Hoka Clifton 11 vs Clifton Pro: Which Cushioned Daily Trainer Should You Buy?

Introduction

The Clifton has long been Hoka’s cushion cruiser: a big stack of compression-molded EVA, a smooth rocker, and plush but not overbuilt uppers. It is a shoe built for comfort and cruising rather than speed. But with the Clifton Pro now sitting alongside it with a more modern foam, the question is whether the Clifton 11 still does enough to be your first-choice easy daily trainer.

Quick Details

The men’s Clifton 11 packs a 42mm heel and 34mm forefoot stack, while the women’s version is 38mm at the heel and 30mm in the forefoot, both with an 8mm drop. It weighs 9.8 oz (279g) in a UK men’s size 9 / US 9.5. Pricing is £140 in the UK and $155 in the US. The Clifton Pro costs about £10 or $10 more.

Hoka Clifton 11 Review

The midsole sticks with the previous generation’s formula: a big rocker midsole using compression-molded EVA that is moderately compressive in the forefoot and softer in the heel. An active foot frame in the rear cradles your foot and adds natural stability on landings, easing you into the rocker, and Hoka’s trademark wider platform is here too.

Up top there is an engineered jacquard mesh upper that feels premium, thick, soft and plush, paired with medium-padded heel collars and a non-gusseted medium-padded tongue. The outsole offers a good covering of relatively thick forefoot rubber, with the same in the heel impact zones, and quite a bit of exposed midsole foam in the center. It looks well covered for long-mileage durability, though some scuffing appeared on the exposed sections during testing.

On fit, one tester went half a size up from their usual Hoka size (UK 9 / US 9.5) and found it worked nicely, giving good toe box room. Another tester was happy in their normal running shoe size, with enough room for long easy runs and a secure heel and midfoot hold. There is a wide model available for those who need it, and the standard width does not feel unduly narrow.

Ride and Performance

The Clifton 11 is lighter, smoother and more comfortable than before, which makes it more lively and better suited to long easy runs. The uppers and medium padding avoid the overbuilt plushness that can weigh down big-cushion shoes, so you never feel weighed down like in some past Cliftons.

Stability is good for a big stack shoe, and the extra firmness underfoot works with the rocker to create a smooth ride that rolls through nicely. It is not too soft and sinky, nor cumbersome and clumpy. You get a good cradle feel underfoot, soft in the heel with plenty of foam in the forefoot, and landings never felt hard to get out of. The longest test run was close to 90 minutes, and easy cruising well beyond that felt entirely plausible. It was best suited to paces around one to two minutes below marathon pace.

Where it falls short is energy return at faster paces. As you speed up and roll through the softer heel, the transition stays smooth, but coming off the forefoot you simply do not get much energy back. Around 40-50km of testing covered easy and easy-to-steady daily runs plus strides, and it did its main job of rolling through easy runs perfectly well. It is just a slightly uninspiring ride in a market full of excellent alternatives.

Hoka Clifton Pro Review

The Clifton Pro uses a super critical foam that delivers noticeably more energy return, making it a superior cushioned daily trainer for exactly the same kinds of runs, for roughly £10 or $10 more. The ride feels softer, bouncier and more energetic, a more modern and on-trend setup.

That extra bounce does ask a little more of you at times: extracting the energy can take more effort, and on tired legs you sometimes want the shoe to come back quicker without delay, even if that sacrifices some cushion. That snappier, more immediate feel is where the Clifton 11’s EVA setup has an edge in consistency. The Clifton Pro is also softer than the Clifton 11, which is a real difference some testers note the other way around. Overall, though, the Clifton Pro hoovers up daily miles in a more enjoyable way and is slightly better at faster runs.

Clifton 11 vs Clifton Pro: Which Ride Suits You?

Both shoes cover largely the same types of run, but they offer a different ride. The Clifton 11 has the more traditional Clifton feel, relying more on the rocker and a touch firmer underfoot. If you want more energy, more fun, more bounce, a more modern ride and a bit more top-pace potential, it is probably worth paying the extra for the Clifton Pro.

How It Stacks Up Against the Competition

The Clifton 11 sits in a crowded price bracket. Among the wildly popular big four of cushioned trainers, the ASICS Novablast is the pick of the bunch, though the Clifton is better than the Brooks Ghost and Nike Pegasus 42, which are firmer, heavier and less smooth and fun at easy paces. The ASICS Novablast 6 gives a little more back with better forefoot foam and is lighter and livelier. The Nike Vomero Plus offers a really big, bouncy, fun ride, while the Puma Deviate Pure Nitro is a lighter, more versatile daily trainer, though less cushioned on paper. All-rounders like the Dynafit Shox Aon and ASICS EvoRide 3 trade some cushion and stability for far more range at pace.

Buying Advice

For easy casual runs, comfort, big mileage and building weekly base volume, the Clifton 11 remains a really solid choice, and a good option for beginners. It has some road ultra credentials and works well as an all-day walking shoe too, with big cushion comfort without too much squidge. If you already love past Cliftons, you will find little wrong here: it is protective, not sludgy, stable, consistent and light for the stack.

If you are choosing between the two Hokas, most people should lean Clifton Pro. If you love the Clifton 11’s feel, you can likely get nearly the same experience from a Clifton 10 on sale and save money. Otherwise, alternatives like the New Balance 1080 v15 or ASICS Novablast 6 offer a little more versatility further up the gears for your spend.

Conclusion

The Clifton 11 is a solid cushioned daily trainer, but not one that jumps out of a crowded field. It is a genuine improvement over past generations, smoother, lighter and more comfortable, and it handles easy miles and big training volume very well. But with the Clifton Pro available for a little more, and many strong competitors at similar prices, the Clifton 11 will struggle to be the standout pick unless the traditional Clifton feel is exactly what you want.