Basketball sneaker aesthetics meet pinnacle running shoe technology in the HOKA Mafate X Hike
The end result is visually stunning but impractical for serious hiking
For hiking footwear with the aesthetic of Lebron James’ signature basketball sneakers, check out the HOKA Mafate X Hiking Boots. It’s the most unique looking and controversial pair of shoes to have ever graced my feet as a reviewer, and nothing else even comes close. The of it is that they are great boots for the purpose of blending streetwear and gorpcore fashion, and it’s sweet that they’re built with all of the most advanced running shoe technology. Despite that, these boots don’t take themselves seriously, and lack the dialed-in functionality we’ve come to expect from HOKA.
Summary of HOKA Mafate X Hiking Boots
- Price: $250
- Weight: 16.3 oz per shoe
- Length/Width: True to size
- Peers: HOKA Speedgoat Mid, HOKA Anacapa Mid, Altra Lone Peak Hiker Boots, Altra Olympus Mid
- Pros: Unique aesthetic. Uses all the best running shoe technology. Cushy dual foam midsole. Forked carbon plate. Good traction. Recco reflector.
- Cons: Controversial. Clumsy. Hot neoprene collar. Design doesn’t take itself seriously. Breakable plastic componentry. Clumsy. Decorative bumps will abrade off. Loose heel lockdown. Boots in general are less efficient than shoes.
For all of our favorite hiking footwear, check out our guide to the best trail runners, where multiple HOKAs are prominently recommended.
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Close up on smiley face tread pattern :)
Expanded Pros of HOKA Mafate X Hike
Unique aesthetic
There’s no denying that the HOKA Mafate X Hiking Boots are an eye-catching pair. I personally love the combination of yellow, white, and blue with red and black accents. It wouldn’t shock me to learn that whoever designed this look was poached straight from Nike’s basketball shoe department. There are numerous interesting textures that catch the eye. Most notable are the bumps which contrast the HOKA’s wordmark overlay, but also its ridged heels and black lining under the blue mesh. Seriously, these look like the kind of boots that will.i.am would wear for hiking in space.
Uses all the best running shoe technology and materials
HOKA Mafate X Hiking Boots borrow all of the best features and materials from the brands signature trail running shoes. That is to say, we note the use of forked carbon plate, high tech dual layer PEBA/EVA foam, Vibram Megagrip rubber, single-pull lacing, and a RECCO reflector to boot (no pun intended). The majority of hiking shoes, let alone trail running shoes, lack most of these elements. To be clear, we’ll take all of the premium features and materials without complaint. But back to basketball, this feels more like an All-Star Game team, less like a dialed-in championship winning team.
Forked carbon plate
Forked carbon plates are an emerging technology developed for runners that creates more bounce, increasing energy return with each step. That being said, it’s commonly believed that this isn’t as effective for hiking as it is for running, because the impact of a runner’s stride would yield greater bounce than a hiker’s step. For now though, we’re still willing to believe that it’s additive to the overall shoe until proven otherwise.
Cushy dual foam, use of PEBA
The two layer midsole is pulled directly from the Mafata X running shoes, and features premium PEBA foam on top – which also boosts energy return derived from extra bounce – with EVA foam on the lower half to absorb impact. The dual foam places each material where it performs best, and yields a better performance when combined than any single foam by itself.
Good traction
Vibram Megagrip rubber outsoles remain the best-in-class material for gripping trails, and the tread shape is moderately aggressive. As silly as it is, the smiley face pattern on the lugs is unique and had me grinning ear to ear when I realized it was there. I’ve never seen anything like it before.
Recco reflector
In a disaster scenario, RECCO inserts help SAR teams pinpoint your exact location by passively reflecting a heli-broadcasted signal back to the search party. This tech is more commonly found in backcountry ski and mountaineering equipment, but it never hurts to have. That being said, shoes are an unusual place to install a reflector; they are more commonly found in jackets.
Expanded Cons of HOKA Mafate X Hike
Controversial
Showing a pair of HOKA Mafate X Hiking Boots to anyone and it’s guaranteed to generate a reaction. As someone who appreciates sweet basketball kicks, my reaction was positive. But your granola hiker friends, and anyone who prioritizes function over fashion, are likely to scoff. The idea of a best-in-class performance running shoe brand releasing a gorpcore boot was always going to be controversial.
Clumsy
While the stack height is unlisted, I assume it to be identical to the Mafate X trail runners, which would be 49mm. That’s really tall, and places your feet on a mountain of foam. While in many ways that increases comfort, the feel of walking on clouds disconnects you from any sense of ground feel, disrupting balance, raising center of gravity, and increasing the likelihood of small stumbles. Specifically, you have to adjust your stride slightly by adding a centimeter or two of height to each step to ensure you don’t accidentally scrape over rocks.
Hot neoprene collar
While I love the look of the blue mesh ankle collar, its black neoprene backer seals in warm damp air. This makes your feet hotter, sweatier, softer; and more likely to blister after so many miles. I don’t agree with this design choice at all – many other materials could have been used that would offer just as much support with better breathability.
Breakable plastic componentry
Despite adding another texture to the already interesting mix on the surface of HOKA Mafate X Hiking Boots, the protruding plastic lace supports on either side seem likely to break over time.
Decorative bumps will abrade off
The sides of these boots are covered in textural glue dots (silicone I think?) that are guaranteed to come off over time. Boots will rub against rocks and roots, it happens. Even if it’s silicone and not plastic, this contributes to manmade microplastic materials build up on the trail.
Design does not take itself seriously from a performance perspective.
Because of design choices like smiley faces on the rubber outsole and the functionally-completely-unnecessary silicone dot sidewall texture, it’s hard to trust these from a performance perspective. Were they actually designed for optimal hiking, or simply to look cool? I can’t read the designer’s minds to know for sure, but my guess is 80% the latter, 20% the former. In which case…success! Furthermore, the combination of premium features, materials, and technologies, feels a bit hodgepodge. For example, is a single user of these shoes going to end up being rescued because of the Recco reflector? Does a forked carbon plate make sense for hiking – not running – shoes?
Loose Heel Lockdown
I have narrower-than-average heels. Therefore, I have always struggled with, and am acutely aware of, heel cupping and lockdown failure. That is, how much does your heel lift off the surface of the insole with each stride before the rest of the shoe follows? I find this boot to be particularly loose in the heel department, and recommend looking elsewhere if you have narrow heels. It will lift off with each step.
Boots are less efficient than shoes
For most people, hiking in trail running shoes – not boots – is the correct choice. Compared to ankle boots, trail running shoes are lighter, faster, comfier, more mobile, more breathable, and decrease the likelihood of blisters. That’s why 99% of thru-hikers choose to complete their 2000+ mile walk in shoes, not boots. It’s a myth that the ankle support offered by boots is necessary, or even healthy. Wear low top running shoes and your ankles will naturally strengthen, eliminating the need for boots in the first place. And to be clear, this is a con of all mid-tops and high-tops; the HOKA Mafate X Hiking Boots are no exception.
Plastic lace tensioning hardwear could break, textural dots will abrade off
Neoprene collar seals in heat. Note the decorative exterior heel ridges
Who Should Choose It
Reasons to choose HOKA Mafate X Hiking Boots
- You have bold style and want to stand out on the trail or street with an original and highly unique aesthetic
- You appreciate the art of basketball sneaker design, which seems to have inspired these boots
- You love cushy comfy foam midsoles, these are very thick
- You’re hiking in cool dry weather, these run warm thanks to the neoprene collar
- You’ll use them on relative level trails – these feel too clumsy for technical terrain
Reasons not to choose HOKA Mafate X Hiking Boots
- You want the highest performance hiking footwear – in which case choose trail running shoes instead of boots
- You want a purely functional shoe and don’t care about aesthetics
- You want a waterproof boot – these are not waterproof
- You’re hiking in hot weather – these run warm because of the neoprene collar
- You have narrow ankles, which aren’t compatible with the loose heel cup
Look at that thicc midsole
HOKA Mafate X Hiking Boots Vs the Competition
I don’t claim to be an expert in the realm of mid-top trail running/hiking boot hybrids. But if you’re comparing HOKA Mafate X Hiking boots to similar models, these are also worth considering based on my love of their base low top trail runner versions.
HOKA Challenger 8 are my current favorite HOKAs
So Which Are My Favorite Hokas?
If you want a pair of superbly comfortable and versatile HOKAs, I recommend the Challenger 8, my current favorite model. They are extremely breathable, very cushy, and have a hybrid tread that works well on all surfaces. I recently wore a pair for a 300 mile Sierra Section hike and got zero blisters. I love my Challengers 8s, and bet you will too! Read more about them in our HOKA Challenge 8 Review.
HOKA Mafate X Hiking Boots Review Conclusion
If HOKA set out to make the coolest looking, and most original hiking boots on the market, they definitely succeeded. I applaud this boundary pushing design and personally love the basketball sneaker aesthetic. But designing premium performance footwear takes more than throwing all of the best running shoe technologies into a decorative hiking boot chassis and stirring. All said and done, we recommend serious hikers to avoid these boots and choose from among HOKA’s many best-in-class trail running shoes instead. For me, it’s straight back to Challenger 8.
