It’s hard to believe, considering the brand’s ubiquity and dominance today, that HOKA has only been around for 13 years. Founded in 2009 by two former Salomon employees, the footwear mainstay first debuted its Mafate running shoe with the intention of faster downhill speeds and a larger footprint. The chunkier outsoles did just that while providing cloud-like cushioning.
Today, HOKA has revived its classic silhouette with the Mafate Origins, a more casual interpolation of the shoe, whose tech has gone on to inform the brand’s wide array of highly-capable runners. Sizable, even by HOKA’s standards, the sole on the new shoe features a super-high soft cushion bed for minimal impact and Zero Gravity Technology for an easy ride.
The flexible midsole on the new Mafate is pulled from the original retro models. Additionally, the symmetry of the cushion bed and the 4mm drop provide more neutral stability for day-to-day wear. Other features include a ripstop quarter panel on the uppers, durabrasion rubber on the outsoles, and the brand’s signature quick-lace system.
Available in all-black, all-white, and blue, the Mafate Origins is up for grabs on HOKA’s website for $200.
