REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight daily trainer
Smooth rocker
Versatile
REASONS TO AVOID
Very narrow fit
Odd shape toe box
Hoka Mach 6 Review
Versatile and reliable for daily runs, striking a great balance of comfort and performance, though it runs narrow
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
By Nathaniel Bailey ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ October 10, 2025
RELATED: The Best Running Shoes for Men
Our Verdict
The Hoka Mach 6 is one of the most versatile trainers we've run in. With plenty of cushioning underfoot for long efforts, the Mach 6 is at home on the roads. It's also very lightweight, and the relatively firm supercritical foam in the midsole provides good pop. We've loved using it for long runs, workouts, and easy jogs. Thanks to the smooth rocker, fast turnover is easy and feels natural. It's a great shoe, but it's held back by an odd fit. If you like narrow, tight-fitting shoes, you'll likely love the Mach 6. But if you have normal to wide feet, you'll likely feel uncomfortably constrained in this shoe, especially during longer efforts. We think the shape of the toe box was a poor choice; the taper pulls our big toe toward the middle of the foot in an unnatural position. However, if you prefer snug-fitting shoes, the Mach 6 will make a great training companion for every run.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Mach 6 is a complete redesign from the previous version. The shoe's ethos is still there: lightweight, fast, and versatile. We think the Mach 6 is an improvement on the Mach 5, as long as it fits your foot.
Though the fit of this shoe is relatively narrow, it's a versatile option that many runners will love for various workouts.
Cushioning
Supercritical foam is a welcome addition to the Mach series. The entire midsole of the Mach 6 is composed of a very comfortable, lightweight, energetic compound. We measured 38 mm of stack height at the heel and 30 mm in the forefoot for an 8 mm drop. That's plenty of padding for 90+ minute runs. The new compound feels slightly firmer with more bounce than in the Mach 5, particularly in the forefoot. This gives the shoe added versatility for faster paces without sacrificing much, if any, comfort.
If it fits you, the Mach 6 is an versatile do-it-all trainer.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
The shoe's overall feel has a smooth rocker that feels natural. However, when running on heavily cambered road surfaces, the outside of our downhill foot experienced a little more pressure than is typical, likely due to the narrow midfoot.
This iteration of the Mach has more pep in its step.
The Mach 6 has more bounce than its predecessors, which we appreciate and seems more durable; so far, we have over 100 miles on the shoes without any noticeable loss of pop. The Mach 5 also struggled with durability, thanks to the exposed foam midsole and the midsole compound, losing most of its liveliness within the first 150 miles.
The upper fit will likely be too snug for many runners.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Upper Comfort
The upper is our only major issue with the Mach 6. The materials are comfortable, breathable, and provide good stability, but the fit is very snug. It's one of the narrowest-fitting shoes in our lineup, and its tapered toe box can cause discomfort if narrow and tapered aren't your favorite fit. However, it does come in a wide size, which could resolve this issue, even if your feet are narrow.
The addition of the supercritical foam is welcome, and it works well with the rockered ride.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
While we didn't experience any rubbing or hot spots, we noticed some discomfort from the tightness of the upper during long runs, particularly in the mid-forefoot area. Runners who prefer a narrow, spike-esque lockdown in their daily trainer will likely love how this shoe feels. We also noticed that the shape of the toe box feels unnatural. Starting at the metatarsal of our big toe, it feels like the shape of the upper and midsole pushes our toe laterally toward the middle of our foot. It's a strange fit that feels odd. No other shoe in our lineup has a taper that is this pronounced.
The upper of the Mach 6 is quite breathable.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Hoka used a creel jacquard-engineered mesh upper to provide excellent breathability and solid stability. The heel collar's shape is excellent, providing strong heel retention without rubbing. The tongue is gusseted and protects the top of the foot quite well. Overall, the upper is great if it fits your feet.
This is a very versatile shoe and can handle any type of run with ease.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Stability
The Mach 6 is a neutral daily trainer, but thanks to the firmer and connected ground feel, it provides decent support. It's closer to stable neutral than truly neutral, especially when compared to similar higher foam shoes. Runners who seek stability-oriented features should look elsewhere. Additionally, runners with wider feet may find that the small sidewalls that help overall stability cause discomfort.
The Mach 6 has a smooth early rocker that feels great at a range of paces.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Responsiveness
The Mach's excellent versatility largely stems from its responsiveness. Its natural ride makes it a great choice for easy runs, and it can still pick up for harder efforts. If it fits you, that balance makes it one of the best choices for training with a one-shoe rotation.
The Mach 6 midsole compound has solid energy return and feels firm but energetic underfoot. Paired with the forefoot rocker, faster paces feel good in this shoe. As far as non-plated options go, the Mach 6 is among the most responsive. If you're used to performance-oriented plated daily trainers or super shoes, you'll likely be unimpressed by the feel of the Mach 6 at paces faster than 5K. This shoe works very well for long tempos or long runs with faster sections.
Weight
Coming in at a svelte 8.69 ounces per shoe in a US men's 10.5, the Mach 6 is a very lightweight daily trainer. This aids in its versatility, allowing it to disappear on your foot at paces where heavier trainers might leave you feeling bogged down. Even with the welcome addition of the rubberized outsole, Hoka managed to cut some weight from the previous version.
The rubber outsole on the Mach 6 is a huge beneficial change from the previous version.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Traction
Our favorite change from the previous version of this shoe is the addition of the outsole. The fully exposed midsole from the Mach 5 is gone, replaced with a rubber outsole that covers the most common contact patches. However, while traction on crushed gravel is massively improved, we still found the Mach 6 struggles on wet and cold roads. That said, the outsole significantly reduces the premature wear we experienced with previous models.
Should You Buy the Hoka Mach 6?
The Mach 6 has a strong appeal for runners who want their shoes to be able to handle any run. The lightweight and responsive feel doesn't come at the expense of cushioning. However, we think the fit limits who might enjoy this shoe. If you have narrow feet or like a very snug feeling upper, this shoe won't disappoint you. If you prefer a more normal upper fit, you should look elsewhere or order the Mach 6 in a wide fit. While we didn't test the wide version, it could resolve some of our concerns.
What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?
The New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 is the closest to the Mach 6 of the daily trainers we've tested and scores a touch higher. It's similarly versatile and lighter, but it has a much more normal fit that we think should work for most runners. However, it is a higher stacked shoe, and we worry about stability for some runners. If you love Hoka and your paces are more relaxed, we love the Hoka Clifton 10. It offers a similar performance to the Mach 6, but it is somewhat heavier and wider.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare Hoka Mach 6 versus top competing products:
—Nathaniel Bailey
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