Hardwear
Product 2021
Woman, Man
The Hoka One One Zinal name suggests a shoe that is designed for distances up to 30 kilometers (the legendary Swiss race: Sierre-Zinal is 31 kilometers).
The shoe has very little cushioning, a “direct” feeling with the ground that enables you to spring forward and go (very) fast… if you can! That said it isn’t an extreme shoe in the sense that you still have cushioning that filters foot strike errors and some shocks. Its 5-mm drop demands careful positioning because it puts extra force on your calves if you aren’t used to such a low drop.
The Hoka One One Zinal cushioning is very coherent as the product has practically the same front and rear cushioning. So don’t expect the cushioning to be thicker at the heel. You have good ground contact, no roll or imbalance: you have noticeable stability. Energy from the foot strike rebounds for great forward spring without losing any energy and the stride is fluid. The fit is more designed for narrower feet. Some testers would’ve liked better heel hold. Lacing is precise (flat and short laces).
The Hoka One One Zinal is light: 244g in size 42 2/3. They are easy to place thanks to the combination between lightness and finesse, they are really pleasant to run on singles, whilst nipping between rocks. The very short tongue can be a bit annoying the first run (we had the same feelings with the Scott Kinabalu 2). Then the tongue softens up. The cushioning has the same effect after a few runs.
The Vibram Mega Grip is reassuring on rock slabs. Take note that the grip is much less pronounced under the soles of your feet. The lug height is limited but they fulfil their mission on rolling and technical terrain. In damp areas (mud) the grip is less noticeable.
Important note: Hoka One One declare that their shoe is vegan.
Small details : the specs are written on the side of the shoe’s sole: the curve of the shoe (heel/toe/ground), for example: 32x19mm. The overall volume of the foam in the midsole (490cm3 in the shoe we tested) and its weight: 242 grams. This gives you specs to compare models in the range.
The Hoka One One Zinal is designed for running fast on distances up to 30K. Its cushioning is limited because it is designed to spring forward. So, you need to have at least some technical skills to make the most of this product that is agile, performant, lightweight and a high price.
5 mm 
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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