Overpronation can increase your risk of injury to both your legs and your feet. So if you’re noticing any inward roll or flattening of your feet’s arches, switching to a shoe that is designed with added support can be just the thing you need to keep yourself healthy and running. Below, I’m going to go over the best Hoka shoes for overpronation, providing the added support you need for your next road run.
What Are The Best Hoka Shoes for Overpronation
Hoka offers two “supportive” road running shoes in their lineup. The Hoka Arahi and the Hoka Gaviota. Both shoes feature the brand’s Hoka offers two “supportive” road running shoes in their lineup: the Hoka Arahi and the Hoka Gaviota. Both shoes feature the brand’s trademark “J-FRAME” technology, which works as a guide rail to prevent that inward roll and provide the right amount of arch support.“J-FRAME” technology. Which works as a guide rail to prevent that inward roll. And provide the right amount of arch support.
The great thing about these two shoes is that they are based on two of Hoka’s best-selling “neutral” running shoes, with the Arahi being based on the Hoka Clifton and the Gaviota being based on the Hoka Bondi. So you know the designs are tried and true, just with the added support needed for runners dealing with overpronation.
Here is an overview of both shoes, including the advantages and disadvantages of each. You can also read a more detailed breakdown of the Hoka Arahi vs Gaviota here.
Hoka Arahi
Weight: 9.30 oz
Drop: 5 mm
Volume: 667 cm3
Spring: 33 x 23 mm
Cushion: Balanced
Link: Official Link Click Here
The Hoka Arahi is based on the brand’s top-selling Clifton, which is my running club’s go-to shoe for daily miles. Knowing the pedigree of this shoe is strong. It is designed to strike a balance between stability and cushioning. The Arahi offers noticeably more cushion than most other running shoe brands but falls about in the middle of the pack for Hoka. It provides just enough cushioning to absorb all of the road shock without being too heavy, allowing for a semi-quick turnover. I wouldn’t exactly call them fast, but they are genuinely comfortable, making them an excellent choice for daily training miles.
Pros:
Plenty of cushion, lighter weight, and quicker turnover. Probably my first choice if I were going to run with these shoes.
Cons:
Less arch support than the Gaviota. They don’t feel slow, but definitely don’t feel fast. Not as well-suited for runners over 200 lbs (women over 175 lbs) or those with wider feet.
Hoka Gaviota
Weight: 11.40 oz
Drop: 5 mm
Volume: 731 cm3
Spring: 36 x 10 mm
Cushion: Plush
Link: Official Link Click Here
Based on the popular Hoka Bondi, the Gaviota is a large and plush road running shoe designed for maximum cushioning. These shoes will absorb all the road shock during those long road miles. If you’re transitioning from a different brand, the cushioning might take a few runs to break in and become comfortable, so give them a few tries. However, all that cushioning comes with some added weight. It’s not enough to be uncomfortable, but not many people would describe them as fast, and you may need to exert a little more effort to turn them over. These shoes are specifically designed for comfortably logging big training miles.
Pros:
Max-cushioned, max-comfort road running shoe. Perfect for runners over 200 lbs (women over 175 lbs) and those with wide feet. Provides plenty of arch support. Great for training runs.
Cons:
On the heavier side of running shoes. Doesn’t feel fast and is probably not your race day shoe.
Conclusion – Best Hoka Shoes for Overpronation
With Hoka only offering two options for stability running shoes, we should be thankful that they have provided two such great options. If I’m having to choose, I’m going with the Arahi based on its overall weight and comfort. And since I run in the Cliftons, it’s not a surprise. All that said, if I were a runner over 200 lbs, I’d be all in on the Bondi. The added cushion would be a huge benefit for the extra weight.
I do hope in the future that Hoka comes up with a lighter, speed-oriented stability running shoe—something that people could use for their mid to marathon distance races. But we’ll have to wait and see if they ever release one.
If you have any opinions on the Arahi or the Gaviota, or stability running shoes in general, let me know in the comments below!
You can also read about the difference between overpronation vs under pronation here.