The HOKA Clifton PRO is a premium daily trainer built for any runner looking for a reliable shoe to soak up all of their weekly miles. Its ride is amazingly protective, with deep cushioning that absorbs impact excellently, though it's not peppy or bouncy. It performs impressively across all daily training and is a good long-run companion, but it's too heavy and lacks the snap to tackle speedwork adequately. It can handle marathon efforts decently, but it's a complete-the-distance rather than a compete-across-the-distance shoe, thriving at daily training paces.
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Our Verdict
The HOKA Clifton PRO is a decent marathon racing shoe. Its excellent cushioning stays impressively protective over the distance, while its good stability keeps the ride controlled through longer efforts. However, it's heavy, and its disappointing energy return and mediocre snap make it inefficient at faster marathon paces. It's much better suited to completing the distance than competing across it.
Excellent cushioning remains protective across long distances.
Good stability keeps the ride controlled as fatigue builds.
Heavy build makes it less efficient over the distance.
Disappointing propulsion and mediocre snap limit faster marathon efforts.
The HOKA Clifton PRO is a mediocre choice for 5K/10K racing. Its okay forefoot firmness and bending stiffness provide some structure through toe-off, but its very compliant rocker struggles to hold its shape at faster paces. It's also heavy, with disappointing energy return and mediocre snap, making it poorly suited to quick turnover.
Fairly firm forefoot provides a bit of snap through toe-off.
Very compliant rocker struggles to support quick turnover.
The HOKA Clifton PRO is a good long-run companion. Its midsole is amazingly cushioned and holds up impressively as the miles build, while its good stability keeps the ride controlled over longer efforts. However, it's a bit heavy, and its rocker flattens quite easily, so it doesn't roll forward efficiently when you're fatigued or the pace picks up. It's best suited to steady long runs rather than progressive efforts.
Excellent cushioning remains protective across long distances.
Good stability keeps the ride controlled as fatigue builds.
Very compliant rocker limits progressive effort capability.
The HOKA Clifton PRO is an impressive daily trainer. Its amazing cushioning makes it highly protective for routine mileage, while its good stability keeps the ride controlled enough for all types of runners. The heel rocker is also good, helping the shoe roll smoothly at easier paces. However, its heavy build and disappointing energy return make it less suitable for faster daily runs.
Amazing cushioning has excellent impact absorption.
Good stability keeps the ride controlled and approachable.
Heel rocker supports smooth transitions at easier paces.
Heavy build and disappointing energy return limit faster paces.
We buy and test running shoes with a very data-oriented approach. While we're just getting started, our methodology already has dozens of tests to help you make the right purchasing decision for your needs. Not only do we use high-end equipment to gather objective data, but we also order multiple sizes of the same shoes so team members can log in miles. This real-world testing is conducted at various paces and conditions, across different types of workouts, to cover all the bases. This allows us to verify our results and ensure they align with what you might feel with a specific pair.
Test Results
Energy Return
The HOKA Clifton PRO has inadequate energy return. Its forefoot returns little energy at toe-off, while the heel is even less responsive. However, this is to be expected in a shoe designed for deep impact protection rather than pep.
Poor heel energy return makes the rearfoot dull.
Disappointing forefoot energy return makes toe-off flat.
Though better than the HOKA Clifton 11, the HOKA Clifton PRO has disappointing forefoot energy return. It returns slightly more energy than the heel, but toe-off still lacks the propulsion needed for faster efforts.
The HOKA Clifton PRO has disappointing heel energy return. The rearfoot gives little energy back after landing, making the shoe less lively for heel strikers. That said, it still outperforms the HOKA Clifton 11.
Stability
The HOKA Clifton PRO has good stability. Its exceptionally wide arch platform and excellent forefoot width create a broad base underfoot, and its semi-gusseted tongue helps achieve a good lockdown. The heel firmness is decent, and though the forefoot is a bit softer, it's not enough to negatively impact the ride.
Good overall stability makes the shoe dependable for daily miles.
Exceptional arch width creates a broad, stable platform.
Softer forefoot firmness reduces landing control slightly.
The HOKA Clifton PRO has decent heel firmness. It provides great support under lighter forces, though it drops as loads increase. Heavier or faster heel strikers may find the rearfoot less planted overall.
The HOKA Clifton PRO's forefoot is adequately firm. It stays decently planted under lighter forces but becomes less supportive as loads increase, limiting forefoot stability for heavier or faster runners.
Cushioning
The HOKA Clifton PRO has excellent cushioning. Its heel protection is truly outstanding under moderate and high forces, making it a great option for heavier or faster heel strikers. The forefoot is superb at lighter and moderate forces, and holds up excellently as loads increase. The midsole provides excellent protection over marathon distances as well.
Outstanding heel protection under moderate and high forces.
Superb forefoot cushioning at lighter and moderate forces.
Excellent protection across marathon distances.
The HOKA Clifton PRO has excellent heel cushioning. It absorbs much more impact than the HOKA Clifton 11, making it far more protective for faster runners or heavier heel strikers.
The HOKA Clifton PRO has outstanding forefoot cushioning. It absorbs much more impact than the HOKA Clifton 11 across all force levels, protecting legs from the road superbly.
The HOKA Clifton PRO's midsole holds up impressively over long runs. It's much more protective than the HOKA Clifton 11 or Nike Vomero 18. The HOKA Bondi 9 is only slightly better, so the difference likely won't be felt by most runners.
Bounciness
The HOKA Clifton PRO delivers unremarkable bounce. Its forefoot compresses adequately, and the heel has some give under load, but the midsole doesn't return an acceptable amount of energy overall to make the ride dynamic.
Adequate forefoot compression provides some sink in.
Poor heel energy return makes the rearfoot dull.
Disappointing forefoot energy return makes toe-off flat.
The HOKA Clifton PRO has mediocre heel compression depth. The rearfoot compresses more as forces increase, though its poor energy return prevents that movement from producing much bounce.
The HOKA Clifton PRO's forefoot compresses to an adequate depth under load, but its disappointing energy return keeps toe-off from feeling bouncy.
Snappiness
The HOKA Clifton PRO has mediocre snappiness. Its forefoot is reasonably stiff, and its firmness adds some structure through toe-off, but the forefoot returns little energy when bent. Its shallow rocker angle also makes transitions smoother rather than snappy.
Reasonably stiff forefoot adds some bite through toe-off.
Mediocre bending energy return limits propulsion.
The HOKA Clifton PRO has mediocre forefoot bending energy return. It gives back an unremarkable amount of the energy stored as the shoe bends, limiting snap through the toe-off.
The HOKA Clifton PRO's forefoot resists bending reasonably well. It provides some resistance through toe-off, though the forefoot remains flexible rather than especially snappy.
The HOKA Clifton PRO has okay forefoot rocker geometry. Its toe spring and rocker angle are both gentler than the HOKA Clifton 11, so it provides less assistance rolling through toe-off.
Roll
The HOKA Clifton PRO rolls passably. Its good heel rocker helps the shoe move through landing, while the forefoot rocker geometry is okay. However, the rocker is very compliant and struggles to hold its shape through toe-off, stopping transitions from feeling reasonably smooth.
Good heel rocker geometry supports the initial transition.
Forefoot rocker geometry provides some forward roll.
Very compliant rocker limits smooth progression through the stride.
Forefoot stiffness reduces structure at toe-off.
The HOKA Clifton PRO's rocker flattens easily under load, reducing the assistance it provides from landing through toe-off.
The HOKA Clifton PRO has a tall heel stack, sitting above both the HOKA Clifton 11 and HOKA Bondi 9. Its forefoot stack is also taller than the Clifton 11, giving heel strikers more foam under the rearfoot without the steeper geometry of the Clifton 11.
The HOKA Clifton PRO has good heel rocker geometry, though its heel curve is gentler than the HOKA Clifton 11's, so heel strikers get less assistance rolling from landing into midstance.
True To Size
The HOKA Clifton PRO fits true to size. Its length and arch width are bang on, while the forefoot width is excellent. Runners with taller toes may find the forefoot a bit restrictive, though not enough to be a concern for most people. We recommend going with your usual size.
Runners can confidently get their usual size.
Length and arch width are bang on.
Forefoot width is excellent.
Forefoot height may feel a bit restrictive for runners with taller toes.
Interestingly, the HOKA Clifton PRO is heavier than the HOKA Clifton 11 despite using a more modern foam, largely due to its taller stack. Even so, its weight remains acceptable for a daily trainer, and it's much lighter than the HOKA Bondi 9.
The HOKA Clifton PRO uses a supercritical EVA foam for the first time in a shoe with the Clifton moniker. Though it's not a premium foam, it still delivers truly amazing cushioning, and compared to the HOKA Clifton 11's compression-molded EVA, it provides better energy return and holds up much better over longer efforts as well.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the HOKA Clifton PRO in men's U.S. size 9, as indicated on the label of our unit. The colorway shown here is Cosmic Grey/Black (yes, really). HOKA offers Regular and Wide sizing for men and women, with multiple color options available across regions. The design section applies specifically to the version we tested, but we expect other sizes and gender variants to perform similarly.
Popular Running Shoe Comparisons
The HOKA Clifton PRO is a premium max-stack daily trainer introduced as a peppier, more protective version of the HOKA Clifton 11. Its more modern foam makes it significantly more cushioned and much bouncier underfoot, though it comes with a slight weight increase, and neither shoe delivers an especially lively ride overall. In reality, it sits between the Clifton 11 and the HOKA Bondi 9, matching the beloved Bondi's excellent cushioning but offering much better stability in a lighter package. However, the Bondi is the bouncier, livelier shoe underfoot despite its smaller heel stack. Another high-stack daily trainer from a different brand is the Nike Vomero 18. It's the most stable of these shoes, though the Clifton PRO is much more cushioned, more energetic, and performs better over long runs. For runners whose budget stretches to it, the Clifton PRO is an impressive all-rounder and the best daily trainer from this group.
For more options from HOKA, check out our picks for the best HOKA running shoes. New runners can also check out our recommendations for the best running shoes for beginners.
The HOKA Clifton PRO is a better shoe than the HOKA Clifton 11. It's much more cushioned and a touch more stable, and it performs better across daily miles and longer efforts, with more bounce underfoot, too. The Clifton 11 is a little lighter with a lower stack and retails for much less, so if you're on a budget, it's still a good daily trainer; otherwise, the Clifton PRO is the shoe to get.
The HOKA Clifton PRO and HOKA Bondi 9 offer the same excellent cushioning, but the Clifton PRO is the better daily trainer. It's much lighter and much more stable, and performs better on routine mileage all the way through to marathon efforts. The Bondi 9 is bouncier and much more energetic underfoot, though its heavier build makes it less versatile. If you prioritize a livelier ride, get the Bondi 9; otherwise, the Clifton PRO is the better all-rounder.
The HOKA Clifton PRO is a better shoe than the Nike Vomero 18. It's much lighter and much more cushioned and packs more fun underfoot. It also performs better over long runs or marathon efforts. Even though the Nike is more stable, the HOKA still has good stability overall, and the Nike can't match its protection or versatility.