'It's Time To Fly' with HOKA Shoes at Outside Sports
Hoka or to give the brand it’s full title Hoka One One is a French footwear company that revolutionised running shoes with their super cushioned soles.
HOKA One One was founded in 2009 by French trail running enthusiasts Nicolas Mermoud and Jean-Luc Diard, who were both former Salomon employees whose ambition was to make shoes that allowed athletes to run downhill faster and in more comfort. As true outdoor adventurers they participated in a variety of sports and were inspired by the chunky mountain bike tires and fat powder skis that gave bikers and skiers the sensations they were looking to bring to life for runners with their shoes.
Let’s ‘Fly Over The Earth’
When they founders were looking for a name for the shoes that summed up the unique feeling of running on their hugely cushioned soles they came across the Te Reo Māori phrase ‘Hoka One One’ that means to‘ fly over the earth.’ They thought that captured the spirit of their innovation perfectly and the brand was born.
HOKA’s super lofty midsoles provided far superior shock absorption and stability on the downhill, compared to anything else available at the time. HOKA’s ‘maximalist’ approach contrasted starkly with the ‘minimalist’ trend in running shoes at the time.
They looked very different, but the advantages were instantly clear to everyone who tried on a pair, and the HOKA revolution was underway.
How does HOKA deliver comfort and stability simultaneously?
You might expect that highly cushioned shoes would be unstable due to their extreme stack height, but HOKA have a couple of design innovations that make that possible:
Active Foot Frame
In a HOKA shoe your foot sits deep within the midsole rather than sitting up on the top, which significantly improves stability and support.
Meta-Rocker Geometry
The curved or ‘rockered’ sole enables a smooth, rolling stride and helps propel your foot evenly along the forward axis.
One unexpected thing was that the features that made HOKA running shoes so good to wear also applied to other activities, and now walkers, hikers, gym-goers, and everyday people who need to be on their feet a lot through the day also love wearing HOKA shoes for their amazing comfort and support.
Buy HOKA One One Shoes at Outside Sports
We have a large range of HOKA shoes for men and women at Outside Sports stores in Te Anau, Queenstown, Wanaka, and Tekapo, or you buy from our HOKA collection online.
