"The information provided in this review is my own opinion and experience.
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Basic Specifications
Category: Race Day
Stack height:
Heel: 36mm
Forefoot: 31mm
Drop: 5mm
Weight (size 46): 242 grams
True to size: Somewhat
Distance done at time of review: 200Km
Rating:
The shoe is primarily designed for speed training and, of course, for races up to a marathon. It has rightfully secured its position among the top-tier racing shoes. It’s a road shoe that feels light on your feet and will undoubtedly push you forward.
You might need a few runs to get accustomed to the shoe, and it may not appeal to everyone.
From my personal experience, it required some adjustments.
At first, they seemed somewhat snug, and I considered sizing up.
But, I decided to stick with my usual size 46, and interestingly, with some tweaks and time, they became more comfortable!
Midsole / Outsole
The shoe is designed with neutral runners in mind, particularly those who enjoy picking up the pace.
If you tend to overpronate, this might not be the shoe for you as it doesn’t offer the required protection, and you could potentially wear out the midsole foam at the sides faster than you’d like.
It’s equipped with a full PEBA midsole, a foam renowned for its lightweight and highly resilient properties. It’s recognised for its excellent energy return and responsiveness, earning it the nickname of a ‘super foam’.
The foam is notably resilient to external temperatures, so anticipate similar performance in both warm and cold climates.
Additionally there’s a substantial amount of midsole height, which acts as a good shock absorber if you encounter any obstacles on the road.
Furthermore, the combination of the rocker and the carbon fibre plate generates a great energy return.
The outsole provides excellent traction, maintaining its performance even under slightly wet conditions.
Another aspect I greatly appreciate is the merging of the outsole and midsole. The midsole is less exposed at the most crucial areas, which is fantastic for durability – but more on that later on.
Upper
The shoe’s upper is incredibly lightweight, adding to the overall minimal weight.
The ventilation is truly exceptional, when you examine the upper closely, it’s nearly transparent throughout!
For those with slightly wider feet, the upper might feel a bit tight as it doesn’t offer any stretch.
What I found helpful was to pinpoint where the pressure was and readjust my laces and skipping one eyelet for example.
The overall padding is quite minimal, to the point where I’d argue it’s insufficient…Firstly, in the tongue, I wish there was more padding, as currently there’s almost none.
Secondly, in the heel area, there’s a slight amount of padding on the top sides, but it’s extremely limited.
With an additional bit of padding, I believe your heel would have been more securely positioned.
The tongue is gusseted and stays well-positioned, and unexpectedly, it also has a great breathability!
The laces are of good quality, but they are a bit stiff. The length is just enough if case you need to do a runner’s knot, as I need to do on one foot, …the joy
Upon closer inspection of the heel area, I’ve noticed that there could be some friction if your foot has the ability to move around.
This is something to keep in mind, particularly as the form of your foot may change slightly over extended distances.
All that breathability does comes at a cost when running in the rain.
This could result in an unpleasant experience as your feet could get soaked.
It’s recommended to avoid thicker socks. I’ve experimented with various sock types, and the ones that deliver the best performance are the thinner ones, which could be compression socks or even toe socks.
Durability
It’s common knowledge that race shoes typically don’t offer the best durability.
However, I must say, the Rocket X2 appears to be an exception to this rule. As I’ve already covered approximately 200km in them, they still maintain an impressive appearance.
Naturally, there’s some degree of wear and tear on the outsole, but it’s less than what I anticipated. The grip remains largely unaffected, indicating that the rubber used is indeed quite durable!
As I’ve previously mentioned, the merging of the midsole and outsole appears to be a robust combination, given that the exposed midsole still maintains a good appearance.
This is largely because it’s less exposed in key areas and doesn’t frequently hit the ground.
Overall, the midsole is still in top-notch condition. As pointed out earlier, it’s composed of PEBA foam, which is notably more durable than alternatives like EVA foam.
The upper is straightforward yet features a well-crafted design, the minimal padding might wear down over time especially with frequent exposure to moisture.
Furthermore the tongue with its unpadded structure and sturdy fabric, will remain durable for the foreseeable future!
Summary
In conclusion, the Hoka Rocket X2 stands out as a high-quality racing shoe.
It excels as a marathon shoe, although it’s not ideal for rainy conditions.
The shoe is remarkably light, concluding that the weight won’t be something that will hold you back!
It offers comfort even at slower paces including a bit more stability compared to other racing shoes in its class.
However at higher speeds that stability is pretty much the same as other shoes though.
Despite its modest 5mm drop, the premium high-quality foam ensures a comfortable run with excellent bounce and responsiveness.
Coupled with the carbon fiber plate, this shoe has the potential to help you achieve that personal best you’re aiming for.
Personally, I achieved an improvement of over 8 minutes on my current half marathon PB while wearing it!
I have high hopes for the durability and anticipate that the shoe will comfortably last up to 500 kilometers, possibly even more.
However, I suspect that beyond this point, the bounce and responsiveness of the foam might diminish reducing the overall performance.
And we can only hope that the padding isn’t worn out by then either.
Furthermore, the shoe is suitable for all seasons since the midsole maintains its responsiveness even in colder weather.
Nevertheless, I wouldn’t advise using them in rainy conditions, nope nope nope
The shoe is priced at 250€, which I find to be quite reasonable, particularly when considering the overall quality.
I’m relieved they aren’t priced at 300€, as some other brands are currently charging.
And that concludes my review of the Hoka Rocket X2.
If you would like to check out the video of this review, then you can do this at the top of this page or by going to my YouTube channel!
https://www.youtube.com/@gofora_run/
If you have any questions or remarks, drop a comment down below or send me a DM on instagram!
