Hoka Stinson 7 Review

Lightweight, protective trail running shoes.

Despite my tendency to stub toes and roll ankles, running shoes are more efficient than heavier hiking boots for trail running. Still, I have a few tortured toes that I need to protect when I leave the pavement behind and ramble along northern Nevada’s high ridge lines, sage, and aspens. I was eager to try the Hoka Stinson 7, a highly cushioned all-terrain running shoe.

Features

Hoka’s Stinson 7 running shoe features a straight last, a heel stack height of 42mm, a mid-foot stack of 37mm for 5mm of drop, and an H-frame/figure eight shaped cutout that sits on top of a thick, wide, chunky, dense EVA midsole foam. The shoe also boasts an Active Foot Frame that wraps around the whole lower foot at the base of the tightly woven mesh knit upper, a padded tongue with a mesh gusset on the medial side, a rigid heel counter, a high and padded heel collar, and a 4mm lugged outsole.

On the Trail

The Hoka Stinson 7 feels extremely rigid when hand flexing the shoe. On the trail, I felt the Stinson 7’s thick, stiff midsole, toe cap, and slight amount of toe and heel rocker combined to provide a natural, efficient gait at both low and medium speeds. It also offered fantastic cushioning, stability, and protection. Finally, a trail shoe that protects my toes.

The H frame technology helps limit any side-to-side twisting in the sole, keeping my ankles twist-free despite the loose rocks on the local trails. 

Below the mesh knit upper, Hoka’s Active Foot Frame wraps around the base of the mesh upper, protecting and stabilizing both medial and lateral sides of my feet. At 395 grams/13.93 ounces per size twelve shoe, they are four ounces heavier than my lightest trail running shoes while remaining pounds lighter than my full-grain leather mountaineering boots. (It might sound crazy to run in hiking boots, but I have had seriously messed up toes from running shoes in the past.)

The mesh knit uppers have a tight weave that keeps out loose scree and dust, and the 4mm deep lugged sole allowed good grip on the trails without feeling too aggressive on pavement. 

Durability

After a couple dozen runs and 150 miles on both pavement and trails I don’t see significant wear in the soles or uppers, and the midsole cushioning doesn’t seem to have changed. 

For trail and road use, the Stinson 7’s should hold up as well or better than most all terrain running shoes while providing “best in class” cushioning and stability. 

For added peace of mind, Hoka offers a generous 30-day no-fault fit return/exchange guarantee (60-days for Hoka club members) and a one year manufacturer’s limited warranty.

Fit

I have narrow ankles and a wide forefoot. I found Hoka Stinson 7’s D width in a size twelve snug around the heel and well-padded around the ankle collar and Achilles tendon. They were also supportive and twist-free underneath the arch and have a generous amount of room up front without feeling sloppy on mixed gravel and dirt trails. 

Fit tip: Evaluate the fit to make sure there is enough midfoot and toe space and possibly opt for the EE fit if you have wider feet. 

For my feet, the Stinson 7’s deep heel cup was comfortable, and I did not miss having a heel loop when taking the shoes on and off. The rigidity and height of the heel counter helped steer and protect while navigating trail rocks and debris without cutting into my narrow ankles when the trail went sideways. 

I found using Hoka’s deeper ankle lock lacing uncomfortable: the ankle collar and tongue weren’t cushioned enough to prevent uncomfortable pressure on my ankles when the shoes were laced up tight with the deeper holes. Fortunately, a less aggressive lacing setup using the upper eyelets closest to the tongue provided a snug feel, and the medial gusset kept the tongue aligned. My feet did not slip or move around in the shoes when running on moderate terrain.

Bottom Line

While not as protective or stable as a heavy-duty, full grain leather hiking boot or as fast and efficient as a lightweight trainer or racing flat, the Stinson 7 hits the sweet spot in between the two extremes, providing an extremely well-cushioned but stable feel, perfect for longer, moderately paced training runs that range in terrain from pavement to trail.

Details

The Hoka Stinson 7 is available in men’s and women’s styles.

Men’s Stinson 7: sizes 7-15. Available in six different colors. $170

Women’s Stinson 7: sizes 5-11. Available in seven different colors. $170

$170 available at Amazon.

$170 at Hoka site.

Check out Matt’s review of Hoka Speedgoat GTX 6