Clifton 9 vs Fresh Foam X 1080 13

The Clifton 9 is Hoka at its most crowd-pleasing: a tall-stacked, lightweight daily training shoe that feels far nimbler than its cushioning suggests. At 252g it is genuinely light for a max-cushion running shoe, and that low weight is the whole trick. You get a big pile of soft foam underfoot, but your legs never feel like they are dragging bricks around. The signature rockered sole rolls you forward smoothly, so easy miles and steady runs tick by with very little effort. This is not a shoe for chasing a personal best, and it is not built for pace work. Think of it as the everyday workhorse: the shoe you reach for on recovery days, long slow runs and the daily commute of base miles. In our view it remains one of the safest picks in the neutral cushioned category, especially if you want plush protection without the bulk. If you are new to the range, it is an easy first Hoka.

The Fresh Foam X 1080v13 is New Balance's plush daily training shoe, a max-cushion running shoe built to soak up the miles rather than chase a personal best. At 285g with a 6mm drop it is not light, but that is not the point. This is the shoe you reach for on easy days, long runs and recovery jogs when you want a soft, forgiving ride and a bit of luxury underfoot. The Fresh Foam X midsole is on the softer, bouncier end of the daily-trainer scale, and the knit upper is one of the most comfortable New Balance has made. It is a neutral shoe with no plate and no stability posting, so it leans into cushioned comfort over speed. If you want a do-everything cushioned trainer for steady mileage, we rate it highly. Just know that the newer 1080v14 has since taken over the line, so v13 is often the smarter buy on price.