I've been pleasantly surprised with the durability. I'm on the heavier side (for a runner at least) and am pretty hard on shoes... They provide really good protection for my ankles and knees, which is my primary concern.
Praise
Sports & Outdoors
HOKA Clifton 9 Men's Road Running Shoe
Road Running Shoes
The HOKA Clifton 9 (ASIN B0BM7XWF1D) is available on Amazon.ca for $189 CAD — HOKA's flagship daily trainer with a 29mm foam stack, Meta-Rocker rocker geometry for smooth heel-to-toe transition, and a surprisingly light 227g weight that makes it the most versatile maximal cushioning shoe in the lineup.
19 mentions · 8 threadslast mention Apr 20269.2/ 10
ClearPick Score
Excellent
Score informed by 19 owner mentions across 8 Reddit threads · see every quote ↓
10 positive6 mixed3 negative
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Road Running Shoes
HOKA Clifton 9 Men's Road Running Shoe
~$189 CAD est. on Amazon.ca
View on Amazon.ca →Opens Amazon.ca · Affiliate link✅ Ships to Canada
✅ Prime eligible (most orders)
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Every mention, sourced
Real comments from Reddit, linked to the original thread. Nothing paraphrased.
Huge fan of the 9's, tried the 10's for a few weeks in different sizes. They just didn't fit the same, my right heel kept slipping for some reason... Ended up going with the Bondi 9 instead.
Comparison
What I noticed is that the outer sole of hoka isn't too durable. Not quite built for overpronators. But the mid/forefoot is quite durable. I have maybe about 600k in my clifton 9s and I can still use it on e[asy runs].
Complaint
I recently started running with the Hoka Clifton 9 (I reckon I'm under 100 miles with it)... I've recently found that after running with the Hokas they have been causing some pain in the arch of my left foot. It was quite painful for about a day but slowly went away.
Complaint
I loved my 9s and was super excited for the 10s, they felt good in store but after about 20 real world miles they have broken down and are hard and unsupportive. They feel the same as my 9s with 300+ miles on them.
Praise
I use Clifton 9 for walking all day at work and on vacation, and I've never even had soreness in my feet let alone a new problem develop. I put over 20k steps a day on them at least once per week.
Praise
I have a tone of dope shoes, and I love my Clifton 9s. Very good all around shoe... Great daily trainer... haven't had any durability issues. My main gripe is that they are super overpriced.
Praise
6th pair of Clifton. in 4 years. 300-400 miles in each. High mileage runner. Not one bit of knee pain.
Praise
I have the Clifton 9 (gortex model) for running and wear the Bondi for walking. The Bondi has way more padding so it's less stable when running... I'd go for the Bondi if you're only going to walk on it, Clifton if you'll run at all in it.
Comparison
Similarly here I loved the 9's and have had about 8 pairs (lots of walking and thats over a couple of years)... I was umming and arring on which versions to take on a recent trip to Japan and glad I left the 10's at home.
Praise
It's honestly a matter of preference. The Bondi's have more cushion than the cliftons. Both are incredible… I wear the bondi's when I know I will be walking a lot. Also the Skyflow's are very nice for everyday walking.
Comparison
I walk a fair amount and had them for 2 years - they started as a running shoe so they probably clocked about 100km from running. Even washed them in the washer a few times and they held up great.
Praise
It's surprising that the toebox is more relaxed on the Clifton 9. I moved over from Ghosts and for the first time in any shoe my ring toe rubs on the Clifton 9. Not enough to cause injury or to eat the shoe cost, but annoying enough that I wouldn't rep[urchase].
Comparison
The Clifton 9's seemed perfect on paper and felt great when trying them on and walking in the store, but after 13 hours on your feet they definitely started to feel a bit too tight on the midfoot sadly!
Complaint
The Clifton's are a basic 5mm drop which suits most foot strikes including heel/mid/forefoot. I'm not a Clifton fan, but have put several hundred miles in them. They're also likely the most popular running/walking shoe on the market.
Mention
I found Bondi was a bit too restrictive; my foot felt held and it was a bit too tight feeling; the Clifton's felt like there was more room for my feet to spread out… it's really a matter of preference.
Comparison
Excellent high quality midsole that grips even on wet surfaces... Clifton 9 GTX and Clifton 9 are super lightweight — comfort is Good. They will last 5 to 6 Months of DAILY use after that might need new pair so its not bad... the rubber sole does deteriorate.
Praise
I personally quite liked mine. Ran around 550 miles in them and still use them for walking around shoes. I felt they were a bit too soft — they squish a lot, but they are really good for long slow runs.
Praise
I bought a pair of these for comfortable walking for a recent European vacation. Instead of comfort, they've caused sharp knee pain in both knees that has lasted for weeks and I've had to resort to very expensive peptide therapy in attempt to heal the damage caused.
Complaint
✅ What Works
- The HOKA Clifton 9 is the shoe that defined maximal cushioning as a legitimate running category, and nine iterations in, it remains the benchmark for high-stack daily trainers. The 29mm heel stack is genuinely cloud-like underfoot — not in a marketing-language way but in a physiological sense: the Clifton 9 absorbs impact forces that accumulate over a 20km run in ways that lower-stack shoes can't. Runners with joint issues, high weekly mileage, or simply a preference for softness underfoot find the Clifton 9 transforms the subjective experience of long runs.
- The Meta-Rocker geometry is what separates HOKA from simply adding foam. The curved sole shape — with its early rocker point — guides the foot through the gait cycle actively rather than passively, creating a smooth forward momentum that reduces the effort required at toe-off. The Clifton 9 rolls rather than pushes, which is biomechanically more efficient and perceptibly less fatiguing at miles 15-20. Many runners describe the sensation as the shoe 'doing some of the work' for them.
- At 227g for a size 9, the Clifton 9 achieves something that its original version couldn't: low weight despite the massive foam stack. The compression-molded EVA foam is both soft and lighter than earlier formulations, meaning you get the cushioning without the heavy, lumbering feel that plagued early maximalist shoes. This makes the Clifton 9 versatile — acceptable for moderate tempo runs, not just slow easy days.
- The Clifton 9 is a daily training shoe that actually earns that designation. For the 80% of your running that should be easy — aerobic base building, recovery runs, long slow distance — it's the most comfortable shoe available at its price. The engineered mesh upper breathes well in summer, the heel collar is padded without causing Achilles issues, and the wide width option genuinely accommodates broader feet without the pinching that standard-width shoes impose.
⚠️ Worth Knowing
- The Clifton 9 has a 5mm heel-to-toe drop, lower than traditional running shoes but higher than zero-drop or minimal shoes. Runners coming from shoes with 10mm+ drop may experience initial calf tightness as they adapt to the lower heel. Transition slowly if you're making a significant drop change.
- Maximal cushioning compresses over time — the Clifton 9's foam softens noticeably after 500-600km, and most experienced HOKA users retire them at 700-800km rather than running them to structural failure. Compared to the Brooks Ghost 15 (800-1,000km lifespan), the Clifton 9 needs more frequent replacement, which affects the cost-per-kilometer calculus.
- The Clifton 9 is not a stability shoe. The wide platform base provides some inherent stability compared to a narrow traditional trainer, but there's no medial post or guide rail system. For runners with significant overpronation, the HOKA Arahi (stability) series is the appropriate choice.
- HOKA sizing tends to run a half-size short in some styles. If you're between sizes or have a wider foot, trying the wide width in your standard size is recommended before sizing up. Many Amazon.ca reviewers note that going true to size worked for them, but it's worth checking if your foot is at the longer end of your size.
ClearPick Verdict
The HOKA Clifton 9 is the best maximal cushioning daily trainer available — lighter than its predecessors, smoother through the gait cycle via Meta-Rocker geometry, and genuinely comfortable enough to make 20km runs feel dramatically less punishing on the joints. The midsole compresses earlier than some competitors, but the running experience while fresh is so superior for long slow distance that most runners accept the replacement cycle. For anyone prioritizing comfort on easy miles and recovery runs, the Clifton 9 is the benchmark.
