Hoka Mach 5 Review

The Hoka Mach 5 is light but plush. The cushioning is smooth and comfortable at easy paces while also responsive and snappy at speed. The wider platform aids in stability, making this shoe feel agile and confident on uneven surfaces. A breathable upper paired with a thin, compressible tongue helps lock in the midfoot. This was one of the most comfortable uppers in our test. While the Profly+ foam isn't quite as responsive as other light and fast trainers, it's close, and this shoe also manages to keep our feet happy on easy days. Our only gripe is the lack of a rubber outsole. We struggled to find good traction on looser surfaces and on wet pavement, and the durability was suspect on abrasive gravel. However, the tradeoff for lighter weight is what makes this shoe so compelling.

Performance Comparison

Cushioning and Landing Comfort

Ounce-for-ounce, this might be the most comfortable daily trainer on the market. The Mach 5 provides a soft landing on each foot strike that does particularly well at absorbing impacts on longer sessions. We never experienced any bottoming out, even on rougher terrain or at faster paces.

Hoka advertises this shoe as a 5mm drop, but our standardized in-house testing found a 9mm drop, which is much more in line with how our testing experience felt. Typically, we expect more strain on our lower legs in 5mm drop shoes than we felt from the Mach 5.

While the cushioning didn't score the highest in the test, it was more than enough to soften impacts. This isn't a maximallist shoe, but it has enough cushioning to provide pillowy comfort while also allowing for a strong toe-off. Often, we find that well-cushioned shoes without plates can feel bottomless and dead, making them difficult to run in at faster paces. The Mach 5 doesn't have that issue. It struck the perfect balance between comfort and performance. We particularly appreciate the forefoot cushioning, which was among the best in the test.

Responsiveness

When you first put the Mach 5 on, it doesn't feel like it should be fast. It feels plush and smooth, so the responsiveness of the foam is a pleasant surprise. When you put a bit of power into the shoe, the toe-off is snappy and propulsive. Sometimes, shoes that have higher levels of responsiveness can feel out of place on recovery runs, encouraging you to push your pace more than you planned to. This shoe doesn't have that issue, striking a nice balance between bounce and absorption that allows it to feel comfortable at easier paces. It's one of our favorite aspects of this shoe; it's just as easy to run slowly in as it is to run fast.

It's easy to associate high cushioning with low responsiveness. The Mach 5 has a relatively rare combination of high cushioning and high responsiveness. We loved this shoe on longer runs and workouts, where the lighter weight paired with ample cushioning allowed us to stay comfortable for longer. It isn't quite as snappy as some of the other shoes in our lineup, which makes sense, given the lack of a plate. While the Mach isn't a workout monster, it's no slouch at a 5k/10k pace either.

Upper Comfort

The upper on the Mach 5 isn't out of the ordinary, but it works well. The knit is breathable, and we had no durability issues, even when kicking our way through tumbleweed and overgrown paths. The fit is snug around the arch but has a wider toe box that doesn't feel cramped. The tongue works well to prevent hotspots, though the lack of gusseting can be annoying when first putting the shoe on.

The heel cup and collar initially look like they might not provide the lockdown we look for. Experience proved otherwise. In fact, the design allows for a wrap-around feel on the heel without grating the Achilles. Again, this shoe is lightweight, so breathability is excellent. It dries well when sweaty or wet, but isn't one we'd choose during the cold winter months.

Stability

This isn't a stability shoe, but it's actually pretty stable. The wider platform provides a solid base, which is particularly impressive when considered in conjunction with the amount of cushioning. The Mach 5 has 37mm of foam in the heel, yet still feels as stable as shoes with 30mm. A few years ago, 37mm would have been considered high stack, but with the onset of modern foams and geometries, it's pretty normal now. Higher stack shoes can place more torque on your ankles on uneven terrain, so while the Mach 5 won't win any awards for stability, it's very much on par with competitors. We found that this shoe performed well on uneven terrain, likely due to the wider base and light weight.

This isn't what we would suggest if you're looking for maximum support or stability, but you could also choose worse shoes. It's fairly neutral with a wide base and secure heel area, which is often a great starting point for developing the strength to adapt to more neutral shoes. There is no significant arch support, which may be important for some runners to note.

Weight

The combination of weight and comfort is what makes the Mach 5 great. It's light enough to feel agile and snappy, but is also plush.

Hoka saved weight by using only exposed foam on the outsole. Typically, that comes with durability concerns. We experienced some premature wear on dirt and gravel in these shoes. Similarly, the lack of rubber shows in the traction department. The exposed foam struggled to bite on looser surfaces at faster paces. But overall, we love how light this shoe is, so we're willing to sacrifice some durability and traction.

Should You Buy the Hoka Mach 5?

We highly recommend this model if you're looking for a daily trainer that can do everything, from easy runs to hill sprints. You could even race in this shoe, although there are definitely faster options. If you're interested in trying a Hoka shoe but are skeptical of more maximalist models, the Mach 5 is a great one to start with. It combines the cushioning Hoka is known for with the fun of a light and fast shoe. In some ways, this could be a quiver-killer.

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