We have not had this shoe under our own caliper. What we can tell you is that the gap between HOKA’s published drop and an independent lab’s measured drop on the Clifton 10 is the largest we have logged on any shoe so far — 8 mm stated against 12.4 mm measured.
It carries no score and no seal, and it cannot earn either until we test it. Here is what testing means on this site.
The published specification
| Specification | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stated drop | 8 mm | HOKA |
| Lab-measured drop | 12.4 mm | RunRepeat lab |
| Stated heel stack | 42 mm | HOKA |
| Lab-measured heel stack | 44.4 mm | RunRepeat lab |
| Stated forefoot stack | 34 mm | HOKA |
| Lab-measured forefoot stack | 32.0 mm | RunRepeat lab |
| Stated weight | 277 g (9.8 oz) | HOKA |
| Lab-measured weight | 275 g (9.7 oz) | RunRepeat lab |
| Toe-box width, widest point | 97.2 mm | RunRepeat lab |
| Toe-box width, at the big toe | 73.1 mm | RunRepeat lab |
| Midsole softness | 34.2 Asker C | RunRepeat lab |
| Widths (men) | Narrow, Medium, Wide, X-Wide | HOKA |
| Removable insole | Yes | RunRepeat lab |
| MSRP | $150 | HOKA |
What a foot and ankle surgeon reads into these numbers
The Clifton is HOKA’s everyday cushioned trainer and the lighter, more flexible sibling of the Bondi. At a measured 275 g it is genuinely light for the amount of foam involved, and at 34.2 Asker C the midsole is soft — softer than the Bondi’s 43.
The drop matters clinically more than almost any other published number, because it sets how load is divided between the heel and the forefoot. A shoe sold as 8 mm that actually measures 12.4 mm unloads the Achilles and the plantar fascia more than the buyer expects, and loads the forefoot more. For plantar fasciitis and insertional Achilles pain that is a bonus. For metatarsalgia, a neuroma or sesamoiditis it is a hidden cost.
The toe box is the other standout: 97.2 mm at the widest point is the roomiest figure in this batch, and HOKA offers narrow through extra-wide in men’s. For a bunion or a hammertoe that is a meaningful advantage over more tapered trainers.
Orthotic fit
The insole is removable, the necessary first condition for a custom orthotic. What decides the question is internal volume and heel-counter depth once the stock insole is out — which is exactly what our Orthotic Volume Rating measures and exactly what a specification cannot tell you. This shoe has no OVR yet. If you wear a custom device and you are choosing today, buy from somewhere with a returns policy and try the device in the shoe.
Who should be cautious with the Clifton 10
- Anyone with forefoot pain. A measured 12.4 mm drop tips more load forward than the stated 8 mm implies, and the measured forefoot stack is 2 mm thinner than published. Based on the published geometry, not on wear.
- Anyone who was told to buy a moderate-drop shoe. If a clinician gave you a drop range, the Clifton may not be in it. Two credible sources disagree by 4.4 mm.
- Anyone who wants a firm or stable platform. At 34.2 Asker C this is a soft midsole on a tall stack. If you feel unsteady, or you need a shoe for lateral movement, this is the wrong tool.
What we cannot tell you until we test it
Other shoes we have looked at
Drop is the figure that decides how load splits between your heel and your forefoot, so it is the fastest way to tell these apart. Where a figure was independently measured rather than taken from the brand, it says so — and on several of these the two disagree.
HOKA Bondi 9
Max cushion, 41.3 mm heel, and the widest toe box we have logged at 94.1 mm.
Brooks Ghost 17
The lowest stack of the neutral group at 36.2 mm, and the most honest spec sheet.
ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28
ASICS does not publish a stack figure; the page says so rather than guessing.
HOKA Clifton 10 — MSRP $150. Amazon pricing varies by size, colourway and seller; price last checked 3 September 2026. We have not tested this shoe — if you buy it, buy it on the specification and on a returns policy, not on our word.
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Where this shoe fits
Guides on this site that weigh the HOKA Clifton 10 against the problem you are actually trying to solve:
- Best walking shoes — why a cushioned running shoe usually beats a walking-specific one.
- Best shoes for plantar fasciitis — what a shoe actually has to do for heel pain.
- Best shoes for standing all day — what changes when you stand still rather than walk.
- Best HOKA shoes for plantar fasciitis — how the HOKA line splits between cushion, stability and rocker.
- Best shoes for shin splints — where the shoe helps the shin, and where mileage is the real culprit.
- Best shoes for back pain — how far up the chain a shoe can reasonably be expected to reach.
Browse every shoe on file or read how we test.