The following review was written by Sarah Barber and features the HOKA Mafate 5 trail running shoe. Product was provided at no cost for the test and review.
Call it anec-data since I don’t have any hard numbers to support my perception, but I’m convinced HOKA is the most popular brand of trail shoes on the market. How did I arrive at this conclusion? Well, thanks to my years-long obsession with footwear, every time I’m with a congregation of trail runners, be it a race or a social event, people assume I’m an introvert because I appear to be staring at the ground. The simple truth is that I don’t have a single shy cell in my body—I’m simply studying the shoes on people’s feet. I swear I see the HOKA label represented more than any other. This is especially true within the overlap of a Ven diagram that includes both ultra runners and baby boomers. However, despite being solidly in the masters age category, I’d never tried a pair of HOKAs until a couple of weeks ago.
Editor’s Note: To see the top shoes from ATRA’s 2025 spring survey, visit this link. Spoiler alert…#1 is HOKA.
Mafate translated
I was lucky to get my hands on the HOKA Mafate 5 which is the newest generation of a long running (pun intended) product line which began over a decade ago with HOKA’s original trail shoe, the Mafate. I say it “mah-FAYTE.” In my best southern accent, it works well: “Mafate is to try a pair of HOKAs for the first time.” But the word “mafate” comes from the Malagasy language, which is spoken in Madagascar, and means “lethal” or “the one who kills,” generally when referring to rugged terrain.
The shoe’s name immediately made sense when I inspected the aggressive 5 mm lugs on the ubiquitous Vibram Megagrip outsole. But straight from the box, I was struck less by the Mafate 5’s chunkiness for which the HOKA brand is known and more by their blueness which was nothing like the blueness of the sky (the colorway is called Skyward Blue). Instead, it was truly an electric blue suitable for the aptly named Vegas performers, Blue Man Group, or maybe a Smurf. Still the upper, I stepped into them with the curiosity and directionless energy of a frisky colt to see whether I could understand the far-reaching appeal of HOKAs.
Broad platform
Me being me, I also brought the unstable foot strike of a frisky colt. However, the Mafate 5’s broad platform compensated nicely for my wobbles—I don’t think I could have rolled an ankle or fallen down if I’d tried! My first outing was just a recovery jog, but it was still on a rocky undulating trail, and I was impressed by how the impact of each step was dampened by a squish that reminded me of riding a full suspension mountain bike with lots of travel. While gentle on the feet, I found this sensation also reduced the overall jolt through my legs, which seems like a great thing not only for recovery, but perhaps also for running extended distances on tired limbs. Honestly, the only things missing from the Mafate 5’s plush ride are air conditioning and SiriusXM.
Trust the cushion
My next jaunt was longer and included more vert. While the Mafate 5s felt hefty and even clunky going uphill, I was impressed at their downhill performance. I found myself charging downhill with a bit more abandon, trusting the cushioning to shield my feet from the bruising chatter of sharp stones and the outsole to stick on slick switchbacks. The wide base offered a sense of stability that made missteps less likely, and the pronounced rocker design seemed to roll me forward, smoothing out the cadence even when my legs began to tire.
True-to-size
For racing, I prefer the lightweight advantage of a less-cushioned and more responsive shoe, but I’m sure I’ll always pay the price by feeling beat-up and worn-down for days and days after crossing the finish line. With a true-to-size fit and spacious toe box, the Mafate 5 is a smart solution for someone looking to boost recovery by softening a long effort, or to log some easy miles after the previous day’s intensity or extended mileage. If it’s my fate, it might be your fate, too!
HOKA Mafate 5 specs
Heel-toe drop: 8 mm
Weight: rumored to be heavier than the Mafate 4 but I can’t find an exact weight online
MSRP: $185
Editor’s Note: To read more articles written by, or featuring ATRA gear wrangler Sarah Barber, visit this link.
