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The Hoka Mafate 5 is one of the brand’s most iconic shoes. While it doesn’t have the casual street cred of the Bondi or Clifton, it’s a purebred in Hoka’s lineup, built for the people who crave dirt under their shoes and mountains under their feet.
Back in 2009, Jean-Luc Diard and Nicolas Mermoud started Hoka in Annecy, France, with a clear goal—make downhill running faster and more comfortable. Their first Mafate did just that with a thick, cushioned midsole and a unique rocker geometry. It was the opposite of the minimalist shoes dominating the trail scene at the time, and ultra-marathoners quickly took notice.
Now in its fifth iteration, the Mafate 5 continues to honor “the core original spirit of Mafate, which is helping people feel like they’re flying over super technical terrain,” says Becca Broe, Director of Product Performance Footwear at Hoka.
A few weeks ago, I took the Mafate 5 on a trek to Lac Blanc in Chamonix, France, the backyard of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, a 106-mile gauntlet of the Alps that most mortals only dream about. I didn’t attempt the full ultra, but even this shorter hike revealed the shoe’s magic. Rocks, roots, and steep ascents felt less like obstacles and more like a playground. The cushioning absorbed every jolt, the grip held steady on loose terrain, and my ankles quietly thanked me as I climbed. By the end of the hike, even the toughest stretches felt almost like gliding.
Hoka Mafate Specs
The Hoka Mafate trail running shoe takes its name from the Cirque de Mafate, a remote and rugged caldera on Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean. From its first release in 2010, the Mafate earned a following among trail runners for its plush cushioning and signature rocker geometry, making technical terrain feel surprisingly smooth. The latest iteration, the Hoka Mafate 5, honors that heritage while adding modern refinements: a dual-density midsole for balanced cushioning, a Vibram Megagrip outsole for dependable traction, a warp-knit upper for durability and comfort, and a flow-molded TPU cage that wraps the midfoot for 360-degree support and protection without sacrificing flexibility.
Overall Impressions
I have to admit, I’m not the biggest trail runner on the planet, but I am an avid hiker. Near my home in Nashville, there are hikes an hour or two in every direction—but they pale in comparison to Chamonix’s Alps, where the weather is unpredictable, snow is possible, rocks are plentiful, and you can’t just grab a drink of water whenever you want. Taking the Mafate 5s out on some of the most challenging terrain I’ve encountered was a true test of the shoe’s quality.
In true Hoka fashion, the bright blue colorway stood out among the beiges and blacks of the other athletes on the trail. Beyond the eye-catching look, the Mafate 5 proved to be one of the most comfortable trail shoes I’ve ever worn, blending some of the best elements of its predecessors into a single, capable package.
Key Features
If you’re a die-hard Mafate fan, you might not notice all the tweaks that took Hoka three years (and countless rounds of athlete and employee input) to get right. Sure, the colorways are new, but the real story is underfoot.
The Mafate 4 used a dual-density PROFLY midsole, but the Mafate 5 flips that formula, placing a softer SCF EVA foam on the bottom. The result? A plusher underfoot feel and a smoother ride over uneven terrain.
Since the beginning of the Mafate’s creation, it has always relied on some form of two-layer system or thick slab of foam, Broe told me. This time, the focus was on making sure the rocker technology held up over the long haul. The goal was that whether you’re on mile one or mile 100, you’d still get the same smooth transition and that signature Meta-Rocker feel you had the first time you put the shoe on. To achieve that, Hoka introduced Rocker Integrity Technology—a curved TPU plate placed between the dual-density foams to keep the rocker consistent and durable.
The other big update: the heel-to-toe drop. The Mafate 5 shifts from 4 mm to 8 mm, a change designed to combat the “bottoming out” athletes sometimes reported after heavy mileage. By starting with more foam, the shoe holds its structure longer, especially on rugged trails and ultra-distance runs.
“When we think of a four or five mm drop shoe over time with compression, probably ends up being like a two mm drop shoe, one to two,” Broe explained. “So for us, that eight just really gave us that little bit of that safety net. We also just really wanted to consider the environment that someone is using the Mafate in.”
Pros
- Plush, cushioned ride
- Consistent, long-lasting rocker performance
- Exceptional traction regardless of terrain
- Durable and protective warp-knit upper
Cons
- Expensive compared to other trail running options
- Heftier build than former versions
Final Verdict
Whether you’re grinding out ultra miles or just chasing weekend hikes, the Mafate 5 earns its spot in the lineup. It’s not the shoe you’ll grab for coffee runs or casual walks (that’s not its job), but on the trail it shines. With eye-catching colorways, a dialed-in fit, and durability that laughs at rugged terrain, the Mafate 5 feels like peak Hoka—bold, comfortable, and built to take you places.
Why You Should Trust Me
I’m an Associate Health and Fitness Editor with more than five years in the industry. I’ve tested and reviewed dozens of products—from pre-workouts to running shoes and everything in between—so I know what makes gear perform, feel comfortable, and actually live up to the hype. Taking the Mafate 5 out on Chamonix trails let me put that experience to the test in a real-world setting.
