Hoka Might Be Cool, but These Brands Are Better

Though America is notorious for weight gain and its love of junk food, many U.S. citizens are also into health and fitness. As our awareness of the benefits of exercise increase, fitness brands have grown in popularity. Running shoes of all types fall into this category. These shoes are favored not just by hardcore runners, but also by anyone looking to remain active throughout the day, or people who work on their feet for hours at a time.

One running shoe on the market is Hoka. These runners are designed with noticeable features and favored for their thick soles, which offer tons of cushion. They are also built with lightweight materials so as not to weigh down runners on the move. Die-hard Hoka lovers rate these shoes highly for comfort and style. 

Despite their rising popularity, Hoka still has to compete with names like Nike, Adidas, Brooks, Asics, and New Balance, which have decades of combined experience. Hoka may be a hit on social media, but on the track, it still has yet to truly prove itself to the world. 

10. Adidas 

• Headquartered: Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany
• Best running shoes: Ultraboost 5X, Supernova Rise, Supernova Solution, Ultraboost 1.0
• Global revenue: $23 billion
• Famous endorsements: Leo Messi, David Beckham, Noah Lyles, Haley Van Lith
• The Second Favorite

The Runner Up

Often considered the second-best athletic company in the world behind Nike, Adidas makes a superb running shoe. While Hoka looks trendy and fun, Adidas sticks to its roots as a 100-year-old brand that has grown into a multi-billion dollar powerhouse. Famously built by the brothers who split with one going on to open up Puma, the Adidas brand and its three stripes are recognized worldwide. 

9. Nike

• Headquartered: Beaverton, Oregon
• Best running shoes: Pegasus 41, Alpha Fly 3, Vapor Fly 3, Zegama 2
• Global revenue: $51.36 billion
• Famous endorsements: Michael Jordan, Eliud Kipchoge, Craig Engels, Sha’Carri Richardson, Elise Cranny

Needs No Introduction 

As a running shoe and athletic brand, Nike needs no introduction. The undisputed heavyweight in the running shoe world, Nike has been at work building the best shoes for over 60 years. In that time, Nike has made some of the best running shoes around and used its popularity on the track to springboard into basketball shoes, where it first made a basketball shoe for then relatively unknown college champion Michael Jordan. 

8. Puma

• Headquartered: Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany
• Best running shoes: Deviate Nitro 3, Magnify Nitro 2, Velocity Nitro 3, ForeverRun Nitro
• Global revenue: $9.03 billion
• Famous endorsements: Usain Bolt, Neymar, Lewis Hamilton

The Lightning Shoe

Established by Rudolf Dassler after he split with his brother after founding Adidas, Puma has become a lightning bottle in the running world. Boosted by the endorsement and partnership with Usain Bolt since 2002, the brand has long been labeled one of the world’s top running shoes and athletic brands. The Deviate Nitro 3 is considered one of the best all-around running shoes in the world.  

7. Asics

• Headquartered: Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
• Best running shoes: Gel-Kayano 31, Novablast 5, Gel Nimbus 26, Gel Kayano 31
• Global revenue: $3.8 billion
• Famous endorsements: Emma Bates, Brian Cox, Valarie Allman, Novak Djokovic

All-Around Greatness

Arguably one of the best all-around running shoes available today, ASICS makes something for everyone. While other running brands might specialize in one thing over another, ASICS looks to be everything to everyone. Best of all, ASICS shoes give you the same level of track performance with its Gel series of running shoes at a price far more affordable than that of Hoka, for which you are paying for the trend. 

6. Tracksmith

• Headquartered: Wellesley, Massachusetts 
• Best running shoes: Eliot Runner
• Global revenue: $N/A
• Famous endorsements: N/A

A Growing Upstart

Already creating a trendy following unlike the massive fanbase Hoka enjoys, Tracksmith will surprise anyone who puts their foot into one of the company’s shoes for the first time. Its most popular shoe, the Eliot, is plain in a way Hoka is not, with a retro feeling opposite of Hoka’s bright and flashy colors, all while adding a Pebax foam midsole that feels right with every step.

5. Brooks

• Headquartered: Seattle, Washington
• Best running shoes: Ghost 16, Hyperion Max 2, Ghost Max 2
• Global revenue: $1.2 billion 
• Famous endorsements: Jess McLain, Chrissie Wellington, Dathan Ritzenheim

A Century of Experience

With over 100 years of experience, Brooks knows how to build a great running shoe. As a Hoka alternative, it offers better support, which has helped the company earn a 25% market share in the specialty running shoe market. Brooks has been named the best running shoe in the running world every year since 2017. 

4. Altra

• Headquartered: Logan, Utah
• Best running shoes: Escalante 4, Long Peak 9, Olympus 6
• Global revenue: $10.45 billion (parent company VF Corporation)
• Famous endorsements: Kara Goucher, Alysia Montano

Revenue Doubler

Altra shoes stand out compared to Hoka because Altra Running has effectively doubled its sales revenue every year since 2011. More than 1,500 retailers carry the brand, and it is growing, meaning Altra could very well be the next “it” shoe around town. The company even introduced its smart shoe in 2015 to help you track stride, foot strike zone, foot imbalance, and pace to help improve your run. 

3. Saucony

• Headquartered: Kutztown, Pennsylvania
• Best running shoes: Kinvara 15, Endorphin Speed 4, Peregrine 4
• Global revenue: $1.4 billion (parent company Wolverine World Wide) 
• Famous endorsements: Molly Huddle, Laura Thweatt, Jared Ward

Long-Distance Champion 

Saucony shoes are a favorite of long-distance runners, and there is a very good reason why. The company has undergone several acquisitions, including ownership by brands like Stride Rite and now Wolverine World Wide. Still, it hasn’t impacted the success of the Saucony running shoe. This is especially true for trail runners, who love the overall impact of Saucony shoes against the ground. 

2. New Balance

• Headquartered: Boston, Massachusetts
• Best running shoes: Fresh Foam X, Rebel V4, SC Elite V4
• Global revenue: $6.5 billion (2023) 
• Famous endorsements: Gabby Thomas, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Coco Gauff, Jamal Murray, Cooper Flagg

Olympic Champion Shoes

Since gold medalists Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone wore New Balance shoes in Paris 2024, there is good reason to think the brand’s success on the track will transfer to the road and trail. The company has long been near the top of the running world, and it won’t be surprising to see that it’s among the best Hoka alternatives with ultra comfort and road feel. 

1. On Cloud

• Headquartered: Zurich, Switzerland
• Best running shoes: Cloudmonster, Cloudeclipse, Cloudstratus 3, Cloudsurfer Trail
• Global revenue: $2.04 billion (2023) 
• Famous endorsements: Hellen Obiri, Roger Federer, Iga Swiatek, Ben Shelton

The “Other” Trendy Shoe

While Hoka might benefit from being trendy right now, so does On Cloud. On Cloud famously offers the maximum amount of cushion, which makes you feel like your foot can take more of an impact without affecting overall comfort. Many runners using On Cloud shoes praise its ability to give them a performance boost without sacrificing any energy in return.