Customer Reviews Hoka Bondi 5

I loved the Bondi 4 but this shoe in the same size inexplicably gave me blisters.

I wanted to love these shoes--as I have worn hoka one's for the last three years. The stinson lites I had previously were awesome. Loved the breathability of the mesh foot front, loved the roomy and wide foot front as well. I suffer from arthritic toes and now (eek) bunions. Since stinson lites arent in production anymore (why not???) I had to pick a new sneak. Unfortunately the W Bondi 5 has not measured up. I read all the reviews and I tried to love them. Ran 5 miles on them today--the narrow front toe hurt my bunions even with loose laces--and my feet were hot but I kept going hoping they would get more comfy. Nope. I run with orthotics, but my normal full orthotic doesnt fit bc the height of the sneaker without the insole is too low. It's too late to return these now that Ive used them but Im now searching elsewhere. Oh and hoka- why are the women's colors so ugly? Am I the only female customer who hates pinks and purples and girly aqua blues? I'm a warrior runner -- I don't want to dress like a ballerina. Just letting you know.

9.5 Bondi has always fit, not so with the 5. Sent back for size 10. I'm hopeful they'll fit well.

I am a distance walker. I bought a pair of Hoka trail running shoes because I like to walk to the trails and back. A road shoe wasn't stable enough on my foot for the trails, but a hiking boot gave no cushion for the roads. Loving that shoe but finding it a bit binding across the top of my mid-foot for road-only walks, I bought the Bondi. The cushioning is great, but the shoe gives me a lot of blisters. I find that something in the tongue material is stiff and rubs uncomfortably on the top of my foot. The toe box seems like it offers enough room at first, but when walking I found it seemed a bit narrow. My foot is on the narrow side of medium--I usually pull my laces pretty tight and felt like I wanted to keep loosening these because they were tight across the midfoot. The trail shoes are also snug, but that's necessary for hiking trails. It's possible that having been using the other Hokas a while I put in too much mileage too soon in a new pair of shoes, and I will try them again--once the blisters heal up.

I had been waiting for HOKA to make a Wide shoe and the finally did with the Bondi 4. Loved them, aside from wearing too soon and losing cushioning about mid-way through use (at about 200 miles). I got Bondi 5 for my next shoe and there was a slight change in the length of the tongue. I got blisters and pain on both my feet on the crease between shin and foot. I couldn't figure out why this was happening since it never happened with the 4's. Then I compared the tongue of the 4's against the 5's and saw about a 1/4-1/2 inch increase in length. I hacked off that extra length in the tongue and I'm good to go. These are expensive shoes and should not feel wear so early on. Not sure if it's the extra soft cushioning, but for the price I would expect they would last longer than they do...at least let me reach 300 miles.

Lots of walking but I just found the shoe to be too narrow. :(

My feet always get tired and sore in any kind of athletic shoe. I hoped this shoe would be different but it isn't. I start out comfortable in the shoes for awhile and then my feet start to ache just like always.

i wear this model shoe to work 6 days per weak many hour, best shoe! i buy new pair every 3-4 month for past 3 year, unfortunately this new version least comfortable version to date.

I've used Bondi as my main running shoe since version 1 and they have changed a lot, some good and some not so good. I've had version 1, 3 and now 5 - 3 was much improved over 1 - the tongue cushioning was added, regular shoe laces were included, the sizing improved, but the overall feel stayed the same. The 5 feels more solid and not a squishy as the older versions, and the width is tight. My toes went numb on my first run so I loosed the laces and it's better but still snug. Overall, these are great shoes for distance running, especially if you have any knee or hip problems.

I reviewed these already but forgot to mention besides the more pointed (and cramped toe causing me to go up a half size) , the forefoot doesn't roll smoothly, it's like there's a drop off. Please bring back the 4. The Bondi 4 is the most comfortable shoe there is. Please offer it again!

Want to talk to someone there about trying another kind or wider. I have tried men's in other shoes and they fit okay.

I bought these because I loved the original Bonding which had much better cushioning in the heel. The heel on the Bonding 5 is way too hard.

I bought these at the suggestion of a trusted friend. When I first put them on I was in heaven. I wore them all day. But at the end of the day, I could feel the steel arch pushing against my foot and it became very uncomfortable. Perhaps they are meant to be worn for shorter periods of time like gym workouts.

I was looking for a pair of running shoe and came across the bondi 5 from the magazine and decided to give a try. I was quite disappointed that the it wasn't as comfortable as it claimed. Although the shoe has a thick bottom but the cushion was hard. I need extra effort to run with the shoe and it did make my feet and legs tired and pain. Now that i can only use it for walking.

Initially, the RADIANT BLUE was only offered in WIDE, but a month goes by and it's now offered in REGULAR width too, so I ordered a pair in REGULAR width. After receiving, I noticed the shoe was noticeably wider, particularly in the ball of the foot area. I measured...the ball of the foot is 1/4" wider than a regular Bondi 4. I am wondering if HOKA is just sending out the wide shoe when someone orders Radiant Blue. Called customer service and asked about being able to tell if I got the right shoe in the box and was put on hold for ten minutes and then an automated survey came on to rate satisfaction with my call. Geez...I have bought numerous pairs of shoes from this company and never had an issue before. So, is HOKA trying to pass off the wide RADIANT BLUE Bondi 5 as a regular width shoe? Guess I should try and order another pair and see what happens since I can't get a straight answer on the phone.

PLEASE bring back the plush cushion I am accustomed to in the Bondi's I have been purchsing the Bondis, both men's and womens. The men's fit better, giving more width, and more cushion in entire shoe, esp in the toe box. Previous Bondi's have had awesome cushion, but not the women's 5's, which I have two pairs of. I had a total hip replacement and am able to run ONLY in the Bondi's and previously better cushioned Cliftons. Without my Hoka's I would not be able to run or walk/hike at all. All other vendors (Nike, Ascis, Reebok) are useless, made for fashion and not function. Most of the New Balance sneakers just do not have enough cushion or it is very ahort lived once racking up the miles. Hoka One Management, PLEASE help to keep me and many others in the game by returing to the more cushioned version of this shoe! For the amount of money charged, keep the cushion coming. I do recommend Hokas to my friends and family, NOT the Bondi 5 Womens version.

I have had 2 pairs of these (not sure why). With the first pair, after about 200 miles the heel started poking me. There is some hard material that goes partway up the heel, and it became scratchy somehow. I tried to force the hard piece to bend a different way, but nothing worked. I just started wearing the second pair and the same thing has already happened. I've never experienced this with any other shoe (and I have at least 20 pairs of running shoes). I'm trying to tape over it with duct tape so that it's less painful, which is ridiculous and isn't working very well. Other than that, the shoe is cushioned and comfortable, but I'll probably have to stop wearing these soon, which is of course a huge waste. Ever since my first great pair of Hokas in 2014, every pair I buy has something wrong.

I had not been able to run or do much of anything in over 10 years due to physical injury. When I discovered Hoka One One 3 years ago, all that changed. I bought a pair of original Conquests and I started walking several miles a day with no pain. I was elated. One year later, I started running in the cushy Bondi 4 and my body did not hurt. I have now worked up to running an hour - the most I have ever done since 2005. Now they have changed the midsole material and I can't wear the Bondi 5. I understand that for normal runners like I was in my younger days that ran 60-70 miles a week that they probably bottomed out the cushion. However, I will never be able to run more than a 2-3 time per week, so I can get a lot out of shoe. But I have tried on every currently made Hoka shoe and none of them are going to work for me. Hoka saved me with their original ultra cushion and now I am tossed back in the darkness once again.

Very comfortable cushioning; light weight; but the tongue is too high and caused painful pressure on my ankle. Thought it would get better over time but got worse. Can't wear them at all. Sticking with the Cliftons.

In search of a replacement for Clifton 3s, (The Clifton 4 didn't work for me). Bondi's were recommended by a friend. The Bondi didn't work for me. I had hip pain and pain the archers after walking in them. I gave them a two week trial and they never got better. Back they went.

I loved, loved, loved my old Clifton's. I run anywhere from 4-7 miles at a time, 2-3 days a week. I have done 10k events, relays (Ragnar Northwest Passage and the upcoming Hood to Coast Pacific City), and am slowly progressing towards my first half marathon. They're cushy and "just right" in every way. But they're wearing out quickly, so I needed another pair. Tried the Bondi's, and I was so disappointed. They're stiffer than the old Clifton's, and I had sore arches after my 7 mile run. What's more strange is the bruising I had on the inside of my ankles! Not fun. I was going to wear them for my first run of the last Duathlon I recently did, but I just didn't want to take the chance, even if it was only for the first 5K. Hoka... ever hear of the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't 'fix' it"?! Needless to say, they're going back....

Shoelace unraveled in less than a week

I am returning these but will try another style - I would like to know which styles do not have the reinforced/plasticized tongue so that I can purchase them for walking and running.

For the money and the giant sole, I thought they would be very comfortable. They were not, they were very stiff