HOKA Clifton 11.
The comfort-first easy-miles trainer, lighter and airier than ever. RunRepeat was pleasantly surprised by its lighter build, excellent breathability, and improved flexibility — a plush, all-day daily shoe. The catch is the foam: the CMEVA midsole still returns low energy, which holds it back at faster paces and makes the $155 price hard to justify for some.
The Verdict.
Gavler Meta-Score
“The easy-comfort pick. Buy it for plush, breathable, all-day comfort on easy and recovery miles in a shoe that is now lighter and more flexible than past Cliftons. Do not buy it for speed or value: RunRepeat found the unchanged CMEVA foam returns low energy that holds it back at faster paces, and at $155 the more versatile Mach 7 or Wave Rider 30 are the smarter buys for runners who want range.”
The Gavler Verdict
Where to Buy.
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Precision Engineering
Softer CMEVA Midsole
The foam is softer than past Cliftons for easy-paced comfort, but RunRepeat found it still returns low energy — the shoe's main limitation.
Lighter Build
RunRepeat was pleasantly surprised by the weight cut, which makes the Clifton 11 feel nimbler than its tall stack suggests.
Upgraded, Breathable Upper
A softer, roomier upper with excellent breathability and improved flexibility — the standout update this generation.
Technical Specifications
The Scoreboard
The 8.9 reflects real, lab-confirmed improvements — RunRepeat praised the lighter build, excellent breathability and better flexibility — set against a weakness RunRepeat has flagged for several versions: the CMEVA foam returns low energy, holding the shoe back at faster paces and, in their words, making the $155 price hard to justify for some. It scores as an excellent easy-day comfort shoe rather than an all-rounder.
Cast Your Vote
Do you think HOKA Clifton 11 deserves the #10 spot in Best Running Shoes?
Global Critique
“We were pleasantly surprised by its lighter build, excellent breathability, and improved flexibility.”
“We found in the lab that the CMEVA midsole still delivers low energy return, which clearly holds the shoe back at faster paces.”
“The Clifton 11 works best as a comfort-first daily trainer for easy miles and all-day use, but the outdated foam tech makes its price difficult to justify for some runners.”
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