Anyone tried the new Hoka Transports? "Hoka" but more multipurpose?

Quick add-on, the pink women's ones are cute. I'd wear them if they made them in men's sizes - could look really snappy and cool with the right wardrobe.

I did buy the Hoka Transport due to speed laces, which I have loved on the Salomon's that I used to wear. I did have to really tighten the laces so the shoes weren't too loose. But not that big a deal. I got the black ones as I usually wear black pants. I wore them twice and they made my knee hurt. So, I'm returning them and getting another pair of Hoka Challengers. However, that model has changed a bit too.

Barbara thank you for the feedback! Can you tell me where you bought that they'll let you return after you've worn them a few times?

Thanks very much.

Delurking after many years to answer this one - Even set up an account.

If you order directly from Hoka, they give you 30 days to try out their shoes and will accept worn ones back. I have mutant feet and have to try each variation of Hokas in order to find the one that is "just right".

Zappos is another company that allows you to try and return running shoes if they don't work out within a specific time period. Please confirm this though (I haven't ordered from them recently).

Fleet Feet (a running store near me) apparently gives you 60 days.

I tried the Transport but the speed laces didn't really work for me. The shoes do come with a set of normal laces as well, but I didn't want to dismantle them in case I had to return the shoes.

Karla thank you for the info! And double thank you for making the effort to come out of the shadows, register and all of that, to put it forward. Super nice :)

I also stumbled onto the Hoka Transport a few months ago. I told the salesman "no Hokas, please", but when I described what I was looking for, that's what he brought out. I wanted the Vibram soles, I liked the slimmer profile, and they were very comfortable. I bought a pair, and wore them around the house for about a month, unable to commit. But finally I just started wearing them on walks outside and so far I'm very happy with them. I wore the Transports in DC a few weeks ago, walking about 4-6 miles a day, and felt like I could have kept going. They are at the top of my packing list for my trip to Italy in a few weeks. I actually really like the toggle laces. I can tighten and loosen them easily depending on the type of surface I am walking on. The shoes also come with a pair of regular laces, but you would have to cut the toggle laces off, so you can't swap them around.

(As a side note: I also have a pair of Brooks Ghosts, which I really like. But when I wear the Brooks I find I'm missing my Hokas).

I've been looking at the Hoka Challenger 7 GTX as I want a waterproof shoe and this is said to not be as stiff as other Hoka trail shoes but have not committed yet.

The REI return policy as posted on their website is..."If you are not satisfied with your purchase, you can return it for a replacement or refund—with a few exceptions—within one (1) year of the purchase date if you are an REI Co-op Member or within 90 days of your purchase if you are not a member."

Don, I like my Hoka Challenger GTX (Goretex) shoes. They will be my main shoes for travel to Europe this summer. They are not stiff. I bought them directly from Hoka and was happy they are offered in black.

Elizabeth, thank you for the update.

For those that have tried the Hoka Transport, how did you find the water resistance? I understand that they are not 'waterproof', but curious to know your thoughts on how well they'd hold up walking around a city/town on a rainy day? I'm in the market for a shoe for our upcoming trip to Germany and Austria later this month and have been looking for something that's comfortable, (preferably) waterproof/resistant, and doesn't scream hiking boot nor running shoe. I'm a big Hoka fan (as well as Oboz), but having a hard time finding a decent shoe that is available in a muted color.

Chris, I have the Challenger waterproof version, and have walked in a light rain with no problems. Didn't jump into puddles, but it was a 45 minute rain walk. All was dry:)

I just bought the Hoka Challenger and love them! They will be going to Iceland with me this summer for the days that I don't need my regular hiking boots.

After reading about them on this forum and trying them on, I purchased a pair of the Hoka Transport and used them on a two-week trip to Germany and Austria. They were close to perfect for waking around cities and other outdoor sights. I was concerned about rain, etc and I did treat them with NikWax water repellent spray prior to my trip, Luckily, we only experienced two half days of rain, and I did not have any issues with wet feet. Initially, I thought that I would not like the elastic laces, but left them on the shoes and found that I really like them. They do a great job of supporting the shoe on your foot, but make it easy to get in/out of. The Transport has a similar feel to other Hoka shoes and after walking about 7+ miles in Munich one day, I did not experience any foot issues. The support is decent, but if you like more support, you may want to consider adding a more structured insole (I used Sole insoles), but it'd not necessary if you're typically comfortable with insoles in most sneakers. I find the design of the Transports works well with most outfits that one would expect to wear on a vacation (ie: neat casual, etc.) and also works well with a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. All in all, they were a near perfect shoe for travel to Europe.

Chris, thanks for the feedback! I also use the Sole insoles. Expensive but there is nothing else on the market really like them.

I never ended up trying the Transports because I have quite high arches and even on normal feet the tongue area looked spread fairly wide. And I couldn't settle on a color. I wish they had a more monotone darker gray.

But I'm glad they worked for you and they do look like a pretty good choice!