Hoka Tecton X 4 Shoe Review

I wore the Hoka Tecton X 4 for my first ever trail race: The Vermont Overland Trail in Ascutney, VT. Overland is not like many other trail races in the northeast because it is fast and runnable the entire time. The terrain is a mix of winding single track and gravel roads with approximately 2,500 feet of climbing over 15+ miles. I figured I could get away with a more aggressive shoe built for faster, less technical terrain because there weren’t going to be any trails as technical as the terrain we have in the White Mountain National Forest. I come from a road and track background, so I wanted to try out a trail supershoe with a carbon plate, because I’m super comfortable using supershoes on the roads. The Hoka Tecton X 4 seemed to fit the bill.

Fit and Initial Thoughts

I initially tried a size 9 in the Tecton X 3, but it felt too big, so I went down to an 8.5 in the 4. Compared to the 3, the 4 is 0.5 oz lighter, which is ideal for a racing shoe. The upper is slightly more breathable as well, but it seemed more durable to me at the same time. I was worried about the little woven gaiter-style collar making my feet too hot, but I didn’t notice it at all, and absolutely nothing got in my shoe, even in the rain with mud flying everywhere. However, it was downpouring on my first test run in the 4, and the shoes did seem to get pretty waterlogged.

Ride and Feel

The biggest thing I love about this shoe is the free speed I felt like it gave me. It definitely has lots of cushion and a high stack height (40 mm heel, 35 mm forefoot), which makes it feel super bouncy and aggressive. The drop is 5 mm, which is about standard for many trail shoes. It’s got a fairly wide base compared to some other race-oriented shoes I considered such as the Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2. The wide base was great for Overland because it allowed me to take advantage of the very runnable gravel sections. I got a fair bit of energy return and didn’t have to think about where my feet were hitting the ground. The lighter weight was noticeable on the uphill sections of the race. I didn’t feel like I was dragging my feet uphill. Despite the bulky look of the shoe (mostly due to the collar and stack height), they’re very light.

Grip and Descending

When descending, I had complete trust in the shoe, largely because of the Vibram Megagrip, which is a super reliable outsole. I will say that my foot did slide forward a bit, which irritated my toes. I think this could have been prevented if I used the extra upper eyelets (which were actually an addition to the 4 that the previous model didn’t have). I was also hammering the descents, going sub 6:00 minute pace at multiple points during the race. In a longer race at slower descending speeds, I suspect this would have been less of an issue.

Conclusion

Overall, the Hoka Tecton X 4 ended up being exactly what I wanted for a race like Overland. It’s light, fast, responsive, and aggressive enough to take advantage of runnable terrain, while still giving me enough stability and grip that I could descend hard without thinking too much about my footing. Lastly, style is a very important thing to consider on race day, and I love the look of these shoes. The colorway is super crisp for racing and I think the collar is cute. I probably wouldn’t choose it for the most technical terrain in the White Mountains, but for fast trail races, gravel-heavy courses, and runnable singletrack, it’s a shoe I’d absolutely race in again.