HOKA Tecton X Review

Published: June 1st, 2022

Trail Innovation

HOKA brings carbon-plated performance off-road

Likes

HOKA's best midsole
Adaptable ride
Fast and protective

Dislikes

Lugs are shallow
Doesn't thrive in wet conditions

What's New

The HOKA Tecton X is a trail-racing shoe developed for speed and comfort. The shoe features a brand-new ProFlyX midsole that is light and responsive for speed and comfort on long trail runs. The ProFlyX foam is aided in propulsion by parallel carbon-fiber plates contained within the midsole. Together these features give the shoe a responsive yet cushioned ride, ready to take on trails at speed. The shoe is finished off with an engineered jacquard mesh upper that provides an excellent hold of the foot through uneven terrain. Overall, the HOKA Tecton X is an exciting new trail shoe that will propel your trail runs to new heights.

The Bottom Line

Our testers thoroughly enjoyed their time with the HOKA Tecton X. They remarked that the Tecton X breaths life back into the HOKA trail shoes, bringing the brand back to the forefront of trail footwear. The ProFlyX midsole stands out in the Tecton providing an efficient and comfortable ride. The outsole lugs had adequate traction on most trails but could slip on muddy trails or the most technical sections of trail due to their low profile design. The lower profile lugs did give the shoe a very smooth ride on hard packed trails and allowed the shoe to perform well on paved sections in between trail segments.

Our testers were impressed with the flexibility of the Tecton X, even with the two carbon fiber plates sandwiched in the midsole. The Tecton X adapted to varied terrain and followed the foot's natural movement in the gait cycle. Overall, the Tecton X has a highly protective midsole that our testers wanted to keep on their feet and use for every run. We found the HOKA Tecton X to be a fun and energetic trail running shoe that is leading the charge in trail shoe innovation.

Shop Men's Shop Women's

Shoe Performance

Shoe Softnessi

FirmSoft

Ride/Energy Returni

Less SpringyMore Springy

Underfoot Protectioni

LowHigh

Flexibilityi

RigidElastic

Upper Supporti

StructuredAdaptable

Specifications & Fit

How It Fits

Toe Box	Medium
Midfoot Volume	Medium
Heel Width	Medium
Arch Height	Medium

Shoe Specs

Weight	Men's 9.1 oz (Size 9) \| Women's 7.8 (Size 8)
Stack Height	32 mm (Heel), 27 mm (Forefoot) \| 5 mm Heel-Toe Offset
Terrain	Trail
Stability	Neutral
Sizing	True to Size

Our In-Depth Look

Shoe Softnessi

Matt: "I think that this is the best midsole that HOKA has come out with in a while! This foam at the initial step in is pleasantly softer than most HOKA CMEVA compounds. While putting some serious mileage in the Tecton X, I was impressed with how comfortable the foam felt. It's not insanely plush like a pillow, but the resilient softness helps me come back day after day. In my eyes, this shoe is perfectly soft for longer and faster efforts where runners need to be more efficient rather than focusing solely on comfortability."

Connor: "The softness of the Tecton is really what wins you over upon initial step in. There’s a nice plush feel that works really well with the dual carbon pate to provide a very balanced on-foot feel. The soft cushioning feel extremely comfortable over long miles, but it also doesn’t feel too soft or mushy. With trail shoes, this can completely ruin a shoe, but the Tecton executes phenomenally."

Ride/Energy Returni

Matt: "This is where the Tecton X shines. The ProFlyX foam is easily HOKA’s most advanced compound and feels resilient and bouncy mile after mile. The 2 parallel plates in the midsole add an increased efficiency benefit as well as a fresh snappiness. Finished with their classic early-stage meta rocker and overall lightweight construction, the Tecton X is an energetic companion on faster and longer efforts."

Connor: "The Tecton shines in the energy return department. It can sometimes be challenging to deliver a fun and bouncy material on the trail, and I feel like HOKA nailed it with this one. The new compound has plenty of pop and may just be my favourite compound currently in the HOKA line (both road and trail)."

Underfoot Protectioni

Matt: "The underfoot protection of the HOKA Tecton X is incredible. I felt like I could wear this shoe forever. The foam feels so nice and resilient that your legs feel continuously fresh, and while running over rocky terrain my feet never got pierced or impacted. This shoe can handle hitting most surfaces and a ton of mileage."

Connor: "The Tecton X has lots of cushioning but does a really good job of still feeling nimble. The stack height was enough for me to consider using for marathon/ultra-marathon distances. I don’t typically run on extremely rocky terrain, but I tested it through a few mountain climbs and descents and did not have any issues with rocks poking through."

Flexibilityi

Matt: "There is a decent amount of flex with the Tecton X. High stack and plated trail shoes are in a constant battle of finding the right amount of cushion and the proper plate design. I think that the Tecton X is the best version of plated trail shoes yet. The plates run parallel to each other and the stack height isn’t terribly tall, both of these attributes make the Tecton X, in my eyes, the best plated trail shoe since it has the most adaptability."

Connor: "The dual carbon plate design paired with the slightly higher stack height provides a little rigidity but the plate is fairly unique and built for the trails. The suspension system provides a little give that makes it more adaptive on uneven terrain and provides a little more flex over a more typical 1-piece full-length plate you’ll see more commonly in road shoes."

Upper Supporti

Matt: "The upper is designed a little differently in the Tecton X. Runners will notice right off the bat that the lacing system crawls way down to the toe box. This allows for a nice lockdown that is adaptable since the laces can be adjusted. The end of the toe box, at the toes, did feel a little clown shoe-y, especially when stepping off on rocks and roots, but I would say just size down a half size if you are looking for a race fit or tighter fit overall."

Connor: "The upper is light, breathable, and race ready. It provides fantastic lockdown, feels sleek, but also has just enough support for efficient runners to easily take over ultramarathon distances."

HOKA Men's Tecton X

HOKA Women's Tecton X

Individual Thoughts

MattOverall Score: 9/10

I think that this is the best plated trail shoe on the market. The Tecton X has the protection and pop to be able to handle just normal mileage in the trails, as well as longer trail races. With its super-foam feel of impact absorption and resilience, this is also the best midsole that HOKA has ever come out with. I think that this shoe was a home run for HOKA, and this is a must-have option for any serious trail runner. I took this shoe on cinder, and it absolutely cooked at faster paces, and deep in the trails, it handled uneven terrain amazingly. Overall, for trail running or racing, the Tecton X could be a serious secret weapon.

There were only a few downsides to this shoe that I just raved about though. For one, the lugs are pretty shallow and not very aggressive. This could be a problem for wintery conditions and muddy segments. The lugs are pretty ideal for buffed-out trails and packed-down dirt. Also, the lacing system travels way down to the toe box and creates a nice custom lockdown, but the end of the toe box felt sloppy and like a clown shoe. Especially when stepping on rocks and roots. So for some runners, I would size down a half size to get a race-ready fit or tighter fit.

At the end of the day, this shoe is a winner, and trail runners should really add the Tecton X to their arsenal.

Shoe Softness

FirmSoft

Ride/Energy Return

Less SpringyMore Springy

Underfoot Protection

LowHigh

Flexibility

RigidElastic

Upper Support

StructuredAdaptable

ConnorOverall Score: 9/10

I found the HOKA Tecton X to be fast and nimble for nearly any terrain. The ProFlyX foam is responsive and one of my favorites in the HOKA lineup, let alone any current trail shoe. The outsole has the 4mm Vibram Megagrip lugs with Litebase. They are grippy enough for most technical terrain, but the lugs are not extremely aggressive and did slip slightly in the mud. Overall, I found the Tecton X to be lightweight and race-ready, and for me, it's the perfect ultramarathon race shoe.