Cushioned approach shoes

Are there any HOKA-style cushioned approach shoes on the market? Does anyone uses HOKA trail runners as approach shoes?

I often develop metatarsal pain during long hikes uphill and, especially, downhill. I wear HOKA shoes for everyday walking and running and the cushioning and wide toe box help. However, I am concerned about the grip on slabs and rocky terrain of HOKA Speedgoat or Mafate and about their durability.

Maybe try different insoles and cushioned socks in your normal approach shoes? Or get a pair of trail runners you like resoled. I know plenty of people who rock stock Speedgoats on approaches without issue.

I typically wear real "approach" shoes for 5.easy climbs. i.e. I only wear them if I'm actually climbing in them. If it's a long approach I wear Hoka Speedgoats. They've been pretty durable and grippy for me. Better than their regular running shoes.

I put a pair of Sole insoles (performance thick) in my T4s and it changed my life. Back and ankles and heels immediately stopped hurting on every hike.

Hoka speedgoats have great traction for 4th and very low 5th class in my experience and I use them as approach shoes. 

Thank you all. I currently wear shock absorbing insoles on TX4, but that is not enough. 

Can the Speedgoats be resoled with the same outsole as TX4? The few cobblers I've asked said they couldn't do it.

Glowering wrote:

I typically wear real "approach" shoes for 5.easy climbs. i.e. I only wear them if I'm actually climbing in them. If it's a long approach I wear Hoka Speedgoats. They've been pretty durable and grippy for me. Better than their regular running shoes.

Have you ever tried the HOKA Mafate?

Hard to find the one-shoe-to-rule them all as comfortable running & climbing tend to pull in opposite directions. I often use HOKAs for scrambling, but that same cushiness makes them terrible if a bit of thin edging is required. I get similar discomfort after high mileage in TX4/TX guides for example.

The best compromise (for me) that I've found is the Scarpa Rapid. It is basically a running shoe (not quite a cushy as HOKAs) with a slightly stiffer (not as stiff as TX4) bottom & good vibram rubber. But as always, your mileage may vary especially since fit is so personal with shoes.

https://www.backcountry.com/b/scarpa-rapid-approach-shoe-mens?CMP_SKU=SCRZ2AE&MER=0406&skid=SCRZ2AE-BLUACILIM-S430&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pla&utm_campaign=20550413174__p:G%7Cs:BC%7Cct:Shopping%7Cct2:pmax%7Cg:xx%7Cc1:Footwear%7Cc2:xx%7Cb:xx%7Cmt:xx&utm_content=&utm_id=go_cmp-20550413174_adg-_ad-__dev-c_ext-_prd-SCRZ2AE-BLUACILIM-S430_mca-7811_sig-CjwKCAjw7s20BhBFEiwABVIMrZ2ySIno8y9rJ02fvGs6Z2hyJ-FSY32hFe9dQ5rYWtD_-5o-pzPbIBoCYn8QAvD_BwE&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw7s20BhBFEiwABVIMrZ2ySIno8y9rJ02fvGs6Z2hyJ-FSY32hFe9dQ5rYWtD_-5o-pzPbIBoCYn8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I've also tried using Hokas that I've retired from running to do approaches.  With a light pack on mellow terrrain, they are fine.  But for talus and a heavy pack, I really prefer something with a stiffer sole that doesn't squish all over the place.  If you're doing rugged approaches in any regular running shoes, they are going to get shredded pretty quickly.

Hokas, it should be noted, are NOT wide.  If you want a wide toebox, Topo and Altra are your friends.  I suspect your met pain will get better with a true wide toe box, whether that's in a proper approach shoe or a more rugged running shoe like the Topo Traverse.

Also, resoling a running shoe is never done because by the time the outsole is worn, the midsole foam has lost all of its spring.

I was looking for a more cushioned approach shoe to lessen some knee pain I was having, and ended up with the non-goretex version of these: Merrell MQM They strike a decent balance between running shoe-like comfort, and approach shoe traction and durability. 

Alec O wrote:

I put a pair of Sole insoles (performance thick) in my T4s and it changed my life. Back and ankles and heels immediately stopped hurting on every hike.

Sole with the met pad have helped my wife big time - good quality insoles (need to scour ebay for decent prices though - they retail for more than what I pay for almost all my shoes).

Matt N wrote:

Sole with the met pad have helped my wife big time - good quality insoles (need to scour ebay for decent prices though - they retail for more than what I pay for almost all my shoes).

Do you know what insoles specifically?

Michele C wrote:

Do you know what insoles specifically?

Sole Active with Met Pad
Thick/med/hin depends on shoes and if they're packed out etc
https://yoursole.com/us/shop/mens/footbeds/active-thick-met-eva 

Check out Arcteryx Kragg. Doesn't climb super well but very comfortable. Like a recovery shoe. Fine for getting to the crag

Has anyone tried these absurdly (but typical for Arc'teryx) priced Arc'teryx Vertex? They look like a running shoe approach shoe hybrid...

https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/vertex-alpine-shoe?sub-cat=shoes&sub_categories=Shoes

wilcox510 wrote:

Has anyone tried these absurdly (but typical for Arc'teryx) priced Arc'teryx Vertex? They look like a running shoe approach shoe hybrid...

https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/vertex-alpine-shoe?sub-cat=shoes&sub_categories=Shoes

I tried them in a store and wasn't a fan. Uncomfortable, narrow, not that cushioned, and didn't seem like they would climb well. Like more like the worst of all worlds, not the best of all worlds which I was really hoping for. They marketed the hell out of the Vertex and they seem like another dead bird swing and miss to me.

The boulder X from LaSpo might be an option. Its no Hoka amount of PU under foot, but pretty darn padded, wide toe box, and "soft" for an approach shoe.

Altra Olympus 6 has vibram mega grip rubber, like many approach shoes.

You can always contact Rock&Resole to see if they can resole your Hokas with climbing-like rubber that would suit your shoes.

https://rockandresole.com/products/resole-running-shoes

Btw, LS Ultra Raptor II is a very good alternative and they perform close to an approach shoe:

https://www.switchbacktravel.com/reviews/la-sportiva-ultra-raptor-ii

wilcox510 wrote:

Has anyone tried these absurdly (but typical for Arc'teryx) priced Arc'teryx Vertex? They look like a running shoe approach shoe hybrid...

https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/vertex-alpine-shoe?sub-cat=shoes&sub_categories=Shoes

As with all shoes foot shape is always going play a factor. I have slightly narrow, flat feet and I love these shoes. Light, supportive and they climb very well. I've worn them for days involving 12-15 miles of hiking and a thousand feet of 5.6 climbing. On a frigid day at Joe's I spent the morning bouldering low V Grades in them. I'm happy to see the have released a non Gore version. However if you're looking for Hoka like cushion these are not it.