Anyone heard of Hoka shoes?

Never heard of them. Brands make no difference to me. It is finding the right shoe for my feet. What shoe that is also depends on the activity for which I plan to use them. Fit/Support/Type of Last in shoe/Heel Counter and Outsole material. That is my criteria for choosing a "Running/Walking or Multi-activity pair of shoes, with brand name meaning very little to me.

Hoka One One are amazing running shoes that provide the ultimate cushioning in a running shoe. They were developed by French ultra marathoners as they had an obvious need for a tremendous amount of cushion to take the impact of running 50+ miles at a time. I discovered these after I sustained a stress fracture. I run about 80+ miles in a week and have not had an injury since. With that said, these have A LOT of cushioning which makes them great for shock absorption but I find them to be a little "clunky" for everyday use. They also run about 1/2 to 1 full size larger than your street shoe size. The toe box tends to be very roomy and the arch support is about average (I have a high arch and these are still comfy). Overall, they are great for long distance running/walking esp if you need max cushioning. They can be $$$ but worth it!

Cushioning can be good for some, bad for others. Of course it is important, especially for those running mostly on concrete or brick, asphalt, not as much. Cushioning for heavier runners is not always the best of choices for obvious reasons. While one would trnd to think "more is better" Exercise Physiologists have proven, not so much. Think of a trampoline, is a loose one with more recoil better or worse? Depends on the one using it, their weight/muscle mass/joint and connective tissue flexibility, and I could go on with more. For me as a light weight runner with no joint issues and very flexible muscles and connective tissues, cushioning was way down my priority list when buying the right shoe for me. More info to do with what you please.

Thanks for your opinions. I appreciate it. I'm just tempted to order some from somewhere I can send them back if I'm not impressed. I need some good cushioning for my bad knees.

"mima", Unless you are going to use these shoes "to run, not walk", cushioning is not a big factor, good knees or bad knees. Find a shoe with good all around support and make sure it has a "removable insole" that way you can put in a much better one and, and for walking, that is much more important than how soft the shoe feels(cushioning).

On 3/26/2015 hckynut said: "mima", Unless you are going to use these shoes "to run, not walk", cushioning is not a big factor, good knees or bad knees. Find a shoe with good all around support and make sure it has a "removable insole" that way you can put in a much better one and, and for walking, that is much more important than how soft the shoe feels(cushioning).

Thanks John. You probably saved me some money.