The Mach X has been a fascinating barometer for the direction of Hoka's road range since the first model arrived in 2023, and the third generation — released last September at £190/$190 and now widely in stock across UK retailers — is arguably the most confident interpretation yet. The updated model pairs a full PEBA midsole with a full-length Pebax winged plate, brings the men's stack up to a maximum-legal-for-racing 46mm heel and 41mm forefoot, and replaces the oddly thin heel collar of the Mach X 2 with a structured, lightly padded cuff that has immediately quieted the most persistent complaint of the previous model. On paper it is also the most expensive Mach-series shoe Hoka has ever sold.
On the run the new Mach X 3 sits firmly in the super-trainer category that has come to dominate high-mileage training for sub-three-hour marathoners. The PEBA foam is markedly softer than the EVA blend used in the original Mach X, and the winged plate — broader through the forefoot than the narrow carbon plate Hoka used on the Mach X 2 — is tuned for transitional pop rather than the aggressive roll of a racer such as the Cielo X1. The 5mm drop keeps the shoe forefoot-friendly and less disruptive of a runner's established biomechanics than some of its rivals, and over tempo work between 4:00 and 3:30 per kilometre our test pair felt more cooperative than the firmer Nike Vomero Premium or Asics Superblast 3.
The obvious concern after unboxing is the weight. At 289g in a men's UK9 the Mach X 3 is nearly 20g heavier than its predecessor, a reflection of both the reworked heel and the PEBA midsole's lower density requiring more material to hit the targeted firmness. In practice that weight rarely intrudes once the shoe is moving — the geometry pushes runners onto the forefoot quickly — but it is noticeable when easy running drops below 5:00 per kilometre, where the Mach X 3 can feel slightly over-specced for the job. As a single-shoe option for runners who want one trainer that can handle 80 per cent of a marathon build-up, however, it is one of the best arguments in the category.
Durability looks strong on early evidence. The outsole uses Hoka's latest rubberised foam pods rather than full rubber, and after 200km of testing the heel and forefoot showed modest compression without the crumble that shortened the life of some earlier Hoka training models. The jacquard-mesh upper is substantially more structured than on the Mach X 2, with a gusseted tongue and a reinforced heel counter that has passed the lacing-lock test that used to defeat us on the previous model. Fit runs true to size with a slightly narrower midfoot than average for Hoka, which will suit most runners but may drive those with wider feet toward the Clifton or Bondi instead.
Priced at $189.95 in the US and £190 in the UK, the Mach X 3 is squarely in line with the Asics Superblast 3, the Puma MagMax Nitro 2 and the Saucony Kinvara Pro, all of which now cluster in the £170 to £210 super-trainer band. What the Mach X 3 offers over those rivals is an unusually broad training range: it is cushioned enough to be a long-run shoe, firm enough in the forefoot to manage marathon-pace work, and stable enough through the midfoot to be used as a tempo-day option. For the Mach series, which began life in 2018 as a low-stack, lightweight daily trainer, that transformation into a $190 super-trainer is the clearest sign yet that Hoka's road range has pivoted definitively toward the upmarket end of the category.