Clifton Pro 1

This is where the Pro earns its name. The ProGlide+ foam feels noticeably livelier than a standard Clifton, giving you a soft landing with a gentle push back on toe-off rather than the flat, protective feel of older Cliftons. At easy and steady paces it is smooth and rolling, with Hoka's usual rockered geometry carrying you through each stride without much effort. Push the pace and the story changes. At 298g with a tall stack, it does not want to sprint, and the bounce that feels great on a long run turns a little vague when you try to run fast. Keep it in its lane, easy to steady miles, and it is genuinely enjoyable. The lighter, peppier Mach 7 is the better call if you want one shoe that also handles tempo work.

Cushioning is the whole point of this shoe and it delivers. With a 42mm heel stack and 34mm up front, there is a deep layer of ProGlide+ foam under every part of your foot, and it stays comfortable long after other shoes start to feel firm. The supercritical foam gives it a softer, more forgiving feel than the standard Clifton without turning mushy or unstable. On long runs and recovery days it does an excellent job of taking the sting out of hard pavement, and heavier runners will appreciate how much protection is on tap. It is plush without being a marshmallow, so you still get a sense of the ground and a bit of return on each step rather than sinking in and staying there.

The Clifton Pro is a neutral shoe with no medial post or dedicated support features, so if you need genuine motion control you should look elsewhere. That said, it is one of the more stable max-cushion neutral trainers you can buy. The wide base and Hoka's Active Foot Frame design, which cradles your foot slightly down into the midsole, give it a planted, secure feel that belies the tall stack. Mild overpronators and neutral runners who simply want a stable platform for long easy miles will get on well with it. If you are a stronger overpronator who needs structured support, the Arahi 9 is the sensible stablemate to consider instead.

The engineered mesh upper is comfortable and well finished, in line with the premium price. It breathes reasonably well for a daily trainer and there are no obvious hot spots or seams to rub on longer efforts. The padded, gently structured heel collar and the plush tongue give it a cosseted, broken-in-from-new feel that suits the easy-day purpose. It is not the lightest or most minimal upper out there, and on very hot days you will notice it is more about comfort than ventilation, but for the long runs and recovery miles this shoe is built for, that trade is the right one. Lockdown is secure without pressure, which is exactly what you want when you are three hours in.