Hoka Arahi 5
97/100
Our Score
General Impression
When you take the Hoka Arahi 5 shoes out of the package, they appear to be fairly bulky.
Although they look heavy and large, they are surprisingly light and comfy on the feet.
Hoka is wonderful at reminding you not to judge a book by its cover.
These shoes are lighter than they appear.
They help you relax and shake up your legs by allowing you to settle into a relaxed, mindless pace during your morning recovery runs.
Hoka Arahi 5 Pros and Cons
Pros
- Breathable comfort provided by engineered mesh
- Meta-Rocker in its early stages gives a smooth ride
- The brand-new EVA J-Frame is a firmer and lighter version of the J-Frame
- A flat-waisted shape provides inherent stability
- For added durability, the outsole is made of rubber
Cons
- Isn’t suitable for wide feet
- The shoe size is small
- The laces are too long and stretch
Hoka Arahi 5 Comfort and Durability
The Hoka Arahi range is famed for its comfortable cushioning, and the Arahi 5 is no exception. The J-Frame adds rigidity to the medial side of the midsole and provides intrinsic stability without sacrificing the soft underfoot feel of the midsole.
Hoka Arahi 5 Upper
This Arahi upgrade is highlighted by a brand-new upper. It’s light and breathable, so it’ll keep your feet cool and fresh throughout the duration of your run.
Through the midfoot, the fit is rigid and stable, opening up to a large toe-box that allows toes to splay. These shoes are true to size. That makes it unnecessary to size them up.
The elf’s ear flared heel may create some concern about whether it would cause blistering, but it does not. It holds you in place, and most of it won’t even come close to touching your heel.
The innovative flared-heel shape provides more comfort by cradling the wearer’s foot without irritating the heel.
The only flaw in the upper of Hoka Arahi 5 was the excessive length of the laces, which necessitated creative knotting methods to keep them from bouncing around.
Hoka Arahi 5 Midsole and Outsole
Arahi’s EVA foam midsole has been redesigned by Hoka to make it lighter and more responsive than earlier iterations of this lightweight everyday trainer.
The Arahi 5 is great for long runs or recovery runs because of the smooth cushioned ride that keeps runners relaxed.
This shoe has a substantial amount of sole. It feels light despite having lots of cushioning and support.
The Arahi 5 has modest flexibility, which is surprising considering how much cushioning it provides.
The midsole’s flex is combined with an early-stage Meta-Rocker design, resulting in a buttery-smooth heel-to-toe transition that makes it easy for runners to roll into each stride.
The Arahi 5 may not be the quickest shoe on the market, but it will provide lots of enjoyable miles.
When it comes to protecting runners’ bodies from the impact of the road, the Arahi 5 is unrivaled.
Runners will have no trouble staying comfortable throughout lengthy runs and recovery runs because of the 36 mm of soft cushion underfoot —The Hi-Abrasion Lightweight.
The outsole is made of a robust lightweight rubber that is harsh to the touch and provides a lot of traction.
The tread pattern is versatile and gives excellent control in all conditions.
The soft texture of the midsole is quite comfy on the feet. Because of how much padding they have and how light they feel, you’ll enjoy strolling about.
With the J frame, Hoka uses a dual-density foam technique. This stiffer foam forms a J around the shoe and provides more dynamic stability than a medial post. The “Early Stage Meta-Rocker Geometry” that rocks the shoe forward complements the J frame method.
This, combined with the 5mm drop, aids in landing on your midfoot while gently pushing you forward to lift off closer to the balls of your feet.
Performance of the Hoka Arahi 5
The Hoka Arahi 5 is a stability shoe that defies expectations. It stands out from the crowd thanks to its low drop, excellent cushioning, and lightweight feel.
The dynamic approach to stability and how the shoe rocks you forward without destroying your legs will undoubtedly appeal to you.
If you only need a little extra support, you’ll appreciate how the stability features don’t overshadow the shoe to make it feel bulky.
Faster miles necessitated a little more effort, and the shape of these shoes will make switching gears from recovery runs a breeze. Because of its rocking shape, it performs very well on slopes.
Hoka Arahi 5 Style
With this particular model from Hoka, you’ll witness a sleek and elegant design that’s been a major missing in their past models.
The visionaries of Hoka seem to have left no stone unturned with the appearance and color scheme of these shoes.
Hoka Arahi 5 has a diversified color range available for both men and women that will leave one with plenty of color options to hoard.
Verdict
The Arahi 5 continues the heritage of the Hoka Arahi, being one of the lightest and softest everyday training shoes in the stability category.
The new design provides runners with lightweight protection that is ideal for long or short runs.
These shoes also feature a J-Frame design on the medial side of the midsole, which provides stability for moderate to extreme pronators.
The J-Frame design is also remarkably unobtrusive, so neutral runners who want to try these shoes when they need a little extra direction won’t be put off.
The Arahi 5 has a strong midfoot wrap and a wider forefoot, giving room for toes to splay. The Arahi’s upper has been made lighter and more breathable, resulting in a better overall on-foot feel.
This popular stability trainer is a wonderful choice for new runners looking for increased protection, pronators looking for more stability, or any runner looking for a trustworthy recovery shoe or long-run trainer.