfect uptempo shoe for your arsenal.

Annie: The Hoka Mach X 3 sports a well-balanced midsole combo that tempers its soft and bouncy top layer of PEBA and poppy Pebax plate with the right amount of firmer foam beneath to keep your momentum driving smoothly forward. The narrow forefoot design is a frustration point, and the weight has increased over the Mach X 2. But the Mach X 3 solves its predecessor’s heel issues and delivers a very fun, forgiving, and lively ride over an impressively wide variety of paces and distances.

How does the Author Run?

Drew Whitcomb (age 43, 6’6″ 200lbs): 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 pairs of the Mach X 3 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.