Hoka

Tecton X 3

Women's

Pros: Comfortable insole and very light. Con: Unstable around the ankle area. Rolled my ankle and tore two tendons on my first run wearing the Tecton X3 on 1/31/25

I'm a tecton fan as a shoe for comfort and speed so when I ran through my Tecton X 1 I was excited to upgrade to the 3. They're super comfortable out the box BUT my white socks turned purple. Then another pair. And another. I have to keep wearing the shoe because I spent so much on it and it's comfy but I will have to only wear black socks now. I also hope Hoka sees this review and changes this dye staining for the next shoe.

Great performance overall! [I have 500 miles in this shoe, a daily runner. Did two marathon lengths with mile vertical gains as break-in runs. (SCT&GCR2R). Ordered W8 to closer fit with my size of foot in mm] Cons: Outsole could be a little more puncture proof (swiping branches/stone), ankle covers received a ware hole after ~400mi. Material for uppers snags easily (immediate). Takes a while to get use to, some shocking and rubbing in first 50miles. Pros: Ankle cover is amazing, no rocks or dirt stopping me. The shoe feels like a sock, breathable comfy upper. Lacing method forces you to lace correctly and comfortably. Carbon plates help protect my feet from sharp surfaces. Prefect cushioning blend (firm/plush). Comfortable shoe, never have gotten blisters with the right socks. Tough shoe in general (other than sole punctures and some snagging). Vibram Cleats have never let me down. No real slipouts. I can tell they still have life and could get me to 750mi before replacing. I've had the tectonx1, it's a vast improvement. Excited to see the next version, x4's maybe?

Same hybrid style grip (feel) since I typically run from the house to the trails and back. I overpronate and need to work on knee muscle alignment and these guys cushion and help on long runs so I am not so beat up mid-day for time with family and friends. Banged a nice twig mid shoe and no puncture; I notice a difference in forefoot material, more elastic than the x2, similar to the built in gaitor material. The only issue I can see is during long ultras potentially having a harder time getting the foot back into the shoe with the gaitor, but that's TBD. And probably manageable with a crew and similar to the s/lab shorter neck of a Salomon shoe. For x4 I would bump up the tread slightly for rougher terrain. Other than those minor tweaks, shoe is a game changer and the gaitor definitely keeps debris out, my second run in them I messed around in a sandy quarry for little bit.

The shoe has great traction for trails. The gaiter works. No dirt , rocks etc. got into my socks. (The Speedgoats need built in gaiters) The carbon plate actually adds a bounce in your step , not too much just enough. The shoe overall adds an ease to the grind of trail running.