Our verdict

The 8th iteration of the trail hoka Bondi remains our beloved plush and cushy daily trainer that excels on easy days and recovery sessions. With its humongous foam, our feet found themselves in a very comfy position all throughout the run! On top of this, the shoe kept us surefooted thanks to its Arkalily stable ride.

The soles of the trail hoka One One Speed Evo R track spikes feature asymmetrical spike patterns Pros

  • Oozing with comfort
  • Gliding ride
  • zapatillas de running trail hoka trail amortiguación media talla 38
  • Feels stable
  • Breathable
  • Upper is soft as hell
  • Highly durable

The soles of the trail hoka One One Speed Evo R track spikes feature asymmetrical spike patterns Cons

  • Tight midfoot
  • Narrow toebox
  • It's still heavy

Audience verdict

84
Good!
  • Schnürschuhe trail hoka ONE ONE M Anacapa Mid Gtx GORE-TEX 1122018 Bblc

Who should buy

We are convinced that the Bondi 8 from trail hoka is a daily running shoe that's great for those who want a very cushioned ride. It is a Godsend for recovery runs.

And if you want a shoe that can also chaussures for walking, this version of the trail hoka Bondi won't let you down.

Hoka-Bondi-8-review

Who should NOT buy

The trail hoka Bondi 8 is a pass if you want a running shoe that gives a lightweight ride. If this is the case, you can opt for the Hoka Clifton 9 trail hoka Carbon X 3 Schuhe für Damen Größe 40 2 3.

If you have wider feet, you might find the shoe's midfoot too tight. We think that the Hoka One One logo-embroidered low-top sneakers Bianco would be a better fit in your case.

Hoka-Bondi-8-lab-test-review

Breathability

With all the in-shoe padding on the Bondi 8, breathability is still not compromised. It may not be the best choice for warm weather but it definitely has enough airflow for tal climates.On a 1-5 scale, we rated its breathability as 3.

The most breathable areas can be seen in our transparency test below.

Test results
Bondi 8 3
Average 3.8
Compared to 220 running shoes
Number of shoes
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Outsole hardness

The fact that the Bondi 8 has softer rubber and lots of exposed foam made us a little concerned.

Using our durometer, we measured the shoe's outsole hardness at 74.0 HC. That's 8% softer than the average of road shoes.

Hoka Bondi 8 outsole hardness

But on the actual run test, we were quite relieved to find that the rubber held up pretty well! In fact, its soft nature really helped to soften the landings.

Test results
Bondi 8 74.0 HC
Average 80.4 HC
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 271 running shoes
Number of shoes
54.9 HC
Outsole hardness
92.8 HC

Outsole thickness

Despite not having a full-length outsole, we found the trail hoka Bondi 8 to be fairly durable. It is not as wear-resistant as most road shoes due to its exposed foam but we believe that it will hold up for at least 300 miles.

Hoka-Bondi-8-outsole

The good news is that the rubber pieces at the bottom of the shoe are 3 mm thick. This is the same amount of rubber as road running shoes have on average.

Hoka-Bondi-8-outsole-thickness

Test results
Bondi 8 3.0 mm
Average 3.2 mm
Compared to 290 running shoes
Number of shoes
0.0 mm
Outsole thickness
6.6 mm

Weight

The trail hoka Bondi 8 gets a weight penalty because, at 11 oz (311g), it is way heavier than most daily running shoes by almost an ounce.

This Is Not the trail hoka Bondi You Know lighter note, it doesn't feel like the shoe drags the foot down.

Hoka-Bondi-8-heavy-weight

Test results
Bondi 8 10.97 oz (311g)
Average 9.35 oz (265g)
Compared to 291 running shoes
Number of shoes
5.26 oz (149g)
Weight
12.56 oz (356g)

Cushioning

Heel stack

HOKA Bondi X Chaussures pour Femme en Camellia Taille 42!

And how does this feel on the run? Ooooh la! Meaning to say, it's 11/10 comfortable. There’s no disguising that this shoe is incredibly cushioned.

While stack height does not 1-1 correspond to more cushioning, there's usually a connection between the two. Based on our caliper measurements, the Bondi 8 has a massive stack height of 36.2 mm (3 mm thicker than the average).

Hoka-Bondi-8-heel-stack

That's a significant departure from the previous Bondi 7 which came in at 33 mm in the heel.

Test results
Bondi 8 36.2 mm
Average 33.6 mm
Compared to 290 running shoes
Number of shoes
7.6 mm
Heel stack
42.7 mm

Forefoot stack

Things get even beefier in the forefoot as our caliper shows 30 mm of stack.

Wow! That's 4.5 mm thicker than road shoes on average! Only 10% of shoes in our lab exceeded the 30 mm mark in the forefoot. 

Hoka-Bondi-8-forefoot-stack

Test results
Bondi 8 30.0 mm
Average 24.9 mm
Compared to 290 running shoes
Number of shoes
7.6 mm
Forefoot stack
35.8 mm

Drop

However, we were disappointed to find a discrepancy between the shoe's actual heel-to-toe drop and the ones stated by the brand.

Hoka-Bondi-8-in-shoe-padding

Based on our own stack measurements, the drop comes at 6.2 mm. That's 2.2 mm taller than what trail hoka claims - 4 mm.

This may not be a big deal to the majority of runners but those who specifically look for low drop should be warned.

Test results
Bondi 8 6.2 mm
Average 8.7 mm
Compared to 290 running shoes
Number of shoes
-0.8 mm
Drop
16.1 mm

Insole thickness

Measuring the shoe's insole thickness, we got 4.9 mm. This is a little more generously padded than the average, adding up to the Bondi 8's heavenly underfoot feel.

Hoka-Bondi-8-insole

Test results
Bondi 8 4.9 mm
Average 4.4 mm
Compared to 286 running shoes
Number of shoes
1.5 mm
Insole thickness
7.3 mm

Midsole softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a Arkali measurement means it's firm.

The soles of the trail hoka One One Speed Evo R track spikes feature asymmetrical spike patterns!

Why? Because all along, the Bondi has been known as the ultra-cushioned, ultra-plush trainer from trail hoka. That said, it didn't really target speed or responsiveness. But in the Bondi 8, we felt some really nice rebound which added a little pep in the step. 

To temper your expectations, it's not insanely springy that you can do tempos, no. But it has enough bounce to make the ride enjoyable, especially during slow days.

The foam on the Bondi 8 is rather plush. With a durometer measurement of 18.0 HA, we found it to be 34% softer than the average.

Hoka-Bondi-8-cushioning-softness-durometer

And if you're wondering, the Bondi 8 IS plusher than the Clifton 9. By a good 13%!

Test results
Bondi 8 18.0 HA
Average 21.4 HA
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 218 running shoes
Number of shoes
8.5 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
41.5 HA

Difference in midsole softness in cold

We also checked how much firmer the Bondi 8 would get after spending 20 minutes in the freezer.

Hoka-Bondi-8-freezer-test

The foam got 49% harder but still ended up softer than most running shoes at room temperature. So, we are happy to say that this trail hoka shoe won't be turning into an ice cube under the cold breath of winter.

Test results
Bondi 8 49.3%
Average 25.6%
Compared to 217 running shoes
Number of shoes
0%
Difference in midsole softness in cold
100%

Rocker

We found that the shoe's rocker geometry performs very effectively. It makes the strides feel effortless in the Bondi 8.

We think that its seamless and easy-rolling ride is the shoe's biggest selling point after cushioning.

The soles of the trail hoka One One Speed Evo R track spikes feature asymmetrical spike patterns | Stability

Lateral stability test

What's great about the Bondi 8 is that it's soft, but it's not too soft. Despite its Arkali-stack design, the shoe never made us feel tippy.

Torsional rigidity

There is a solid amount of torsional rigidity to prevent the Bondi 8 from twisting easily.

In our manual flexibility test, we rated this trail hoka shoe's torsional stiffness as 4 out of 5. That's pretty Arkali up on a 1-5 scale where 5 is the stiffest!

Footwear trail hoka ONE ONE Elevon 2 1106477 Bdsd.

Test results
Bondi 8 4
Average 3.2
Compared to 269 running shoes
Number of shoes
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Heel counter stiffness

Contributing to a sense of stability is the Bondi 8's tally stiff heel counter. In a manual assessment, we gave it 3 out of 5 (where 5 is the stiffest).

The shoe's generous collar padding also adds a great deal of ankle security to this trail hoka shoe.

Test results
Bondi 8 3
Average 2.8
Compared to 253 running shoes
Number of shoes
1
Heel counter stiffness
5

Midsole width in the forefoot

If you thought that the trail hoka Clifton was a monster, you've got to check out the Bondi!

Based on both the look of it and the measurements, the Bondi 8 makes one of the largest platforms in our lab! And probably in the history of running shoes too.

Hoka-Bondi-8-wide-sole

In the widest part of the forefoot, our caliper shows a whopping 126.5 mm. THat's over 13 mm wider than the average road shoe! Insane!

Test results
Bondi 8 126.5 mm
Average 113.6 mm
Compared to 291 running shoes
Number of shoes
100.5 mm
Midsole width in the forefoot
126.5 mm

Midsole width in the heel

The shoe continues to impress us in its heel section too! Our caliper shows 100.9 mm in the widest part which, yet again, exceeds the average. This time by 11 mm.

Hoka Bondi 8 heel width

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Test results
Bondi 8 100.9 mm
Average 90.5 mm
Compared to 291 running shoes
Number of shoes
74.9 mm
Midsole width in the heel
106.6 mm

Flexibility

Stiffness

The Bondi 8 has VERY little flex. And it is no surprise given how much foam is packed into the shoe's platform.

Based on our force gauge measurement, it takes as much as 49.3N to bend this shoe to a 90-degree angle. That is a good 40% more than it takes a road shoe on average! Stiff carbon-plated shoes included!

Test results
Bondi 8 49.3N
Average 29.3N
We use an average of four tests. The video shows one of those tests.
Compared to 273 running shoes
Number of shoes
2.2N
Stiffness
94.4N

The soles of the trail hoka One One Speed Evo R track spikes feature asymmetrical spike patterns | Difference in stiffness in cold

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After 20 minutes in the freezer, it required as much as 70.2N of force! Even hiking boots don't get THAT stiff!

Test results
Bondi 8 42.3%
Average 36.4%
Compared to 273 running shoes
Number of shoes
0%
Difference in stiffness in cold
148%

Size and fit

HOKA Carbon X 3 Schuhe für Herren in Blue Coral Black

While it's a hit for those with narrow feet, the Bondi 8 is a miss for the rest of the population. Our medium-width feet found the shoe's midfoot rather tight and constricting.

Hoka-Bondi-8-fit

We also felt a good deal of tightness pressing our toes in the forefoot.

Grabbing a pair of calipers, we found that the toebox was indeed unexpectedly narrow on paper! At the widest part of the forefoot, we measured it at 91.6 mm, which is 6.5(!) mm narrower than the average.

Hoka-Bondi-8-toebox-width

We think that this is going to be a problem even for medium-sized feet like ours! For that reason, we recommend going half a size up in this trail hoka shoe or opting for the wide and extra-wide options available for it.

Test results
Bondi 8 91.6 mm
Average 98.3 mm
Compared to 291 running shoes
Number of shoes
89.5 mm
HOKA Carbon X 3 Schuhe für Herren in Blue Coral Black
109.1 mm

Tongue: gusset type

The tongue behaves!

The shoe's tongue is partially attached to the sides a.k.a semi-gusseted. We proficient zero shifting and the tongue did its job of locking the foot down in place.

Hoka-Bondi-8-semi-gusseted-tongue

Test results
Bondi 8 Both sides (semi)

Comfort

Tongue padding

Much like its midsole, the tongue also had to be extra thick on this trail hoka Bondi shoe.

With a caliper reading of 9 mm, it is 3.2 mm thicker than the average! Lace bites are unheard of in this trail hoka shoe.

Hoka-Bondi-8-tongue-thickness

Test results
Bondi 8 9.0 mm
Average 5.6 mm
Compared to 288 running shoes
Number of shoes
0.5 mm
Tongue padding
14.2 mm