Hoka Mafate 5: Zero Break-In for a 100-Mile Ultra + No Regrets

The Hoka Mafate 5 isn’t the kind of shoe most runners would gamble 100 miles on straight out of the box.
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But that’s exactly what I did at the Mountain Lakes 100-miler through Oregon’s rugged Mount Hood National Forest...
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Without ever running a single mile in them beforehand.

• No test runs. 
• No break-in period.
• Just a hot pink pair of max-cushioned trail shoes I’d barely worn to the grocery store.

Curious about the Hoka Mafate 5? 
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Here's what happened...

Six weeks before the race, I needed to fix a big problem fast: Plantar fasciitis in my right foot.
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After years of running without any major injuries, even through challenges like a DIY Tahoe 200 just a few months earlier, plantar fasciitis in my right foot appeared out of nowhere.
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I did all the right things to manage it:

• Rolled
• Stretched
• Iced
• Strength & PT exercises
• Even took a six-week break from long runs. 

It improved, but not completely. 
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Going into Mountain Lakes 100, I knew I’d need maximum cushion and heel protection to have any chance of going the distance without making it worse.
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For the past two years, I’ve been running in the Nike Zegama 2, putting in a couple thousand miles on road and trail. 

• It’s been an incredible trail shoe...comfortable, durable, and grippy enough to handle everything from the 42-mile trail around Mount Hood and Saturday-morning marathons on the Springwater Trail near Portland, Ore.
• I almost went with the Zegama 2 again for this race. But decided the plantar fasciitis needed more shoe to get to the finish line.

👟Fun fact: I actually ran in the original Hoka Mafate back when max-cushion shoes were rare and looked a little like moon boots. Now max-cushioned trail shoes are everywhere, and almost every brand has at least one shoe in this niche.
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When I decided to look for a shoe with more cushioning and heel protection than the Zegama 2 to run 100 miles with a mild case of plantar fasciitis, I remembered the Mafate. 
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Hot pink was the only color left in my size for the Hoka Mafate 5. Not subtle, but maybe that was a sign.

I wore the Hoka Mafate 5s for a week before the race, around the house, to the office, all the school drop-offs, and the grocery store.
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But I never ran in them. Not once.
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👟Still, the shoe felt promising:  

• Stable platform
• Roomy toe box
• That signature Hoka rocker that made walking feel effortless
• And it felt nothing like the original moon-boot Mafate.

On race morning, I slipped them on, tightened the laces, and thought, Well… here goes nothing.

The Mountain Lakes 100-mile ultra hosted by Go Beyond Racing primarily runs along the Pacific Crest Trail between Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Hood in Oregon.
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😀Fun fact: I’ve run this race 11 years in a row, with 9 finishes (including 2025) and 2 DNFs. This year wasn’t about chasing a PR. It was about finishing healthy and seeing if the Mafate 5 could go the distance with a mild case of plantar fasciitis.
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👟The first 20ish miles felt buttery smooth near Olallie Lake where wildfires burned an estimated 600,000 acres in 2020.
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On the single-track trail and rocky forest-service roads....

• The Mafate 5’s dual-density EVA midsole absorbed shock without feeling squishy. 
• The Vibram Megagrip outsole grabbed every surface: mud, rock, and dust.

📍By mile 40, I still wondered if the last-minute shoe-swap was a mistake.

• You know...blisters, hot spots, worsening heel pain. They never came.

🤮Even after a rough stretch near Frog Lake (Mile 55), where I vomited everything I’d eaten and then somehow felt better afterward, I bounced back strong.
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👟By the time I reached Clackamas Ranger Station (Mile 71) about an hour before the cutoff, I felt pretty confident the Hoka Mafate 5s would carry me to the finish.
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🏃‍♂️‍➡️When I crossed the finish line (101.3), my plantar fasciitis hadn’t flared up once. The Mafate 5 had done its job and then some.

I've been running in the Nike Zegama 2 for a couple years. It's a great shoe for my foot, and the type of trails and races I run in the Pacific Northwest.
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So how did the Hoka Mafate 5 compare?
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Here's what I noticed the most...

• ✅More cushioned under the heel
• ✅Slightly firmer through the midfoot for stability
• ✅Heavier, but more protective overall

One thing I don't love about the Mafate 5:

• ❌The thin tongue
• It’s fine once you’re laced up, but after running in the Zegama 2 (which has a thicker, more padded tongue), the Mafate upper felt a little less plush across the top of the foot. 
• Not a deal-breaker, just something I noticed over long miles.

👟Both of these shoes are built for long-distance trail running, but the Mafate 5’s extra cushion and firmer midsole give it the edge for ultra-distance comfort, especially when managing a foot issue like plantar fasciitis.
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👟The Mafate’s Vibram Megagrip outsole reminded me of the Zegama’s sticky traction, but with more cushion underfoot and better long-haul protection when fatigue set in.
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👟The Zegama 2 is still a favorite. It’s lighter, responsive, and a blast on rolling terrain. But for 100 miles of technical trail with a cranky foot, the Mafate 5 might be the smarter play.

Would I make a last-minute shoe swap and run in the Hoka Mafate 5 again?
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Absolutely.
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Running 100 miles in untested shoes isn’t something I’d recommend. But sometimes, you have to trust your gut and your gear.

• The Hoka Mafate 5 delivered cushion, grip, and protection from mile 1 to 100, straight out of the box. 
• And that's exactly what I was hoping for.

I'll see you out there.

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