HOKA Tecton X 3 Review

The Tecton X 3 (along with the Speedgoat 6) have been two of the most anticipated shoe releases of 2024 and with reason. Taking a shoe that runners already love and showcasing the next version years in advance (always Jim Walmsley at UTMB) builds the hype even more. Well here are our initial thoughts on version 3 of the HOKA Tecton trail shoe.

Fit: They feel like slippers. The sock upper is something we saw in the Zinal 2 and I believe we'll see featured in future HOKA models. It's just so nice to not have dirt and debris creep into your shoes. The foam feels premium and is stiffer and more durable than what you'd find in a standard marathon supershoe. The upper is hard to get a snug fit as it's so stretchy (which I appreciate). The length is true to size across other HOKA shoes but feels big - there's no extra eyelet to lace lock your heel in place so having a little extra space is makes sense as your toes will slide forward naturally. 

Trail Test: I took these out on the first half of a long mountain run on Franconia Ridge. I knew that the diversity of trail would reveal any weakness in this shoe, and there were a few. First off, with any new shoe, there will be a break-in period where the upper will stretch and the insole will pack out. After an hour of climbing I re-tied the laces when things started to feel sloppy. That helped out but they still have so much stretch that I had a hard time trusting the shoes. I think subbing in a SIDAS insole will alleviate some of this issue and provide much needed arch support too. The technical terrain is not what these were designed for and I knew that going into this run. The shoes didn't want to contour to the chunky and off-camber trail the same way the predecessors did (I absolutely loved the X 2s in the Whites for fast efforts). Where they shined was on the loamy non-tecnical trail below treeline. The shoes feel light and sporty with excellent traction. The outsole is improved over the X 2s with a better and more aggressive lug pattern (see photo below). On our final descent, we had several stream crossings and I ran right through loading the shoes up with water. They continued to stay wet for the remainder of the descent whereas most of the other models would have drained a bit more. I changed into the Mafates for the second half of the day but I was left with a solid opinion of the shoes.

Pros:

• These are the most comfortable HOKAs I've tried to date. The sock gaiter + stretchy upper + super foam just feels so good.
• They are fast. With the carbon plates and responsive foam, they want to go.
• Great for moderately technical trail but can still get you up and down some of the heavy tech terrain.

Cons: 

• Don't drain well, hold water, and felt hot. 
• Lack of arch support. I'm usually not too picky about this but after a long run, I was wishing I had better insoles / arch structure.
• Sloppy fit and feel for technical trail. I could have seen this coming but I can now confirm that you'd be better off with a Speedgoat, Mafate, or Tecton X 2 if you wanted a White Mountain Trail Shoe. 

Final Thoughts: This is an incredible shoe that I'll be running in a ton this fall, just not much above treeline. I think it really shines at the 4 hour distance on dry dusty trail with moderate climbs and descents. The only other shoe I have experience with and can compare to would be the Terrex Aggravic Speed Ultra which is another excellent shoe, but I keep that to dirt carriage roads and MTB trails at most, whereas the Tectons I would dip into technical terrain and not be overly concerned about performance or lack thereof. Purchase the HOKA Tecton X 3 here.