Let's get this straight: the Hoka Carbon X 2 is no ordinary running shoe. It is a shoe to attack records and break barriers.

In 2019, the Project Carbon X, organised by Hoka One One, caused a stir when several world-class runners attempted to complete the 100-kilometre distance in under six hours, breaking a barrier that was previously unthinkable. Even though this did not succeed in the end, the US American Jim Walmsley improved the 50-mile world record to 4:50:08 hours within this race.

Only about one and a half years later, on 23 January 2021, another field of world-class athletes started the Project Carbon X 2. Once again, nothing less than the 100-kilometre world record was to be set in Arizona. In an epic race, Jim Walmsley missed his goal by just a few seconds after a great battle but showed that the new Hoka Carbon X 2 is a world-class shoe that also provides first-class support on the way to a 100-kilometre world record.

The uniqueness of the Carbon X 2

Natalie and I were also very interested in testing the Carbon X 2 for ourselves as soon as possible, after having followed the Project Carbon X 2 for hours. A few days later, we had the chance to lace up the shoe ourselves for the first time. It became clear very soon that the Carbon X 2 is not a shoe like any other and that there is probably no comparable shoe on the market at the moment. But what makes the Carbon X 2 such a unique shoe?

The Carbon X 2 is an update of the Carbon X, in which the right adjustments have been made. At the same time, however, some things have been retained that were already very good in the first version of the shoe. The midsole uses a PROFLY midsole made of harder and more responsive cushioning material. Here, the proportion of soft cushioning material has increased compared to the Carbon X. The outsole, on the other hand, is an EVA sole. The upper material has been upgraded with new TPU fibres, which is why it is now slightly stiffer and fits the foot better. In addition, the tongue has been connected to the high-tech mesh. Both result in an even better grip in the shoe.

From the first metre: #TimetoFly

Of course, the Carbon X 2 also contains a carbon fibre plate. Compared to the previous model, this has been placed a little further down. As a result, there is now more foam between the foot and the carbon plate resulting in a slightly softer running feeling. The feeling that the Carbon X 2 pushes the runner forward towards the midfoot and forefoot nevertheless remains. The Meta-Rocker sole promotes a very pleasant, even rolling motion, so that you have the feeling of rolling like a ball, especially at higher speeds. Heel runners in particular benefit from the new "pigeon tail", which ensures a soft landing and supports the mentioned rolling. This reminds us a little bit of the Hoka Clifton Edge, which is more suitable for medium-fast and easy runs and can ideally support the Carbon X 2 as a shoe for more relaxed running days.

A big advantage of the Carbon X 2 is that you feel very comfortable from the first metre, which is not the case with many other running shoes. So it's no wonder that our first session with the Carbon X 2 was immediately a tempo session, where we felt extremely comfortable with the shoe. We see the revised upper material, which is breathable and simultaneously offers a comfortable feeling, as well as the sufficient space in the forefoot area in combination with the nevertheless good grip as further strengths. Another key feature is the Carbon X 2's range of use: the shoe is not only suitable for half and full marathon races, but also for ultra marathons, interval sessions and fast long runs. The shoe can also be worn for medium-fast and slow runs, although Natalie and I would recommend a different shoe for this, such as the Hoka Clifton Edge. However, if you only want to buy one shoe and want to use it for all your training runs and races, the Carbon X 2 is a very good choice because it is much more durable than the fastest competition shoes from other manufacturers that also rely on carbon fibre plates. The price-performance ratio is therefore much more attractive than that of other brands.

The perfect running shoes?

Is the Carbon X 2 the perfect running shoe? Having run tens of thousands of kilometres together over the past years, and having circumnavigated the globe for quite some time, we have run in a lot of running shoes. None of these shoes were perfect, but some were very good. One of them is the Carbon X 2. The new top running shoe from Hoka One One offers a number of advantages, but also has a few small weaknesses, even if these are only of minimal importance. The biggest weakness is certainly that the Carbon X 2 pushes us runners forward less aggressively than it is the case with some other selected shoes. Midfoot and forefoot runners who want to run a very fast 5 or 10 kilometre time will be fast with the Carbon X 2, but may run a little bit slower than with the most aggressive shoes on the market right now. On the other hand, those who want to attack their half marathon or marathon PB, or even break an ultramarathon barrier like Jim Walmsley, will make an outstandingly good choice with the Carbon X 2. For heel runners, the Carbon X 2 could even be the almost perfect running shoe over these distances.

In summary, it can be said that Hoka One One has succeeded in taking another clear step forward with the Carbon X 2, which was already demonstrated in January with the Project Carbon X 2. Through systematic modifications, the first version of the shoe has been noticeably improved once again, so that the Carbon X 2 offers a mix of comfort, stability, speed and durability that is probably unique on the market at the moment. The longer the distances, the more support the Carbon X 2 provides and brings us runners significantly closer to achieving a new PB or breaking a barrier.

The Hoka Carbon X 2 is available at Running Warehouse Europe.