HOKA Gaviota 5  Running Shoe Review

The HOKA Gaviota 5 and HOKA Bondi 9 are two different daily trainers from the brand that launched the max-cushioning craze, and they target different kinds of runners. The Bondi is a neutral running shoe that is soft and comfortable, with excellent cushioning. The Gaviota is a stability shoe that uses an H-frame of firm foam around the outer edges of the midsole to guide your foot back into a neutral position if it starts to roll sideways. Its cushioning is still decent, but the denser midsole gives back almost no energy. The fit of the Gaviota is a bit more accommodating than the standard version of the Bondi, but the latter is also available in Wide and Extra Wide versions.

The HOKA Gaviota 6 and HOKA Gaviota 5 are two iterations of HOKA's premium support shoe, and after a long gap between versions, the newer model brings meaningful improvements. The HOKA Gaviota 6 is lighter, better cushioned, a bit more responsive, and even a touch more stable overall, which makes it the more effective execution of the concept. The HOKA Gaviota 5 sits a bit higher, so it creates a larger physical buffer between your legs and the road, but the Gaviota 6's midsole does a better job actually absorbing shock, so it ends up feeling more protective in practice. The HOKA Gaviota 5 also uses a semi-gusseted tongue on the medial side, which is absent in the sixth iteration, making for a more accommodating feel at the arch in the newer one.