Walking Boots

HOKA ONE ONE Stinson Mid GTX | Review

This new release from HOKA ONE ONE is about as cushioned as walking boots get

Why We Chose The HOKA ONE ONE Stinson Mid GTX: Great cushioning, quality materials, lightweight

HOKA ONE ONE have brought out a walking boot version of their popular running/walking shoe the Stinson and this thing is ultra, ultra cushioned. It is, in fact, the highest volume mid sole across Hoka’s entire range.

Who Is The Stinson Mid GTX For?

This would make for a great boot for trekking in, particularly if that trek is on any well worn trails. It’s built for long-distance comfort, with that plush cushioning sure to be of benefit on anything rocky or compacted. Considering the flexibility of the sole and overall lightweight nature of the boot, we’d say it’s best suited to three-season use.

Materials and Construction

The upper features a lovely nubuck leather – which comes pre-treated with a water resistant wax – and a Gore-Tex membrane for full waterproof protection. There’s a minor toe bumper to protect the upper (and your toes) from rocks etc, a tall ankle cuff with a comfy moulded foam and then side wings that work well with the laces and the tongue to give a wraparound that holds your foot in place securely but still comfortably.

“Throughout the day, they certainly had felt very, very comfortable”

Underfoot, you have a removable ergonomically-shaped midsole, the plush CMEVA midsole (which is over an thick) and then a ‘podular’ outsole which involves a mix of foam lugs which are part of the midsole, and then rubber bits of lugged tread that are glued onto it. The heel-to-toe drop is 5mm, very neutral then. This will help to prevent you from heel striking too much and subsequently putting a lot of stress on your knees and lower back.

The 'podular' outsole is a mix of exposed midsole and rubber tread. Photo: Mike Brindley

The heel to toe drop is just 5mm – as tends to be the usual style with Hoka shoes . Photo Mike Brindley

There’s a minor toe bumper to protect the upper. Photo: Mike Brindley

With that kind of height off the ground, you’d think stability would be an issue, but it’s fortunately not. That’s because HOKA have made the sole unit platform very wide. There’s also a satisfying amount of roll-off to it, helping you to naturally propel you along the trail – a feature that’ll help preserve energy levels throughout the day.

Tester’s Verdict

Will Renwick, editor of Outdoors Magic

“I’ve run in HOKA ONE ONE shoes before and have found them very useful on the right kind of runs, particularly long ones on hard ground. So the idea of a walking boot with their same tech did intrigue me.

“After a few big days out in the Lake District hiking in the Stinson Mid GTX with a very heavy pack on my bag, I’ve actually been really impressed by certain aspects of it.”

Hiking up to the summit of Blencathra in the Stinson Mid GTX. Photo: Jordan Tiernan

“There was a point at the end of one of the days where one of the guys who was walking with me commented on how sore their feet were, and I realised that mine felt fine, even though we had been descending sharply for a long time. Throughout the day, they certainly had felt very, very comfortable – more comfortable than any walking boots I’ve worn actually. That’s not just down to the amount of cushioning either, as I’d say I really felt the benefit of the amount of rock the sole has.

“The downside is that you don’t get much proprioception for the trail you’re on, with the feel for the terrain muted quite heavily.

“It feels like a well made boot, with quality materials”

“As for the grip and precision on rock, I didn’t find that to be as good as I’d like. On steep muddy and grassy descents, however, the traction was excellent. I was really impressed about that aspect of the Stinson.

“It feels like a well-made boot, with quality features and materials throughout. That nubuck leather, for instance, is impressively water and dirt resistant and quick drying as well, while the Gore-Tex membrane did its job until water started coming in through the top of the ankle via my sodden trousers on one particularly wet day (this wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t forgotten my waterproof overtrousers).”

The Stinson Mid out in the Lakes. Photo: Jordan Tiernan

“My verdict then? If I was going on a long trail hike during summer, I’d certainly consider wearing these for the job. If they mean less sore feet and knees by the end of the day then why not? However, if I was specifically going somewhere that might involve a lot of uneven, rocky surfaces – somewhere like the Cairngorms or the Glyderau in Snowdonia, then I’d probably want to opt for something a little closer to the ground and more precise.”