HOKA ONE ONE SKY KAHA FULL

While it isn’t a thick sole (the EVA foam midsole is thick enough), the tread has some fairly serious 5mm lugs for a shoe with a running pedigree. I first realized that the Hoka One One Kaha hiking boots were more than just basketball shoes in earth tones when I saw the Vibram Megagrip outsole. Justin Park / TripSavvy Traction: Serious lugs I tested a size 11 and it fit snugly with a little room around the toe. The fit was great on my slightly narrow foot, however, if you’re on the wide end of the spectrum, you may want to consider a different boot since the Kaha’s don’t currently come in wide varieties. I found the laces easy to make snug which kept my foot in place and heel back, and gave my toes some room without sliding around in the toe box. This is likely thanks in part to the contoured insole and cushioning. The boots were comfortable right out of the box, despite the full-grain leather upper. If you’re new to the brand, you’ll probably be impressed by how cushioned they are for a hiking boot. So if you’re a Hoka One One enthusiast expecting the usual plush ride, lower your expectations a touch. And while they’re definitely a heavily cushioned hiker, they’re not quite as cloud-like as regular Hoka One One runners. Overall, I have been more than pleased with the Sky Kaha boots from Hoka.Justin Park / TripSavvy Comfort: A step back from Hoka’s runnersĬomfort and cushioning is the hallmark of the Hoka One One brand, so you’d expect it in the Kaha hiking boots, especially since they look the part with the signature thick foam midsole. Even the exposed EVA seems to be holding up better than I imagined. The above photo was after wearing these for a couple of weeks and as you can see, there appears to be virtually no wear on the soles so I would imagine that these will last a good long time before the soles wear out. I wouldn't suggest doing that often because it will prematurely wear down the rubber but for testing purposes I was more than happy. A bonus is that they don't sound or even feel weird when walking on pavement. These bad boys come equipped with Vibram Megagrip, and 5mm lugs which have proved more than ample to handle just about any terrain. I did find, as with most waterproof footwear, that they do tend to run a little on the warm side in the summer months. No blisters or pinching due to the highly customizable lacing system! Hooray! These didn't prove to be any issue at all. I've been wearing Altra shoes for some time now and typically don't enjoy more narrow toeboxes. My knees thanked me at the end of each hike!Īll in all, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the fit and feel of these boots. The layer of foam closest to the sole is more stiff which provides the support necessary to carry a pack or in my case a child with ease. I expected a lot of break in time but the dual density EVA proves to offer supreme on foot comfort. The step-in comfort was shockingly awesome. They are more akin to a neutral running shoe and don't offer a major arch 'post' which is what I prefer. I found there to be ample toe room in these and decent support. These should provide sufficient for most creek crossings and rain storms in *most* areas. I actually was surprised that I didn't feel any leakage after 15 minutes. These are lined with an e-Vent waterproof bootie and they stood up to my highly technical standing-in-a-creek water test.

That's a lot of stuff for one boot, but dang.

HOKA ONE ONE SKY KAHA FULL

The Kaha is made of full grain leather, some synthetic sections, metal eyelets, and multi-density EVA foam. The Sky Kaha is an over the ankle boot, which is typically not my style for hiking/backpacking footwear, however these proved to be quite comfortable over the rocks and roots the Ozarks kindly provide.

Hoka one one sky kaha