HOKA Cielo X1 Review

Upper

Kaleb: The HOKA Cielo X1’s engineered knit upper was surprisingly comfortable, especially for a marathon racing shoe. There was a secure hold through the midfoot with plenty of space in the forefoot for toe splay. Regardless of distance, I never had any points of irritation when wearing this shoe, which again, is more impressive given that this is a marathon racing shoe. I would also like to highlight the shoe’s heel cup, which I found to be highly secure despite my initial fears of heel slippage. If I have any complaints about the upper, they would be directed at the laces. The Cielo X1’s laces never really caused any issues but I found them hard to manipulate, and untying was a bit difficult. Is this really any issue, no, not really, but I had enough challenges with the laces that I would love to see a different setup moving forward.

Liz: When I first put on the Cielo X1s, a few things stood out. First, I was impressed by how accommodating the toe box was for my wider feet. I usually have issues with racing shoes (and HOKA shoes in general) fitting too narrow for my tailors bunion, but even after taking them for an 18km run my first time in the shoes, I had no issues with pressure points and was very happy with the fit. Initially, I was concerned about how thinly padded and hard the heel collar of the shoe was, and I felt that I was asking for blisters by taking the shoe for such a long first run. I can happily report no issues with blisters, and thanks to the combination of structured heel collar, knit gusseted tongue and secure midfoot fit, I felt comfortably locked into the shoe from the first step.

Jon: I've got mixed feelings about the upper of the Cielo X1. On one hand, it feels pretty built up for a marathon racing shoe, and I imagine a lot of runners will find it to be too much to be their best option on race day. On the other hand, I found it surprisingly comfortable and well fitting. It offered a secure lockdown without being too snug, and its structure contributed to a very stable ride. In terms of breathability, I didn't have any issues, but there was a weird situation when I ran in the pouring rain and my feet were the last to get wet. I wondered if that meant the shoe was not breathable, but my feet never felt hot or uncomfortable. Although the upper did a good job keeping water out for a while, after I ran through enough puddles, there was a lot of water accumulation and there was almost no drainage, which meant 3 sloshy cool down kilometres. Given how unpredictable the weather on race day can be, this would make me think twice about lacing up the Cielo X1 on race day if there's any chance of rain. And speaking of laces, what is up with these laces? They are light and thin so it checks some boxes, but they absolutely require a double knot to stay tied. I get that most runners double knot their laces anyway, but the fact that these cannot stay tied at all absent a double knot makes very little sense to me. 

Midsole

Kaleb: I loved the midsole of this shoe. From the initial step in, the Cielo X1 feels both soft and bouncy underfoot with a pronounced rocker that promotes a forward roll. On the run, the X1 was incredibly efficient, providing ultra-smooth transitions with a responsive toe-off. Throughout testing, I had no difficulty completing intervals and tempo workouts, as well as long runs at easier paces. Through all the runs, what impressed me most was the shoe’s level of protection and stability.

Regardless of the distance, I always felt super protected in the Cielo X1, which is super important for a sub-elite runner like myself. I want the speed and efficiency, but I still need the protection and comfort to carry me to the finish, especially for a gruelling 42.2 kilometres.

Liz: I absolutely love HOKA’s new PEBA foam, and there is a LOT of it in the Cielo X1. The foam offers a very cushioned yet bouncy ride that is incredibly comfortable without feeling sluggish or mushy underfoot. Despite how soft and highly stacked the Cielo x1 is, the shoe is surprisingly stable, especially for a racing shoe. The winged plate design, structured heel collar, wider base help provide a much more stable platform than you generally see in carbon plated marathon racers, and while the geometry of the Cielo X1 isn’t as dramatic as shoes like the Endorphin Elite, the shoe has a nice rocker that gives it a smooth and efficient ride at a wide variety of paces.

Jon: When it comes to marathon super shoes, the best ones have some magic dust sprinkled into the midsole and here, the Cielo X1 will have some of its competitors choking on that dust. Whatever HOKA is doing with their PEBA foam, I hope they never stop. Granted, I haven't run in all of their offerings that contain PEBA in the midsole, but I absolutely loved the ride of the Cielo Road so it's only natural that I would also love running in a max stack of that PEBA foam. The two things that really stand out about HOKA's PEBA foam is its responsiveness and impact absorption. The energy return is excellent and you can really feel the responsiveness on the run. The other highlight is how protective the midsole feels. There is a ton of foam packed into the midsole, which made running for longer easier for. For my longest effort in this shoe, I originally planned to run about 20 kilometres, but my legs were feeling so good I ended up going 25. And while the midsole does not compress as much it reminds me of the PWRRUN HG featured in the Saucony Endorphin Elite, which is a good thing by my standards.

In addition to the amazing midsole foam, I have to give it up to the winged carbon fiber plate and geometry of the shoe. These elements came together nicely to deliver an impressively stable and snappy ride.

Outsole

Kaleb: The X1’s targeted rubber outsole performed very well for me, delivering dependable grip on every run. Even in wet, rainy conditions, the X1 did not skip a beat. Also, given the lack of noticeable wear, the Cielo X1 might be one of the most durable super shoes I have tried, adding longevity and overall value to this shoe that few other marathon racers can provide. After crushing your race, the Cielo X1 can easily become you tempo training or long run shoe, helping you get even stronger for your next event.

Liz: The Cielo X1 offers a very durable outsole design for a carbon plated racing shoe. There is a large amount of rubber coverage that delivered confidence-inspiring traction on both wet roads and even some dirt sections of my runs. The shoe features midsole cutouts that collected a few rocks during my testing, but they are large enough to generally prevent this issue.

Jon: Through 50 kilometres in this shoe, the outsole performed very well and felt great in terms of traction thanks to the thick rubber layer. But given how heavy this shoe is, I think there is a lot of room to shed weight in the outsole. It is hard to complain about the grip this shoe offered though as I did about 10 kilometres in the pouring rain and thankfully had no issues with traction on the wet pavement and track. 

Comparable Shoes

HOKA Cielo X1 vs. New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v3

Kaleb: One of my favourite shoes last year was the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v3. It was soft, responsive, and had the level of protection I needed for long-distance races. Like the Cielo X1, it was not the most aggressive shoe available, but given how efficient and comfortable the shoe was, I was more than willing to make the trade-off. This is exactly how I feel about the Cielo X1. It will deliver top-tier efficiency with an exciting level of responsiveness and a tremendous amount of underfoot protection. This will allow a lot of runners to not only crush their marathon race, but also enjoy the experience.

HOKA Cielo X1 v. Saucony Endorphin Pro

Liz: I think both of these models have a touch more stability and versatility than others in the category, making them more approachable options for slower/more novice runners who still want to experience the benefits of a carbon plated racing shoe. The Cielo X1 is noticeably more cushioned and softer than the Endorphin Pro, and in my opinion is going to be a more comfortable option while the Endorphin Pro is a bit snappier/faster feeling option and might be a bit better if you are really going for that PR.

HOKA Cielo X1 v. Saucony Endorphin Elite

Jon: One racing shoe that compares to the HOKA Cielo X1 in my opinion is the Saucony Endorphin Elite. Between the well-fitting upper, the geometry, and the firmer (but still soft!) midsole cushioning, these shoes have a similar underfoot experience. Both of them are extremely well protective and absorb ground contact beautifully and both feel incredibly smooth and responsive on the run. But, the Endorphin Elite is over an ounce lighter and feels more explosive overall. In a race where every second matters, that weight difference really makes it hard to choose the Cielo X1 even though the ride is amazing. When I think about it, for all the things I love about the Cielo X1–amazing midsole cushioning, snug upper, and geometry­–the Endorphin Elite possesses those traits as well, but in a much lighter and more explosive package. Thus, for my money, I would opt for the Endorphin Elite.