HOKA ONE ONE Elevon 2 Review
From Recovery to Raceday
Likes
- Lively Ride
- Smooth Transition
- Great Underfoot Protection
Dislikes
- Poor Tongue Padding
- Required Break-in
What's New
With an all-new design, the HOKA ONE ONE Elevon 2 features a complete update from top to bottom, refining the shoe for better performance, comfort, and fit. The PROFLY midsole design gives the shoe a soft landing with a more responsive toe-off, and the new extended heel offers more cushioning for those who heel strike. The Active Foot frame sits the foot down into the midsole for a design that delivers inherent stability with a more natural feel. Meanwhile, the anatomical support wings of the new engineered mesh upper adapt to each individual foot shape for a custom-feeling fit. The shoe is finished off with a lightweight notched tongue for comfort without bulk or weight, and a large pull tab adds a stylish yet functional flair.
The Bottom Line
Designed for a premium highly cushioned running experience, the HOKA ONE ONE Elevon 2 delivers both responsive cushioning and a highly protective ride. Although it doesn't offer the pillowy softness associated with most HOKA shoes, the PROFLY midsole supplies plenty of comfort without holding the runner back. The new engineered mesh upper has a unique lacing system that allows the runner to customize the fit to their foot, and although the design did not work well for all of our testers, even those with narrow feet were able to secure the fit. If you want a shoe that has the energy return you need for daily runs and the comfort you want on recovery days, the HOKA ONE ONE Elevon 2 may present the premium running experience that you have been looking for.
Shoe Performance
Shoe Softnessi
FirmSoftRide/Energy Returni
Less SpringyMore SpringyUnderfoot Protectioni
LowHighFlexibilityi
RigidElasticUpper Supporti
StructuredAdaptableSpecifications & Fit
How It Fits
| Toe Box | Width: Medium to narrow | Height: Medium |
| Midfoot Volume | Men's: Medium to Low | Women's: Medium |
| Heel Width | Men's: Medium | Women's: Medium to wide |
| Arch Height | Men's: Medium to high | Women's: Medium |
Shoe Specs
| Weight | Men's 10.1 oz (size 9) | Women's 9.1 oz (size 8) |
| Stack Height | 35mm (Heel), 30mm (Forefoot) | 5 mm Heel-Toe Offset |
| Terrain | Road |
| Stability | Neutral |
| Sizing | True to Size |
Our In-Depth Look
Shoe Softnessi
Although the Elevon 2 is the most highly cushioned shoe in the PROFLY family, our testers agreed that the cushioning leans more on the firm side in comparison to most HOKA's. The ample cushioning gives the shoe a touch of softness for comfort on slow days without compromising a responsive ride.
Aaron: "The ProFly cushioning gives this shoe a good mix of firmness and softness. I would say it leans more to the firm side of cushioning, but that's what makes the shoe feel supportive and responsive."
Derek: "Even though the responsiveness is what comes to mind first when I think about the midsole, it does offer a touch of softness that really makes for a comfortable shoe that you can run most of your miles in."
Ride/Energy Returni
Despite its ample cushioning, our testers found that the Elevon 2 offered an amazing amount of energy return. The PROFLY top layer has softer cushioning in the heel with firmer foam in the forefoot for a more responsive toe-off.
Aaron: "This shoe has great energy return. The cushioning in the heel protects you, but it is not so soft that it takes away from the shoe's responsiveness."
Justin: "This shoe had enough pop to pick up the pace a bit on my easy days but not enough to wear for an uptempo workout."
Underfoot Protectioni
Although the firmer nature of the shoe's midsole provided a sense of connection to the ground, the high level of cushioning kept our testers feeling protected on their long runs as well.
Justin: "The Elevon 2 felt plenty protective. I used it on some recovery days and never felt beat up afterward. Although I would have liked a little softer feel from a shoe, it was still comfortable and protective."
Derek: "Tons of underfoot protection. I felt comfortable wearing this shoe for everything from my everyday runs to my long runs."
Flexibilityi
The Elevon 2's Active Foot Frame cradles the foot inside of the shoe and provides support by limiting the shoe's flexibility. Meanwhile, flex grooves in the forefoot work with the rocker design to maintain a smooth ride.
Justin: "Due to the higher stack, this shoe definitely feels more rigid than a traditional running shoe. However, Hoka did build out some flex grooves that seemed to help smooth out the transition through my stride."
Aaron: "This shoe feels pretty rigid, but I think that works in its favor. Since you are more likely to land on your forefoot because of the low drop, the toe-off is still very smooth."
Upper Supporti
The new upper was hit or miss with our reviewers. Some found the asymmetric support wings and anatomical tongue to offer both comfort and a secure fit while others found that they could never get it dialed in just right.
Aaron: "I love the upper on this shoe. It's supportive and wraps snug around my foot, but it's not too tight. It's also very breathable, and I like how tongue has a cut out that allows your foot to flex naturally."
Justin: "Everything I say here could just be because of my foot personally. For me, the upper just didn’t work. It was tough to get it to feel like it was wrapping my foot correctly. The tongue itself was a big part of my concerns as it cut into the top of my foot when wearing no show socks."
Men's HOKA Skyflow Running Shoes
Women's Skyflow Running Shoes
Individual Thoughts
Overall, I really do enjoy this shoe. From top to bottom, I think it will work well for a variety of runners. If you're someone that likes HOKA but you find that the Clifton is too soft and the Cavu is not cushioned enough, the Elevon 2 is a great option. When first breaking it in, the PROFLY cushion felt somewhat hard, but after a week, I felt that it became softer and more flexible. This made the shoe much smoother through transition and gave it more pop.
I think this shoe makes for a great alternative for the Clifton if you want to feel the ground a little more but still want plenty of cushioning.
Shoe Softness
FirmSoftRide/Energy Return
Less SpringyMore SpringyUnderfoot Protection
LowHighFlexibility
RigidElasticUpper Support
StructuredAdaptable
Initially, this shoe felt a little firmer than expected, and I wasn't able to get a good lockdown on my narrow foot. However, after putting in some miles, the ride softened a bit and ended up having a really nice balance of cushioning and responsiveness. Additionally, the lacing system seemed to loosen up after just a few miles and I was able to re-tighten to get a better lockdown. I really like how the tongue has a notch to allow your tibialis anterior tendon to flex without irritation. However, the tongue did seem to slide down, and I wish it had just a little extra padding.
With tons of cushioning underfoot, this shoe was great for my recovery and long runs, but I found that it was a little too much shoe for my faster-paced runs. I would recommend this shoe to someone looking for a daily trainer with a lively ride.
Shoe Softness
FirmSoftRide/Energy Return
Less SpringyMore SpringyUnderfoot Protection
LowHighFlexibility
RigidElasticUpper Support
StructuredAdaptable
The Hoka One One Elevon 2 is a substantial upgrade to the previous model. Unfortunately, the fit didn’t quite work for me. The shoe is a solid daily trainer with plenty of protection. However, the upper just missed the mark for my foot.