Hoka Bondi 9: The OG marshmallow is back – and bouncier than ever
Weight: 292g (women’s UK 8.5)
Stack height: 42mm (heel), 37mm (forefoot)
Drop: 5mm
Best for: Easy runs, steady long runs, the occasional tempo
Hoka Bondi 9
Hoka’s Bondi is the OG max-cushioned running shoe. Launched in 2011, it marked the brand’s first foray into road running, quickly gaining a cult-following for its marshmallow-like cushioning that offered plenty of comfort for easy miles and daily life.
‘It really just became this quintessential max-cushioned, lightweight shoe in our line-up,’ says Bekah Broe, Senior Director of Product for Performance Footwear at Hoka, speaking to Runner's World.
Whereas a lot of the major players in the running shoe space – Nike, Adidas and New Balance included – started out on the tracks or the road, Hoka was a brand ‘that was born on the trail’ says Broe.
‘You learn so much from being in these really demanding environments. When the [Hoka] founders first made the Bondi, they modelled a lot of what works in the shoe from what they learned from downhill running.’
When the team come to update a running shoe, Broe says, they make sure that they are protecting its core ethos, ‘but then also listening to feedback from runners and trying to identify new materials, new innovations and new compounds to make that even better’.
Indeed, the ninth iteration, which launched this January, marks a pretty significant update for the Bondi, swapping its previous compression-moulded EVA midsole for a new supercritical EVA foam. Compression-moulded foams are formed by applying pressure to EVA foam in a mould, whereas supercritical foams are created using supercritical fluid – often nitrogen – as a blowing agent, to expand foams, essentially creating bubbles throughout. The result is a lighter, more resilient and dynamic package. More and more brands are developing their own version, including Puma with its Nitro foam and Brooks with DNA Tuned, which debuted last autumn in the Glycerin Max.
‘I think the consumers’ perception of cushioning has changed,’ Broe tells Runner’s World. ‘When we look at the compounds and materials and the processes that were available when the first Bondi launched, it’s completely different now. The consumer palette has changed to demand a softer and bouncier experience overall.’
However, the ‘beautiful thing’, says Broe, about the new supercritical foam is that ‘the Bondi is still going to feel like a Bondi – but it does allow us to make that experience slightly softer and lighter weight with a little bit more bounce underfoot.’
When it comes to updating any shoe in its line-up, Broe says the brand applies its own form of litmus test. That starts by looking at feedback from runners to understand if anything wasn’t working with the previous version. In the case of the Bondi, that was the fit.
‘We had heard it was a little bit narrow and tight for some consumers,’ says Broe. ‘[With the Bondi 9], we really looked to make sure that the meshes and materials that we were using had just the right amount of stretch and that the top neck of the footbed had just enough width.’
Next up, the brand asks, ‘What makes the shoe better?’
‘Would nine out of 10 people pick it over the predecessor?’ says Broe. ‘Finally, we ask, “What makes it different versus the competition?” It has to be able to do all three of those things.’
Previously, however, what separated relative-newcomer Hoka from its more established competitors was that massive wedge of cushioning. But with every brand now boasting a maximal offering in 2025, I’m curious as to what makes Hoka unique.
It’s three things, Broe says: the cushioning, the meta rocker profile and the active foot frame.
‘The meta rocker continues to establish a really smooth transition underfoot,’ she says. ‘Meanwhile, the active foot frame has existed since very early generations of the Bondi and it’s how the side walls come up and wrap your foot, helping you to sit within the platform, instead of just standing on top of a slab of foam.’
From a wider perspective, ‘the fact that [Hoka's] rooted in this idea of joy is really powerful,’ Broe adds. ‘The shoe is more than just a tool. It’s something that helps you to pursue your passion.
‘We [also] really pride ourselves on continuing to surprise people. So even though we're going to be really thoughtful with how much we evolve shoes like the Bondi and the Clifton so that we can protect the heart of our brand, we also know people come to Hoka because we surprise them with colour and with new franchises. It’s important that we continue to carve out that room to play.’
Of course, all of this sounds great on paper, but how does the Bondi 9 perform in practice? I’ve been testing it for the past couple of weeks – here are my thoughts.
How does the Hoka Bondi 9 fit?
First up, a word on style. They might not have the understated “cool factor” of On running shoes — in fact, quite the opposite — but I’d argue that Hoka, with its bright and bold colourways, makes some of the best-looking running shoes going. And the Bondi 9 is no exception.
The bad news is, I’ve not always got on with Hoka shoes and have often found their fit to be somewhat incompatible with my footshape, which runs on the standard to wider side. With the Bondi 8, as well as the Clifton 8 and 9, I encountered uncomfortable rubbing on the inside of my foot where the upper meets the footbed.
This time around, I can tell that Hoka has addressed that Marmitey-fit, with the Bondi 9 feeling wider around the midfoot. The toe box strikes the right balance, for the most part, between feeling fitted and spacious, though my smallest toe on my right foot feels ever so slightly cramped at times. It's worth noting that the brand has extended its size range to offer a wide and an extra wide in the Bondi 9, so I’d like to give the wide version a try to see if this makes a difference.
As soon as you put the Bondi on, you notice that immediate underfoot comfort, which feels like a big soft mattress. It’s a slightly firmer mattress, though, with a surprising responsiveness – somewhere between the pillowy New Balance More v5 and the firmer On Cloudeclipse and Puma MagMax Nitro. The active foot frame really does allow your foot to sit within the shoe, rather than on top of it, which adds reassurance in terms of stability, especially with that huge stack height.
The new structured knit upper has just the right amount of stretch, wrapping securely around the foot without feeling restrictive. Cushioning is very plush, both on the tongue and the new 3D moulded heel collar, which adds to that feeling off all-out comfort, though I imagine it could run very warm in the summer months.
What is the Hoka Bondi 9 like to run in?
The shoe packs an additional 2mm of supercritical EVA foam into its midsole while managing to come in 37g lighter (in a UK size 8.5). And in practice, it definitely feels like a lighter shoe on the foot. The cushioning itself creates plenty of bounce, while the meta-rocker helps to gently ease you through your stride. On easy runs, it helps the miles to tick by, and provides cushioned relief for weary marathon-training legs.
Now to that aforementioned responsiveness – I’ve taken the Bondi 9s on a couple of tempo runs (somewhat unintentionally, but that's what happens when you agree on an ‘easy run’ with RW’s Rick Pearson) and they can handle a 15-20-second per km increase in pace surprisingly well. But it's more of a ‘can’ than a ‘should’ situation here; if I was (intentionally) lacing up for a tempo run, I’d choose something a little less stacked with a bit more rigidity and propulsion – think the Nike Zoom Fly 6, for example, one of my favourite running shoes from the last six months. (It also comes in £5 cheaper than the Bondi.) For me, the Bondi is still a bit of a one-trick pony, despite that additional bounce.
At £160, it’s definitely on the premium end for a daily trainer. However, the new foam formulation feels extremely durable and all that coverage on the outsole should last you many miles.
RW verdict
Good news for Bondi fans: if you liked the previous version, you’ll love the ninth iteration. Hoka has indeed stayed true to the essence of its original road running shoe, with some smart updates adding value in terms of weight saving, increased bounciness and a more accommodating fit.
For me, though, I’m still not sure it’s a shoe I’d choose myself. Let me be clear: it’s an excellent shoe – soft and protective underfoot with a bouncy ride that tired legs will thank you for. But I personally prefer something a little lower to the ground with a touch more firmness that lends itself to the slower stuff and the speedier stuff. That’s a matter of personal preference, though. The Bondi never has been and never will be everyone’s cup of tea – and that’s okay. If you’re after a soft and cushioned cruiser for recovery runs and easy miles, there’s a lot to love here. If you want more of an all-rounder, you’re more than spoilt for choice.
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