Hoka Bondi 8 Review

The Bondi 8 is an update of a hugely popular shoe. Unfortunately, we think it is a step backwards. This shoe makes huge sacrifices in an attempt to provide supreme comfort but fails to accomplish that goal. As a result, it's the lowest-scoring trainer in our lineup. We think it is a poor choice for a running shoe.

Performance Comparison

Cushioning and Landing Comfort

If you only looked at the lab specs for the Bondi 8, you'd assume that the cushioning was excellent. It packs 41mm of foam under the heel and 35mm under the forefoot. That's on par with some of the most cushioned shoes in our test. Sadly, the foam Hoka used in this shoe is inert and oddly firm. With most max-cushioned shoes, we expect one of two sensations underfoot: plush and pillowy, or firm and bouncy. Some of our favorites are both plush and bouncy. The Bondi 8 doesn't fall into any of those categories. Instead, it's firm and lifeless. The foam borders on hard. You don't sink into it. It returns no energy and has no bounce. Running in the Bondi 8 feels like you have rubber bricks taped to the underside of your foot.

As a result, we found that the Bondi 8 did very little to dampen landings, regardless of pace. It felt much more similar to shoes that have 10mm less stack height, just heavier. We did notice that it actually started to feel a tiny bit better at faster paces when impact forces are higher, which is unfortunate because this shoe is designed for easy running. That does suggest it may work slightly better for heavier runners, although we still wouldn't recommend it.

Overall, for a shoe that is designed around max-cushioning, we are very disappointed with the Bondi 8.

Responsiveness

This is a shoe that is designed for easy running. It is not responsive, and actively fights you any time you want to run faster in it. The massive chunk of foam tries to slow you down. It feels like it absorbs all the force you're trying to push off the ground with, and returns none of it. We attempted a threshold session in them, but gave up and switched shoes after only a mile. What are normally easy and relaxed mile paced strides were slow and difficult in these shoes. In fairness, the shoe isn't designed for that type of running, but it's part of our standardized testing that every shoe goes through. The Bondi 8 is the least responsive shoe in our lineup, and it really isn't close.

The Bondi 8 does have a forefoot rocker to help offset the stiffness of the shoe, which is necessary. Counterintuitively, we think it helps the most at slower paces.

This just isn't a versatile shoe. It has one pace: slow. If you ask it to go faster, it will argue with you until you give up.

Upper Comfort

The materials on of the upper are pretty standard for Hoka. They're comfortable and mostly soft. The heel collar is padded and the engineered mesh is soft. It isn't very breathable, but it works.

The same mesh that limits breathability also creates a very rigid toe box. The outside of the toe box has a fast taper that limits volume. We rarely have issues with toe-box volume, but found that the taper was a little too aggressive for comfort during longer efforts. The heel cup is overly stiff, which provides nice support, but likely won't feel great if your heel doesn't fit the shoe perfectly. All of these issues have been noted in user reviews as well.

Finally, we noticed some mild discomfort through the midfoot of this shoe. That's unusual, and it's a result of a very narrow midfoot shape. Other users have reported similar issues. Hoka does offer a wide version of the shoe, which we would recommend to most users who typically find regular sizing to be comfortable through the midfoot.

Overall, for a shoe designed to be comfortable on everyday runs, the upper really falls short.

Lateral Stability and Support

The Bondi 8 scores surprisingly well in the stability department, thanks to a few features that really help create a planted feel.

First, there's the wider, flared platform. When combined with the firm foam, the shoe provides a very stable base when standing. That's one of the reasons we think this is a better option for walking or wearing to stand than it is for running.

Second, the Bondi 8 has decent sidewalls on the inside of the heel and midfoot that provide some lateral support. Finally, the stiff upper structure and narrow fit help to provide solid lockdown.

Weight

The Bondi 8 is anything by light. It's the heaviest shoe in our lineup, coming in at a whopping 11.8 ounces in a US Men's 10.5.

That puts it at a significantly higher weight than similar shoes that offer much better cushioning and upper comfort. We definitely noticed the weight while running.

Should You Buy the Hoka Bondi 8?

If you're looking for a shoe to run in, look elsewhere. There are a number of max-cushioning shoes that better accomplish the cushioning and comfort goals of the Bondi 8 without making so many sacrifices to weight and responsiveness (or price). If you're looking for a decent shoe to stand in all day, or to go for walks, this might be a decent shoe for you.

What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?