Customer Reviews Hoka Gaviota 2

These replaced a pair of Hoka One One Clifton 5's that I finally wore out. I am a big Hoka fan and will buy again! My only possible tiny complaint, and this is based more on mother nature than on Hoka's shoes, is that I am 5'2" with feet that are size 9.5-10, so my feet ALWAYS look big. With the "generous sole" of Hoka Shoes, my feet look even bigger! But since their shoes have helped me sooo much with my Plantar Fasciitis, (If I don't wear these for a day it comes back, but when I'm faithful to my Hoka's I have zero pain!) I can handle the big foot problem just fine! Thanks Hoka and Zappos!

Love the cushioning and support I get in this shoe! I wear a custom orthotic and at first, it felt like the shoe might be too tight with the orthotic but after trimming the orthotic a bit, they fit great and are not too snug.

tl;dr: Not just for runners. Definitely worth a try if you've got anatomically flat feet and/or plantar fasciitis and are on your feet all day. Longer Review: Uh-may-zing! That's how I would describe this shoe. I am not a runner, but I am on my feet for 8-10 hours a day standing on concrete and lifting heavy loads. Used to be that my feet would increasingly ache as the day wore on and sometimes would be burning or even numb in places by the end of my shift. The pain was excruciating and exhausting. On top of the pain, if I sat for any length of time, I was basically unable to walk when I stood back up. If you've ever suffered from plantar fasciitis, you know what I'm talking about. But for me it wasn't just after sleep or prolonged sitting; even after just 10 or 15 minutes of sitting I would have to waddle around until everything stretched back out. And all that awkward and embarrassing waddling exacerbated other issues in my lower back, hips, and legs. It got so bad that I didn't want to do anything but rest my feet on my days off. My spouse and I stopped going on our weekend adventures, and I basically stopped leaving the house except for work. In November of 2019 I began my quest to find something that would alleviate my foot issues. I tried various styles of Asics, NB, Dasko, Birkenstock, Timberland PRO, Keen, Teva, On, Merrell, etc. (Thank heavens for Zappos’ quick shipping and return policy!) At one point I settled on a pair of Dasko Paisley shoes, which thankfully alleviated much of the excruciating pain and numbness I was experiencing during the workday. But they did nothing to alleviate the plantar fasciitis issues after sitting. Fed up with losing my life outside of work, I again started researching and ordering more shoes from Zappos. I hit on an article that highlighted the differences between people who have fallen arches and people who have anatomically (naturally) flat feet. I'm in the latter category, and far too many ”arch support” and ”over-pronation” shoes are designed for the former. Enter the Graviota 2. This shoe is perfect for my anatomically flat feet. The ”stability” base is definitely wider than any shoe I've ever worn, and at first I would occasionally get a little tripped up stepping on my own feet. But that wide base prevents pronation (in either direction) and I can feel the difference in the way I walk and stand at work. And that cushioning! Omg, it felt like stepping into heaven when I first put them on! The difference was immediate. After my first day wearing them at work, I came home and immediately joined the family for a sunset hike, something I hadn't done in months. After about a week, my spouse remarked that I was hopping right out of bed in the morning without that weird waddle walk. I'm still in disbelief that a pair if shoes could make that much of a difference, but my plantar fasciitis has pretty much disappeared. My one complaint is that my left shoe is just a tad too narrow at the base of the laces. I have fully reduced and rigorously maintained lymphedema on the dorsum of my left foot; therefore that foot is ever-so-slightly taller and wider across the widest part of the foot than my right, plus I have to wear a compression stocking under my sock on that foot. Zappos didn't have any Graviota 2s in wide in my size, but I'm pretty sure my right foot would have been swimming in a wide. While the Graviota 2 conforms to and cradles every other part of my wonky feet, there is absolutely no stretch or give across the base of laces at the widest part of the shoe. Because of this, I have to firmly pull up the tongue and be really cognizant of how tightly I lace up my left shoe every morning or else I'll start to ”feel” that constriction. This was the one complaint I noted in contrast to the fits-like-a-glove stretchy upper of the first runner up in my shoe search, the Altra Paradigm 4.5. What I wouldn't give to put that Altra upper on the Graviota 2! Anyway, if you've got foot issues, don't bypass this shoe. It's not just a running shoe. Give it a chance. It has literally changed my life.

I recently bought this brand based on my friends' love of them. Hadn't used them much until this week, after a car accident resulted in fractured sternum. I truly believe these shoes have helped me be able to take 3 walks around my street each day, and now trying for 4 today, with each at .4 mile. I picked this shoe because I really struggle with pronation and stability. Without thinking, last night I slipped on a pair of sandals for my last walk around, and, oooh, did I regret it. my Hokas are my new best friend. Sigh.

At last!!! A shoe that fits my hard to fit feet! The arch lined up perfectly with mine. The toe was rounded and roomy. And the heel did not slip. The shape of this shoe was very similar to the original NB of many years ago. Then they changed the style and I could never wear them again. Full disclosure: I wear my custom orthotics in these HOKA's and they slip in and out without a struggle. So glad I took a chance on these! Expensive but well worth the $$$$. I plan to buy another pair. Hope they prove to be just like these.

My shoes arrived missing an insole in the left foot. I called customer service and talked with a nice guy who found an insole that would fit my shoes and sent them To me at no charge. They arrived the next day and were perfect.