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The Hoka Cielo X1 3.0 is the lightest and most impressive racing shoe from Hoka yet, and offers a springier ride than many of the best carbon plate running shoes on the market. It has a couple of important updates on the Hoka Cielo X1 2.0 that make the third version of the shoe lighter and more stable, as well as improving the grip.
While it’s not as lightweight as some of our favourite racers, like the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo and Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3, the Cielo X1 3.0 makes up some of that difference with its extra bounce. It’s a very aggressive and fast shoe, and works well in the Hoka range alongside the more stable and approachable Hoka Rocket X3.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £250/$275
- Weight: 200g/7.1oz (men’s UK 9 / US 9.5)
- Drop: 7mm
- Upper: Leno weave textile upper
- Midsole: Two layers of PEBA with full-length carbon plate
- Outsole: Rubber covering forefoot and heel
Hoka Cielo X1 3.0 review
How’s The Fit
Nick, Mike and Kieran tested out the Hoka Cielo X1 3.0 for our review and found the fit was in line with other Hoka shoes, in that it’s quite narrow around the midfoot but true to size with regards to length. We’d stick to your normal running shoe size, but note the lack of width.
Check out more of the best Hoka running shoes
The Run Test: Likes
We’ve tested all three generations of the Hoka Cielo X1 and all three have been tremendously bouncy shoes and it’s impressive that Hoka has managed to retain that spring while making the shoe lighter with each generation.
The Cielo X1 3.0 feels incredibly aggressive and propulsive during runs, and the bounce from the PEBA midsole is notable even at slower paces. It rocks you quickly and efficiently onto your toes, then springs you on your way.
We’ve done a variety of hard workouts in the shoe and it works well for both short, sharp intervals as well as cruising through half marathon and marathon pace efforts or tempo runs. It’s the fastest Hoka shoe to date, and while the Cielo X1 3.0 is not the lightest racer on the market, it’s bouncier than most rivals.
It’s also more stable than the Cielo X1 2.0 thanks to the removal of the medial side cutout on the older shoe. The Cielo X1 3.0’s cutout runs down the middle of the shoe, helping to keep your foot centred despite the fact its plate doesn’t have wings on the forefoot like the Cielo X1 2.0
Hoka has also improved the grip of the shoe, something we were well able to test in the wet British winter. the Cielo X1 3.0 provided reliable traction in wet conditions on both the road and the track, whereas we’ve found past models of the shoe to be slippery in the rain.
The Run Test: Dislikes
We’re being greedy, but if the Cielo X1 3.0 could be even lighter that would be great – at 200g in a men’s UK 9/US 9.5 it’s certainly not a heavyweight, but we’re seeing a lot of racing shoes in the 170-180g range these days, and some that are lighter than 150g. It doesn’t really hold the Cielo X1 3.0 back thanks to its bouncy ride though.
A more important dislike for some runners will be that the ride is very rockered and aggressive, and almost dictates the way you have to run, pushing you onto your midfoot then rocking you forward rapidly.
We found this creates an efficient, fast and fun ride, but not every runner will love the feeling, and it’s also quite demanding if it doesn’t perfectly suit your running style. It’s a little similar to the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro 3 in that we’d worry how the shoe would feel at the end of a long race when your form starts to break down.
Verdict And Alternatives
The Hoka Cielo X1 3.0 is a great racing shoe, and if you love springy rides then it’s one of the standout options on the market. It improves upon the Cielo X1 2.0 in small but meaningful ways, and offers a more propulsive and faster ride than the Rocket X3, though that shoe will still appeal to some runners thanks to its more natural and stable ride.
We’ve had the Asics Metaspeed Sky and Edge Tokyo shoes and the Puma Fast-R 3 at the top of our carbon shoe rankings for a few months, and they remain on their perch even after the launch of the Cielo X1 3.0. They’re lighter and offer very punchy rides with a very fast transition from heel to toe, though the Hoka is a little more bouncy.
Other springy options to consider are the Asics Metaspeed Ray and Saucony Endorphin Elite 2, which are softer than the Hoka, though not quite as rockered. The Metaspeed Ray is also phenomenally light, though that’s partly because it uses a three-quarter length carbon plate rather than a full-length one.
If the dramatic rocker on the Cielo X1 3.0 doesn’t sound like it will suit you, then a more approachable carbon racer might work better, like the Rocket X3 or the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4, which is also lighter and cheaper than the Cielo X1 3.0.
Hoka Cielo X1 3.0 vs Hoka Rocket X3
Both of Hoka’s carbon plate racing shoes have their merits, with the Cielo X1 3.0 offering the wilder, faster ride, but the Rocket X3 is also very quick and has a more stable and supportive design that many runners might prefer, especially for longer events.