Hoka One One Clifton 8 vs 7 Comparison Shoe Review

Josh reviews the Hoka One One Clifton 8, your max cushioned ride in a lightweight package for high mileage running. Hoka have improved this popular neutral running shoe family from where it was with the Hoka One One Clifton 7 without compromise to the comfort or cushioning characteristics that everyday athletes crave.

With the new configuration of flex grooves and more rubber underneath the platform, Hoka One One have increased both the durability and stability so you can get more mileage out of your go-to running shoes.

The uncomplicated EVA cushioning system loads your plush ride with bouncy characteristics and shock-absorbing compression to ward off fatigue. The Early Stage Meta-Rocker technology creates an effortless transition, reducing the load on your forefoot as you propel into your next stride.

A supportive heel counter ensures zero distractions from heel slippage and flares away from the Achilles for a pressure-reducing design. Loyal Clifton runners will find the fit consistent from the Hoka One One Clifton 7 to Clifton 8, so you can lace up in the newest generation without any guesswork in terms of size and width.

Check out the review with full transcript below.

Hey guys, Josh here from Sportitude Running and today it is shoe review time and we're going to be doing one of my favourites. I don't like to be biased with my running shoe reviews but the Hoka One One Clifton 8 is my go-to mileage shoe. It was my go-to mileage shoe in the Hoka One One Clifton 7 and nothing has changed with regards to the Clifton 8.

In today's review we're going to be talking about the engineering components of this shoe, discussing the outsole, midsole and the upper. We’ll compare it to where it was with the Clifton 7 to give you all the information you need at home to maybe throw this into your shoe rotation. Without further ado let's get stuck in.

Runner Profile

Let’s talk about the foot type that could be considering the Hoka One One Clifton 8 before we dive into the shoe itself. It is a lightweight high mileage, max cushioned shoe so it is your everyday trainer, one that's designed to go miles and miles out on the road.

It is light enough to potentially use for some short interval/tempo runs as well depending on who you are as a runner and what you're seeking with your shoe selection.

Being a neutral shoe we're looking at a static foot position where the arches sit a bit higher and there's more real estate between the arch and the ground. Mild supinators, being the runner that puts a little bit more pressure on the lateral side of their foot could be considering the Clifton 8.

Also, it’s suitable for runners like myself that happen to have a flat arch and when they come through their gait cycle, they don’t have too much of a tendency to excessively favour the medial side. If that happens to be you at home and you're looking for a max cushioned shoe of the Hoka variety, maybe consider the Hoka One One Arahi.

I mildly overpronate and I tend to find that the Clifton has worked for me in the past and that's why I'll be considering this shoe again.

Outsole

We’re going to talk about the outsole first being the closest part of the shoe to the ground and we'll compare it to the Hoka One One Clifton 7.

Underneath the shoe is a lot of purchase area and that's one of the factors why this shoe has a huge following, because you have a lot of real estate underneath your foot. It has plenty of foundation and purchase with the ground.

However, there has been a significant change with what Hoka One One have done with the positioning of the outsole and the flex grooves. In the Clifton 7 the flex grooves run the horizontal band from the medial to the lateral side. It provided ample flexibility and propulsion through that forefoot, however Hoka One One have changed the positioning of the rubber and the flex grooves.

If you follow the flex grooves in the Hoka One One Clifton 8 they've been strategically positioned in that diagonal, 45-degree angle from the lateral to medial side. The reason Hoka One One have done that is to provide more stability and aid in more propulsion through that forefoot.

It feels a little bit snappy through the forefoot, not that this shoe is designed to be incredibly propulsive. However, I Iike what they have done with the positioning of the flex grooves and the potential to have a bit more rubber. It’s a small thing with the Clifton 7 and Cliftons gone by that the rubber does wear down to that midsole probably a little earlier than one would like.

However, I was happy to sacrifice a bit of durability through that area because the shoe was just so darn comfortable. Knowing that I might get a few more miles out of the outsole does make me feel happier and no doubt for you Clifton runners out there, you’ll feel the same way.

With the outsole configuration of my Clifton 7, it almost felt like I was bottoming out through the forefoot with the EVA cushioning system when the shoe reached towards the end of its life.

I'm keen to see if this will this happen with the Clifton 8. I don't think it will because the flex grooves have been strategically changed. We should get a little bit more life out of the cushioning system which is a great thing.

Midsole

Coming to the midsole of this shoe, it is a max cushioned shoe. There's no real bells and whistles underneath the foot. It's a good, simple EVA cushioning system. The geometry is the same from the Hoka One One Clifton 7 to the Clifton 8 and being max cushioned, we have a lot of shoe underneath the foot.

With the information we've just received from Hoka One One, we're talking about a 29mm heel and a 24mm forefoot for a variance of 5mm in the men’s model. In the women’s model we have a 27mm heel and a 22mm forefoot for again a variance of 5mm.

However, why this shoe is so popular and why I personally like it is because it has that early Meta-Rocker technology. For that runner that comes down on heel strike or midfoot strike, as you transition to get ready to propel out of that forefoot, that rocker aids in that last phase of your gait cycle to take a little bit of load off those metatarsal heads.

It is a very comfortable shoe to run in. I've never not got along with a Clifton. There has been a couple of misses within that range, being the Clifton 4 and Clifton 5. I personally didn't really love them as much as I had the previous versions and once the Clifton 6 and the Clifton 7 came to market, I was really happy with what Hoka One One had done. They almost paid tribute to why the first Clifton was so popular.

The Clifton 8 itself probably had some significant changes from where it was with the Clifton 7, but they haven't compromised in the comfort or the cushioning system which is a very good thing.

Width & Weight

Let's talk about widths. In the women’s model we have a B standard and a D which is a slightly wider width which is great, giving you two widths on offer. In the men’s model we’re talking about a D width which is your standard and a 2E on offer.

I've done this in shoe reviews gone by but I want to tip my hat and say thank you to Hoka One One because when a brand makes their shoes available in widths that means they care and they want their shoes more accessible.

It makes life so much easier for running speciality stores if they can carry a popular shoe like the Clifton in a couple of widths. It means we can really dial in the fit, function and performance for you the runner.

Being a lightweight mileage trainer you wouldn't expect there to be a whole lot of grams underneath your foot. With the women’s size 8 we have 224 grams and in a men's size 9 we have 250 grams. By no means are they the lightest shoes in the market, but they're certainly down towards that lighter end of the scale with regards to mileage shoes.

Upper

Moving to the upper of this shoe. Technically speaking when we're talking all things Clifton, we’re talking about the magic that happens underneath the foot. However, the Clifton 8 in my opinion has the best upper Hoka One One have made in the whole Clifton franchise.

The reason I say that is because if you watched my shoe reviews before and I've happened to talk about Brooks running shoes, I always call-out the internal heel counter or the collar that sits on the inside. Brooks have got it right for the best part of five plus years.

At the back of the Hoka One One Clifton 8 we have an internal heel counter, that plastic structure that locks in the base of your heel nicely. It has a flared design to take a little bit of pressure off that lower Achilles insertion.

If you need more lockdown you have the last eyelet to get that secure fit with the heel lock lace. Again, there's been no issues with the Clifton 7 with regards to heel slippage and I would say the exact same thing is going to happen with the Clifton 8 which is fantastic.

The engineered mesh forefoot is a little bit lighter with regards to the mesh up top. It has the same width and depth as the Clifton 8, so they haven't changed with regards to being a size 9 and a 2E or a D. I am the same width and size in this shoe that I have been previously which is fantastic, so some nice continuity there from model to model.

The other thing to call-out with regards to the upper is the gusseted system. The tongue is attached to the midsole both on the medial and the lateral side. I like that and how they've executed it with the Clifton previously. The Clifton 8 is no different, you get a nice lockdown on top of that arch.

The materials they have used with the lining of the internal heel collar is the same material as the tongue. The closest part of the tongue which hits your sock provides a really comfortable fit up top.

Tongues are sometimes underrated with regards to providing comfort and if you get one wrong it can really play havoc to your comfort on top of your arch and getting that tension right. When they get it right sometimes it just flies under the radar.

I'd like to call-out the tongue with the Clifton 8. It is well executed with a great amount of padding and the materials used have improved the overall comfort of this shoe.

The Wrap Up

That is my take on the Hoka One One Clifton 8. If you have a running shoe that's working, don't change it too much. It's a bit of a double-edged sword because as a consumer we don't like heaps of change but as a consumer you also want to see innovation. There must be an even balance with what we're expecting from a brand and what we're demanding at the same time.

With regards to the execution of the outsole and the rubber, Hoka One One have got it right. It’s going to provide a slightly more durable outsole and more of a propulsive feeling to the forefoot.

Being a lightweight max cushioned shoe I love what has been done underneath the foot. It's a simple execution of cushioning system and the EVA foam does its job. I’m very happy with what Hoka One One have done in the Clifton 7 and what they’ve executed with the Clifton 8.

If you have any questions on this running shoe or any other Hoka One One shoes, please contact our Sportitude shoe experts.

Please subscribe to the Sportitude YouTube channel if you haven't already done so to stay notified and we'll keep pumping out shoe reviews for you the running community.

Until next time stay safe, be kind to each other and we’ll see you on the road. Take care. 

FEATURES

• Support: Neutral
• Upper: Mesh
• Midsole: Hoka One One EVA

Men

• Heel Height: 29mm
• Forefoot Height: 24mm
• Offset / Drop: 5mm
• Weight: 250g / 8.8oz (size 9)
• Width: D (standard), 2E (wide)

Women

• Heel Height: 27mm
• Forefoot Height: 22mm
• Offset / Drop: 5mm
• Weight: 224g / 7.9oz (size 8)
• Width: B (standard), D (wide)