Customer Reviews Hoka Stinson Tarmac

I went to a local shoe store and was shown several pairs of shoes to help me work on concrete all day without my feet hurting. They had none until he showed me the Hoka Bondi 2 for runners. I am a large man and will only run for my life or to the table. Anyway, the shoe was so comfortable I called Zappos 2 weeks later and ordered another pair. The construction of the shoe began falling apart and I called the other store and Zappos and they were aware of it. Returned with no questions asked. Now, for this shoe. It is as comfortable with a wider stance and support in the heel and the best thing is the padding throughout the whole shoe. These are the best things for my feet since forever. They don't hurt at all even if I have a full moon night in the ER. Fantastic shoes and I don't have a vocabulary large enough to say how happy I am with Zappos. Truly customer oriented.

Best shoes I ever found to run with back pain. I have two bad discs so I have to be very careful and these shoes really make it for me.

I'm an avid runner who averages 25 miles a week and have been having nagging issues with my Achilles tendons and plantar fasciitis for over a year. I wear custom orthotics and have very high arches. I've been running religiously in Asics Gel Nimbus shoes for several years and decided to try something new to see if I can get rid of my nagging foot pain. A friend recommended the Hoka One One's and I must say on my first viewing of them I thought, "no way can I wear those ridiculous looking things, they look like clown shoes and my running group will ridicule me to no end." Then I started reading reviews, lots of reviews. Many people with similar aliments to me who claimed that the Hoka One One's saved them from having to quit running. I figured I'd give them a try, what did I have to loose? I ordered a pair of the Stinson Tarmacs and a pair of the conquests. I wore them both around the house and found the conquest to be noticeably stiffer so I sent those back. Too bad though I like the look of the conquest better, less clown shoe like. I've now run 3 times in the Stinson Tarmacs and I really like them so far. I've got about 22 miles on them. I was afraid they might be too soft, like running in wet grass but they're not. The best way I can describe them is that they feel like running on a nice modern track surface or freshly poured soft asphalt even when you're pounding along on concrete. My Achilles issue seems to be getting a bit better but time will tell on that one but fingers crossed. Now after 3 runs and less than 25 miles I have two major problems that is prompting me to exchange the shoes. the gray stripes painted on the side of the sole has almost entirely flaked off and they squeak with nearly every foot strike. It's bad enough that my running group started calling me squeaky. I'm hoping this is an isolated issue because I like them otherwise. But for the price I'm not expecting the paint on them to start flaking off on the 3rd wearing and the squeaking has got to stop. Here's hoping the next pair work out better, I'll update my review then.

The green on the side lower part of the sole peeled off after a week of running in them. If I did not love the shoes so much I would have sent them back. It was literally a week after running in them.

I love my shoes! They are so comfortable. I would recommend to anyone with feet problems, if you wear custom inserts, you won't need them with these shoes.

In most reviews of Hokas, the only negative thing I usually ever see is the fact that the toe box tends to be too small. This review is consistent with that. This purchase was my second pair of Hokas, in anticipation of my first ultra coming up in a couple of months. I could feel they were tight from the first time but thought they would "settle in" so I kept them. After a couple more runs, and blisters for the first time in years, I knew these were not going to work. And I could not return them because they weren't in "new" condition any more. So I had to sell them on eBay at a loss. The solution for me was the Hoka Bondi model, which is the widest model of Hoka. And buy a half-size bigger than what you normally take (I did that with the original pair also but they were still too narrow).

I have metatarsalgia and fat pad atrophy from 30+ years of working on concrete. I have custom made orthotics and work boots that I have modified with a rocker sole. That is all I could stand to wear for the past 8 years. These shoes have changed all that! The cushion is incredible, it's like walking barefoot across a wrestling mat with every step you take! The shoes are well built and provide good support and stability. I chose this model because they have a late rocker so it helps lessen the pressure on my metatarsal heads. Full length orthotics fit well, but mine are a style that is quite bulky so I had to order a full size up. The rocker sole is pretty decent, but I personally could use a bit more. I will check with my orthotist if she could modify them. If you are craving cushioning and also want a well constructed shoe that is stable and light, this is it!

Size was correct. Love the feel and cushion when walking or running. Tried them on a tough Tahoe hike on the Rim Trail that I usually use hiking boots on. Will use the Hokas from now on. Feet felt better afterwards.

Great shoe. My second pair. I went from minimals to only Hoka -- both road and trail. Just a unsolicited plug for Zappos -- I think they are the best service oriented company on the planet.

These shoes are so comfortable I wear them working in a hospital so there is lots of cushy heel comfort and they are very light weight. I did try five pairs before I got the right one but Zappos was great to do business with next day service with different shoes to try. I love working with them!

Be warned, you try these you will never go back to regular running or walking shoes, let alone minimalist or hard ride shoes. Some knee issues coupled with arthritis in hips and substantial degeneration in back meant back pain on a constant basis, shots in knee and hip. I have worn Asics for years and felt that they were the most comfortable going. In looking to see if there was anything new out there with increased comfort there was a lot of talk about Hoka One One. I thought that I would take a chance and wear some around the house thanks to Zappos' great service. I already bought a second pair. The comfort is second to none, goodbye back pain.

Great shoe! We used to think that the New Balance 929 was the best shoe out there. Not anymore. Podiatrist loves them too.

Don't let their appearance fool you. With all the hype about minimalist shoes and barefoot running, these shoes will extend my running life by several years. They look odd, but feel great. They are not as soft or pillowy as the look. If you are a heel striker or midfoot striker, these shoes do the trick. The cartilidge in my knees is wearing out and running had become uncomfortable until I tried Hoke One One shoes. Models vary, bit I did go up 1/2 size from my usual Asics Kayano. Try them, you will like them if you have had knee or IT band issues,

Very lightweight and comfortable shoes for power walking. Feels like walking on clouds. They run true to size.

I have to say I thought I would never find a shoe that worked. I am 60, a bit heavy and have had knee surgery and a failed joint replacement of my big toe joint. I was an avid walker (5 miles a day) and have a job that I stand at all day as a massage therapist. I have been wearing a turf plate to get me through until they could do a total fusion on my forefoot. All my shoes hurt. I had to change shoes 3-4 times a day. I couldn't even walk around the block. Not any more! A friend turned me on to these shoes and I tried several styles in women's no luck. I went to my local running store and they put me in a men's shoe. Voila! I don't have a wide foot and I have a narrow heel so these must run small and narrow in men's. I just bought my 3rd pair and I must say I am a happy camper. I am back to walking 2 miles a day now, no turf plate and no pain of any kind. These shoes are a miracle. No more tired legs. I used to wear cushioned stability and although these say neutral they have a ton of stability support without being hard and uncomfortable. These shoes are a dream and so is the service at Zappos!

Very comfortable shoe. Fits well. Easy to wear. I would recommend to anyone who has a foot problem.

This shoe provided the cushioning and stability I needed to return to training after a chronic ankle sprain. What a blessed change from the minimalist shoes I had been using.

I've honestly never enjoyed running, it was something I had to do to get into shape to play soccer. But after developing footballer's ankle in both ankles, running had become harder and harder, and quite frankly I got rather heavy. After seeing minimalist running shoes, I was excited to see Hoka's and gave them a try. I will never run in another shoe again, they're amazing! Do they make you faster? No. Of course they don't. But they will help you to recover quicker so you can get back onto the road easier. Now, I normally wear a 4E or 3E, so I had to order a full size larger, but they are great! Now, I will say it took a bit of adjustment to run in these, about a week, my calves were definitely working more but they're worth it. If you need orthotics, you can throw them in there. Your knees and ankles will thank you!

Seriously life-changing. I have hallux limimtus - the kind of arthritis that deteriorates the big toe joint making the range of motion decrease to zero eventually. I'm nearly at zero after 15 years of stupidly toughing it out. These shoes are amazingly comfortable. The combination of thin, firm outer sole layer, slightly cushy inner layer and taper of the entire bottom makes it so the toe doesn't have to bend much at all and results in no pain. I got so I could only run on the elliptical at the gym and that hurt and I started to pronate to compensate. Now I'm hauling on the elliptical at the gym with a good gait; haven't tried road running again. I also wear these at work at the warehouse where it's 8 hours a day on the concrete. I used to leave sobbing and needing to lie down. Now I run circles around my co-workers. The Hokas are getting a little worn around the toe cap from the non-running use, but they're not just comfortable, they're pain preventers, so I'll pay and keep wearing them out until fusion or cheilectomy surgery. The upper of the Hoka isn't perfect. It could be a little more form-fitting - shaped like a foot not like a generic shoe, but it's good enough. I love the flash colors. The yellow has a green tinge in reality. I compared these to the Skecher Work Shape Up Brawny and the Hokas give me zero pain and the Skechers give me 15% pain. The Skechers are too soft in the sole and have fussy contours on the inside.

Awesome running shoe! Of course, everyone's foot is unique and opinions may differ. I'm now a recreational runner only but did a six year tour in the Marine Corp and wish a shoe like this was available then for the thousands of miles logged during my tour. Found the shoe a little narrow and ordered 1/2 size larger. The zero gravity system is amazing, like your foot is floating in protective cushioning without it being sloppy or too soft causing foot fatigue. If you're looking for a super comfy shoe to run in, give them a try. Many models to fit different needs but the zero gravity system is outstanding. I find myself looking forward to running in them and am amazed every time. I push them to the limit without any performance deficiency.

I have been wearing Asics which provide quite a lot of cushion for autocross, which involves a lot of walking on hard surfaces. The Asics were pretty good, but I could still feel it the next day or two, sore feet, soles, etc. I decided to give these a try. They do feel a touch tight in the toe box, I am solidly 10.5 in almost any shoe and I had to go up to an 11 in these, but they are instantly very comfortable, they are like walking on marshmallows. My feet felt fresh all day and weren't sore at all. I would not recommend you do any race driving in them as they are sloppy for pedals, so bring some different shoes to drive in if that is your thing but driving to and from the event, working course for 2 hours at a time, and walking miles and miles in them I am convinced these are the best hard surface shoes you can wear right now.

I hurt my leg muscles (jumping up and down at a concert no less) and bought these sneakers because when I tried them out at home, the pain in my leg went away. They are comfortable, light - I wear them walking, dancing, exercise class...just about everywhere. The color attracts attention (the good kind) and I feel a bit taller wearing them (that's a good thing)! I did need a few centimeters more room than the woman's size 11, and found the men's size 9 1/2 was perfect for me.

After reading the reviews on this one, I was fully expecting to receive a very "spongy" type shoe with plenty of cushioning. They are certainly well cushioned but I was surprised they did not feel as spongy as some reviewers mentioned of Hoka shoes in general. I bought them because of lower back pain developing from increasing my mileage. These shoes solved that problem. I've struggled in the past with running. Every time I tried to run more than a few miles consistently, I developed knee or back pain. Happy to say that once I started wearing these, I'm hooked and running pain free. My goal is the half Marathon in 5 months and, if I make it, I think i can credit these shoes for the accomplishment. I have a narrow shoe size and these felt made to order.

I'm one if those people that never writes reviews (good or bad). Had to say something about these shoes. In one word, "unbelievable!" So much support with additional cushioning. I'm in the Army and have to run on hard surfaces daily. Needless to say, my lower extremity joints and bones are stressed to the max (35 years old). After running in these for one week, all the pain I used to feel in my ankles, shins, and knees has vanished. Only thing I would change is adding wider versions to the Hoka arsenal. If you have bunions or just plain ole wide feet, the fit may not feel custom.