HOKA Mach Supersonic Review
Is ProFly+ the Supersonic recipe?
Likes
- Super-versatile
- Cushioning to weight ratio
- Smooth ride
Dislikes
- Desired Even More Responsiveness
- Firmer forefoot
What's New
The HOKA Mach Supersonic is an exciting update to the Mach line. The Mach Supersonic is a more speed-oriented version of the popular Mach 4. Utilising a new top layer of ProFly+ foam, the Supersonic’s ride is responsive and protective. ProFly+ is a midsole foam that HOKA developed for their racing shoes and the use of it in the Supersonic provides that ‘pop’ that the Mach 4 seemed to be missing. The Supersonic uses a rubberized foam outsole seen in previous models with a new lightweight mesh upper to keep weight down. All of these elements combine to create a fast shoe that still has the protection for everyday runs.
The Bottom Line
Our testers found the HOKA Mach Supersonic to be a fun and versatile running shoe. The shoe is lightweight while still having enough cushioning for longer efforts. The new top layer of ProFly+ gives the shoe a slightly different feeling underfoot from the Mach 4, but our reviewers felt it was not enough of a difference to make this shoe feel much faster or more responsive. The forefoot of the shoe did feel firmer underfoot, and our testers mentioned this alleviated the squishy feeling some felt in the Mach 4 when running uptempo. However, we felt this shoe would benefit from having a higher responsive super foam underfoot to help it stand out as an uptempo shoe. Overall, we felt the HOKA Mach Supersonic is a versatile running shoe great for slow recovery jogs all the way to uptempo long runs.
Shoe Performance
Shoe Softnessi
FirmSoftRide/Energy Returni
Less SpringyMore SpringyUnderfoot Protectioni
LowHighFlexibilityi
RigidElasticUpper Supporti
StructuredAdaptableSpecifications & Fit
How It Fits
| Toe Box | Medium |
| Midfoot Volume | Medium to low |
| Heel Width | Medium |
| Arch Height | Medium |
Shoe Specs
| Weight | Men's: 8.3 oz (Size 9) Women's: 7.3 oz (Size 8) |
| Stack Height | 35 mm (Heel), 30 mm (Forefoot) 5 mm offset |
| Terrain | Road |
| Stability | Neutral |
| Sizing | True to Size |
Our In-Depth Look
Shoe Softnessi
Matt: "The HOKA Mach Supersonic is a versatile option that can handle mileage, but also faster paces. This means that the foam isn’t the softest compound since there needs to be some resilience and pop underfoot. While I wanted this latest version of the Mach to have a more significant experience update with the addition of ProFly+, this top layer of foam still delivers a dampened responsiveness that works well with the CMEVA bottom layer. At the end of the day, I wish that this foam was either softer or bouncier, but it still offers a nice and balanced overall ride."
Connor: "The Mach Supersonic continues to offer a soft yet lively underfoot experience that feels very pleasant at a wide variety of paces. It’s by no means mushy and has a plush feel for long miles while still feeling fast enough for speed workout days."
Ride/Energy Returni
Matt: "I had high hopes for the new ProFly+ top sole of the Mach SuperSonic. This is supposed to be an upgrade from the Mach 4, but I honestly didn’t find the ProFly+ to be much better than the regular ProFly foam. ProFly+ offers a similar experience to the previous version which took the running world by storm, but this “enhanced” midsole doesn’t offer a very noticeable difference in energy return. During longer runs, the lightweight cushioning felt efficient, but I wouldn’t use this shoe for aggressive intervals or anything super-fast. Long tempos and faster long runs were this shoe's bread and butter."
Connor: "The energy return on the Mach Supersonic receives a small upgrade with the introduction of the Profly+ midsole compound. The top layer is even more poppy and provides a little extra pop when compared to the past version. If you were a fan of v4, the Supersonic provides a very similar feeling that is fine-tuned just slightly to feel a little faster."
Underfoot Protectioni
Matt: "I think the underfoot protection of the Mach Supersonic is one of the shoe’s best qualities. I continued to grab this shoe for all my longer efforts. I ran three Sunday 17-milers in this shoe, and I always felt ready for my morning run on Monday. The combination of the ProFly+ and CMEVA foam is very balanced and smooth. It’s a consistent feel that allowed me to run without worry. With slight tuning and upgrading the protection could be a 10/10, but right now, it is still awesome."
Connor: "The Mach Supersonic has plenty of protection for all of my daily miles. While it is maybe a step down in plushness over a Clifton, it still feels very cushioned underfoot and had everything I needed for some of my longest runs."
Flexibilityi
Matt: "This shoe has a decent amount of foam in the midsole so it's not going to be the most flexible underfoot experience. I never found this to be an issue since there is a late-stage rocker. Overall, this shoe moves nicely and feels adaptable enough for running on the roads."
Connor: "The Mach Supersonic does not have much flex. The ProFly+ top sole is firmer and keeps the shoe from bending underfoot."
Upper Supporti
Matt: "I liked the Mach SuperSonic’s upper. It has some lushness to the tongue and collar so it held my foot pleasantly. It was adaptable enough for moving around corners and will be nice for any kind of foot type."
Connor: "The HOKA Mach Supersonic has a soft and adaptable upper that I felt supported my foot on every run."
Individual Thoughts
First and foremost, this is a great shoe. The Mach SuperSonic is a small update to the very popular Mach 4 and continues to be an awesome option for any runner who wants a shoe that can do almost everything. The cushioning to weight ratio of the Mach SuperSonic allows this shoe to be protective for endless miles while also feeling light enough to push the pace. I used this shoe for some recovery days, but also for my 17+ mile progressive long runs where I was reaching under 6-minute pace for some miles. These shoes dampened responsiveness allowed me to easily pick up, while also protecting my legs since they were never trashed after any of these efforts. Overall, I don’t think that this shoe is made for high-intensity specific days, but I do think that runners can grab it for long runs, recovery days, longer tempos, and even the marathon distance.
Now, even though I enjoyed using this shoe and will continue to grab it, I did find myself wanting more. The Mach 4 was such a breath of fresh air and an exciting shoe that came out last year. When the SuperSonic was released I had high expectations and was excited to see a significant experience upgrade from ProFly to ProFly+ foam. However, I was left disappointed as the Mach SuperSonic feels more similar to the previous version, with exceptions to the new upper. At the end of the day, the Mach line is still incredible and is extremely versatile, but I would love to see this shoe and the Hoka foams gain some more supercritical features that will allow it to compete with some of the best shoes on the market because this shoe deserves it.
Shoe Softness
FirmSoftRide/Energy Return
Less SpringyMore SpringyUnderfoot Protection
LowHighFlexibility
RigidElasticUpper Support
StructuredAdaptable
The Mach Supersonic continues on the Mach legacy with a very similar design concept to v4. With the addition of an even more responsive cushioning compound and a modified upper, the Mach Supersonic is a fun and versatile performance trainer for any day of the week. While there aren’t huge changes with the Supersonic, the added layer of the new ProFly+ compound did provide the shoe with a little more lively experience that made it more pleasant when I picked up the pace. I’ve mainly enjoyed using the Mach for my daily training and find it to be a little more speedy and performance-oriented than the Clifton and while it's not the fastest or most cushioned shoe, I feel it does a lot of things well. It has plenty of cushioning for nearly any day of the week and the added responsiveness makes it versatile enough to use for tempo day (as well as the warm and cool down). If you’re looking for one shoe that can do it all, the Mach Supersonic may just fit the bill.