Hoka Clifton Pro Review: A Cushioned Daily Trainer With More Life Than the Regular Clifton

Introduction

The Hoka Clifton Pro is a new addition to Hoka’s lineup, slotting in above the regular Clifton 11 in both price and, arguably, performance. Hoka describes it as a performance trainer engineered for maximum control, and it packs a big, wide wedge of ProFlyte Plus supercritical foam that sets it apart from the compression-molded EVA in the Clifton 11.

The obvious question: does it deserve the Pro name, and is it worth the few extra bucks over the regular Clifton? After plenty of test miles across easy, steady, and long runs, the short answer is that this is a genuinely enjoyable cushioned daily trainer, but not quite the super trainer the name might suggest.

Quick Details and Specs

The Clifton Pro stacks 42mm in the heel and 34mm in the forefoot in the men’s version, with 38mm and 30mm in the women’s for an 8mm drop. It weighs 9.6 oz (272g) in a tested UK men’s 9 / US 9.5, and pricing lands at £150 or $165.

Up top, you get an engineered mesh that is quite perforated across the toe box, big padded heel collars, and a nicely cushioned gusseted tongue, plus a fairly standard Hoka lacing setup. The midsole is a broad platform with a sizeable stack of compressive supercritical foam and an aggressive rocker built in.

Fit and Sizing

Fit feedback has been consistently positive. One tester who went half a size up found it worked really well, with generous room at the front, strong midfoot lockdown, and well-padded heel collars that only needed slightly tighter lacing to eliminate minor heel slip. Another tester took his usual UK 8 and reported a comfortable fit with more space in the toe box than he normally expects from Hoka, concluding true to size.

Hoka shoes can sometimes feel narrow, but the Clifton Pro is one of the roomier daily trainers in the range, especially around the toes. A wide fit option is also available, which adds flexibility if medium width does not suit you. No support issues came up during testing at all.

Outsole and Durability

Flipping the shoe over reveals an interesting outsole: a zoned, very strategic covering of Durabrasion rubber rather than a full layer. There are cutouts exposing the foam, but the rubber is quite thick and covers most of the impact points.

After 50 to 90km of mixed road and light off-road running, the outsole performed very well with good grip, showing only small signs of wear at the sides of the heel where a heel striker would expect it. The overall impression is another workhorse shoe in the Clifton tradition, one you can spend a lot of time in and get a lot of life out of.

How It Rides

This is a tricky shoe to pigeonhole. If you expect a Pro-tagged shoe to deliver super trainer levels of speediness and energy, it does not quite hit that mark. What you do get is a light, airy feel on the foot, great cushion comfort, and a noticeably more bouncy and energetic ride than previous Cliftons thanks to the upgraded supercritical foam.

At easy and steady paces, it is smooth, protective, and very easy to get into a rhythm with. It works comfortably up to tempo territory, but at faster rep-style paces the weight counts against it and you may want something punchier, such as the Mach 7. Energy return is real but tamer than a Mega Blast or Novablast.

Where it truly excels, though, is long cruising. One tester described it as having “last 30 miles of a 100-mile ultra” comfort and energy written all over it. The broad base adds stability to the softer compressive foam, making it more stable and consistent underfoot than something like a Skyward X, though not quite as reliable as the Clifton 11. Compared with the Clifton 11 directly, the 11’s EVA setup has a bit more immediacy and rolls transitions a bit quicker, so some testers were genuinely torn between the two. The Pro offers the softer, bouncier, more modern ride; the 11 leans on its rocker.

Is It Really a “Pro” Shoe?

The Pro name is arguably misleading. There is no plate, and this is not a performance-based super trainer. It is closer in spirit to something like the Brooks Glycerin Max: a big stack of foam, a comfortable roll through the stride, a bit of softness and energy return, and a daily shoe that just ticks off the miles.

One tester said Clifton Plus would make more sense, and it is hard to argue. Compared with the Gel Nimbus line, testers found the Clifton Pro far superior: smoother, more enjoyable, and more comfortable over longer sessions. It also gives the Clifton line the injection of life it needed, making it by far the most enjoyable Clifton some testers have run in.

Who Should Buy the Clifton Pro

If you want a cushioned daily trainer with a bit more life than the old Cliftons, this is an easy recommendation, especially for easy, steady, and long runs. It is a strong pick for new runners heading into marathon training, and as a mostly easy-day option in a rotation that also includes a faster trainer and a racing shoe.

If you are choosing between the Clifton Pro and Clifton 11, several testers would pick the Pro for the nicer foam, given the modest price difference. If you want more versatility or speed, alternatives include the ASICS Novablast 6 (lighter and livelier, similar price), the Nike Zoom Vomero Plus (bouncier, a touch more expensive but often on sale), the Saucony Kinvara and Kinvara Max (cheaper in the UK and very good value), or the Brooks Glycerin Max (a touch less sprightly, but often found for less).

Conclusion

The Hoka Clifton Pro is still a Clifton at heart: dependable, comfortable, protective, and smooth-rolling, and crucially more fun to run in than previous versions. It is one of the best cushioned shoes out there for easy and steady running, but it lacks the gears to be a genuine all-rounder, so do not buy it expecting a true super trainer. For everything below your fastest efforts, it does a very good job, and for many runners that is exactly the shoe they need.