Hoka Bondi 8 Review
- Jennifer Greene
- Aug 2, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 19
Have you ever tried Hokas???
I had heard about them, however I had not tried them until recently.
What drew me to them was their beautiful colors! What kept me away was how HUGE they looked!
Well, it was finally time for me to get a new pair of shoes, so I went for it!I found a pair that wasn’t quite too huge, but also had some beautiful bright colors! 🤩
I landed on the Hoka Women’s Bondi 8 in Lime green…and after a few weeks of wearing them, here is my take….
Per the website, these shoes have an “engineered mesh construction that delivers breathable comfort. A memory foam collar, they also have a rear crash pad that is supposed to give a better heel-strike to forefoot transition and have ultralight resilient foam.”
Hoka strives to “design running shoes that could be remarkably kind to the human body and still be world-class fast.”
Their technology includes:
“ 1. A cushioned Midsole for comfort and speed, to land each foot softly and then spring back up in order to act as a high performance shock absorber without the weight.
2. Active foot Frame in order to cradle the foot securely by raising or lowering the midsole walls, regardless of what is underfoot.
And 3. A Metarocker for a smooth ride. They have a curved rocker bottom to create a faster transition to the forefoot and provide more ground contact and stability. “
Check out their website for some awesome visuals and demonstrations of their technology!
As a physical therapist, there are a few things that I have learned over the years that are somewhat counter-intuitive to what most running shoes companies recommend…and what they spend countless of dollars on creating….After all, have you not heard of the debate of barefoot running???
There are so many aspects to running and running shoes we could go over, but let’s cover a few basics.
The foamier the shoe, the INCREASED amount of FORCE placed on the foot!
YESS! I said it! More FOAM in the shoe creates MORE FORCE! And YOU CAN FEEL IT! In fact, when I first tried the Hokas, as they were breaking in, that was ALL I could Feel! There have actually been a few studies done that demonstrate the BRAND NEW running shoes do create more force and work for us to absorb due to the foam, which further proves that is true.
The Extra back cushion of the shoe also actually creates MORE FORCE throughout the body, which isn’t exactly the best for your knees and hips.
Too much stiffness in the shoe actually creates MORE STRAIN on the achilles tendon!
For more of an in-depth look at the research of running shoes….⬇️follow this link here….⬇️
To see if your shoes pass the shoe test.....⬇️follow this link here….⬇️
With all that said, ultimately it always comes down to comfort.
Does the shoe feel comfortable to you? Does it give you appropriate support?
My first few weeks of the Hoka Bondi 8 were up and down. On one hand, I liked how cushiony they are, especially with walking! However, with running, they just seemed SO HEAVY and I could FEEL the extra force I had to exert in order to push off the ground. I could also feel this extra force in my knee and my hip! However, after the break-in period, and a few painful runs….they have finally accommodated to my body. I have been using them for light runs and walking….and they have become much more comfortable, especially as some of the cushion has compressed. I really love the look and the feel, and they are becoming more and more my go-to shoe throughout the day.
I definitely would not use them for leg workouts….they are NOT made for that. BUT, for an arm day, walking, light runs, aerobic workouts, I would definitely recommend!
✅ Perfect for Walking! I could walk ALL DAY in these shoes!
✅ Overall good for light runs….I think a lighter shoe (not the Bondi 8, but either another type of Hoka for running or the Saucony running shoe) would be best for longer runs.
✅Good for lighter workouts and aerobic workouts…🛑NOT For leg day!
Get Your Hoka Bondi 8 Shoes here!
#running #run #runner #pain #runnersknee #runnersofinstagram #runninginpain #anklesprain #anklepain #kneepain #itbsyndrome #rehab #physiotherapy #physicaltherapy #fitness
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