HOKA Bondi 9 Review
By Matthew Klein and David Salas
HOKA Bondi 9Price: $169.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 10.5 oz, 297g (men's size 9), 9.3 oz, 263g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 43 mm / 38 mm
Drop: 5 mm
Shoe Purpose: Premium daily trainer
Pros: A more plush offering for the Bondi while still decreasing some elements of weight. A more structured heel for those that need it.
Cons: The shoe is still on the heavier side, and the heel may be too structured for some.
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The HOKA Bondi 9 is a premium neutral daily training shoe. The shoe is characterized by having a high stack height (normally around 40mm+) and having a rockered ride. The HOKA Bondi 9 updates the midsole to a supercritical EVA to make for a more responsive and lighter package. HOKA also reworked the heel to add in a frame for some added stability on this workhorse trainer. It can not be forgotten to mention that this is also one of the top selling shoes for walking and standing as well.
SIMILAR SHOES: ASICS Gel-Kayano 31
PAST MODEL: Hoka Bondi 8
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The HOKA Bondi 9 fits me mostly true to size in my normal Men's US size 10. The fit is normal-to-slightly wide, but low volume especially in the forefoot. It is so low that initially it felt slightly short and I did some some mild chaffing on my toes. With additional wear, the plush mesh upper has broken in to provide a comfortable but secure/close fit. So those using these for ultra distances should still go up a half-size but those doing normal walking/running distances should stick with their normal size. While the toe box is a bit tapered, the forefoot is normal in width. It feels snug due to the lower volume. This transitions into a normal to slightly snug midfoot that also has a lower instep and a non-gusseted slightly thicker tongue. Given the lower volume, thick tongue and slightly snug fit I did not have to lace lock this shoe at all to have a secure hold. This continues into a normal width heel that has a ton of heel collar cushioning and a stiff heel counter. There is a ton of soft padding in the rearfoot that also locks the heel in. The heel counter is incredibly stiff while it does secure my heel, it also bothers it. Those who are sensitive to counters will not do well here while those who like stiff counters will do extremely well. The inner aspect of the upper is incredibly comfortable. It can be worn sockless, although I would still recommend socks due to the internal aspect of the toe guard being slightly rough and the lower volume causing some mild rubbing as mentioned earlier. With socks it is much better!
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: Saucony Guide 17, ASICS Kayano 30, Hoka Gaviota 5, Saucony Endorphin Elite, Nike Ultrafly
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Saucony Kinvara 14
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Altra Timp 5
David: The HOKA Bondi 9 fits true to size in my men's 9.5. The shoe has relatively normal dimensions throughout without being overly wide or narrow in any specific regions. The volume feels a bit lower than previous models, and so the shoe does come off being a tad snug upon step in. The mesh material is on the plush side, and this does ease some of the snugness from the fit. The material did seem to break in pretty quickly and did not provide any irritation for me. The tongue is padded well and did a good job of preventing biting from the laces. The heel construction is more built up in this version of the Bondi and I do feel that is noticeable. The inserted heel frame widens the platform and also creates some really large sidewalls that hug the heel medially and laterally. There is a decently rigid heel counter present, but it is padded well and I had no irritation from it. The lacing system does a good job of locking down and I had no issue with foot translation or heel slippage. The midfoot is normal width, and it does feel that the sidewalls are less aggressive through this region on the medial side than previous HOKA models. That does give a softer feeling to the arch region. The forefoot width is normal, but comes off feeling slightly narrow because of the lower volume. With some break in that does seem to start feeling a little more forgiving. I do think the width probably could be increased some though.
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: Mildly
How Flexible is the Shoe: Not Flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Yes
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Average
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The HOKA Bondi 9 is a maximal running and walking shoe for easy miles. This version adds additional stack height and a newer EVA foam midsole. This provides a highly cushioned ride that is also not mushy. The underfoot feel is compliant but a tiny bit firm, especially for how much foam is under foot. This does soften and break in with time, but the Bondi 9 feels far softer walking than running. There is still a 5mm heel drop and with the slightly firm ride is feels just like that. There is a slightly posterior lateral heel bevel in the rearfoot. This provides a mostly smooth ride in the rearfoot that takes some time to break in due to a little bit of posterior heel flare and additional stiffness from the new Active Frame. This continues into a stiff and stable midfoot and a surprisingly smooth forefoot. There is a tiny bit of flex to the forefoot that combined with the early forefoot rocker provides a smooth transition regardless of whether you are walking or running. Those with mild toe mobility issues will do fine but those who really need stiffness may need a stiffer shoe while running (walking is fine). Purpose wise this shoe is meant for slower walking and running. The foam underfoot is well cushioned but does not respond quickly. The gentle rocker geometry also pulls you into a slower but consistent speed. That makes the Bondi 9 great for easy runs and slower long runs but extremely clunky when trying to pick up the pace. These types of efforts will be best kept to smooth and stable surfaces.
The Bondi 9 does have decent traction on the outsole but is meant as a road, track and smooth surface shoe. On trails it is easy for rocks to get stuck in the grooves, so I would suggest the Stinson series if you want something similar on softer surfaces. Durability wise the midsole foam has broken in but is staying consistent over my 30 miles of testing. The outsole durability has been average as I am already seeing some outsole wear in my normal posterior-lateral section. So those hard on outsoles may see slightly below average durability but others will have durability consistent with most shoes on the market.
David: The HOKA Bondi 9 was interesting. In some ways it was a classic Bondi, but in other ways it did feel a decent amount different. The main characteristics of having a lot of sole flaring, a rocker design, and a high stack height all feel consistent. The new supercritical EVA midsole does feel like it softens the foam up some, but it still is firmer than some of the PEBA foams and super trainers out there. The overall feeling is a plush but structured cushioning. The heel frame that was added does create a very wide and stable heel to land on. For me, it feels like it is a bit much for my mechanics, but I can appreciate it. The heel bevel is integrated well and the heel does feel very secure through initial contact as it moves into loading response and mid stance. The classic rocker design still holds and the Bondi feels pretty classic from the midfoot forward. Ironically the supercritical EVA actually makes the shoe feel better at easy paces. The previous version had a sharp rocker and firmer foam, and so you almost felt like pushing the pace some. Although the newer foam is softer and more bouncy, the compliancy of the foam makes it feel nicer settling into a comfortable rhythm. The new heel does feel nice for standing and I have found this shoe to be quite comfortable in the clinic. As a walking and easy day shoe this is a model that will do well for many. The weight does still feel noticeable and although it is a little lighter, it does still feel like a lot of shoe. If you don't mind that, this is a solid stable-neutral shoe.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The HOKA Bondi 9 is a solidly stable neutral shoe. So much so that I would compare it more to shoes like the Kayano than other premium neutral shoes. Although the Bondi has always been some form of stable neutral, this is the highest level so far. The most consistent things are the tall sidewalls in the heel, the wider shape especially in the midfoot and the stiffer ride. The Bondi 9 now features an Active Foot Frame that combined with the sidewalls creates a high level of rearfoot guidance. There is also more medial sole flare than lateral, which adds an additional element of medial resistance. This continues into the midfoot, where the wider shape and stiffness add plenty of stability. The forefoot widens and also has mild sidewalls, which combined with good forefoot rocker and slightly firmer ride provide the final bit of guidance. So those who need rearfoot stability will find the Bondi 9 more than enough and those who need a highly stable neutral shoe will be at home here.
David: The HOKA Bondi 9 is formally a neutral shoe but does dance into that stable-neutral category. The Bondi has always leaned that way, but this new model even more so. The large amounts of sole flaring and wide platforms help with cross sectional area and a more secure platform underfoot. The new added heel frame also creates a very stable environment for the rearfoot with transitioning through initial contact and loading response. Outsole traction is decent and does its job for most uses. The foam still leans on the firmer side of plush and so you still get some ground feel as well. This is definitely stable-neutral.
Thoughts as a DPT: Balancing Transitions and Stiffness
By Matthew Klein
While the Bondi series has always been in the stable neutral category due to sidewalls, the most recent version almost moves it into a mild stability category with the new Active Foot Frame in the rearfoot. The Active Foot Frame concept is not new, as HOKA states it creates this through sidewalls and most HOKA shoes (not all) look taller than they are because the foot sits so low into the shoe. This creates inherent stability as the sidewalls provide something for the foot to fall into, resisting motion in most directions. Although this is what HOKA states this is, it feels like there is additional reinforcement in the sole, similar to the HOKA Stinson and Gaviota. When you add additional midsole material or things that provide rigidity, it inherently stiffens the sole. While stability mechanisms like stiffening agents are purported to increase resistance to lateral or medial motion, they all create some degree of resistance in all directions. This can be great if it provides the right rigidity the foot needs to progress forward, which is the entire goal of gait, but can also be negative if it goes too far and provides resistance to that forward motion (Mcleod et al., 2020).
Fortunately, with shoes being so tall, there are other ways to offset this. Additional flex grooves in the sagittal plane (front to back) were the more common technique in shoes with lower stack heights but this is also not effective or possible with such tall shoes now given that more midsole material increases stiffness. Geometry is the biggest technique, most commonly through rockers and bevels. The Bondi 9 does have a fairly good heel bevel but it may need to be bigger to offset the increase in stiffness in the rearfoot. As the midsole breaks in, much of the stiffness at initial contact in the heel does start to reduce. This is due to the design of a lateral crash pad, whereby a piece of the lateral heel is designed to start compressing more compared to the medial side. This can be seen by the outsole flex groove separate the lateral heel from the medial side and the lateral cut out in the midsole that is not present on the medial side. This is another method companies use to try to smooth out heel transitions but the limiting factor is that it takes time to be effective. Even with that, there is still some stiffness at initial contact. For those who like that, this is great. For others, I would still suggest HOKA increase the bevel angle to balance this out. Balancing stiffness to create stability with facilitating a forward transition is challenging given the multiple factors that influence both.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: The Bondi 9 is a solid update of this long standing line. I appreciate that they balanced the cushioning and kept the ride from being mushy. This shoe is meant as a slower trainer, so I cannot be upset that it did not respond well when I tried to pick up the pace. It continues to be a great slower running and solid walking shoe. My only suggestions are in the upper and the heel. I would still like to see a little more volume and width in the toe box. HOKA is notorious for narrow toe boxes. While I am all for a snug fit to match different feet, I would like to see a little more space for toe healthy. In regards to the heel, I would like to see a larger bevel with the additional stiffness from the Active Foot Frame. With a stiffer rearfoot, a larger bevel is needed to offset the stiffness added for guidance. This is especially important as the stack height continues to increase.
David: I did enjoy my time in the HOKA Bondi 9. I felt they did a good job of providing a more plush and premium experience compared to some of the previous models. Despite the upper being more plush, I did feel like there was still noticeable pressure on the lateral part of my forefoot. The material stretches, but I do think that the Bondi could benefit from being a little wider in the forefoot in the next model. It is difficult to accomplish this with how much shoe there is... but it would also be nice to see the Bondi lose a little weight in the next versions as well. I am happy that they are starting to move towards a supercritical midsole, and I would also be nice to see a real plush Bondi in the future as well.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The HOKA Bondi 9 is a premium maximal trainer for those who want a rockered, cushioned ride with a stable ride that isn't mushy for slower running and walking. The new EVA midsole blend is cushioned but slightly firm, making it best for those who want a balanced ride. The additional rearfoot rigidity and geometry make it best for those with rearfoot stability needs or stable neutral needs throughout the mid and forefoot. The fit is slightly snug and lower volume and will continue to work best for those with narrow to normal, lower volume feet. This will continue to be a popular walking and standing shoe due to the cushioning and stability and people will continue to pay $170 for it. The Bondi 9 is back but it is still a Bondi at the end of the day, able to handle long slow efforts from standing to running.
David: The HOKA Bondi 9 is a premium daily training shoe for someone that responds really well to a rockered ride with some added heel stability elements. The HOKA Bondi 9 is a maximum cushioned shoe, but the supercritical EVA still leans on the firmer side of plush. There is a lot of foam, and the shoe gives you the feeling of structured cushioning. This will also be a nice shoe for someone that is looking to have a rockered model that still feels good standing and walking for long periods of time.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: B/B+ (Plush upper with a lower volume, secure but snug fit. Tapered toe box does cause some chaffing over longer miles)
Performance: B+ (Highly Cushioned but slightly firmer ride that is best for slower efforts. Ride improves with break in)
Stability: A [Stable Neutral] (Stable neutral throughout with solid stability in the heel from new Active Foot Frame. Almost feels like a stability shoe)
Value: B+ (A good shoe that can handle walking, running and standing well. No speed versatility and average outsole durability)
Personal: B/B+ (Slightly stiff heel, lower volume fit and heavier ride make it something I appreciate but not my first choice. Better as a walking shoe for me personally)
Overall Design: B+
David
Fit: A- (Lower volume, but more plush and secure upper. Forefoot width could be improved.)
Performance: B+ (Nice rocker and very structured heel. The weight is still noticeable and the shoe feels more like a true easy day shoe. Nice carryover to standing and walking.)
Stability: A (Definitely stable-neutral. The new heel frame creates a lot of stability underfoot and around the heel. Sole flaring and platform width also help with grade.)
Value: A (I think this does compete with the premium trainers and clearly sells well. Time will tell on durability, but I think general usage will give you its value)
Personal: B (The heel is a bit much for me, but I do like this for easy day running.)
Overall Design: B+/A-
SHOP | SUPPORT DORHOKA Bondi 9Price: $169.95 at Running Warehouse
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FURTHER READING
A big update for the premium trainer.
The legacy shoe gets a small update.
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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