Customer Reviews Hoka Gaviota 5

Feel great it's walking on air

I recently bought a pair of HOKA Gaviota 5 from Dick's Sporting Goods. When wearing them, I feel like I am walking barefoot on hard sand. My toes are not cramped together. The material allows good airflow, and my feet do not get hot or sweaty.

Very stable and supportive climbing and downhill very comfortable shoes on any 20k run. Recovery great. Have run for many years with hoka. Highly recommend it for knee and hip issues.Thanks hoka

These are great shoes for my level of exercise, and they help with my minor foot issues.

The Gaviota 5 shoes provide the perfect mix of cushioning and stability for my needs. I also own a pair of Bondi 8's, which are the most highly cushioned shoes I have tried and are great for standing all day. The Gaviotas provide somewhat less cushioning, but more effective stability for severe pronators, like myself. They provide the optimum balance for everyday wear. They are now my daily "go to" shoe.

I use them for walking - and they have supreme comfort and feel very light too. I also like the fact that they have a wider toebox. My previous Gaviota 4's were too narrow, and pinched my feet.

That was the title of my initial review as I originally got a pair when they were first released. I'm still extremely happy with them. For context, I'm strictly a walker, not a runner. In all shoes, Hoka, Altra, Topo, Keen, etc., I wear a size 11.5. In Hokas, I've had to get 2EE wide in all models so that my forefoot and toes feel comfortable. But when the Gav 5 was released with an Altra-like foot shape, I had hoped I wouldn't need to but found that even in them, I need the wide as my feet just didn't feel right in the standard width. Again, for context, my feet measure exactly 11 inches from the back of the heel to the tip of the longest toe. In width, I'm a medium, just near a wide. In the other shoes, Keen, Altra, Topo, their standard widths are perfect, and the natural foot shape feels just right. But I don't need the additional width in my heel or mid-foot that a 2EE Hoka provides. So I have been thinking for a long time that, perhaps, going up a half size in the Gav 5 in the standard width might be sufficient. So I recently ordered another pair; I now have 4, in the standard width but size 12. They are perfect. The half size larger brings up that expanded forefoot enough to make my whole foot feel great. The wide versions I have do allow me to wear thicker or more heavily cushioned socks, but the slimmer heel and mid-foot of this standard pair make my feet feel more secure within the shoes. So I'd recommend for those who may use wides (2EE) in other Hokas to try a half size larger in the standard width of the Gavs. For reference, my other favorite Hoka is the Arahi; I have 5 pairs of those. With the current Arahi 7, Hoka narrowed that shoe so a wide is absolutely needed; going up a half size would not really help. The Arahi is a great all-day shoe, which is also true of the Gav, but the Gav has additional cushioning that would make it terrific for those who work all day on hard concrete-like surfaces, such as healthcare, warehouse, and grocery store staff.

So far, so good. I have had any knee pains while walking. Very comfortable shoe

Firstly, this is my first Hoka that I've owned. I've tried a few other models briefly but this was my favorite pick. The cushioning is comfortable. Its fairly plush but without feeling like you're sinking into it. The outsole is wider, providing more surface area to the ground which results to better supporting your gate and better weight distribution. I like it! The upper is fine enough. I wouldn't say its the most breathable or comfy/pliable, but its breathable enough and provides good support. Overall, I'm happy with my purchase. That said, I had to order ONE WHOLE SIZE DOWN. My true size is 9.5 Wide or sometimes 9.5 Standard (I'm an awkward in-between regarding width). That said, I ordered a 9.5 Wide for the Gaviota 5 and I had a smidge over ONE INCH of space in the toebox. I typically have half an inch of space and that is what I always aim for. I had to order a whole size down to accomplish this, so 8.5 Wide. Naturally, the width got smaller too so the Wide turned to feel pretty snugged. Fortunately, not too snug and ultimately provides a secured fit. After all, my feet are that awkward in-between width. But for undoubtedly wide feet, perhaps a half size would serve you better, if you can live with a little extra toe space. And for regular sized feet, you might need a Wide anyways since you'll probably need to size down one whole size. Me personally, I always try to have the length match perfectly (half of inch of space) so the shoe supports my arch as designed. I find shoes more comfortable when prioritizing this.

they are very comfortable for my workout at the gym

I bought this for standing on concrete all day long in my wood shop. Incredible! Like floating on air. I highly recommend it. Perfect.

This is my second pair of Givota's..

This is one of the most comfortable shoes I have worn. I have a bad foot and it is hard to find a shoe that works. I would recommend this shoe to anyone looking for comfort.

My first attempt with Hokas ended with blisters in my insteps after 5ks. They were just too narrow. I also had been wearing running shoes a size too large, apparently. Sized down and with the wider forefoot of the Gaviota 5 I now see what the hype is about. Very comfy, stable, and not too squishy. Great ride and my legs and feet feel great after a run. I'm 6'3" and 235 pounds if that helps anyone. Super comfortable shoe, proceed with confidence.

Long time HOKA user. Been needing to get new shoes every 4 months or so. but always do what they dp so well

Better than advertised! These pair of shoes are a lot better than the (inherent end Sketchers I had previously purchased. Even though they are more expensive, they are definitely worth it. Fit perfect, look great, beefy but light, and definitely high quality. The heels don't rub into the back of my heel as other walking shoes do. I like them so much, I bought a 2nd pair!!

1) cushy and comfortable with great stability, 2) feet do not feel tired or beat up after my 20-30 miles of weekly walking, 3) I get that some folks like the bright, loud colors, but wish there were more muted darker colors without white soles for the sloppy/muddy PNW, 4) thanks for making a wide toe box shoe so I don't have to always buy topo athletics which are great but not as cushy.

A great shoe

Purchased for walking mainly on concrete, but also trails and beach. Very happy with the support, as I have low/no arches. Purchased two different pair of On and one pair of Adidas, that were not at all comparable in terms of fit, comfort and support. Give your much more space (width/length) than competitor's shoes of the same size, so if you like a tight shoe, you might want to downsize by half a size.

I started a new career managing a packing line with what i thought comfort shoes I typically wear. Until the demand of walking 13 hours a day on different surfaces began to take its toll. I had pain up to my shins by end of shift and that quickly changed to 3 hours into my shift. Until this shoe came into my life! I bounced back up immediately with 0 pain ever. I have multiple pairs of these and still use the 3 year old pair. Best comfort and durability. Highly recommend

Hokas are the best!

I dread the day the Gaviota 5 goes away or gets redesigned. I love this model so much. I always buy 1 to have for the next time just in case. This particular one is not as attractive as shown in the picture, like I don't like color but comfort outweighs looks in my opinion.

I love all my Hoka's I now have eight pairs and looking for more