HOKA | Men’s Clifton 9 Running Shoes – Midnight Ocean

Advice for Road Runners: The HOKA Men’s Clifton 9 are one of our top recommendations as a daily trainer. Why? They’re light, cushioned and rock your feet forward. We’re big fans of the Midnight Ocean/Bluesteel colourway. They’re also one of the best running shoes for walking.

Underfoot Feel

The cushioning in the HOKA Clifton 9 feels exceptionally light. It’s amazing they’ve managed to make them feel so padded and protective considering this. The responsive nature of the midsole compliments the Meta-Rocker. To explain further, the curved midsole rolls your feet forward, lowering the stress on the calf area. 

The Clifton 9 cushioning feels very stable. While the midsole is wide, your feet also sit into it. That’s the because the midsole walls rise up around your feet. This holistic support keeps your feet and legs in check. We think this is a great feature on days when your legs are feeling a bit tired. 

Upper Fit

The plush heel collar on the HOKA Clifton 9 locks your ankle in securely. At the same time, the extended heel tab reduces the chances of rubbing. In our experience, the Clifton has an accommodating fit. Meaning it suits a range of foot shapes. While you’re likely to feel the midsole walls on the sides, these don’t rub. 

We do stock the wide fit Clifton 9 at Run4It, if you have broader fit. As HOKA only converts men’s US to UK sizes by half a size, we recommend choosing your normal US running shoe size.

Ideal Run Type

If you’re looking for running shoes that will make your daily miles feel easier, the HOKA Men’s Clifton 9 are a great choice. This is because they feel well cushioned and the rocker takes the strain off your lower leg muscles. It’s normal for calf muscles to get tight from running, as they’re exposed to so much force going through them.

We know some runners mix up their training over the course of the week. On the easier days, when you’re recovering from a harder session, the HOKA Clifton feels great. If you think you need a bit more cushioning for these runs, you should check out the HOKA Bondi.

The HOKA Clifton 9 is also a great option for walking. That’s because the curved midsole rolls your feet forward, which can alleviate the strain on them. If you’re suffering from plantar fascia pain, these are one of the running shoes we would recommend looking at. 

Shoe size is a personal preference and everyone’s feet are different, but we want to ensure you avoid any pain or discomfort from bruised toenails, rubbing, blistering or pins and needles.

Your running shoes should have enough width to allow you to spread your toes and should have some space at the front (we recommend having a half to one thumb’s width of space from the end of your longest toe to the front of your running shoes).

This usually means that your running shoe will be at least a half size bigger than your regular shoe size though this can vary from brand to brand.

Technical Features

• Approximate weight: 248 grams
• Forefoot stack height: 27 mm
• Heel stack height: 32 mm
• Drop: 5 mm
• Gusseted tongue
• Early stage Meta-Rocker
• Inherently stable geometry 
• Durabrasion rubber
• Recycled polyester laces
• Recycled content mesh
• Vegan