HOKA Cielo X1 Assessment | Operating Footwear Guru

Hoka One One Cielo X1 Introduction

Hoka is a model that’s been constructed on large cushioning. The Clifton and Bondi, their two hottest trainers are bestsellers as a result of their thick, rockered midsoles present deep cushioning and good consolation for each strolling and working. On a latest journey to the States, I used to be shocked by the sheer variety of folks carrying Hokas for informal put on.

The Cielo X1 is one other Hoka working shoe which follows the Hoka template of a mega-thick sole with a rocker. It’s nevertheless one of many few Hokas to make use of PEBA foam- most of them use EVA.

The Cielo X1 doesn’t exchange the Rocket X collection. It’s one other long-distance racing choice within the Hoka vary. The Rocket X 2 was considered one of my favorite top-tier racers of the previous 2 years so I’ve excessive hopes for the Cielo X1.

The Cielo X1 seems just like the form of working shoe I’d have designed if I had carte blanche. It has the maxed-out stack top midsole, the aggressive forefoot rocker, and the outsole protection to make it sturdy sufficient for coaching.

It’s on the heavy aspect for a racer at 9.3 oz (264 g) for a males’s US9. The Rocket X2 is barely 8.3 oz (236 g). It has a drop of seven mm, which is increased than most Hokas- the usual for Hoka is 5 mm. It additionally is available in at a sky excessive worth of $275, the similar worth because the Endorphin Elite.

Hoka One One Cielo X1 First Impressions

My first run was 23 kilometres at my regular tempo. This was on the tail finish of a 141 kilometre week so my legs had been lifeless drained. That run was nonetheless actually pleasurable.

I favored how a lot cushioning it had and the way mushy it felt. I additionally loved the excessive degree of power return and the ahead rolling transitions.

The issues I didn’t like had been the thick, heat higher and the dearth of aggression throughout transitions. The journey felt very relaxed- extra like a cruiser than a racer.

It jogged my memory of the Wave Rebel Professional 2 which has an aggressive heel bevel.

It additionally jogged my memory of the Prime X due to its thick large midsole however the Prime X rocker felt much more aggressive.

Hoka One One Cielo X1 Higher

The Cielo X1’s relaxed higher feels extra like a coaching higher than a racing one. The fabric that the higher is created from seems like a thick knit. Throughout my future, my toes felt actually heat they usually began sweating profusely so breathability isn’t good.

There are double first row eyelets to make use of a runner’s knot and an additional row of eyelets to customize the match. I had to make use of a runner’s knot and cinch the laces actually tight to get a great lockdown. I additionally used the second row of eyelets (the outer rows) to get a greater match as a result of my toes are slender.

The laces are harking back to thick ribbons that you simply use to wrap a gift. I didn’t have any points with them they usually by no means got here undone throughout any of my runs. They’re somewhat unorthodox however no less than they don’t fray after a pair runs like some racing laces.

There are giant reflective panels on the heel for security and there’s additionally a tongue pull tab to make it simpler to place the shoe on.

It has a very accommodating match with a roomy forefoot. Runners preferring a cosy racing match can go down a half dimension however I acquired it true to dimension and it suits properly with medium or thick socks. It’s appropriate for vast toes.

Hoka One One Cielo X1 Sole Unit

The Cielo X1 is Hoka’s most cushioned working shoe so far. The double layer of dual-density PEBA in its midsole offers probably the most cushioning I’ve skilled in a racer so far and it mutes all floor really feel.

The heel stack top feels greater than 40 mm and the listed stack top on Operating Warehouse is 46 mm however in some way Hoka managed to get it World Athletics authorised for competing in.

Bouncy is one of the best phrase to explain the kind of cushioning within the Cielo X1. The formulation of PEBA that Hoka makes use of is softer than different manufacturers, even Nike’s ZoomX.

Hoka’s PEBA has a slower rebound than ZoomX or Lightstrike Professional so it feels extra bouncy reasonably than explosive. It has a softer, extra compressive layer of froth on the highest with a firmer foam on the backside for stability. That is the alternative of the Alphafly and it creates a plusher step-in really feel.

The Cielo X1 doesn’t really feel as quick because the top-tier racers. The two predominant causes are its carbon fibre plate and its hefty weight.

The winged plate within the Cielo X1 is extra versatile than the plates in different racers. For instance, the Saucony Endorphin Elite– it additionally has a excessive toe-spring however its forefoot rocker feels much more aggressive attributable to its stiffer plate. This interprets to punchier toe-offs and a sooner journey.

To me, the Cielo X1 feels extra like a long-distance cruiser than a racer. I did a 32 kilometre coaching run within the X1: 20 kilometres regular, 12 kilometres tempo. The regular part felt snug however within the final 12 kilometres I needed to put a number of effort into growing my tempo. It feels probably the most snug doing simple runs, regular runs, and lengthy, relaxed runs exceeding 25 kilometres.

For tempo and threshold runs, it feels too cumbersome and boat-like. For runners focusing on 3 hours 30 or slower for a full marathon, the Cielo X1 will likely be an awesome selection. For something sooner, a firmer, lighter racer is required.

As a heel striker, the Cielo X1’s geometry works very well for me. The complete-length, heel-to-toe rocker makes transitions really feel tremendous easy and it makes it simple to get right into a rhythm. That is what makes it such an awesome future shoe.

Stability is respectable contemplating how tall the midsole is and what number of cutouts there are in it. The lateral midsole cutout of the Cielo X1 works lots higher for me than the medial cutout like within the Prime X Strung model 1. I are likely to roll inwards, so it’s higher that there’s extra assist on the medial aspect. It feels extra steady than the Prime X model 1 and the Wave Rebel Professional 2.

Cielo X1 is common for a racer in the case of sturdiness. The mushy outsole rubber is thick and it covers all of the excessive put on areas nevertheless it does put on down fairly quick and there’s a number of easy rubber on the lateral heel of my pair after 80 kilometres. This shoe continues to be sturdy sufficient for coaching and racing although. I didn’t take a look at it in moist circumstances however I don’t suppose traction will likely be a problem as a result of the outsole rubber has a ribbed sample on it.

Hoka One One Cielo X1 Conclusions

On the 2024 US Olympic Trials for the marathon, 6 Hoka NAZ Elite athletes participated. 5 of them wore the Rocket X2, and only one selected to put on the Cielo X1. I’d additionally choose the Rocket X2 over the Cielo to race a marathon in.

I’m a bit disenchanted with the Cielo X1 as a result of on paper, it has the potential to be an impressive racer. It’s simply too heavy and too mushy for racing. A few of the cushioning might be eliminated to make it lighter; this a lot cushioning feels overkill for the marathon distance.

You may clearly see that the Adidas Prime X impressed the Cielo X1. The Adidas tremendous shoe feels sooner although attributable to its firmer journey, its tremendous stiff forefoot and its aggressive rocker. The Cielo X1 is over an oz. lighter than the Prime X 2 however it doesn’t really feel as “particular”.

I’ll proceed utilizing the Cielo X1 for lengthy coaching runs so it’s going to keep in my rotation. It has a design that retains my legs feeling contemporary throughout lengthy runs and helps me get better a lot sooner afterwards. I gained’t be racing in it as a result of I choose firmer, lighter and stiffer sneakers for racing.

Then there’s the worth. $275 is approach an excessive amount of for a shoe that fits long-distance coaching runs greater than races so I wouldn’t advocate it except you’re aiming for a 3:30 marathon time or slower and you want uber-soft cushioning.