Hoka Clifton 2 VS Nike Free 3.0 Flyknit 2015

If I were in the habit of giving “best update” awards, the Hoka Clifton 2 would be a solid contender for 2015. It’s not so much that I love the shoe – it’s actually a bit on the soft side for my personal taste. Rather, Hoka did a great job addressing problems that people had with the original version, and didn’t change the things that people liked so much about the shoe. This was a wise choice – Running Warehouse reports that the original Clifton was their top selling shoe in 2014, so messing with success runs the risk of alienating fans of a wildly popular shoe。

Specs

Per Running Warehouse, the Clifton 2 weighs in at 8.7 oz in men’s size 9, and has stack heights of 29 mm heel and 24 mm forefoot. For comparative purposes, Running Warehouse weighs the original Clifton at 7.8 oz, so it has gained about an ounce in v2. Stack heights are the same.

Review

To be honest, the Clifton 2 is a pretty minor update from v1. It has a new upper, but the structure of the upper is pretty similar to the original – a breathable mesh with welded overlays for support.


The Nike Free line of running shoes was originally designed to mimic barefoot running on grass. All shoes in the line are characterized by an extremely flexible sole, and the three models vary in upper construction and the amount of sole cushioning.

The Free 5.0 has the highest heel-forefoot drop and a more traditional, though still fairly minimal, upper. The Free 4.0 has a Flyknit upper with a tongue and it occupies the middle ground with regard to amount of cushion and structure. The Free 3.0 is the most minimal  (lower number = more minimal) of the three shoes with the thinnest sole and a Flyknit upper with no tongue. It’s basically a sock with a sole attached.

I’ve long been a fan of the Free 3.0 line. The original 3.0 remains one of my all-time favorite shoes, and I’ve run in several of the subsequent iterations. However, I passed on the 2014 version of the Free 3.0, which was the first version to incorporate the Flyknit upper. I’d heard that the upper was pretty tight (it needs to be somewhat tight since it is what secures the foot to the sole – the laces do very little), and the $140 price tag was a bit much to swallow. However, it’s one of those shoes that readers have asked about a lot, and several have suggested that I try it.

Conclusion

If you want a minimally structured shoe that feels like an extension of your foot but retains solid cushioning, the Free 3.0 would be one of my top recommendations. If you are new to this type of shoe, I would recommend a slow transition due to the extreme flexibility and minimal structure of the upper.

I’ve run about 25 miles in the Clifton 2 and have actually enjoyed them more than I enjoyed running in v1. As I mentioned, the shoe is a bit on the soft side for my taste, but the cushy sole has been working for me this time around for some reason (maybe because I gained a few pounds over the winter?). I still wouldn’t choose the Clifton as an everyday trainer, but for easy runs and recovery days they feel pretty good.

Hoka was wise in keeping the ride the same, and changing only those things that needed a fix. If you loved the original, and a lot of people did, I think you’ll be very pleased with the update.