HOKA’s speedy daily trainers have been overhauled. And the changes to the HOKA Mach X2 and the HOKA Mach 6 have been well received at Run Testers HQ. But which one of these is the better shoe? Or is there an argument to buy both? Run Testers Kieran and Nick get into what’s new, the major differences and what each shoe is best for. Hit play for our HOKA Mach X2 vs HOKA Mach 6 head to head review.
JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
0:00 – Intro
0:40 – Details: Stack height, drop, weight and price
1:29 – Shoe Comparison: Mach X2 vs Mach 6
3:02 – How’s the fit?
5:13 – The Run Test
9:09 – Verdict
NOW WATCH THIS:
HOKA Mach X2 Review:
HOKA Mach 6:
Hey people welcome to the Run testers And to our head-to-head of the new Hoka Mac X2 and the Hoka Mac 6 now the Original Mac X took the Mac formula Attempted to add some turbo to the ride With a carbon plate however while the Macx was a good shoe it failed to pack The punch some Runners wanted the Hooka Max2 here aims to rectify that with a Bigger stacked PE carbon plate combo That aims to add more super trainer ump Into your runs and put some distance Between itself and the stable mate Max 6 But has it succeeded needed and does the Mac X2 now offer The X Factor to justify That higher price tag that it comes with Well myself and Nick have logged the Test miles to find out so um let's get Into It details first then starting with the Stacks in the men's shoe the Hoka Max Six stack height packs 37 Ms in the hill 32 in the 4 foot the women sits at 35 m In the hill and 30 MS in the 4 foot the Hak X2 now has an increased stack C of 38 33 in the women's 44 39 Ms in the Men's both shoes come in with a 5 mil Drop the Max 6 is the lighter shoe Tipping the scales 8.1 Oz or 230 G in a US men's 9 or UK men's 8 and a half test Shoe the Hoka ma X2 weighs in at 8.7 o Or 246 G by comparison pricewise the Mac X2 is one of the more expensive super Trainers Landing £170 or
$190 the Mac 6 will set you back a more Wallet friendly £40 or $140 Now when it comes to design there's now A bigger distinction between the Hoka ma X2 and the Max 6 than we saw with the Previous two generations of these shoes The Hoka Max 6 midsole now packs a Single layer of rocked super critical Eva the Hocus says creates a more Responsive ride while the Mac 2 has a Three-part jaw foam midsole with a Thicker layer of peber foam sitting on Top of a new winged plate and a layer of Super critical Eva underneath that now The Mac X2 geometry echoes the rcia Hocus yellow X that we had with a bigger Stack and a more aggressive early stage Rocker here for snappier toe offs and a Springier punchier pace your ride up top The max 6's new cre jackard mesh ERS Provide marginally more structure than You'll get with the Mac X2 and you've Got kind of a racer kind of woven uppers Both shoes have flat wrapping gusted Tongues the Max 6 is medium padded heel Colors have quite a rigid heel counter And a more Trad daily trainer Vibe Compared to the Mac X2 which have this It's got a minimal carbon racer style Heel collars that strip things back to a Couple of small side pads and a very Flexible heel counter insert if you flip The shoes over then the Max 6 has a
Larger covering of outsole rubber Compared to the Strategic protection That you're going to get on the Mac X2 Though that doesn't really seem to leave Too many worrying areas of exposed foam On the Mac X2 the Mac X2 also has a Couple of big Central cutouts here which Are there to save weight and they Occasionally will catch stones [Music] So when it comes to the fit of the two Mac shoes I have them in my normal UK Size 9 which is a US 9.5 for Hoka I tend To get a really good fit from Hokah Shoes because I have quite a narrow foot I'm on the smaller end of my size and They have a nice dial in fit that works Really well for me but they are both Quite narrow shoes so that might be Something to look out for if you have More of a wide foot or a normal foot Even and there is wide sizes available Of both I think in certain colorways so You can look at that no C at all with The fit of the Max 6 got a really nice Fit really comfortable all around nice Bit of padding at the heel but not too Much just in general a great fit bit More of a concern with the Mac X2 with The more minimal upper you have on the Shoe in general and especially around The heel where there's not really any Kind of heel counter or much padding at All at the heel it's got a tendency to
Maybe rub some people the wrong way I'd Say I heel lock the shoe I've been out Pretty long runs in the shoe it's not Been a big problem for me but something To look out for with the Mac X2 is Definitely that heel design which can be A bit of a cutter but no concerns at all With a fit on the Max 6 and I would Stick to your normal size just bearing In mind they can be a bit narrow these Hooker shoes now the fit of both shoes Is snug and secure if you've run in Hoker shoes before you'll know the drill Here they do come up a bit narrow in the Toe boox in the back of the toes though The Mac X2 is notably Tighter and less Roomy the new woven up is are light and Airy enough but there's not much wiggle Room at all into the toebox of this shoe I'm not 100% in love with the overall Feel of the macx 2 it's not Uncomfortable but it doesn't quite Disappear it comes in a little tight and Snug and at times I felt a numbness in My feet from everything being just a Little bit too cramped it's almost like A race fit taken a little bit too far For me that may well be fixed by going Up half a size or opting for a wide fit But in my regular size the fit was Somewhat snug you'd call it a race fit If you're being generous though the Max 6 affords a little more space with just About enough wiggle room across the top
Of the toes into the toe box and on the Plus side the locked in feel of both of These shoes mean you do get a secure Hold in the heels and across the midfoot There's no danger of slipping off the Midsole here even on sort of tighter Twists now if you like things really Dialed in you can probably get away with Going true to sizing both shoes but if You want a little more room then it Probably worth considering shifting up Half a size or looking at the wide Options in those Shoes the Max 6 and the H max2 are two Shoes I really really like they're two Shoes I go back to regularly when I'm Not testing other shoes and I've put About 120k on the Mac X2 now and about 70k on the Mac 6 overall I think they're Great shoes and unlike the Mac 5 and the Mac X I think they do different jobs and They both do their jobs really well so I Found with the original macx it wasn't The speediest shoe didn't really feel Like a super train to me it felt like a Shoe for knocking out daily runs long Runs that kind of thing which is what I Did in the Mac 5 already whereas with The latest generation of the shoes the Mac 6 is still like the Mac 5 a very Good lightweight daily trainer that I Think can do a bit of everything whereas The Mac X2 is more of a super trainer is A more of performance shoe that feels
Very fast it's kind of sure you can do Your fastest speed sessions in but it Also has quite a lot of versitility I Enjoy doing easy runs in this shoe in if The Max 6 is a little bit more more Comfortable but I feel like we have a Proper super trainer on our hands with The macx 2 which I didn't think was the Case with the macx whereas the Mac 6 is More of your traditional General daily Trainer I think it's geared a bit more Towards speed running I think in terms Of Hocus language around the Mac 6 but I Think it's just an outstanding all round Shoe I think it's really comfortable You've got a nice high stack right there You can definitely use it for easy Running it's got a really natural ride The Max 6 for sure it just disappears on The thir you can move through your Paces Very comfortably in it and I think the Only area it probably really lacks is When you go to those allout speeds race Speeds maybe track sessions that kind of Thing is just where something like the Mac X2 really shines because it has got That PE foam on top the plate in the Midle the higher stack and still what is A lightweight design and it delivers a Very fast ride that I've really enjoyed For everything fast really I've done 1K Reps in it I've done progression runs I've done long hard runs Tempo runs and It all feels really good and like I say
For me it does feel like a shoe that you Can do those easy runs in as well that Is probably the area where the Max 6 XL Is just with a more toned down relaxed Ride more comfortable fit on the upper For sure and less of the kind of Go Fast Feel you get from the Mac X2 which Sometimes might make it B trickier to Try and do easy runs in the shoe done a Short run in both shoes at the same time You definitely feel the extra bounce I Think in the macx 2 and it feels a lot More poppy off the forfeit in particular With the Max 6 you just kind of glide Through your foot strike with that Rocker the foam is good it's comfortable Supportive it's responsive enough but Doesn't really give you the same punch That you get from the mix of Foams and The plate in the Mac X2 feels like a Higher shoe feels like it's pushing you Forward a bit more as well the Mac X2 I'd say whereas in general it's just a Much more relax shoe the Mac 6 it's a Really nice shoe for that reason like I Really like just putting it on knowing I'm going to go out and run and it will Just be there comfortable supportive you Won't really notice it that much it's Just a great tick over shoe whereas the Max2 feels like it's adding a bit more Drive bit more punch to your Runs run Test then in testing I've run north of 50 miles in the Hoka Max 6 with a good
Mix of marathon training sessions from Fast intervals and fle up to progression Runs I've also done slower easier miles Plus an allout 10k race where I actually Clocked a new 10K PB not a sure you Necessarily choose for that but it did Work for that race I've clocked around 45 miles in the hok macx to including Progression runs moving from Easy up to Half marathon pace some shorter runs With intervals at 5K Pace done the old Slower run too I've also raced I kind of Mixed to rain half marathon in the shoe We've got a run test coming up on the Channel with those soon I've done most Of my miles on the road but some on Light off-road rher paths in both shoes As well now these are both great shoes The HX 6 is fun light and Lively it's a Good value versatile doit all daily Training that can cover a wide range of Runs the Hoka Max 2 is a big step up From the previous macx the higher stack And tweak plate definitely add a punch To the midsole ride and there's now a More pronounced kind of race ready Performance when you compare it to the Max 6 if I had to differentiate the two Shoes I would say the Mac 6 is stiffer And more responsive while the Mac X2 is Springier and more energetic the Mac X2 Rocker Fields more aggressive and you Can feel the plate engaging working with That dual foam midsole to provide a
Highly energetic ride I think the Max 6 Is certainly no slouch but there's Definitely a marked difference here now Between these two shoes the Mac 6 also So I would say his hands down the more Comfortable shoe it's got more inherent Stability too while the Mac X2 is Notably racier and I would say a little Bit more woby Overall it comes to the verdict I think There's a few different ways of looking At this if you just want one shoe to do It all and you are prepared to pay for It I think the Mac X2 will give you that Higher level of performance when it Comes to faster runs but if you're more Of a relaxed Runner you just generally Going out for daily runs long runs you Know not really looking to push the pace With speed sessions or go racing then I Think the Max 6 would be a suitable Choice to do everything as well you can Also look at combining these shoes in a Really enjoyable rotation I would say Like like I say the Mac 6 I think is a Great shoe for easy runs very relaxed Recovery runs doing a bit of everything Can do easy to steady progression runs And some fast stuff as well then the Mac X2 would be your speed day shoe your Race shoe your Tempo shoe you know fast Long runs that kind of thing they would Work together as a very nice little onew Punch If you're not looking to use like
A carbon shoe instead and you might also Have preferences about whether you want To use a plate trainer the whole time And whether you really want the slightly Higher more unnatural feel of the macx To and if you don't then the Max 6 is a Great shoe to go for it's one of the Best plate free training shoes out there I would say along with things like the New balanc Rebel or the AIC super blast Which is much more expensive that's the Other advantage to the Mac 6 it's a fair Bit cheaper than the Mac X2 and you are Getting a really capable all round shoe But you do get some added punch from the Mac X2 because of the phes and the Plates in there and in contrast to last Year where I would have definitely Recommended going for the Mac 5 over the Macx because it was a cheaper shoe a Lighter shoe and I think an equally Versatile shoe think you are now getting A super trainer experience with the Hoka Max2 that does deliver that extra punch And speed when you want it but is also a Very versatile shoe you can do Everything in if you get on with the Upper and don't mind the slightly Punchier ride you have here for easy Runs Max 6 much more relax Sho so yeah I Love them both I think the Mac X2 was One of my favorite shoes of the year so I'd be getting this probably actually I'd probably use these shoes for
Slightly different purposes in my own Rotation with the Mac 6 being the Comfortable shoe especially around the Upper that I'd be very happy to use for Loads and loads of miles and then the Mac X2 being more of a speed Focus shoe Fast long run shoe that kind of thing is Fct then and hoker has made two good Versatile daily trainers here and while They're still crossover in the types of Run I think the Mac 6 and the Mac X2 can Cater for I think there's also quite a Clear difference in what they do best The Max 6 is better for your slower Range miles but has a Snappy lightweight Response that can cope with uptempo runs As well the Mac X2 is undoubtedly Built For Speed and excels at shorter faster Efforts I'd argue that the Mac X2 is as Lively as some of the older generation Carbon ratios if you think back to Things like the original carbon X those Kind of things this is probably a step On from those and that gives it fast Training and allout racing credentials However unless you get on with the snug Race fit I'd argue that there's a half Marathon sweet spot for this shoe more Down to the Comfort though than the ride That big midsole stack offers protection Too which is good for long hauling but I Think the tight fit might not be so Accommodating for those kind of longer Time on feet runs now with the past
Generations the choice here was Definitely I think an either or you Probably didn't want to have both Choosing your rotation but I think There's now arguably room for the hok Max 6 and the hok X2 to slot into a Rotation if I had to choose one shoe I Think the Mac X2 probably Shades it just On that performance and liveness it's One of the best shoes I've tested this Year and it definitely puts the super in Super trainer so then there you have it That's our head-to-head of the Hoka Max 6 versus the Hoka max2 hope you found it Useful if you did maybe give us a like Maybe hit subscribe if you're not Already if you're after reviews of these Two shoes going to pop those up on the Channel now otherwise thank you very Much for stopping by as ever we really Appreciate your time and until next time Whatever you're doing happy running People
