HOKA Rincon 4 Review
By David Salas
HOKA Rincon 4Price: $125 at HOKA
Weight: 8.0 oz / 228 g (Men's size 9 / Women's size 10.5)
Stack Height: 36mm heel // 31 mm forefoot
Drop: 5mm
Shoe Purpose: Daily Running Shoe, Lightweight Trainer
Pros: Good cushioning for the weight and price, smooth rocker
Cons: Upper snug and narrow, midsole can be a bit flat compared to other shoes, though still good at the price point.
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The HOKA Rincon 4 is a lightweight training shoe that gives off a minimalist feel to a relatively plush offering. The Rincon has always been seen as a lightweight and more nimble training shoe for HOKA when compared to the Clifton and Bondi. The Rincon is a neutral shoe that gives a moderately flexible rocker profile and lighter experience. The latest model features an upgraded CMEVA midsole along with 3mm added stack height.
SIMILAR SHOES: New Balance Rebel v4, Saucony Kinvara
PAST MODEL: HOKA Rincon 3
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
David: The HOKA Rincon 4 fits a little small in my men's 9.5. The shoe fits without giving me irritation, though the volume through the forefoot and the width in that region come off being a little tighter than I would like. There is a wide version of this shoe as well for those that are concerned with that. The Rincon 4 is normal to slightly narrow width throughout the entire length of the shoe. The engineered mesh upper breathes well and provides good security. It has a little stretch to it and does best with some break in time. The material does hold its structure pretty well and I do trust the security of the upper in most situations.The tongue is padded well and prevents biting from the laces. There is also a heel counter that is padded well. The upper fits the general minimal theme of the Rincon. There aren't much overlays and this relies primarily on its lockdown. The general fit is snug, and those who want more volume in their shoe could benefit from going up a half size or opting for the wide model. The upper material itself is comfortable enough, but the volume and width can definitely give a squeezing feel for some. I do think widening the forefoot and adding a touch of volume could be beneficial, even for the normal width model.
David's Typical Size: Men's US Size 9.5
Shoes that have fit David well: Nike Vomero 17, Saucony Ride 16, Puma Velocity Nitro 3
Shoes that have fit snug: HOKA Arahi 7
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon Aero Glide
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Somewhat
How Flexible is the Shoe: Moderate
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Yes
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Average
PERFORMANCE
David: The HOKA Rincon 4 performs pretty well despite some of the upper challenges. The midsole material is an EVA blend. This does feel consistent with the platform and is softened with the rubberized EVA outsole as well. The Rincon 4 operates off of a rocker platform, similar to many other HOKAs. I will say this rocker is a little more mild and does have some flexibility in the forefoot compared to many HOKA models as well. The heel has a decent size bevel that is acommpanied with some gentle sidewalls through the heel and the midfoot.
Despite a very neutral design you do get some gentle guidance through the midfoot. The forefoot has a gradual rocker, but does maintain some flexibility as well. You can a rolling sensation with some flex through that region. That gives a little more of a nimble and natural toe off feel to the ride of the Rincon. The midsole itself gives pretty good cushioning underfoot, especially combined with the rubberized EVA outsole. The responsiveness on the foam is pretty average by today's standards, but does well for getting daily mileage in. This shoe lost some workout appeal for me in this update, but does give a nice consistent ride for daily mileage. Those wanting a lightweight rocker with a touch of flexibility may find a home with the Rincon 4.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
David: The HOKA Rincon 4 is definitely a neutral shoe. The upper has decent security, but is one piece with minimal reinforcement. Outside of some gentle guidance from the sidewalls in the rearfoot, there really isn't much other elements for stability in this shoe. There is some sole flaring through the forefoot that I feel is noticeable that helps some. The rubberized EVA outsole does its job decently well, but does not feel like it breaks much ground on stability.
Thoughts as a DPT: Upper Fit
By David Salas, PT, DPT, CSCS
When making a running shoe there are a lot of considerations. The big considerations however normally reside in three categories. These categories are the upper, midsole, and outsole. The upper is normally a mesh or knit material that essentially keeps your foot on the platform of the shoe. The platform itself, normally a foam blend, is referred to as the midsole. This can have many different variations in materials depending on the goal of the shoe. The outsole is what many people refer to when it comes to traction. In many cases this is a rubber layer on the underside of the shoe to help with both durability and traction. There are rubberized foam compounds now that can also serve this purpose, as in the case of the Rincon.
Today I want to focus on the upper, however. When I look at the quality of an upper I normally look at the materials comfort, fit, lockdown, security, breathability, and accommodation. These may sound like they all go hand-in-hand, but can vary quite widely in some shoes. The comfort of the upper for me translates to the literal comfort of the material. The fit goes a little bit deeper and starts to look at the width of the upper and the volume. This would refer to how wide and tall the upper material fits. The lockdown refers to how well the lacing system pulls the material inwards to support your foot onto the platform. Breathability refers to the shoes ability to get air in and out of the material. This can be important for foot temperature regulation as well. Accommodation is also a layered response, and can refer to how well the material stretches and how it integrates with the width and volume of the shoe.
The HOKA Rincon 4 does fit snug throughout. The mesh has some slight stretch to it, but holds its structure really well. The width and the volume is certainly on the lower side and can give the sensation of a snug and narrow fit. This should be ok with general usage, but can be problematic on longer runs. As we run we do experience low grades of swelling and expansion in our feet. In these situations it is important to have some space in the shoe, or at least some stretch to the material to accomodate some of these changes. Despite a really secure lockdown in the Rincon 4, I do feel that is struggles some with accommodation and fit. For those that need the space but can't get it in a shoe, they can sometimes put pressure into the neurologic structures of their foot as well. This can result in the foot or toes to start tingling or even get numb. We don't want numb feet, so it is important to take note on how the upper behaves on top of the lockdown.
RECOMMENDATIONS
David: The biggest recommendation for the HOKA Rincon 4 is on the upper and fit. Despite a good lockdown and decent security, I do feel the shoe runs small. The volume is definitely on the lower side for a training shoe and can give a sense of pressure around the foot. The width throughout the entire platform could also be widened slightly to give a more accommodating feel. I would also like to see a little more play on the midsole to create a more lively and bouncy ride. Perhaps a CMEVA or TPE blend.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
David: The HOKA Rincon 4 is a lightweight neutral daily running shoe for someone that wants a rockered ride, but prefers it more mild and flexible. The general construction of the shoe is minimalist and there are not much bells and whistles. Those wanting a relatively stripped down trainer that is lightweight to log their miles can find that here. The shoe is on the snug side as well, so those that like a tighter lockdown will find that here.
GRADES
David
Fit: C+ (Good security, but the volume and width are noticeably low and a little narrow, even for me.)
Performance: B+ (Smooth and lightweight consistent ride. Foam could be more lively to give some appeal for workouts. At 125 though the shoe runs well.)
Stability: B- (Definitely a neutral shoe, gentle sidewalls and decent upper security, though nothing major here)
Value: B (If you get past the upper, the shoe does run well for the pricepoint. Only time will tell on the lifespan of the rubberized EVA outsole.)
Personal: B (I do like this shoe for easy mileage, though struggle to find other uses for it at the moment.)
Overall Design: B
SHOP | SUPPORT DORHOKA Rincon 4Price: $125 at Running Warehouse (coming soon)
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FURTHER READING
A lightweight super shoe for short distance racing.
The series gets a revamp.
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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