Hoka Mafate X Review

The Hoka Mafate X is a high-stack, carbon-plated trail running shoe built for long distances on smooth, hard-packed trails. Think of it as the trail counterpart to the Skyward X — a maximalist cruiser designed to carry you efficiently through hours of running, not overbuilt for speed but engineered for sustained comfort and rhythm.

Design & Construction

At 49mm in the heel and 41mm in the forefoot, the Mafate X is among the tallest trail shoes available. Despite this, it doesn’t feel unstable underfoot. The ride is soft at the heel for cushioned landings and firmer up front for an efficient toe-off. It’s not overly plush — instead, it delivers a controlled, stable, and balanced feel that keeps you connected to the trail.

Three Layer Midsole

• PEBA foam (top layer): Soft and responsive, delivering bounce.
• Carbon fibre plate (middle): Fork-shaped, providing stiffness, propulsion, and consistent rocker performance — even deep into long runs.
• Super Critical EVA (base layer): Cushioned yet firm, this adds a stable foundation to the shoe.

As with most Hoka models, your foot sits inside the midsole, rather than on top of it. This cradle-like construction boosts stability and ensures your foot follows the rocker shape naturally, supporting a midfoot strike and consistent cadence.

On the Trail

The Mafate X is purpose-built for covering distance with efficiency, not darting around technical terrain. The rocker is moderate, allowing for a smooth forward roll without the aggressive toe-off sensation found in road racing shoes. Combined with the carbon plate, this helps maintain a strong stride — especially helpful as fatigue sets in.

The shoe shines on hard-packed trails, bridleways, or disused rail lines — places like the Derwent Walk, Waskerly Way, or Lanchester Valley Lines around Newcastle. It handles light technical sections and broken singletrack reasonably well, but the wide midsole and stiff platform may feel awkward on narrow or highly technical ground. Similarly, the 3.5mm lugs provide grip on dry or firm surfaces but struggle in thick mud.

BROWSE HOKA MAFATE X

Grip & Protection

The outsole uses Vibram Megagrip, a reliable, sticky rubber known for dependable traction in both wet and dry conditions. The trade-off is durability — expect wear if you’re logging many miles on tarmac or concrete. But for intended use on trails, it strikes a solid balance between grip and lifespan.

Thanks to the shoe’s wide base and stable midsole, it absorbs uneven terrain and protects against rocks, roots, and trail debris. You won’t feel sharp impacts through the sole, and you won’t need to constantly adjust your stride like in lower-profile trail shoes.

Fit & Upper

The heel counter features an external cage for lockdown, while the heel collar is well-padded without being excessive — comfortable over long distances. The toe box is more rounded and slightly higher volume than in many Hoka models, providing enough room for toe splay and swelling on big days. That said, it’s not a wide fit — the extra space is there for comfort, not to accommodate wider feet.

The mesh upper is breathable and quick-drying. The tongue is softly padded, half-gusseted, and anchored with a lace-through tab to prevent slipping. Overall, the upper gives a snug midfoot hold for control on descents, paired with a relaxed forefoot feel for comfort.

Sizing Advice

Hoka shoes fit similarly in length to New Balance, Karhu, Inov-8, and La Sportiva.

If you wear Brooks, Saucony, Topo, 361, or Altra, we recommend going half a UK size up in Hoka for a comparable fit (e.g. Hoka UK 11.5 ≈ Brooks UK 11).

Verdict

The Hoka Mafate X is a long-distance trail shoe that excels on non-technical ground. It’s built for efficiency, offering a smooth, stable, and protective ride that helps you maintain posture and cadence across long runs. While it isn’t designed for slippery mud or sharp rocky descents, it does exactly what it’s meant to: cruise through big miles with less fatigue and more flow.

Other Considerations

New Balance Hierro v9: The Hoka Mafate X is quite a unique shoe. There isn’t another trail running shoe on the market that carries you through the miles in the same way. The Hierro v9 has a similar level of cushioning and a rocker but, isn’t as stiff as it doesn’t have a carbon plate. The downside is that it doesn’t do as much work for the runner carrying them through the miles. The upside is that there is more underfoot feel and the midsole is softer so the Hierro v9 is a more versatile trail shoe capable of being used on not just hard packed trails. Available in three width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/new-balance-fresh-foam-x-hierro-v9-review/

Topo Ultraventure 4: A broad rounded toe box gives the feet the space to spread and function inside the shoes. The ride is much firmer to stimulate the feet to function and like the Ronhill Freedom Ultra you are running in the shoes rather than riding the rocker. So, they don’t carry you through the miles quite as easily as the Mafate X. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/topo-athletic-ultraventure-4-review/

La Sportiva Prodigio Pro: These are a race ready trail running shoe. They don’t do as much work for the runner as the Mafate X but, the midsole is thinner with a lot more underfoot feel and the lugs are longer. This makes the Prodigio Pro a much more versatile trail shoe that could be used on high mountain single track as well as hard packed trails. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/la-sportiva-prodigio-pro-review/

Ronhill Freedom Ultra: These feel to me like the runners running shoe. There is a lot of cushioning and a rocker but, it is all quite subtle so you feel like you are running rather than riding the shoe. A very different feel to the Mafate X. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/ronhill-freedom-ultra-review/