HOKA Cielo X1 3.0 Review

I've been testing sneakers for quite a while now, and the lighter the test shoes have gotten, the less I'm willing to go back to my old standby pairs and brands. I was invited to the launch of the Hoka Cielo X1 3.0 in Los Angeles, and given a pair for free. At the event, we got a chance to run on some Wahoo! treadmills (which I now want, despite the fact that I'll never be able to afford one) to try them out. 

I've worn Hokas before, and they've been my go-to trail shoe. However, I'm usually more of a road runner, and while they're just fine on the road, I had other pairs that I liked more for that. The Hoka Cielo X1 3.0 may have just changed my mind. First of all, the weight on these shoes is insane, meaning it's like they have none. The shoes are 7.52 ounces, and I actually checked my bag a couple of times to make sure they were in there, as I think the shoe box was heavier. (Probably an exaggeration, but not that much of one.) 

I got on the treadmill, and the spring off the carbon fiber plate and PEBA foam was pretty great, though I do have to mention the stack height. It's 37 mm at the heel and 30 mm at the forefoot, and that's higher than most of the shoes I'm used to. I ran a six-mile, a 22-mile, and a 12-mile this weekend, and I'm still getting use to it. I've been watching my feet more than usual, but that's not a bad thing at all. Just different. 

I absolutely love the spring you get from these shoes, and as a mid-sole runner, I felt like I was flying. Other than being conscious of the distance my feet were from the ground, there was really no breaking-in period at all. There were no hotspots, and part of that is the lacing. Additionally, the laces are long enough for me to double knot, which I absolutely love. Honestly, I can't stand laces that have me cramping my fingers up just to make sure they don't untie. I've also had shoes with a thin tongue like this before where it rolled and gave me blisters, and but this one didn't move at al. 

I felt great after a full weekend of running, and unlike other shoes I've tested, my leg muscles didn't feel like I'd put them through the wringer as I switched to another brand. I also love the cushion. It felt squishy enough (and if you've read any of my reviews, you know I love a cushion), but it didn't slow me down like other shoes have. 

One thing about sizing, though. I'm usually a women's 8, and with these, I'm a 7.5. That's pretty unusual, as I usually have to go up a size if they don't run true. However, at the event, I heard that people went both up and down. It's worth trying these on in person if you can, so you can get a true fit. I'm definitely going to pick up another pair of these when I run them into the ground.