Customer Reviews Hoka Kailua Tarmac

I took these out of the box and did a full marathon! I have horrible foot issues and was so excited. I then did my first 50k 2 weeks later, a half two weeks later, a half and 10k in the same weekend and another half and all in 8 weeks of buying my shoes! Bravo!

Not wide enough for my feet, need to have wide sizes available, poor arch support, very disappointed and will have to return them. Very expensive shoe considering it's made in China.

I have Bondi Evo shoes and I like them as well, but these are even better. They are true to street size, are a little lighter, and a little narrower than the Evos. I am a former runner with serious arthritis/plantar fascia issues. I used to wear shoes like Brooks Radius and Asics Nimbus and I would buy them 1/2-1 size larger than street size. With this Kailua model I have even better cushioning and no pain at all. If you have such issues or are looking for an ultra-marathon shoe with a narrower foot, this may well be the shoe for you as well.

I LOVE these shoes!!!! I wore them recently for a half marathon in FL after only wearing them on 3 training runs (two on a treadmill). These were so comfortable that I breezed right through the half without any foot pain. Usually the bottoms of my feet are in pain after about 9 miles and I just want to get to the finish. Not in these Hokas! It was the most enjoyable half I have ever run (4th) and I even took my dog for 2 walks the same day of the half marathon and went for a 4.5 mile run 3 days afterwards. I could have never done that previously because of the foot pain and soreness I would have had without these shoes. I usually wear an 8 in running shoes (Brooks, Saucony) but needed a 7.5 in these. The arch support was not enough for me but these accommodated my orthodics well without taking out the shoe's original inserts. I run and walk in these most days. Wonderful shoes!!!!! I will be trying the Stinson Tarmacs next.

I've owned Stinson, bondi b speed, bondi b and now these. By far my favorite model. Lots of cushion but not as bulky. I'm a shoe junkie and I've tried pretty much tried every brand on the market hands down my favorite outdoor shoe. Pairs up well with the Skechers go run ultra run shoe for shorter distances and treadmill use, in my humble opinion.

Perfect, absolutely perfect! Runs (no pun intended) true to size. Running in them is wonderful; plenty of room in the toe without having any foot movement, very lightweight. The extra cushioning gives bounce to my step. I bought these after my husband bought a pair and would not stop raving. I clearly see why. A premium price but a terrific value.

Just did a 10 mile run in these and they are fantastic! They accommodate my orthotics and I felt like I was running on clouds! A much better fit for my narrow foot than the Stinson Tarmac and I ordered a 1/2 size smaller than usual and they are perfect! Used to be a loyal fan of Asics & Brooks, but no longer...will definitely purchase another pair of these! Thanks, Zappos!

Love it! I can walk and run in this shoe without using my orthotic! It took a little getting used to since the shoe comes up fairly high on the ankle. With a good sock and snugging the laces tight, it fits well and provides unbelievable support. I don't want to wear any other shoe. I would prefer more subdued colors, though.

I love these shoes! I bought them at my nephew's recommendation. He runs ultramarathons and I am just a walker, but I was having a really awful flareup of plantar fasciitis that was making it almost impossible for me to walk without pain. So I ordered these and put them on and was amazed. At the worst of my plantar fasciitis flare-up, I could walk 90 minutes in these shoes on brick and concrete sidewalks with no pain to speak of, and now that the flareup is over, I truly feel when I put these on that I could walk forever. I have since bought two other styles of Hoka One Ones and they are all great, but these are the least expensive and if anyone is holding off because of cost, I would say it is ok to buy these instead of the more expensive models - you will still get the benefits of the cushioning. These are wonderful.

I love these shoes. I wear them with socks, otherwise they are not as comfortable. I have dealt with plantar fasciitis and these really help.

I am training for the Susan G. Komen three day, 60 mile walk and these shoes carry me through hundreds of miles of training and the event with no blisters! They are so comfortable...

These are amazingly comfortable shoes. They've made it possible for me to run comfortably in spite of my foot issues. Highly recommend them!

Like many of the other reviewers, I came to this shoe because of injuries. In my case, pretty bad plantar fasciitis in the left foot and the remains of a stress fracture in the right. My nephew, who is a hard-core runner, told me about Hoka One One and I decided to get a pair. When I took them out of the box and put them on to walk around the house, I felt as if I were walking on clouds. Today I took them out for a long walk (2 hours plus) on brick and cobblestone sidewalks and they were terrific. I didn't even notice my left heel until 90 minutes or so into the walk, and even then it wasn't really pain, just a kind of dull awareness. I walked around in the shoes for another hour or so and they were still great. I think these are going to be a winner for me.

I got turned onto these shoes by a fellow gym rat, who had been suffering from running injuries - the usual plantar fasciitis and Achilles issues, and wow...she was right! It's not quite the "floating on air" feeling I used to get when I got a new pair of running shoes, but pretty darn close! (Closer than any other shoe I've tried in the last...10 years? Ack.) These are wonderfully cushiony, supportive, and don't "bite" anywhere. (I have narrow, weird heels, and shoes are often cruel to them. These aren't!) They encourage proper running form (less heel strike, more of a roll). I'm finding I actually Enjoy running again - woo hoo! So I don't care if they look a little odd, I'm lovin' running again! One big (not bad, just important) thing that others have mentioned: you really can order your normal street shoe size. I initially ordered 2 pairs: my normal shoe size (8.5) and next size up (9), because I couldn't believe it - I always have to order a half if not a whole size larger in running shoes - but not these.

This a great shoe. My second pair and I love running in them. It took me about 4 runs to get my feet used to the way the shoes runs but once your feet get used to the shoe then you fly. No problems with the second shoes as my feet have adjusted and I feel great unending in Hokas!

I purchased the Tarmac and the Stinson. These shoes really are excellent at reducing leg fatigue after running. It only makes sense ? . more cushion less stress. When reading other reviews I remember one person remarking that their stride felt awkward in these shoes. I spent a solid year in barefoot shoes learning how to run in a way that wouldn't beat up my body. I continue to focus on NOT landing on my heels and have no trouble with these. I did notice that when running on trails in the stinsons my shoes did not hit the sides of my calves ? something that typically happens in trail shoes. Can't explain it but seems like a plus. As far as fit, the Tarmac comes up higher on my ankle than the Stinson and I found I had to add the power step inserts to make them comfortable. I had read that they run big. I wear a women's 8.5 in street shoes. Running shoes I have always purchased a 9.5 or 10. I ordered these in a 9 and they fit perfectly. Happy Running!

I have been waiting anxiously for my turn to write this review. This is a great shoe. Way more comfortable than Asics or Nike. If you work all day on your feet, this is for you. I am a PE teacher, and also had a recent ankle injury. It feels very stable and cushioned. I did the sizing as instructed per Hoka One One web site, and it worked perfectly. It is a little bit ugly in looks but if you are looking for comfort this it.

I walk several half marathons a year even though I have some foot pain. These were the most comfortable shoes I have had even right out the box. With my orthotics they are as close to perfect as one can get and foot pain is virtually gone. I got them 3 weeks ago and have cut more than a minute per mile off my time. I'm hooked. I wish toe box was slightly bigger to accommodate my extra long second toe without bruising but that happens with almost every shoe.

I usually wear an 8 in running shoes and 7.5 in street shoes, but I got a 7.5 in these Hoka Kailua Tarmacs and they fit perfectly. Tighter grip on the ankles than I would want in a running shoe. The rocker sole is nice though, it propels you forward on your run so you're less fatigued.

I went looking for "fat soles" after reading an article about them, as I tend to have plantar fasciitis and achilles tendonitis...yuck. The shoes have been good for me. And they're light and flashy.

I have been running in these for four months because of plantar fasciitis, and they definitely have helped my feet to heal. However, the toe box is just too squished - your toes cannot move about at all - and for that reason I am keen to try other shoes (I just ordered the Altra Olympia and am hopeful). I thought that I would have an issue wth the high center of gravity on trails, but I have not rolled an ankle or even come close. Oh, and they are wide and I have narrow feet, so they were just tragic on downhills as I could not lace them tight enough to keep my feet in place.

I am not a runner but bought these shoes for pickleball, where I play on hard surfaces for hours at a time. The bottom of my feet do not hurt after playing anymore and I can move quickly on the court because they are not heavy. I would buy 1/2 size lower next time as they are a bit loose on me. I wish they were cut a bit lower in the back as they hit my ankle bone, but that could be because of incorrect sizing? Overall they have excellent cushioning on hard or rocky surfaces.

I wear a size 10 and they were not quiet 0.5 size longer. Lightweight. But they made my ankles, kness and lower back hurt after wearing them for about 1 month. They look stylish, got lots of compliments, but they are just not for me.

I had a problem with this shoe when bending my foot. Right at the bottom of the laces, there is a stitch where the white material meets the pink material (at the base of he tongue). Where that stitch is sewn on the shoe, even when walking it caused pressure on the top of my foot at the base of my toes. I see that the Stinson and Kailua both have the middle section with a different color than the sides, so I am returning to try the Bondi, as it have a solid color across the front and doesn't appear to have the stitch where the others have it. I hope the Bondi will work for me, because the cushioning is superior to anything I've tried.

I'm so disappointed! They are comfy but apparently this style has a bad reputation. After telling my runner friends about the big toe blister I got from these, I was told that's a common problem in this particular Hoka. Now that I've worn them and am stuck with them I'll use them for walking and recovery during my half marathon training. I ended up with Altra Olympus as my new running shoes.