Running shoes are very useful and they are comfortable as well with different shoes offering different levels of support and experience. For those who love stability shoes, the Asics Kayano Vs Hoka are perfect options to consider. These shoes are going to fit well as your daily trainer and to accompany the activity yet, the two are not the same. For those currently wondering which of the two to go for, let’s see the experience here.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- How to Choose Running Shoes for Pronation
- What are Asics Kayano and Hoka
- How are the Fashion of Asics Kayano and Hoka
- how are the Upper of Asics Kayano and Hoka
- How are the Sole of Asics Kayano and Hoka
- How are the Experience with
- Asics Kayano Vs Hoka
Running Shoes
Running is a great cardio exercise and it is convenient as well. Many of us start running during this pandemic to improve fitness and immunity in order to fight the virus or just overall being healthier. This is a simple exercise that can be done at home using a treadmill too if you can’t get out of the house. What you will need is just comfortable clothing for exercise and ideal running shoes. Many people start with neutral running shoes but not everyone runs the same way.
When it comes to running shoes, there are models made to aid the running or correct the way people run. There are some common issues that cause our feet to hit the ground not in the proper way. The most common is pronating or rolling inward motion. Severe overpronation is when your heel strikes the ground first and then rolls inward excessively. This way our ankle is not able to stabilize the body properly and is common in people with lower arch or flat foot
Mild overpronation is slightly better because the outside of the heel strikes first causing the foot to roll inward just a bit to absorb the shock. If you have a low to medium arch this may be an issue with the running. However, if you will need motion control shoes for severe overpronation, we can just opt for stability shoes such as Asics Kayano Vs Kayano Lite. If you don’t have an issue with pronation, our running is neutral and neutral running shoes are best for the activity.
You can always try the shoes first when buying one but when shopping online, finding the size will be very important too. Measure the feet and check which of them is longer or which will be wider and longer because usually our feet are slightly different. Use the higher measurement to find your shoes and if you have to think the previous shoes are tighter at the forefoot or midfoot, try the wider variant from the line. If possible we can find stores that let you try the product first.
Running shoes are not the same and chances are each model has a different feeling. When choosing based on comfort, make sure that the type of ride matches with how you will want to run. Some people will run fast and thus they need something that can be flexible and more responsive while people with a more laid back speed may want something that can absorb the impact more effectively. In general, running shoes are highly subjective to how you want them.
Asics Kayano | Hoka | |
---|---|---|
Product Dimensions | 11.5 x 7.3 x 4.3 inches | 12.8 x 9.5 x 5 inches |
Shipping Weight | 1.75 Pounds | 2 Pounds |
Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About Asics Kayano and Hoka
If you are ready to find the ideal running shoes, it is time to see what the market has to offer because there are so many to choose from. Running shoes often come from prestigious sport brands and it is easy to find them. If you are still unsure, browse your favorite brand’s collection to see what they currently have by selecting the type and look. For beginners and casual runners, shopping based on the budget will be more convenient as well.
There are more than plenty to choose from based on how you want the shoes to be. It is highly personal so we recommend to list what you need from the shoes and how they should feel. The Asics and Hoka for example are some of the most popular options out there. These companies have been around for quite some time and their popular shoes are always renewed. They are known for the cushiony shoes like Nimbus and Bondi but they do have stability options as well.
For those with mild overpronation and want to find a shoe that can help with the issue, the Asics Kayano and Hoka especially the Arahi are ideal options. Kayano is famous for being one of the best shoes for overpronation so you may like the running experience with these shoes too. It is combining a very supportive upper with cushiony yet flexible sole in order to fix the feet movement. The shoes are in 28th iteration now but we are going with the previous model.
The Hoka or Hoka One One is also a great brand to find your new running shoes and for the comparison today we are picking some of the newest models from the company or Arahi 4. These shoes seem to be amazing for people with narrower feet but it is not as stable as the Kayano. It is also currently quite expensive so we do need to add the budget if deciding to get Arahi 4; it looks amazing however.
Asics Kayano and Hoka Design
While the fashion is not affecting the ability of running shoes, we do think it has a connection with psychology and yes, this is because cool running shoes make us want to wear them and actually get out there to finish some rep. The Arahi 4 is probably one of the most attractive shoes we have seen lately and this is because it looks clean, neat, but also sporty and almost like a lifestyle sneakers than running shoes.
The Kayano is a classic favorite and personally we have nothing against how it looks because this shoe’s performance is already very well-known but, in comparison the shoes does look like a stability one. It is very robust and firm on the outside, especially combined with the logo. The foam is thick however making the shoes look very stable and as you can see, there is a rear reinforcement as well meant to improve the stability. Additionally, Kayano is heavier than Arahi 4 from Hoka.
Asics Kayano and Hoka Upper
Moving to the most important part, let’s see what the Asics Kayano and Hoka shoes can offer starting from the upper. We still can’t move our eyes from how handsome the Arahi 4 is but in terms of material both use mesh just like many other shoes. The Hoka one does look thinner however probably for the less padding inside and you can notice how slim the collar is in this shoe compared to the extra thick Kayano. It has a tab however to help when wearing and removing the shoes.
In terms of fit, the thinner Hoka may cause an issue if you have wider feet and this shoe is true to size. At first we found there are some spots that get uncomfortable yet it may go away or stretch after a few runs. The Kayano is plush and since the upper material is thick, it provides some stability by holding your feet in an ideal position too. What makes it more stable is the MetaClutch exoskeleton heel system that you can find on the rear part of Kayano series.
Asics Kayano and Hoka Sole
Next we want to talk about the sole too and they do feel quite different. If you are familiar with Asics stability shoes, they use this trusstic system or a design that runs on the midfoot in order to make the sole more stable. Arahi 4 has similar feature as well called J-Frame technology to help the shoes to become more stable. The materials are different but they seem to be based on the same idea and since the two are different companies, they call them with different names as well.
Kayano for example is made of AHAR, Flytefoam and propel material to deliver cushioning that is also flexible and bouncy. The gel improves the sole’s ability to absorb shock from your feet striking the ground. Hoka Arahi 4 has this RMAT EVA which is a lightweight rubber and on the heel it is featured with Meta-Rocker geometry to allow the shoes to have smooth impact, transition, and toe offs.
Asics Kayano and Hoka Experience
Lastly, both Asics Kayano and Hoka are very comfortable but they are not the same. We do think they will feel great as your daily trainer or walking shoes too. The faster pace is better when you wear Kayano because both the upper and sole are equally stabilizing yet, not too much that it causes discomfort for neutral runners. The Hoka feels great as well but sometimes it turns to be cushiony and the lightweight upper is not helping much at keeping the feet.
Asics Kayano Vs Hoka
Just like many other shoes, these two are good but different. Besides the noticeable difference in price point, both Asics Kayano and Hoka are also delivering different experiences. The Arahi from Hoka is softer and while it is incorporating some stability design, we don’t think it feels as robust when used for running especially at higher speed. On the other hand the cushioning of Kayano is not enough for long range and it will start to get uncomfortable with higher distance.
Conclusion
The choice is all yours based on which seems to work better in your application or preference but, if you have a pronation that needs a stability shoe, we will highly recommend the Kayano line especially the newer models for how stable they feel.