Cielo X1 2.0

Hoka’s flagship carbon-plated marathon racer gets a full reboot: lighter, softer dual-density PEBA midsole, a winged carbon plate, a much earlier rocker, and the outsole cutout moved to the medial side (inside) for a cleaner roll. Official materials list it as sub-40 mm stack (legal in men’s US 8.5), but multiple tech sheets/reviews measured larger in bigger sizes (e.g., ~48 mm heel / ~41 mm forefoot in men’s US 10), so exact stack depends on size. Net effect: a softer, more efficient, more “race-proper” Cielo than v1.

Very soft, highly rockered, and notably efficient once you’re at tempo or marathon effort. The earlier rocker and plate engage together better than v1, so it rolls quickly from mid-stance to toe-off with less “stall,” and the shoe feels smoother at race paces. At truly fast 5K efforts it can feel a touch mushy; at easy paces it can feel awkward. Grip from the thin, soft rubber is excellent (and quiet), while durability is typical of supers (forefoot rubber ok; exposed midsole wears quicker).

Racer-snug, breathable jacquard mesh with a firmer heel cup and better laces than v1. Tapered toe and thin, non-gusseted tongue. Most reviewers were true-to-size, though some noted it can feel short/tight in the forefoot—if you’re between sizes or wider-footed, consider half-up. Platform is noticeably narrower than v1.

• Big weight drop vs. v1; feels like a proper lightweight racer now
• Softer PEBA + earlier rocker = smooth, efficient roll at half–marathon/marathon paces
• Plate and foam work in tandem better than v1; easier to “load” the plate
• Excellent grip and unusually quiet footstrike for a supershoe
• Upper/lockdown and heel structure improved; more breathable than v1

• Narrow heel/midfoot + medial cutout = instability for heel-strikers or at slower paces
• Can feel mushy at 5K-ish efforts; wants marathon/threshold more than all-out speed
• Not enjoyable for easy runs; rocker feels awkward when you’re not rolling
• Tapered/short feel for some; tongue not gusseted
• Typical supershoe durability: exposed midsole scuffs sooner