Customer Reviews Hoka Clifton 4

I have been running in Hoka for about 4 years and have always been very happy and even recommend them to runners. I bought the Clifton 4 and starting feeling pain in my arch. After continuing to run in the Clifton 4 the pain became extremely painful and and was unable to run. I talked to 4 other runners who were having the same issue with the Clifton 4 and stopped wearing them. I have plantar fasiitis and haven't been able to run for about 3 months. This shoe has way to much arch support!

Tried the Clifton 4 for 2 sets of 2 miles, dusted them off and sent back to Hoka.

These are my third pair of Clifton's and will be my last. I gave them a chance but after 4 runs in them I have blisters all over both sides of my feet & even my toes. They feel stiff & hard, so unlike the others. Hoka really messed up with this shoe, which I'm so sad about because Clifton's have been my favorite shoe for the past two years. They even seem to be about a half size smaller than the other two.

I have loved the clifton until the 4s. Was able to order a pair of 3s. I hope they last until the fix the problem with this shoe. They loss the cushion and the arch is funky. I blistered right on my arch and had horrible shin splint. I have never had that with my other cliftons. Is the elevon like the clifton 3?

I LOVED my Clifton 3's and the feeling of walking on clouds. These felt nothing like them. Just a plain ole pair of shoes. I returned them.

I was a huge fan of Hoka cliftons but the clifton 4 is dramatically missing the mark. The shoe is stiffer and the toe box is cramped. Why are you ruining a good thing? If you want to change something so much, just make an entirely new show and leave the clifton 3 alone.

Why does HOKA change a style so drastically? Change the colors...not the style or form. The Clifton 3 were PERFECT. You have made the Clifton 4 into a rocker and then placed a thick formed insole placing pressure on the arch. I tried several different HOKA foot inserts that I had received when HOKA was replacing inserts for free and none of the them provided relief due to the rocker sole! So disappointed. Please let me know when you bring back the Clifton 3...or better yet, get rid of the rocker sole.

The toe box on these is much too narrow. Even the wides were much too narrow. C'mon, Hoka - get this figured out. You've got the corner on the market for cush; if you get the width corrected I'll come back to these. Sadly, I've had to move on to brooks glycerin which have a much more reasonable width. Love the colorways though so keep up the good work on that!

I wanted to try the Clifton 4's and I regret it. I took them out running about 4 times before deciding to return them. I developed blisters on the inner side of my foot and found the shoe to be too narrow. My preference is still the Clifton 3's.

I was a new convert to Hoka last year and fell in love with the Clifton 3's. I bought a 2nd pair right away as loved them so much. Then I jumped on the 4's as soon as they came out. I didn't like them from the beginning. I should have returned. The felt a 1/2 size too large and they just felt like they were weighting me down. I like the snug, but not too tight, fit of the 3's. When I saw the 3's come out in new colors I jumped on them...not once but got both colors. I am finally running like my old self again. 4's went in the trash.

As someone who loved the Clifton 3 as soon as I put them on, I did not care for the 4's at all. They just never seemed right. It wasn't until they came out with the 3's again that I realized how bad the 4's were. They did not have that snug feeling on my foot which I like and my heel was always slipping even though I bought the same size I always where. It also felt like it was lacking in cushioning. When the new and improved 3's arrived a few weeks ago I was in heaven again. So much so that I ordered a second pair to have as a back up as I never want to wear the 4's again.

The 4 is terrible, completely different than the earlier versions of this running shoe. I loved the Clifton 2 and 3. The 4 has caused me some knee pain and a 2" blister along the arch of my left foot. The 4 is not nearly as comfortable. Im hoping I can find an older version of this model online as I cannot run in these anymore. I hope the 5 model is closer to the earlier ones.

I returned the first pair of Clifton 4's I purchased thinking there was a manufacturer's defect because they were so uncomfortable, compared to the Clifton 3's. I ordered another pair hoping for a better fit, but no, they were the same. The arch is padded and very uncomfortable. The toe box is narrow. These are a completely different shoe than the Clifton 3. Second pair will be returned also. What a disappointment after wearing the 2's and 3's for the past couple of years.

I'm continuing to buy Clifton 3's until I can no longer find them. The 4's gave me blisters every time I wore them. Overall fit of the 4's and lack of cushioning deviated too far from the successful selling points of the 3's. The 4's for me are unwearable.

Why call it a Clifton? It is not the cushioning is not as good, the foot bed and toe bed is narrow. This shoe caused terrible foot and hip pain. Thank goodness I was able to buy 6 clifton 3s hoping you will come to your senses next year!

I am not happy with the Clifton 4 at all. The arch support is a big problem. Neutral shoes are sought after for those of us who wear orthotics. I returned both of Clifton 4 sneakers as I cannot wear them with my orthotic. The Clifton 4 is NOT a neutral shoe. PLEASE BRING BACK THE CLIFTON 3!!!!! The Clifton 4 also has a narrow toe box, very different from the Clifton 3. The cushioned feeling of the Clifton 3 is also gone. PLEASE BRING BACK THE CLIFTON 3!!!!!!!

This version is completely different. It's a run of the mill shoe now. Nowhere near the cushion, arch is too high. Lost my go-to shoe! Please, please bring back the Clifton 3!

Clifton 4 does not have the cushion of previous generations. I measured the depth of the heal support and it is different. The cushion pattern of the tread is completely different and smaller. After having owned several pairs of Clifton 2 and 3, I am shocked and disappointed at the changes. This is just an average shoe and could be replaced with any number of similar shoes, It has lost its distinction in my opinion.

Disappointed does not even begin to describe my opinion of the new Clifton 4. I have a been a faithful Clifton wearer since the 1 launched but no longer. I tried the Clifton for 4 different runs - 1 treadmill and 3 road runs. And gave up. No more cushioning or feeling like you're foot is being hugged with softness. A high medial arch that rubs in the wrong way and a narrow toe box that squeezes your toes and made mine fall asleep. Seriously?! How could you change this shoe so dramatically???? It's as if Hoka has abandoned what made it different and wanting to be like every other running shoe. So disappointed.

I have to return these shoes because the left shoe dug into the arch of my foot and created a huge, painful blister. I own the Clifton 3's, and they were fine. I actually like that the toe box on the 4's is smaller and the shoe is snug, but I'm not sure what was changed with the arch, but it's very painful.

Too much changed in this shoe. Overall more narrow with firmer higher arch - less comfortable ride. Design of sole underneath completely changed, and now small pebbles and stones get stuck, so if you're going back and forth between trail and road makes it very annoying.