Hoka Kaha 3 GTX Review

The Hoka Kaha 3 GTX is a modern hiking boot designed for cushion and comfort on the trail. Now in its third iteration, Hoka reduced the size of the SwallowTail heel and streamlined its profile to improve its agility over rugged terrain. Durability upgrades include new heel and toe caps along with a one-piece Vibram Megagrip sole designed to increase long-term tread adhesion. The new waterproof/breathable Gore-Tex Invisible Fit liner is now bonded directly to the upper to give a smoother experience to your feet, further helping cement this hiking boot as one of the most comfortable, versatile cruisers we've ever tested.

Comfort

While the dominant feature of the Kaha 3 GTX is undoubtedly the 2-plus inches of foam and insole underfoot, the entire boot seems tuned to fit most feet. The waterproof Nubuck leather upper benefits from a short break-in period as it becomes extra supple where your feet flex the boot, but it's remarkably pliable. The fit is about average in length and width, and frankly, a little vague with plenty of interior volume and just a little extra width (likely because Hoka doesn't offer a separate wide version). Our lead tester has a narrow foot, so he wore a thicker sock than usual and marveled at the near-perfect result.

The laces are surprisingly thick and almost annoying, but they stay put once you adjust them, and they hold knots all day. The lockdown is secure, and we experienced almost no heel slip.

Hoka builds a slight rocker into the footbed with a SwallowTail heel for trail-cruising comfort with heel-to-toe gaits. It's slightly less pronounced than on the previous generation Kaha 2, which we think is an outright improvement that makes this boot more user-friendly than ever.

Support

The high-quality Leather Working Group Gold-Rated waterproof nubuck leather offers fit-enhancing pliability while offering stability to your foot during off-camber slope navigation. We're quite impressed with this leather. Meanwhile, the extra-wide sole provides a massive base for each step. With a measured heel width of 4" on our lead tester's size 14 pair, he thought he might feel the heels catch on brush or old logs while hiking, but never did. What he did feel was a firm, supportive contact with the ground on nearly every step.

Traction

The Vibram Medagrip soles have just 4mm lugs, but the updated contact pattern in this version grips stone as easily as loose forest duff. No doubt, part of its success comes from its wide contact patch, providing lots of friction on any surface. They were surprisingly sticky on wet bowling-ball-sized rocks during stream crossings, but they also braked remarkably well on loose gravel and dirt.

One factor to consider with this flat wedge-sole design (vs a 90-degree heel that has a ledge) is that your grip is all about placing your sole flat against the ground, no matter what the angle is. Because the sole is relatively flexible, too, this boot isn't that great at side-hilling in steep terrain — we found it difficult to get the edges of these boots to bite into soft hillsides or edge on steep rock. If you spend much time on steep technical terrain, you might consider a hiking boot with a stiffer, more traditional sole.

Water Resistance

The Kaha 3 GTX has one of the highest flood heights we tested, measured from the ground to the lowest portion of the interior waterproof membrane near the tongue. While most men's sizes should be near 5 inches or more, our size 14 measured a 5.5" flood height.

While the Gore-Tex waterproof membrane provides the most waterproof protection, the leather upper is also treated with a PFC-free water repellent coating. When we laced up these boots tightly, which nearly sealed the gap along the tongue and the top of the boot, we could quickly step through water near the top of the boots with very little leaking, making these one of our favorite boots for impromptu stream crossings.

Despite the breathability of the Gore-Tex membrane, the leather is still leather, which means it doesn't release heat as quickly as some synthetics, making these boots feel warm on hot days. If you plan to hike or backpack in very hot weather, you might consider a lighter-weight boot. Another drawback to leather is that it can take longer to dry out when it becomes saturated.

Weight

The Kaha 3 GTX is not the lightest hiking boot nor the heaviest. While our size 14 weighed 3 pounds even, most size 11 boots will likely weigh about 1/4-pound less. Interestingly, because these boots offer such a cushioned response, we found that they feel a bit lighter on their feet than simple gravity would imply.

Despite the weight, the full-height uppers and supportive leather might make these boots a great choice for those with weak ankles. Sometimes lighter boots can be easier to lift over long miles — but not if your ankles suffer in the last mile.

Durability

The burly, solid leather uppers have shown few signs of wear, despite multiple outings with off-trail excursions around sharp rocks and sticks. The uppers have few seams to catch and pull loose, and even the interior seam near the instep is stitched from the inside to prevent fraying from passing debris. The laces are super thick, so they're likely to last many miles, and the lace hooks are made from metal, not plastic — another good sign of likely durability. Many Hoka boots and shoes have rubber tread sections fused to EVA midsoles, and some of those treads can peel up after many miles. To reduce seams in the sole, this latest Kaha version now has a single large rubber sole attached to the midsole, which we're happy to see.

Hoka also added new TPU toe and heel caps, which can help thwart the constant wear of scrapes and abrasions from sharp stones in rugged, rocky environments.

Should You Buy the Hoka Kaha 3 GTX?

If you want a cushy ride to soften long downhill descents or simply ease the miles over hard-packed trails, it's hard to beat the feel of the Hoka Kaha 3 GTX boots. The support is strong without being stiff, and the traction is fantastic on all but the very steepest, most technical hillsides. Better yet, if you want a comfy day-hike cruiser that's also burly enough for multi-day backpacking, the Kaha 3 GTX might be the versatile boot you're looking for.

What Other Hiking Boots Should You Consider?

While we are unabashed fans of these boots for their comfort and support, the wide rockered sole might not be for everyone. In this case, the Salomon Quest 4 Gore-Tex is also comfortable and delivers top-tier support and traction with a more traditional sole. If you're looking for a lightweight, extremely agile boot that can easily scramble off-trail, the sweet La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX should be on your list. And if you're intrigued by the cushy Kaha ride but don't want the full-leather ankle support, check out the Hoka Anacapa 2 Mid GTX.