The Hoka Mach X2 and Nike Zoom Fly 6 are two of our favourite new running shoes of 2024, with both offering fast and versatile rides that can handle the majority of your training, and they can even stand in for carbon shoes on race day as well. Nick is a big fan of both shoes and compares them in video, suggesting which might suit different runners better.
Check out our full reviews of both shoes:
Nike Zoom Fly 6 Review:
Hoka Mach X2 Review:
00:00 – Intro
00:15 – Design & Key Stats
02:46 – How’s The Fit?
03:48 – The Run Test
07:43 – Verdict
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Hello and welcome to the Run testers my Name is Nick and in this video I'm going To be comparing the Hoka Mac X2 and the Nike zoomfly [Music] 6 so the Mac X2 and zoomfly 6 are both Plated training shoes that are designed To be used either in partnership with a Carbon plate racing shoe or as racing SLT trining shoes themselves both these Models are significant improvements on The previous versions of the shoe in my Opinion and both are very much among my Favorite shoes of the year but then both In my top five running shoes of 2024 Because I've really enjoyed spending a Lot of time in both of these shoes but There are certainly differences between Them that might make them suitable to Different Runners the zoomfly cost £155 In the UK $17 in the US the Mac X2 is a Little bit more expensive it's £170 in The UK and then $190 in the US Mac X2 is A slightly lighter shoe at 255 G or 9 oz In uk9 whereas a zoom fly is 266 G or 9. 4 oz in a UK knot zoomly has an 8 mm Drop and a stack heite of 42 mm at the Heel 34 mm at the for foot whereas Mac X2 has a 5 mm drop a stack height of 44 Mm at the heel and 39 at the 4T in the Men's shoe and then 42 mm at the heel 37 At the 4T in the women's when it comes To the design of the two shoes they' Both got dual density midsoles with top
Layers made from peber based foam so You've got that peber based layer over An Eva layer on the Hoka ma X2 and in Between them you have a paback plate That has wings at the 4 foot to add a Bit more stability there you got a very Clear rocket geometry lots of cutouts It's a very aggressive you know design To the shoe that is certainly Reminiscent of racing shoes like the Cell X1 in hokus range got a very Lightweight woven upper not very much Padding at all around the heel or on the Tongue again very racy feeling upper and Then you've got rubber on the out soole Covering key stuff around the forefoot And heel but there's lots of cutouts There's lots of exposed foam it's all Designed to really reduce weight on the Nike you've got a slightly more relaxed Feeling shoe certainly around the upper You've got this two layer woven mesh at The front there quite a lot of padding At the back Fair bit of structure as Well like it's much more of a training Shoe style upper compared to the racy One you get on the hoker then you've got Dual density midsole like I say we have A top layer that's Nike's zoomx foam This is not the Recycled version this is The Fresh zoomx Foam over a full length Carbon plate and then the bottom layer Is sr2 Carrier foam now with the comp Plate in the Zoom Flight it's a little
Bit more flexible than the ones on their Racing shoes so you see you almost got Similar amount of flex to the pack plate On the hoker so even though it's carbon It's not necessarily quite as stiff as a Full racing shoe which is what you want That's designed to be used for training As well and then you've got a rubber out Soole with kind of the waffle pattern That you see on lots of Nike shoes Pretty good coverage on the 4 foot Couple of bits at the heel there like Neither shoe has loads of outso coverage But both have actually been pretty good For grip for me and I've not seen any Kind of wear and tear [Music] Yet it comes the fit of the two shoes I've got a uk9 in both with Hoka that's A us99.5 with Nike it's a us10 it's a Size I've used for both Hoka and Nike You across their shoes for many years And both of these shoes do fit me well In my normal size the Mac X2 is a Narrower shoe but you can get it in a Couple of different widths the zoomfly 6 Has a little bit more kind of tightness Around the toe than some Nike shoes I'd Say it's not as roomy as the more Cushion shoes like the Pegasus or Something like that but I do think There's enough room there sticking to Your normal size is probably the way to Go and that's the case with B shoes I do
Think you should stick to your regular Size definitely a difference in fit Around the heel you've got much more Padding a bit more structure around the Back of the Nike it's got a much more Comfortable Steppin feel when it comes To the fit whereas the hoker has that Very strip back design like I've heel Locked the shoe I haven't had any major Problems with the heel myself on the Shoe but lots of people have it can Irritate or rub the heel a bit I think With the next version you know coming Out next year H is going to put a more Padded heel design on the Mac X3 but for Now it's a little bit of a worry point With the shoe for sure like I said I Haven't had any major problems myself But lots of people have and you do get a More comfortable fit around the hill With the Nike for [Music] Sure onto the run test then and these Are two shoes that I really enjoyed Running in this year I've used both of Them for a really wide variety of Marathon training runs like some really Testing sessions you kind of workouts on Double days long hard runs and also Fair Bit of easy running as well I do think Versatility is a big strength for both Of these shoes they very much fit the Bill in terms of that super trainer Category as a shoes that can do a little
Bit of everything they have the pace for Your faster runs could even use them Potentially for racing if you're not Using full carbon shoes but you can also Ease back and run nice and slowly with Them if you want to max2 was the first Of the two shoes I tested and it was a Really enjoyable shoe to run in like I Say like I didn't really get on that Well with the original macx CU I found It just an okay shoe but just not that Fast and didn't really feel like a super Trainer to me the max2 certainly is I Think it's the fastest super trainer out There really can step in for a carbon Shoe when it comes to really hard Sessions or even races you've got very Aggressive rocker and ride that really Punches you forward off the increased Stack of peber foam you have in this Version compared to the previous model And yeah it just feels really fast and Then I do find you can ease back and run Slowly in the shoe I do think it has That kind of range like when I was first Using it I took it away on holiday and I Did enjoy just you know running pretty Easy in this shoe does have a little bit More push to it to try and get you Forward to start running faster than the Nike it's not necessarily the most Relaxed shoe out there especially with That upper which isn't like I say the Most comfortable for just relaxed easy
Runs but I do think you can do pretty Much anything in this shoe and then it Really does have that top end speed like I after some really horrible sessions in The shoe on the track on the road where I would normally start to lean towards Using a full carbon racing shoe and the Macx 2 has really delivered on those Runs and then zoomfly 6 for sure has a More easygoing ride than the macx 2 like From the moment you pull it on it's a Much more easy shoe to get on and lace Up and then you can just Cruise very Slowly in it but I have found that it's Really got that top end Pace as well More so than expected like when I pulled It on it felt pretty good I thought it Was going to be a pretty nice General Daily training with a bit of speed but Actually I have done some nasty runs in The shoe gone down the track done 10 Times 1 mile reps done a like a steady 90minut run where I went through the Half marathon Mark and like 115 and it's Just felt really good throughout has a More of a bouncy ride than the hoker it Hasn't got so much of a rocker like it's Not quite as traditional and Slappy as Lots of Nike shoes with very high drops Like the Pegasus but it isn't really a Very rocket shoe but it feels quite Smooth and soft underf you've got loads Of cushioning there and both of these Shoes have big big stacks of cushioning
Under the forfeit in particular so They're kind of comfortable over any Distance and then the zoly does give you Quite a lot of propulsion off the front Of the shoe there kind of more so than You sometimes feel like with the macx Too you can really feel the speed but Zoom fly the speed is there but it's not Quite as aggressive feeling underf foot It comes to really fast Paces like I Have gone up to faster race Paces in Both these shoes like the Zoom fly6 Doesn't feel quite as good as the Mac to Me like it doesn't feel heavy per se but It just feels quite big on the fo end Feels more like kind of a bounding shoe That might work well maybe for people Who have more of a loping stride than me But as quite a high Cadence Shuffle Runner I think the Mac X2 feels a bit Better it feels more Nimble and Aggressive it feels like it's turning my Feet over a little bit more easily and When it comes to those really fast Paces You know like I say often when I might Lean towards using a carbon shoe even in Training for those really hard sessions The Mac X2 does those better than the Zoom fight I would say when it comes to Maybe looking at holding a pace over a Longer distance doing an easy steady Long run progression runs that kind of Thing I think the zoom fly is more Relaxed ride is preferable and it's
Certainly you know that more relaxed fit Is a big plus when it comes to daily Training as well to the short run in Both of these shoes at the same time the First thing that I noticed was how much Harder it was to get the hoker on and Laced up compared to the Nike like I Said it's got really dialed in fit you Got to adjust it get it just right to Really hold your foot in place without Irritating the top of your foot with the Laces or worrying about the heel design The Nike just slips on like a very Relaxed daily trainer and then when you Come to the Run itself you can Definitely feel more of a tip forward Feeling from the hoker The Rocker is Really noticeable even at easy paces and And when you get up to speed you can Really feel that fast turn over and that Punchy Pace from the hoker gives you a Little bit more you off the toes I'd say Than the Nike which feels similar at all Paces and feels good at all paces and it Still works you know as a speed shoe Like I've been talking about but you Definitely feel that speed a bit more in The Hoke of a Shore and get that more Kind of thrusting forward feeling uh From the design and the geometry of the [Music] Shoe verdict is that the Hoka max2 and The Nike zflow 6 are both excellent Super trainers that you can use for a
Really wide variety of training runs and Also you know to step in as Racing shoes For sure I say the Mac X2 is the faster Of the two as I've been talking about It's the one that I think I would go for If I was looking particularly I was Looking at a racing shoe or a shoe to Use predominantly for very fast sessions Your fastest sessions each week I think The Mac X2 does those a little bit Better but then the Nike is a more Comfortable shoe a more relaxed ride and And a better option I think for General Daily training or still having a fair Bit of speed so if you are looking for Something that's going to be you picking Up a lot of miles in your week each week I think the zoomfly 6 probably has a bit Of an edge there because it's just an Easier shoe to get on with in terms of The fit and the ride being comfortable And really good at easy Paces I like the Macx 2 at easy Paces but that might not Be the case for everyone I think it has Got you know more aggressive feeling Ride underf foot Nike might also be a Tad more stable when it comes to that Kind of thing it's also a little bit Cheaper so that's obviously a bonus as Well overall I do prefer the hak X2 Myself I think it's pretty much my Favorite shoe of the year so far but a Lot of that comes down to the fact that I quite like the feeling and easy Paces
Which I'm not sure everyone will and I Also get on with the fit of the shoe so The heel design will obviously be a big No no for some people and that will Immediately make the zoom plus 6 a Better option but I've got on with it Fine like I say the ride Works me at a Wide range of Paces I really like the Fact it's got that impressive top end Speed so it'll be my pick but the Zoomfly 6 probably an easier shoe for The majority of Runners to get on with Still very fast a little bit cheaper as Well so certainly a case of both of These [Music] Shoes that's our comparison of the Mac X2 and the zoomfly 6 let's know what you Think in the comments below please do Like and subscribe ring the little bell And we'll see you next time
