My partner Matt and I love to go on long, intentional walks together. For almost as long as I’ve known him, he’s been wearing the same pair of raggedy sneakers for everything. It used to be a running joke because when he’d put these on, I’d see so clearly how his feet overpronate. He was always complaining about body pain, especially as a former college basketball player with lingering back problems. Because of that, I decided to do what I do best and buy him a pair of Hoka shoes.
For our anniversary this past October, I gifted him the Hoka Gaviota 5. I did quite a bit of research to make sure this was the right pair for him. It checked all of the boxes: plush cushion, added stability and a durable, structured design. When he opened the box and popped them on, he immediately gushed about how comfortable they were. His first pair of Hoka shoes, he walked all over the apartment in them, telling me they “felt like walking on clouds.” Welcome to the club, Matt! Part of me is kicking myself, however, because these nifty shoes are up to 35% off right now. I could have saved a good chunk of money had our anniversary been this time of year, but, at least you can buy them for less.
Hoka Gaviota 5 Men’s Running Shoe
Zappos
The Hoka Gaviota 5 is an everyday running and walking shoe that has quite a blended design. You get the best of both worlds in terms of cushion and stability. Many structural shoes are stiff, which can be unlucky for people like Matt who need cushion to soften impact. He’s quite tall at 6 feet 5 inches and has put a lot of miles on his foot pads through sports, so minimal cushioning is not an option for him. Luckily, these structured Hokas are nice and plush with a taper towards the toe for easy heel-to-toe transitions. Each step is easy for him!
Since the Gaviota is a stability shoe, the brand included an “H-frame” structure within the midsole, meaning there’s a denser material throughout the bottom of the shoe over the heel and arch (in the shape of the letter H) to keep your feet from rolling. The heel also extends, which has helped prevent my partner’s heels from turning inward—the cushion is firm enough to stop that motion in its tracks, but still soft enough to relieve foot pain.
Hoka Gaviota 5 Women’s Running Shoe
REI
Matt’s joints and, ultimately, his feet, bear the weight of his taller frame, so these Hoka shoes have been a massive help for him. When we went on our first few walks after our anniversary, we both immediately noticed that the shoes prevented his overpronation. I could see a visual difference, and he could feel it. Over time, he’s noticed that they’re durable enough to maintain that stability, and even after months of weekly walks, they’re still going strong.
He also loves how plush and energizing the foam cushion is. There’s more pep in his step, and the impact of each move has softened significantly. Another sign of a great shoe is what happens to your body hours, or even days, after you’ve worn them for a walk. This was apparent for Matt too, as he consistently had less body pain following one of our hour-long walks.
If you’re also looking for a sneaker that provides ample cloud-like, lightweight cushion with structure to keep your feet in place, the Hoka Gaviota 5, available in men’s and women’s sizes and styles, will not disappoint. And, with a discount of up to 35% off, I can’t imagine you’ll get a better price for such a high-quality shoe.
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At the time of publishing, the price started at $115.
