Hoka has the catchiest line: Why Run When You Can Fly? The Mach 4 delivers that feeling in this everyday style trainer! The shoe is responsive and the ride is smooth step after step. We recruited our staff to put miles into the shoe and report back on their experiences. Here we share our Hoka Mach 4 Reviews from both a women’s and men’s perspective.
by Megan Gorgone
Hoka did a fantastic job producing the Mach 4 utilizing the Rocket X and Carbon X as guides. Some of the key features Hoka highlights from this union of shoes now in the Mach 4 are:
- Engineered mesh delivers breathable comfort
- Anatomical Achilles construction
- Removable, molded EVA sockliner
- PROFLY™ midsole gives a cushioned landing and propulsive toe-off
- Early-stage Meta-Rocker offers a smooth ride
- Rubberized EVA outsole provides lightweight ground contact and responsive cushioning
Mach 4 Stats
- Weight:
- 8.2 oz. for a US Men’s size 9.0
- 6.8 oz. for a US Women’s size 8
- 5 mm drop on both Men’s & Women’s versions
Big Peach Guest Advocates take the Mach 4 to the roads
We received valuable feedback from our Guest Advocates Jessica, Dave, Jack, Cedric, and Christi. Our expert staff has a keen eye for fit and feel along with solid experience for comparing and contrasting different brands and generations of models within the running shoe industry. In these next sections we break down the feedback based on Fit, Feel and Ride.
Mach 4: The Fit
First, we break down the fit. The fit should be snug, but not tight. You want room for your foot to swell naturally and comfortably. Also, always have space between the edge of your longest toe and the end of the shoe so as not to experience bruising.
Jessica leads off by saying after numerous test runs, she finds the Mach 4 to be her favorite shoe of the Hoka line. The length was spot on. In some of the other Hoka models, she has to size down for a perfect fit, but in the Mach 4, her ‘regular’ size was a perfect match. Dave adds in the same satisfaction. He further provides detail, which Jack did too, stating there’s ample room in the toebox which then tapers into the midfoot for a really secure and locked-in fit. Many of us have that sensitive pinky toe that requires extra room and Dave felt the Mach 4 provides that adequate room for all toes to splay out comfortably throughout the miles.
A great detail appreciated by many is the need for a ‘runners loop’ for that extra secure feeling in the heel. Hoka generously provides enough length in the shoelace to accomplish the lacing technique.
Jack experienced sizing to be spot on. He has found in wearing various Hoka models that “Hoka has a tendency to deviate from traditional fitting methods, but a size 11 in most shoes will do just fine for me and the Mach 4 cooperated accordingly”. And Christi concludes by saying, “The fit is perfect. Not as snug or “fitted” feeling as the Clifton, but still more “tailored to your foot feeling” than the Bondi. True to size”.
Mach 4: The Feel
The second aspect of importance in decerning a running shoe is the feel. The desired feel of a running shoe is simply: comfort! Some prefer a firm feel and some like a deep cushion underfoot feel. Most importantly, there should not be any uncomfortable pressure anywhere against the foot, and the runner should feel a smooth transition as the foot transitions from heel to toe.
Jessica provided great compliments to the Mach 4 in straightforward words: lightweight, soft but firm. Furthermore, drilling into deeper detail of the shoe components, Dave comments on the upper’s good feel and breathability. And agrees with the positive balance Jessica described with the soft but equally firm feel to give it a nice responsive feeling.
Jack normally chooses a stiffer shoe, but even though the Mach 4 feels soft, he happily found it incredibly comfortable and gave a good feel of energy return.
Mach 4: The Ride
Finally, the ride of the shoe is scrutinized. Here we examination the shoe’s details how it moves with your foot and the energy return you feel when striking the ground. In summary, it’s the components of the fit and feel all coming together.
Jessica immediately felt and loved the shoe’s lightweight. She details it has a ‘soft but firmness to it’. Which equates to a perfect run outside! She, like Jack, commented that the Mach 4 is preferred for shorter runs over long training runs.
The shoe gives versatility … both runners and walkers will enjoy the Mach 4 with many of our Advocates noting transitions were smooth and the energy return welcomed!
Dave comes to the Mach 4 from running many years in the Clifton. With that background, he states, ‘As a huge Hoka Clifton fan and I would describe the Mach 4 as a faster feeling version of the Clifton. I’m definitely a fan of the Mach 4 as I’ve been reaching for it more often as it makes my runs feel faster and more enjoyable “.
Jack uses the Mach 4 for his tempo runs and follows that with, ‘This shoe is prime for these faster pace efforts because while it still offers adequate support and structure, it is light enough to the point of me still feeling fast. This is something I am constantly looking for in a shoe” But the overall design of the shoe is a little clunky for him, which he credits to the hoof heel located in the back of the shoe. We can thank Jack for testing the Mach 4 on all types of inclines and declines, His summary of experience here is, “I for sure felt the meta rocker, and the propulsion that resulted did not go unnoticed either. Going downhills, I felt fast and stable”.
Cedric found not only the ride to be smooth and cloud-like, but also a very quiet shoe. A lack of weight made for a smooth ride step after step for him. He feels this result is attractive to both runners and walkers.
Christi has put in an impressive 65-70 miles in them and has had zero issues. “I have been more comfortable in the Mach 4 than in the Clifton. (I feel them less.) No roll-through noticeable transition, simply light and soft. A deceptively good smooth ride, for as light as they are”.
Shop Online for the Hoka Mach 4
You can easily and conveniently shop for the Mach 4 and other Hoka shoe models by visiting any of our 7 Big Peach Running locations or online here for women’s shoes and here for men’s shoes.
