{"id":12980,"date":"2022-04-05T10:17:55","date_gmt":"2022-04-05T08:17:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.220triathlon.com\/?p=96407"},"modified":"2022-04-05T10:39:11","modified_gmt":"2022-04-05T08:39:11","slug":"is-hokas-carbon-x-3-the-shoe-to-help-transform-your-performance","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/rss_feed\/is-hokas-carbon-x-3-the-shoe-to-help-transform-your-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Hoka\u2019s Carbon X 3 the shoe to help transform your performance?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Rob Slade\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 05 April 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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If you stare at people\u2019s feet for long enough on race days (strange, we know, but not without cause) you\u2019ll have noticed a growing trend over the past decade. Namely that more and more athletes are now cladding their feet in shoes from Hoka\u2019s unmistakable range of footwear.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s the case across both pro and amateur ranks, with Dave Jewell\u2019s infamous \u2018Kona Shoe Count\u2019 revealing the brand was the most popular choice at the Ironman World Champs in Hawaii in 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n

Though we\u2019ve been without triathlon\u2019s most iconic event for the past two years, we\u2019d bet a substantial wad of cash that the same will be true for the year ahead.<\/span><\/p>\n

Only now there\u2019s a raft of carbon racing shoes vying to be the most popular shoe for pro triathletes too. Among them is <\/span>the new Hoka Carbon X 3<\/a><\/strong>, three-time Ironman world champion Jan Frodeno\u2019s go-to Hoka shoe according to the brand.<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll get to the Carbon X 3 in a minute, but first, let\u2019s take a look where this shoe came from\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

The Hoka Carbon X series is born<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Hoka\u2019s first-ever Carbon X running shoe<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

After more than three years of development, Hoka launched the Carbon X in 2019. At the time, then director of design Matthew Head told <\/span>220<\/span><\/i>: \u201cWe\u2019re been implementing carbon fibre technology in our footwear gradually over the last five years.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe carbon plate is designed to help the amplified Meta-Rocker present in the Carbon X retain its shape over long miles and many uses, ensuring the geometry remains efficient and that there\u2019s minimal breakdown in that efficient gait cycle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t act as a spring, but rather as a lever, keeping the shoe and the athlete using it as efficient as possible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The shoe helped Brit Joe Skipper to a win at Ironman Florida, where he clocked a 2:39:01 marathon, while our expert gear testers praised it for its \u2018impressive forward thrust\u2019 and \u2018comfy inner\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Carbon X 2 followed just over a year later promising an evolution of what came before. After testing the shoe for <\/span>220<\/span><\/i>, reviewer <\/span>James Witts wrote<\/a><\/strong> that the shoe was \u2018perfect for longer runs and tempo work\u2019, while also praising its stability and the extremely comfortable upper.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoka Carbon X 3: The story continues\u2026<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Jan Frodeno runs in the new Hoka Carbon X 3 running shoes<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

And now Hoka has announced the latest in the series, <\/span>the Carbon X 3<\/a><\/strong>, a shoe that the brand says delivers an even more propulsive ride than the X 2 and has been reworked to help every athlete reach new heights. So what\u2019s new?<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, for a start there\u2019s an energised new foam midsole that the brand says offers even more propulsion than the X 2 and while providing \u2018optimal cushioning in a lightweight package\u2019 (it\u2019s 17g lighter than the X 2 for men and 10g lighter for women).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoka says this combines with the brand\u2019s iconic Meta-Rocker and carbon fibre plate (the same one as is found in the X 2) to deliver a propulsive, efficient ride. Meanwhile, the rubberised EVA sole is said to provide a softer and more responsive experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the new upper, with a reworked premium knit designed to offer an improved fit while delivering breathable performance. At the rear, you\u2019ll find an extended heel tab designed to make it easier to pull the shoe on and off, which is exactly what you need in T2.<\/span><\/p>\n

Geometry-wise, you\u2019re looking at a 5mm drop in both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s version (men\u2019s: 32mm heel, 27mm forefoot; women\u2019s: 30mm heel, 25mm forefoot).<\/span><\/p>\n

Find out more<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Is the Carbon X 3 the shoe\u2019s best version yet?<\/b><\/h2>\n
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We\u2019ve already got our hands on the X 3 for a review, with our tester giving it an impressive rating of 88% and saying the shoe \u2018performs best over tempo efforts and makes a solid companion for longer distances\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

In our review, we had this to add: \u2018It looks stylish and performance-ready, feels extremely light and is flexible when on. The material expands comfortably as the foot swells during long runs, while the sock liner and oversized heel tab means it\u2019s quick and easy to slip your foot into it \u2013 ideal for a swift T2.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018The softer EVA midsole is great at absorbing impact and feels soft on the joints. There\u2019s propulsion a-plenty thanks to the same \u2018responsive carbon fibre plate and aggressive Meta-Rocker\u2019 as seen in the X 2. Meanwhile, the curved geometry with 5mm drop encourages a smooth rolling movement from heel-strike to toe-off, helping to maintain an efficient foot strike.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Find out more<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hoka Carbon X 3 gallery<\/b><\/h2>\n
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By Rob Slade Published: Tuesday, 05 April 2022 at 12:00 am If you stare at people\u2019s feet for long enough on race days (strange, we know, but not without cause) you\u2019ll have noticed a growing trend over the past decade. Namely that more and more athletes are now cladding their feet in shoes from Hoka\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":12981,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"5"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/04\/is-hokas-carbon-x-3-the-shoe-to-help-transform-your-performance.jpg",2000,1333,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/04\/is-hokas-carbon-x-3-the-shoe-to-help-transform-your-performance-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/04\/is-hokas-carbon-x-3-the-shoe-to-help-transform-your-performance-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/04\/is-hokas-carbon-x-3-the-shoe-to-help-transform-your-performance-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/04\/is-hokas-carbon-x-3-the-shoe-to-help-transform-your-performance-1024x682.jpg",800,533,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/04\/is-hokas-carbon-x-3-the-shoe-to-help-transform-your-performance-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/04\/is-hokas-carbon-x-3-the-shoe-to-help-transform-your-performance.jpg",2000,1333,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Rob Slade Published: Tuesday, 05 April 2022 at 12:00 am If you stare at people\u2019s feet for long enough on race days (strange, we know, but not without cause) you\u2019ll have noticed a growing trend over the past decade. Namely that more and more athletes are now cladding their feet in shoes from Hoka\u2019s…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/12980"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}