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The Hoka Torrent 3 ($130) is a middle-of-the-road path shoe that performs properly on a wide range of terrain. It has maintained lots of what we liked in regards to the earlier iteration, however we see enhancements within the outsole, which carried out higher on moist rock and felt stickier and extra sturdy.
The Hoka Torrent 3 weighs 9.1 ounces (257 grams) in a males’s dimension 9 and a 5-millimeter drop. The midsole options the identical responsive ProFly foam utilized in Hoka’s carbon sneakers, and a brand new, improved, and breathable higher is among the many enhancements within the newest iteration.
Watch the video beneath for an in depth overview.
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Hoka Torrent 3 Evaluate Transcript
Hey, welcome to Path Trials, the video overview part of iRunFar. My title is Travis Liles, and on this video, we’re wanting on the Hoka Torrent 3. That is the third iteration of the shoe, because the title states, and doubtless essentially the most accessible, non-maximal-cushion, middle-of-the-road, path operating shoe that Hoka has to supply. It’s in all probability essentially the most broadly relevant shoe throughout their total line because it pertains to path operating. On this iteration, they’ve up to date the grip, and so they’ve added some adjustments to the higher. Let’s get into all that proper now.
The Hoka Torrent 3. All photographs: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Hoka Torrent 3 Outsole
Let’s soar proper in to the Hoka Torrent 3 outsole. One of many issues that was referred to as out within the literature was that there’s an upgraded outsole, to be stickier and extra sturdy. I feel that has occurred right here, in comparison with the final model. They really feel much less slick. Once you’re on muddy issues or a moist bridge or a rock in a watery space, like a stream crossing, I really feel like these undoubtedly have extra friction than they used to on the earlier model.
I wouldn’t put it in the identical class as, say, the Hoka Speedgoat 5 — take a look at our Hoka Speedgoat 5 overview — or the Hoka Mafate Pace 4 — and right here’s our Hoka Mafate Pace 4 overview — when it comes to grip, however general, I feel it’s undoubtedly sufficient. It does the job.
From a lug depth standpoint, it has 4-millimeter lugs, so they’re pretty toothy, which I feel is nice. This is similar actual patterning because the Hoka Torrent 2 — look again at our Hoka Torrent 2 overview. So nothing has modified there when it comes to what this appears to be like like. It’s all just about the identical. All of the darkish elements are the tread, and the entire lighter sage inexperienced areas are uncovered foam and midsole. You might have it right here within the center, and you’ve got it within the again right here in a few locations.
There isn’t a rock plate on this shoe, so not like different variations of Hoka sneakers, the place you will have extra cushioning that retains your foot up and above when there’s a puncture or laborious issues, it is a shoe the place you’re going to really feel just a little extra of that stuff poking via as a result of it lacks the safety of a rock plate. Nevertheless it additionally lacks the safety of getting additional foam between you and the impediment that is likely to be beneath you.
The very last thing I’ll name out right here on the outsole are these lugs that dangle off the aspect, and once more, within the Hoka Torrent 2 overview, you possibly can see these, and so they broke off. Each of those are nonetheless okay. At this level, they appear pretty properly secured, however the patterning’s precisely the identical, and it might occur. I simply don’t see that, with out connecting all of this, the way to hold that from occurring. So I’d anticipate that these aspect lugs will finally pop off. And actually, a few of them really feel just a little bit sturdier than others.
The outsole of the Hoka Torrent 3.
Hoka Torrent 3 Midsole
Okay, let’s soar to the Hoka Torrent 3 midsole. It is a impartial midsole, and that is ProFly foam, so that is extra rubbery or rebound-y. It’s meant to go just a little bit sooner. You see the ProFly foam on the extra superior or faster-focused Hoka sneakers of their path line. The carbon sneakers and sooner street trainers additionally embrace this similar sort of froth. It’s an excellent foam. It feels good, and it really works in lots of circumstances. It’s not sloppy, and it’s not too squishy.
It’s a middle-size stack top that’s extra of a normal stack top of a shoe, so it feels prefer it’s just about sufficient to do no matter you need to do. It is a shoe that may do a complete lot of issues, and I feel the componentry that’s in-built right here exemplifies that. And it is a foam that, whereas meant to go quick, can also present good consolation over an extended length run.
The truth is, my first run in these was a 28-mile hybrid run — street, gravel roads, dust path, there was just a little little bit of mud — and it carried out effective. There was by no means a spot the place I used to be like, This isn’t actually the suitable shoe for the job. It felt prefer it was precisely the suitable shoe for the job. So I feel that’s a extremely good testomony to the componentry right here.
A medial view of the Hoka Torrent 3.
Hoka Torrent 3 Higher
Subsequent up, let’s take a look at the Hoka Torrent 3 higher. And from an higher standpoint, that is one other space on prime of the compound used for the lugs and the tread that Hoka is updating from the second to the third model. Throughout, this higher is lighter mesh, and it’s purported to breathe higher. I by no means felt like that was a serious disadvantage of the earlier model. And I don’t know that I can confidently say that it is a extra breathable shoe than the final model.
What I’ll discover right here is that a few of the overlays and the way in which they’ve been up to date aren’t figuring out properly, and you may see a few of that within the connection level of the place you’ve acquired the mudguard — it runs all the way in which across the shoe — after which this different overlay that provides just a little little bit of construction to the higher on prime of the mesh. However on each the medial and lateral sides, it’s breaking down between these two areas. I don’t know if it’s simply the shoe that I’ve or if it is a manufacturing difficulty at massive, however it’s undoubtedly occurring.
Because it pertains to the efficiency of the shoe, I don’t discover it. I solely observed it once I cleaned these up for this overview. However it’s there. The mesh beneath nonetheless appears to be effective. I don’t discover any ripping, tearing, or snagging, however that doesn’t imply it received’t occur. And once more, with 150-plus miles — however lower than 200 miles — on this shoe, it is a concern. You would in all probability glue this again up, and it could be simply effective. And you may transfer on about your day when you’re actually into this shoe, however it’s a sturdiness difficulty that must be stored an eye fixed on if that is going to be a long-term shoe. As a result of in some unspecified time in the future, if it doesn’t outweigh how lengthy you’ve had it, what number of miles you’re placing into it, and the kind of circumstances you’re placing it underneath, clearly, that dollar-per-mile can begin to flip if a shoe begins falling aside.
The higher is very like the final model, so despite the fact that these are extra breathable supplies, the match is roughly the identical. I’d say it is a middle-of-the-road match. It’s not broad, and it’s not slender. There’s sufficient room up right here to your toes to maneuver round and much more room to your toes to splay, so it was by no means a consolation difficulty. It has a really simplistic higher. Once more, we coated the falling aside right here, however very minimal when it comes to what’s modified right here. It has simply sufficient construction to maintain the shoe from feeling too floppy and, for essentially the most half, does an excellent job of locking your foot in place.
For me, on this shoe particularly, I additionally discover just a little bit within the heel that’s looser. I don’t really feel just like the heel has fairly the lockdown because the earlier model, and, similar to all of my critiques, I all the time use the highest eyelet as a result of I’ve acquired just a little little bit of a slender heel. So once more, your mileage could range, however general when you just like the Hoka Torrent 2, then the Torrent 3 is just about a parallel transfer when it comes to version-to-version.
As we transfer to the entrance, there may be very a lot a powerful or largely sturdy toe cap right here. Once more, you’ve acquired some TPU overlays that add just a little little bit of construction to the toebox and retains it up tall versus sagging down in your foot. It will wrap round from the midsole and create an excellent level on the entrance. When you by chance kick one thing, there’s sufficient safety right here. It’s not bombproof, however there’s sufficient there that you may really feel largely assured except you’re actually unhealthy at stubbing your toes.
Because it pertains to the heel cup, it’s pretty inflexible. There may be some kind of plasticky sort of cup in right here that creates that construction, however that is well-padded. It’s delicate, and there’s a pleasant quantity of cushioning across the collar. And because it pertains to the tongue, I suppose that is an anomaly today, which is having just a bit little bit of padding with some foam inside. A number of the sneakers are beginning to go towards very fundamental and really skinny cloth for the tongue. You continue to have just a little little bit of padding right here, so when you do must crank these laces down farther due to a barely looser match in comparison with earlier variations, you will get just a little bit extra crank down on the entrance.
After which, when it comes to gusseting, there actually isn’t any. There’s a little bit of cloth in there, and it’s extra for protecting the tongue in place. So particles and people varieties of issues might get in. That stated, the tongue’s thick sufficient that it wasn’t one thing I skilled throughout my time with the shoe.
A lateral view of the Hoka Torrent 3.
Hoka Torrent 3 General Impressions
In closing, what you will have within the Hoka Torrent 3 is an effective, all-around shoe. It doesn’t actually focus on something, and when you’re on the lookout for a specialised shoe, you’re going to have the ability to discover choices for extra heavy-duty, heavier cushion, and extra safety sneakers for the actually rugged stuff. You’ll discover extra light-weight, spiky, grippy, built-to-go-fast varieties of sneakers as properly. This suits proper in the midst of these two.
If I’m happening a hybrid run and I do know I’ll be on groomed path, some street, possibly just a little little bit of technical, and another stuff — it is a effective seize as a result of it does all that stuff properly, with out ever feeling like, Uh, I want I’d have picked up one thing else. I feel that’s what that is attempting to do, and it really works properly in that state of affairs.
The place this shoe falls down for me is the extra technical aspect. A few of it’s that lack of safety. It doesn’t have a rock plate, and it’s a shorter stack, so you are feeling these pokey issues. I feel the aspect lugs which might be simply form of hanging out right here, as I stated within the Hoka Torrent 2 the place they shredded off, these haven’t, so one thing appears to be like prefer it has been performed to maintain that from occurring. However they’re nonetheless the identical patterns, the identical actual look. I really feel like, in some unspecified time in the future, these will pop off and begin flopping round, and I must minimize them off, or they’ll shred off on their very own.
The opposite half is you’ve acquired this mudguard assembly this overlay on the highest of the shoe. On either side of the shoe, it’s cracked and cut up. I feel long run, doubtlessly, you’ll get weak factors in right here. Filth’s going to get in right here, sand goes to get in right here, and one thing goes to occur. The excellent news is, I’ve seen Hoka do an replace in the midst of manufacturing when one thing like that occurred, so possibly we’ll see that right here, or possibly it’s simply my shoe doing this.
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Name for Feedback
And that’s a query for you — do you will have the Hoka Torrent 3? Is yours having the identical difficulty with this mudguard and this overlay? Do you are feeling just like the safety is nice and the lug patterning and updates which have been made on the underside are protecting this stuff from shearing off? And, in fact, what are your ideas on the Hoka Torrent 3 normally? Go away these beneath this video. Thanks for watching, and we’ll catch you subsequent time.
[Editor’s Note: If you’re affiliated (i.e., an employee, ambassador, etc.) with a shoe brand, please share your relation in each of your comments on this article. Thanks!]
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