HOKA Rocket X 3 Review: Prepare for Blastoff

All shoes are reviewed by the Fleet Feet tester team, which represents a wide variety of goals, foot shapes, running locations and terrains. Reviewers pound the pavement, climb the hills, tackle the trails, then come together to compare notes. Debates ensue over the feel of the cushioning, the purpose of the shoe, and how it compares to last year’s model. While each reviewer has their own individual preferences, we hope that capturing our debates will help you make an informed decision.

The HOKA Rocket X 3 was HOKA’s pinnacle performance product – until the Cielo X1 came along. Now, the Rocket serves as their entry-level racing shoe, designed with a dual-density PEBA foam, a carbon-fiber plate and a smooth rocker shape.

The Rocket X 3 is so in-demand that our review team was only able to secure two pairs – one for me and one for our photographer. I’m pleased to report that this shoe offers plenty of pep and bounce to keep me on pace for some grueling summer workouts. So where exactly does the Rocket X fit in the hierarchy of supershoes? Read on to learn more.

The Rocket X 3 is built on a thick stack of PEBA midsole foam, an ultralight material created with a supercritical foaming process. PEBA foam is lighter and more resilient than traditional EVA materials, making it perfect for race-day supershoes.

A full-length carbon-fiber plate sits in between two layers of this midsole foam, with a softer layer right underfoot and a denser foam under the plate. The foam works in conjunction with the plate to return energy back to the wearer. The result is a swift, smooth ride that feels great for picking up the pace.

I tested these shoes on a 7-mile run with a 30-minute tempo segment as I begin training for the Berlin Marathon. It’s summer in South Florida, which means early-morning temperatures of 80-degrees and dew points in the mid-70s. Needless to say, the conditions make it tough to execute my workouts so I was grateful to have a handy little boost from the shoes.

The step-in feel of the Rocket was everything I’d want in a super shoe. It feels slightly stiff and firm while walking, but really comes to life while running. My warm-up mile was a bit faster than anticipated, and I felt very smooth during the tempo portion. Who knows if it was the shoes or the fitness, but I ran slightly faster than I planned!

One of the best things about the Rocket X 3 is that, while it provides plenty of energy return, it also feels quite stable. Part of this can be attributed to the winglets in the carbon-fiber plate. “Winglets” conjures up images of tiny baby bird wings, but they’re actually extensions of the plate that cradle your midfoot for a touch of support.

There were portions of my route where the pavement was pretty uneven, and even one short gravelly section where the county has been digging up the sidewalk for three years, but I felt confident in my footing the entire time. I can see this being a great option for big-city marathons where the road conditions are less than ideal (New York City, I’m looking at you).

HOKA uses a new sticky rubber outsole in the Rocket X 3, and I definitely felt the benefits while running over a short bridge that’s usually quite slippery with the morning dew.

I knew I was taking a small gamble by testing the Rocket X 3 for the first time on an important workout. What if the fit or shape didn’t work? What if I ended the run with painful blisters? But I was too excited to test the shoes, plus I was on a deadline.

I covered my toes in Squirrels’ Nut Butter (it’s not that I didn’t have faith in the shoes, but blisters are almost unavoidable in this weather), and hoped for the best. Much to my relief, the Rocket X 3 fit perfectly. It’s made in unisex sizing, so I wore a 5. I’m typically a 6.5 in most running shoes and a 6 in HOKA. It’s best to head into your local Fleet Feet to find your correct size. Fleet Feet outfitters use 3D fit id® foot scanning technology to gather information about your feet and the support they need by taking precise measurements of your foot length, width and arch height, so you can learn a lot about your feet while you’re there.

HOKA replaced last version’s synthetic mesh material with a single-layer warp-knit upper. Warp knitting is a textile manufacturing process that goes way over my head. All I can say is that the material feels stretchy yet supportive and plenty breathable. The tongue is thin but slightly padded to alleviate any top-of-foot discomfort from the laces, which are pretty heavily textured to avoid the possibility of a mid-run lacing mishap.

But my favorite thing about this upper? The soft, padded heel collar. Over the past year, I’ve noticed a lot of supershoes making heel collars thinner and more minimal to save weight. This sounds great in theory, but it’s left me with some bad blisters at the end of races. I’m happy that HOKA went back to basics with the heel collar of the Rocket X 3.

The Rocket X 3 has managed to do what every running shoe dreams of – adding more cushioning while reducing the weight. The X 3 has two extra millimeters of foam in the heel, bringing the stack height (the distance in height between the ground and your feet) and the heel-to-toe drop (the difference in height between your heel and forefoot) up.

It’s a small difference, but I found the X 3 to feel slightly smoother than the X 2. The rocker shape works better on a 7-millimeter drop than a 5-millimeter one, in my opinion.

The sticky rubber outsole and winged carbon-plate mentioned above are new features in the X 3, as well as the warped knit upper. I really enjoyed the Rocket X 2 and the X 3 feels very similar, but these small tweaks help take its comfort and performance to the next level.

We took a look at some similar models to see how the Rocket X 3 stacks up. Here’s what we found:

The HOKA Rocket X 3, Nike Vaporfly 4 and Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 are all their respective brands’ “entry-level” racing supershoe. But Caroline, you may be wondering, these three shoes all have high-tech performance foam and carbon-fiber plates! How are they entry-level?

What may have been perceived as revolutionary a few years ago has now become the norm, and brands like HOKA, Nike and Saucony are pushing innovation to the next level by releasing even more premium performance products. For example, the HOKA Rocket X is to the HOKA Cielo X1 as the Nike Vaporfly is to the Nike Alphafly. And Saucony also has their own tip-of-the-spear race-day supershoe, the Endorphin Elite.

Comparing the three shoes side-by-side, I found the Rocket X 3’s midsole foam feels very similar to the Endorphin Pro 4. Both shoes deliver the same soft-to-firm ratio, while the Vaporfly 4 is decidedly more firm.

The Rocket X 3’s snappy ride and balanced platform make it a great option for runners who don’t want to sacrifice speed for security and comfort. I felt great rounding corners and running over uneven pavement in this shoe, so it’ll work well for those seeking a bit more stability from their supertrainers.

This shoe is only available in unisex sizing, so women should go a full to 1.5 sizes down from their normal size. Don’t forget to head into your local Fleet Feet to find your perfect fit.