Hoka Skyward X review: Asics Superblast rival tested by 3 runners (2024)

The Hoka Skyward X is a running shoe best described as Hoka’s answer to the emergence of the max cushion super trainer.

With a big stack of Peba foam, a frame of EVA super critical foam and a carbon plate, the Skyward X is promising to be a shoe you can use for your long runs and also let you pick the pace up too.

Testers Nick, Mike and Kieran have all been putting the Skyward X to the run test to find out if Hoka has a great shoe in the Skyward X, or this is another X miss like the Bondi X.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Intro
00:09 – Price and key stats
01:06 – How does it fit?
03:46 – The Run Test
14:11 – Verdict

More ways to enjoy The Run Testers
Subscribe:
Follow Us:
Listen to The Run Testers Podcast:
Watch The Run Testers Shorts:

Some other videos you might find useful:
Asics Superblast Review:
On Cloudmonster Hyper review:
Best Super Trainers 2023:
Adidas Boston 12 Review:
Asics Superblast vs Saucony Kinvara Pro:
On Cloudeclipse Review:

Hey this is M from the Run testers and This is our multitester review of the Hawker Skyward [Music] X so here's the rundown of those key Haw Skyward X specs the skyex is a new line For Hawker and it's priced at £185 in The UK and $225 in the US Weight Wise it Comes in at 300 G in a UK men size 8 it Has a 5 mm drop with a stack height of 48 mm at the heel and 43 mm at the 4ot the upper is a flat knit one that's Designed to offer a sock likee fit the Midsole features a big stack of peber With hawker's Eva based super critical Foam combining with hawker's signature Met rocker to help provide a smooth and Stable ride nestled inside that Jewel Density mids salt lies a carbon plate to Provide some punch in this aspiring Max Cushion super trainer down below you'll Find a high abrasion rubber out to make Sure the skyex is fit to Sak up plenty Of long [Music] Runs so in terms of fit I've had my Skyex in a UK size8 that is my typical Running shoe size that is typically the Shoe size I go for in Hawker shoes and Generally works for me now what would Say about the Skyward X is that is not Typically Hawker in the sense that Generally most of its shoes are pretty Narrow fitting I've got pretty skinny

Feet so generally that works for me on This is Sho it's definitely a little More accommodating I think the upper um The material here you're getting does Dictate it being a little bit more Accommodating it's definitely pretty Spacious up front in the toes felt very Happy in terms of being a shoe that I Want to run long in and won't feel too Cramped up front there then when you go Back into the midf foot it still kind of Maintains that kind of wider more Accommodating fit it may mean that you Might need to work to make sure you get A good lock down with these laces and on This kind of pretty padded tongue again To kind of emphasize that kind of comier Fit that you're getting here in general In this upper um in terms of the Hill Collar nothing kind of you know it's not Over excessive in terms of that padding Um it's kind of nice and easy to kind of Take off when you're done running as Well no term nothing in terms of kind of Um heel rub you know any lockdown issues There as well so for me going true to Size of the shoe has been absolutely Fine as I said it's pretty roomy and Accommodating particularly at the Midfoot and the for foot of the shoe and If you like the idea of a hawah shoe That is a little bit more spacious this Is going to be a shoe I think that's Going to appeel for me going through

Size been absolutely fine so I found That the sky X fit me well in my normal Running shoe size I generally get on Pretty well with Hawker shoes when it Comes to the sizing I am a uk9 but a Small uk9 so the fact that they convert To a us99.5 rather than a us10 like some Brands usually means I get a pretty good Fit I have enough room in the toe box I Also have a narrow foot so again usually Get on with hoker shoes but although I Don't think this is the narrowest shoe It certainly seems a bit wider than Stuff like the macx had a good hold Around the heel and midfoot held in Place nicely at the back of the shoe There's a bit more going on with the tab At the back back here then with other Hookah shoes I always find that hookah Shoes don't irritate my achilles at all Normally but a little bit more going on With this one so I'm not such a big fan Of how high it is but in general the fit Was very good for me in my normal Running shoe size now in testing I ran In my regular Hoka shoe size which is a UK 8 and a half and I think these follow The pretty standard Hoka blueprint They're very snug perhaps bordering on The tight there's excellent midfoot lock Down there's really good heel hold I had No problems there at all as ever they're Quite narrow at the back of the toe box And there's not a huge amount of wiggle

Room further up into the toe box itself If you're familiar with the H of then I'd say this is really just more of the Same I'd say I just about got away with Going true to size in these but I think Some people might benefit from going Half a size up if you like it a bit more Roomy if there's a wide version and You've got wider or higher volume feet Then I think that' be worth the look [Music] Too so I've done over 60k in the Skyward X now and I've really tried to focus my Running time on where I think this shoe Is best designed for or where pocka Thinks you know you're going to be using This shoe so I think first and foremost It's a shoe that you're going to want to Do long runs in so that's what I've Really kind of focused on uh my first Run was a 20 mile run kind of a Sunday Long marathon training run at kind of Around 8m mile Pace slightly just over Dropped it down to 720 730 minute mile Pace during that run as well too now my Biggest concern was the weight of this Shoe I think that's in general with Max Super trainer shoes you know are you Going to feel that weight now I've been Using the on cloud monster pper recently I've used a s cavara Pro things like new B SC Trainer V2 and I think those all Kind of sit in that kind of category of The same category that I think Skyward X

Belongs to like a Max cushion super Trainer um style shoe and I think in Terms of that weights I don't think it's As noticeable when you're running in the Shoe it never felt clumpy or you know Hard work to run in this shoe and I Think that's a real key thing for me That's the first thing I think positive For me you don't feel that way the same Way that I think you do in some of those Other shoes I mentioned and then I think What you're getting in the midsole here Which I think enables this shoe to be a Shoe that you can run a bit quicker in It do Tempo runs can run a little bit Faster in your kind of longer run Sessions as well um speed work maybe not I think namely the weight is not going To really lend itself to that but I do Think you can run a little bit quicker In this shoe when I did a kind of 10k Run at kind of 720 kind of 710 dropped It little bit quicker I didn't feel like It was uncomfortable to do that and I Said you the key thing for me is the Combination of what you're getting in The midsole you know having that kind of Big layer of kind of peber which is There to give you that kind of soft Feeling but not overly plush I don't Think on those long runs but then you Got that super critical foam from the Max 6 um for example you've got that Carbon plate in there as well too so

You're getting an you know kind of Energy a nice Lively ride that meta Rocker that kind of gets you quickly From Heel To Toe but it's stable as well You know that Eva kind of super critical Foam is creating a kind of foundation That makes sure that it rains in a Little bit but it's still got that Enjoyment in that ride as well smooth it Feels stable But ultimately it feels Enjoyable to run in the shoe and to run A little bit quicker in it I think that Was a real important thing for me Particular on that kind of 10k run I did And then the last run I did I think was A 12 M run again kind of replicating Similar to my 20 M first run in the shoe And it just felt solid again smooth Stable but if I wanted to run a little Bit more Tempo in the shoe it didn't Feel like it was you know it felt Awkward do and absolutely is in the Wheelhouse to be able to do that in this Shoe it feels like a fantastic shoe to Run long in I think if I was doing a Marin I really want to cruise in a shoe I really kind of value the Comfort Protection but also still having Something quite nice enjoyable in that Ride then this is a shoe I think can Offer that and F for me kind of feels Like he can deliver that um in terms of Kind of durability what I'm seeing in Terms of the out soole grip I mean it's

Been generally fine I've been mainly in Kind of dry conditions no kind of rainy Conditions but there's a fair amount of Rubber here you know it's not fully Encased in rubber there is some exposed Areas I'm I am seeing a little bit of Where and the inside here of the outsole Where that kind of exposed foam is but There's a good level of rubber in those Kind of focused areas of the outsole so I think you know is going to be a shoe That you can run long in and it's going To give you good life and I feel feel Confident that the outsole grip is going To be very solid overall and I've had Kind of no issues on that side of thing So for me real kind of positive Experience from the Hawker skyex in General I've had a good run every time I've put it on I've enjoyed putting it On you know it's not you know I've not Had that feeling I've got to go out and Run in this shoe it's a shoe that I've Put on I know that it feels comfortable I know that it's going to give me that Protection and that kind of sign that Softer plush feeling that I like over Those longer runs but not overly plush Because you've got that EVA foam there As well too and if I wanted to run a Little bit quicker in it I have felt I've been able to do that as well so I've run over 60k in the Hooka Skyward X I've been using it during the last few

Weeks of my marathon training so high Mileage weeks I've done a long run in The shoe of 15 miles done a few easy Runs and then a progression run today Where I move from easy to around my Marathon pace by the end around 3 Minutes 30 per kilometer Pace at the end Of the run today all in all I liked it a Lot more than I expected like when it Came in it just seemed so big and heavy I'm not huge fan of very big shoes in General I find that once they get to a Certain size they just you no matter how Fun and bouncy they are it's just it's Just a bit too much for me to use for Regular running and I've had to have Lots of shoes that I do think are really Good but probably not quite to my taste I still think that's a bit the case with The sky X it's not a shoe that I'd rush Out and grab for myself but I do think Loads of people are going to like the Shoe a lot and it does deliver what it Sets out to it is a very bouncy and Comfortable and fun shoe to use for easy And long runs and daily training in General it's also surprisingly stable There's a lot going on in the back of The shoe to try and stabilize it with This heel clip and the way you sit Within the foam and it has worked I Think I have any problems with stability It actually wasn't something that really Thought about at all in the shoe even

When running on cber roads run along Some trails in this shoe as well and It's just felt pretty comfortable and Solid and reliable throughout in all my Runs I'd say that I've been running at a Pace that's a little bit quicker than I Expected when I'm in the shoe which is You know a Hallmark of lots of plated Shoes but it's a bit more surprising With this shoe CU it is so big and it Does feel big on the foot but the long Run I did in near the 15 Mile the most First most of the first half was Downhill obviously just pounding Downhills in a shoe like this is very Fast very easy to do but then most of The second half was upill and actually It was felt a lot lighter and smoother And smaller on my foot than I expected I I did that whole run at a faster Pace Than I expected or was really intending To do I was just going to run on effort And heart rate and those were both nice And low throughout the run and it still Came out at decent pace has happened in All the easy runs in the shoe really it Just feels quite easy to cruise alonger This for a shoe at a slightly above your Expected Pace there's not really any Benefit to that I don't think you know Like if you're going to go out for an Easy run I don't really care about the Pace but it just shows you that there is A little bit of efficiency to this

Convex carbon plate and the Foams going On in there that do deliver a bouncy Ride that you know does deliver those Little Savings of effort that you have With carbon shoes in general there is an Upper limit to how fast I think you can Run in the shoe though I just don't Think it's as versatile as some other Super trainers like I wouldn't want to Take this down the track and do fast Reps in it at the end of the run today Running kind of the last few K around 340 330 a k Pace it it's just a bit too Big for it like you can do it and it Wasn't like I was you know my effort was Much harder than normal to lift this big Shoe up it still felt fairly smooth you Certainly get the bounce there but Just just felt a bit too big and heavy For me for that kind of running like It's about 320 gram in my size now it's Not heavy given how big it is but it is A lot heavier than other super trainers Some like the super blast is 250 grams In my size for example so and I just Prefer that lighter fter shoe even Though you know the tradeoff here is you Get loads of Bounce because it is such a Big shoe I just would rather have the Smaller shoe I don't think I'm engaging The full level of the foam here as a High Cadence Runner who's not that heavy Maybe I'm not really sinking in enough To get as much out of it as some others

Might I think I could enjoy this exact Mid set up with maybe 10 mm less stack And i' probably enjoy a little bit more And maybe that's what we'll see with Something like the hoko ma X2 or Something like that coming later this Year because I do think the way that the EVA foam now acts as the kind of Stabilizing frame allows you to get a Bit more peber foam into the shoe and Give you that deeper bouncy feeling that You get with the scard deex I didn't Really feel so much with the macx when I Was running in that shoe so all in all It's been a pretty fun run test and the She was won me over a fair bit more than I expected it's it is fun to run around In it is bouncy it does save the legs Well I used it in like I saying mileage Weeks of marathon training legs felt Very fresh next day it's pretty stable Such a big shoe and all around I think It's a successful shoe that does deliver What it wants to which is really cushion Feel for cruising around easy runs and I Think a lot of people will enjoy it Still just a bit too big for my taste I Just don't think I ever need a shoe this Big now in testing I've logged around 30ks in these shoes including one longer Run for around 90 minutes on feet one Very slow Four Mile and one 10K again Mainly easy but with a few faster Segments thrown in most of that has been

On road some on hard pack River pods now Sometimes you can put on shoes and They're a bit neutral bit unremarkable a Bit vanilla they're kind of okay pretty Good not much to say about them the hus Skyward X or anything but this was one Of those shoes that I knew would get a Lot of hype so I wanted to run blind in It for a bit without kind of swallowing Down the marketing blub I just wanted to Get an untainted feel for what I think This shoe is good at and what it will be For and I have to confess this shoe has Me somewhat baffled for me it's a bit Jack and hide here on my first run in The first two mon miles I don't think I've ever run in a shoe that's less Stable more soft squidgy and just really Odd I almost wanted to turn around and Go back and take it off it's big but it Doesn't necessarily feel sort of really Heavy on the foot there's a lot going on But I don't find it over bulky like some Shoes the mid Sole and footed is really Really soft and there's cradle Comfort To that and if you want to fill none of The road this shoe is for you for sure But at the same time in those early Miles of each run that I did I found That the start outs felt like you were Running on Sand not just the work you Had to do to drag your feet out of the Softness but also the lack of control That I got in each step there's almost

Like a running in Period each time you Head back out in the shoe and for large Parts of my test runs I feel like this Shoe was kind of controlling me rather Than I was controlling the shoe at least Kind of unless you really work on your Foot placement I often felt like the Springy kind of midsole had a mind of Its own it was sort of firing my feet Off on toe off in different directions But then a times what I concentrated on Sort of punching my foot into the ground And controlling The Landings I felt There was really good energy coming back From the mid sometimes I felt like this Shoe really just wanted to go a bit Faster and then times when I did that I Just then felt it was too soft and there Was too much shoe for that it didn't Really sort of far up as I'd wanted to My slow efforts at times I felt The Landings were well protected at others I Felt the shoes were all over the place My overring sensation was that I was Crying out for more consistency out of This shoe and no matter how I ran got a Fast slow mid to four foot or further Back on my heels I just couldn't get That consistency for long periods at Times it reminded me a bit of those sort Of old Night Joy Road shoes under foot Like you're claing in the sand other Times I felt the midso engage faster With more punch uh it performed like a

Good kind of lively daily trainer Sometimes but I was never entirely sure What I'd [Music] Get okay so my VCT on the Skyward X is That I think haak is on a bit of a rle This year in terms of its launches I Think if you look at things like the C X1 the Max 6 that we've tested recently And now the Skyward X it's really put Out some strong Road running And I think with the Skyward X while it Is a new line it's definitely convinced Me a little bit more about that kind of Category of Max cushion super trainer a Shoe ultimately that you can use for Long runs you can get that Comfort Protection over long runs but you do Have the scope to use that shoe for a Mixture of runs as well namely something That is a little bit more uptempo and I Do think you get that here in the skyex Yes it is heavy but I don't think it's The kind of weight that has really Bothered me in my Runs I think there's Real Testament to What's happening here and what hak has Done in this midsole and managed to Deliver here now if I'm looking at other Max cushion super trainers well I think This Pro possibly sits now I haven't run In a super blast I think you'd probably Put the super blast Above This purely on The weight terms um but I think the

Skyex definitely is up there in terms of Those kind of top performing um max Chushan super trainers so I think if you Are looking for a comfortable Long run shoe but also long run shoe That you can run slightly more Up Tempo In and you do get that nice kind of Faster feeling in it barring kind of Speed work then I do think absolutely The um skyex can do that it's not cheap It's £85 even more expensive in the US As well too but ultimately if you are Not looking at a carbon plate racer or a Or a marathon shoe or a long run shoe That's maybe you know a little bit more Um unstable this is definitely a more Stable kind of long run shoe but also a Long run shoe that I do think will give You something that feels nice enjoyable Lively and bouncy but also protective as Well in good amount so verdict on the Hooker Sky X always going to have two Different verdicts here because of the Way the pricing is it's a very strange Disparity in pricing for one most of the Time recently the UK's been getting Hammered on price differences but like All the shoes I've compare this to in The UK the skyex is probably a little Bit cheaper than them and then in the US It's a little bit more expensive than Them so so that really you know changes Up how I'd compare them but I do think This is one of the better big cushion

Super trainers I feel it has a more Defined role as a easy and daily Training run shoe so some of the others That you could compare to the New Balance SC Trainer V2 for example I Didn't really like that shoe that much But that was partly because it was Coming in as a shoe that was Mak be Really versatile and have a bit of speed To it and actually I just felt very Sluggish in that shoe and I feel a bit More Poppy and spritely in the Skyward X Even though it's a bigger heavier shoe And I prefer using it so also i' never Really viewed this as in any way a speed Shoe so I guess that helps its case and Just the way I viewed it but all around I think it's a better shoe than the new Balance and other you know kind of big Cushion super TR I like this more than The soc canara Pro for example and the Oncloud Monster hyper if we're even Classing that as a super trainer at all This does deliver a fun ride and I think That what this shoe is all about it's All about fun and energy saving and Protection and comfort on long runs and Easy runs and it does deliver all those Things it's not really a versatile shoe At all though and there are certainly Super trainers that are more versatile Like you looking at things like sck Endorphin speed for which is much less Cushioned and firmer but still pretty

Comfortable for easy runs cheaper much Quicker much more lively for fast runs Or even races and then there's the atic Super blast which is the big shoe to Compare to this I think almost because Uh you know similarly big it doesn't Have a plate in it but has a big old Wedge of great foam in there and it's a Lot lighter it's stiffer than the shoe As well which is well it felt a bit Stiffer to me as well when I ran them at The same time I think that surprising Because this has the plate in it and the Super BL doesn't but super BL certainly Feels a bit more geared up for fast Running get a bit more bounce and Comfort from the skyex I'd say though And I do think if you're sticking it in A rotation much more as a cushion shoe Then the skyex probably a little bit More suited to that than the super blast But super blast is a much more versatile Shoe and a much lighter shoe around and Like I say cheaper in the US although Slightly more expensive in the UK so Looking at the rest of hok's range Obviously I think this is a good Addition because I found with the macx It never felt that different to the Mac 6 or Mac 5 for me like it didn't really Deliver much of a bouncy ride it was a Pretty solid plated shoe for easy runs But I would prefer to use this normal Mac because it was cheaper lighter and

Had a similar amount of Versatility this Is a very different shoe this is a much More cushion shoe that's much bouncier And therefore is a good different option In hooker's range of shoe so it is a Very different shoe to the mac and Actually the macx as well it's much Bouncier much bigger I did run in the Scalex and the macx at the same time and It's it's quite difficult to do because You're so much higher in this shoe and It feels much softer so yeah it's a nice Addition to the range it's a huge Success compared to when hoker first Tried this style of shoe with the Bondi X which was really not a very good shoe At all I think firm no fun not bouncy Expensive plate in there for no real Purpose this feels like a shoe that has A purpose a lot of people really like it Like I say it's not quite to my taste It's not a shoe that I'd sticky my Rotation myself it's just a bit too big And Hefty but a bit like the primx as Well actually as well the primx 2 strong But I think a bit more stable a bit more Accessible and a bit more kind of useful For General running the primx is more Versatile has definitely more speed in It than the skyex although I still don't Think that's an amazingly far shoe but It's it's a bit more awkwardly placed The primates because it is build as Almost a racing option still with all

The tech and stuff going on the scar XO Is much more squarely placed as a daily Trainer a cushion shoe and that I think Suits both of those shoes better I think The skyex will work for more people cuz Is a pretty stable design and a comfort First design that yeah is good fun so Yeah all in all I had a lot of fun Running in the shoe more than I expected Uh it's still not one I'll pick up Myself but if you are after that very Cushion disconnected running where you Barely feel the ground at all and get a Nice bit of Bounce but in a shoe that Moves surprisingly quickly for all that Foam in the midsole scalex does do it Being have to pay a lot of money for it Verdict then and in all honesty I don't Think I've ever been this confused by a Shoe for half a mile I'd love it for Half a mile I kind of wouldn't at times I found myself thinking it could be a Really good option to take on a 50 m Comr Ultra because of the protection Because of that little bit of energy and 20 strides later my feet will be Wobbling wildly all over the place on The massive soft stack and I think I was Mad for even considering it after 30ks I Still can't quite get my head around What this shoe is for it's got big soft Easy Cruiser written all over it but None of the kind of reliable stability You usually expect with those kind of

Shoes the midsole also has energy to it But overall I'd say the shoes probably a Bit too big and heavy and bulky to Really be a Top Choice for faster Efforts I describe it also as a wild I've been trying to think of a good Analogy it's to me it's like a big old Station wagon with an F1 engine and Super sensitive kind of power steering Do I like it I don't really think it's My kind of shoe who's it for well I Think if you like your ride really Really soft this is about the softest Trampolini shoe I think I've ever run in And I think you'll love it this is a Shoe that completely removes the road From the equation but if you need Stability I'd say steer clear okay so There you have it that is our multitest Take on the Hawker Skyward X and don't Worry we do have some comparison videos With this shoe as well too but if There's any particular shoes you want to See as compared to or any questions you Have about the shoe do let us know in The comments as always like And Subscribe hit that little bell so find Out about our latest videos and yeah We'll see you for the next round test This video