The Hoka Skyflow and New Balance 1080v14 are both cushioned daily trainers that offer comfort as a priority, but are also quite versatile. Both shoes have impressed us this year, but which is the better buy? Nick runs through the pros and cons of both in this video.
00:00 – Intro
00:15 – Design & Key Stats
02:23 – How’s The Fit?
03:10 – The Run Test
06:19 – Verdict
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Hello and welcome to run testers my name Is Nick and in this video we're going to Be comparing the hoker sky flow and the New Balance 108 [Music] V14 so the 1080 v14 and the skylow are Two cushion daily trainers that sit at The top of their brands range of neutral Cushion daily trainers I would say Skylow being almost an upgraded Clifton While the 1080 v14 is the latest version Of new balan's popular long running Cushion daily trainer line the 108 is a Little bit more expensive it's £60 or $165 whereas the sky flow is £50 or $160 They almost exactly the same weight in a Uk9 which is 285 G or 10 o for the sky Flow or 287 G or 10.1 o for the New Balance the sky flow has a 5 mm drop It's 40 mm at the heel and 35 at the 4ot In the men shoe and then 38 at the heel 33 at the 4 foot in the women's and the 1080 has a 6 mm drop the stack height of 38 mm at the heel 32 at the 4 foot Looking at the design with the sky flow You've got a cre jackard upper Fair bit Of padding on the tongue and on the Color of the shoe and a pretty stiff Internal heel counter as well you have a Super critical Eva midso on the shoe With hoko's meta rocker design got side Walls of foam that your foot sits within That super critical Eva is the main Upgrade on something like the Clifton
Which uses a more standard version of Eva then you have a rubber out so that Covers most of the length of the shoes a Fair bit of exposed foam and quite a Large kind of recess almost a cutout on The bottom there that you know just Reduces a little bit of weight but Shouldn't come into contact with the Ground so all the key impact areas on The shoe I would say are covered with a Pretty thick layer of rubber then moving On to the 1080 you've got an engineered Mesh upper again plenty of padding Around the back and tongue of the shoe Good internal heel counter on this shoe As well sidewalls of foam pretty Noticeable rocker on this shoe as well I'd say probably more noticeable than i' Sometimes had with new balance issues in The past then you have a fresh foam X Midsole New Balance uses this term to Cover a range of Foams this one is Similar to the previous model the 108 V13 but not quite as soft as that Version of the Pham it's still a soft Foam I'd say but it's a little bit Firmer and a little bit more balanced Than the previous version of the shoe And then you've got rubber out soole you Less coverage I would say than you have On the Hocus Sky flow but again key Impact areas at the heel and forefoot Are covered with a pretty decent layer Of rubber
[Music] There so comes the fit of the two shoes We got a uk9 which is a US 9.5 for both Of these Brands it's the same size I use Across the hoker and the New Balance Range and they both fit me really well So that both shoes do come in two Different widths and with the hoker if You do have an even slightly wide foot Or even a normal foot you might want to Look at the wider version of the shoe Because like many hoker shoes the sky Flow comes up a little bit narrow but That's good for me I have narrow foot I Had a nice amount of room with both Shoes good hold around the heel and Midfoot not had any concerns around the Heel counters or the cushioning at the Back of these shoes really but I prefer Kind of classic tapered hoker collar on The shoe there to the slightly more Padded in the center and you balance one Which sometimes think can be a recipe For rubbing your heel a little bit but I've been okay in the 1080 and the sky Flow and I would stick to your normal Running shoe size with both of these [Music] Shoes the skylow and the 1080 v14 are Right up there among my favorite cushion Shoes of this year they're both more in The cushion daily trainer category which Means they aren't necessarily as maxed Out and cushioning as some shoes which I
Don't tend to always get on with that Well you know got shoes like the Glycerin Max the pumber mag max they're Really all out very high stack cushion Shoes but these come in a bit lighter Bit smaller bit nimbler while still Offering you know a very comfortable and Cushioned ride and they're certainly Still at their best for kind of easy Runs daily trading that's what they Excel at but they do have a bit more Versatility if you are going to use them As one shoe for pretty much everything They can handle a bit of speed work Skylow was a shoe of the two that I Tested first and I was a really big fan Of it so I've been a longtime fan of the Hoka Mac which uses super critical EVA Foam with the sky flow you've almost Just got a slightly more cushion version Of that shoe with you know a bit more Stack Under Foot a bit more protection Slightly heavier shoe but still a fairly Light weight one for such a cushion shoe I would say the ride is a little bit Firmer and stiffer than the ride on the New Balance 1080 v14 I would say this Super critical foam doesn't have a huge Amount of give in it don't get that kind Of sink in softness but it is Comfortable for long runs I found for Sure and it moves you through your foot Strike very smoothly aided by the Classic Hoka meta rocker you have on the
Shoe then coming off your for foot you Do get a little bit more response I Would say from this shoe that new Balance with that firmer poppier super Critical foam in the Eva it's as a Result it's definitely a cushion shoe That can handle daily training really Well a little bit of speed for for sure But isn't as flat out soft as a new Balance or other shoes and if you are Looking for that principally for an easy Day shoe then the 1080 v14 provides that A little bit more certainly got a Squishier feel under the heel but unlike The previous version of the shoe which I Found just a little bit too soft I'd Kind of sink into that foam and just Stay sunk in there's a bit more rebound I think with the 1080 v14 and a more Noticeable rocker effect on the shoe Probably because the foam is that little Bit firmer you can kind of get into that Rocker a bit more easily whereas maybe With the previous version I was sinking In too much to really flow through my Stride I found so do have a really soft Feeling under foot and a comfortable one For you recovery runs really slow Cruising runs but then you have a Slightly more smooth and enjoyable ride That moves you forward and there's a Little bit of bounce off the toes there Wouldn't say it's a shoe that really Feels very explosive or anything like
That off the toes but it's not the Heaviest shoe in the world it's not as Light as the previous version but I Would actually say that the 108 v14 Feels a bit more versatile to me because It has a slightly firmer feeling under Foot and that gives you a better Platform to push against if you do want To up the pace but it's more of a shoe That is best for cruising through long Runs and easy runs Sky flow is the same But I think has a bit more Edge when it Comes to versatility when I ran in both At the same time you can feel the Differences in the shoes you definitely Get that squishier softness with the new Balance at the back of the shoe in Particular as a heel Striker got a Firmer feeling on the sky flow but then That nice smooth rocker kicks in you get Rolled through it doesn't feel Uncomfortable at all definitely have a Rocker on the new balance as well but Doesn't feel quite as light off the toes I would say as the sky flow and then Both of them have felt really stable for Me throughout my run think with the New Balance 1080 v14 I think that will be Different to the previous version which Was very soft like I say I think you Have got a slightly more stable shoe Here I think the sky flow is also pretty Stable naturally it's got quite a wide Base got the sidewalls of foam got that
Rocker it all you know helps support the Foot and with that slightly firmer foam In the sky flow you will get that extra Kind of feeling of stability from the Base of the shoe here so maybe it's a Slightly more stable offering of these Two shoes but I didn't have any kind of Concerns of either about them being too Soft or wobbly underfoot despite having Pretty high [Music] Stacks the verdict is that the sky flow And the ten8 are both very strong Cushion daily trainers that you really Can use to Hoover up a lot of mileage And comfort and then they have a little Bit of Versatility there as well if you While looking for a daily trainer to do A bit of everything you like a cushion Shoe you want to be able to pick up the Pace in your shoes as well I think these Are both good options for that the 1080 Is the softer shoe though and the more Comfortable one and it's not in a way That makes it mushy or annoying in any Way like I sometimes find with overly Soft shoes I think that extra Comfort Probably puts a ten slightly ahead of The sky flow for me if I was picking Between these because the main job you Want these shoes to do is those easy and Recovery runs and long runs in comfort And I think it's a slightly more Comfortable shoe just feels a little bit
Better at those cruising Paces with that Nice rocker that soft foam so a really Good shoe for that job it's pretty close Though the sky flow does all those miles Really well as well and I'd say if you Are looking for one shoe to do it all You know you really like a cushion shoe But you do want it to do everything in Maybe even race long distances I think The sky flow is probably the slightly Better pick of these two because I do Think you have a bit more kind of Response and a better feeling when You're running fast in this shoe Compared to the New Balance especially Things like progression runs Tempo runs Long races I think the sky flow would Have a slight bit of an edge if you're Looking for a shoe for a rotation though I think new balance is the better option As your cushion shoe in a rotation your Cushion daily trainer and if you are a Newer Runner who just wants one shoe for Everything I'd probably go for New Balance again just cuz it is that little Bit more comfortable I would say and Give you that little bit more protection And a more enjoyable feeling underfoot Than the slightly stiffer firmer Sky Flow but yeah both very strong options Really enjoyed running in both of these This year I give them you balance the Edge myself because for the role I'd use It for in my running it's a slightly
More comfortable [Music] Shoe as a comparison of the 1080 and the Hocus skylow let us know what you think In the comments below please do like Subscribe ring the little bell and we'll See you next time