Looking around the start line of nearly any ultramarathon in the world, it becomes abundantly clear that the brand HOKA has created a line of shoes loved by those looking to run long distances in the mountains. It’s also fair to say that the new HOKA Tecton X 3 has come a long way since the brand released its first shoe in 2009, the HOKA Mafate — a shoe that arguably popularized maximal cushioning in a trail running world that was obsessed with minimalism at the time. How things have changed in the past 15 years!
The third edition of this carbon-plated high-performance trail shoe received some unique upgrades over the HOKA Tecton X 2, some presumably coming from feedback from HOKA athlete Jim Walmsley, who is a self-proclaimed fan of the built-in gaiter. Other upgrades in this shoe include a new midsole foam, a change in the design of the dual carbon plates, and updated lugs.
The original HOKA Tecton X, released in mid-2022, was one of the first carbon-plated trail shoes to come on the market. The innovative dual-plate design was inspired by the movement of the tectonic plates in the earth’s crust, and intended to harness the propulsive power of carbon plates while addressing the issue of their lateral stiffness — which was fine for road running, but posed stability issues on the trail. The two plates, which could move somewhat independently of each other, allowed the shoe to tackle uneven terrain.
While the new HOKA Tecton X 3 maintains the core idea of using dual-carbon plates to create an energetic race shoe that will perform on the trails, updates make it a higher-performing shoe than either of its predecessors. Following, we’ll take a look at the specifications of shoe, a few of the changes that make a big difference, and what it’s like to run with them on mountain trails.
The HOKA Tecton X 3. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
HOKA Tecton X 3 Basic Specifications
Let’s take a look at the specifics of the HOKA Tecton X 3.
- Actual Weight: 265 grams (9.3 ounces) for U.S. men’s 9
- Drop: 5 millimeters
- Stack Height: 40/35 millimeters heel/toe
- Upper Material: Matryx textile with overlays bonded smoothly into a knit built-in gaiter
- Lacing System: Ghillie lace construction
- Tongue: Extension of Matryx textile upper, which is connected to the upper from the gaiter to the end of the laces to keep errant trail debris from working its way into the shoe
- Midsole: Two layers of premium PEBA foam sandwich parallel carbon plates with winglets that provide additional lateral stability
- Outsole: Vibram Megagrip Litebase with deeper and more aggressive Traction Lugs than previous versions of the shoe
The built-in gaiter is the most obvious upgrade to the HOKA Tecton X 3, but there’s much more to it. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Special Features of the HOKA Tecton X 3
A few key changes to this shoe continue to push the envelope of carbon-plated trail shoe performance. When people first saw Jim Walmsley running in a mysterious version of this shoe at UTMB in 2023, it was nearly universally assumed that something similar would come to market. At the 2024 Western States 100, HOKA released a limited number of the HOKA Tecton X 2.5 for sale, which was essentially a one-off of the shoe line, and they sold out immediately.
What can only be called a sibling shoe to the Tecton X 2.5, the Tecton X 3 has arrived as a trail shoe designed to go really fast on moderately technical terrain for a long time. The generous stack height should provide ample protection, the Matryx upper is purported to be durable and breathable, and the updated outsole looks to offer great grip with new Traction Lugs in an aggressive design.
A close-up view of Jim Walmsley’s 2023 UTMB shoes. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Built-In Gaiter
The biggest visual change in the HOKA Tecton X 3 is the addition of a built-in knit gaiter. This most likely came from Jim Walmsley wanting a shoe that he could run in over any type of terrain without worrying about debris in his shoes. For trail runners who hate the seemingly universal internal debate on whether to stop and take off a shoe to remove an offending pebble, or just try to move it to a different part of the shoe so that it’s not as annoying, the gaiter will be a welcome addition.
The gaiter extends over and hugs the ankle. It also extends as the shoe’s tongue, reaching all the way down to the end of the laces. This sealed system seems to prevent rocks and pebbles from working their way into the shoe. The gaiter transitions seamlessly into the ankle collar of the shoe to keep material from bunching up and creating hot spots.
The Matryx upper was introduced to the shoe line with the Tecton X 2. This material wraps each nylon thread in a polyurethane-coated polyester instead of just coating the final knit material on the surface. The coating is hydrophobic, which should keep some level of moisture out, while keeping the upper durable and breathable.
The ample midsole of the HOKA Tecton X 3 strikes a balance between responsiveness and cushion. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Dual-Layer PEBA Foam Midsole
HOKA has created a new midsole made entirely with premium PEBA foam. While previous versions of this shoe used dual-density EVA foam for the midsole, which the brand dubbed ProFlyX, the Tecton X 3 uses a dual-layer PEBA foam instead. The new foam is lighter and more responsive than ProFlyX EVA foam, and is used in other high-performance HOKA shoes, including the HOKA Rocket X 2. When compared to the ProFlyX foam, which has a reputation for durability, the new shoe is significantly more responsive.
While the overall shoe weight is a mere seven grams lighter than the predecessor, the midsole weight must be significantly lighter, given the additional weight of the gaiter.
The 40-millimeter stack height, which is slighty more than the HOKA Tecton X 2, positions this shoe firmly in the maximally cushioned category. What the shoe may lack in ground feel due to that stack height, it will hopefully make up for in comfort. When it comes to long distances, a combination of both cushion and propulsive power is perfect.
Carbon Plate Winglets
While the basic design of the dual carbon plates stays the same as in older versions of the shoe, the addition of two small and nearly vertical wings on the outside of the foot, just back from the midfoot, adds additional stability to the shoe. While a small addition, the winglets reduce lateral motion in the rear of the shoe and provide more control over technical terrain. The carbon plates increase the propulsive energy of the shoe, and their ability to move semi-independently of each other allows them to handle technical terrain without making the shoe feel tippy.
The HOKA Tecton X 3 are performance shoes ready to go fast. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Outsole Updates
The outsole of the HOKA Tecton X 3 significantly differs from prior shoe versions. The Vibram Megagrip Litebase construction is well-known and well-loved in the trail running world and a staple in HOKA shoe lines. The Megagrip rubber grips well on a variety of surfaces, both wet and dry, rough and smooth, and the Litebase construction only puts rubber where it’s needed, shaving weight without compromising on performance. The Litebase construction also reduces the overall thickness of the rubber, leading to an even greater weight reduction.
As you can see in the images below, outsole coverage increases in the HOKA Tecton X 3 compared to the Tecton X 2, namely in the midfoot area.
For this shoe, HOKA has also added their Traction Lugs. These are not only shaped and placed differently than the lugs on prior Tecton X versions, but they also have added rubber dots around their perimeter, which adds more surface area to each lug and therefore theoretically increases their grip. Traction Lugs are currently also used on the HOKA Speedgoat line of shoes, including the HOKA Speedgoat 6.
They’ve also made the 4-millimeter lugs a millimeter deeper than the previous versions, now 5 millimeters tall, which may not seem like much at first glance, but is a 25% increase. When combined with the new outsole coverage and lug design, the overall increase in the aggressiveness of the outsole should feel noticeable. When compared to the prior edition, this outsole should provide improved grip on uphills, and better braking power on the downhills with reverse lugs near the heel.
The new Traction Lugs on the HOKA Tecton X 3 Vibram Megagrip Litebase outsole. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
The outsole of the Hoka Tecton X 2 for comparison. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Running in the HOKA Tecton X 3
Members of the iRunFar gear test team are putting the HOKA Tecton X 3 through the paces now. Among our team, Bryon Powell, iRunFar’s founding editor, took the HOKA Tecton X 3 out for a first run on the local trails and dirt roads around Silverton, Colorado. HOKA has developed a reputation for creating shoes that run well out of the box, and this shoe is no different.
While initially, it may seem that putting the on the shoe with its gaiter could turn into a wrestling match, they slip on easily — more easily than any other shoe with a built-in gaiter system. And once on, the gaiter stays snug around the ankle without any type of bunching or slipping.
iRunFar’s Bryon Powell taking the HOKA Tecton X 3 for a run outside of Silverton, Colorado. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
This is a shoe that seems to nail the blend between cushion and responsiveness. While the generous PEBA foam midsole provides plenty of cushioning to protect your feet as the miles rack up, there’s not a sensation of running on marshmallows or other overly squishy materials. It’s a shoe ready to go long distances the moment the Vibram Megagrip outsole hits the dirt.
The newly upgraded outsole with its Traction Lugs are a welcome addition for those who frequent rocky and loose trails — like those around Silverton. The shoe grips on the rocks, but the lugs aren’t so overbearing that they make the bit of pavement and dirt road running to the trails unpleasant.
Overall, this is a shoe designed to go the distance — and to do it fast.
[Editor’s Note: This article is sponsored by HOKA. Thank you to HOKA for its sponsorship of iRunFar, which helps to make iRunFar happen and free for all to enjoy. Learn more about our sponsored articles.]
