Buy these shoes if…
- You’re looking for a relatively inexpensive Hoka shoe that features the fit and technology the brand is known for
- You want a lightweight and versatile shoe that can easily pick up the pace
- You prefer simple and minimalist shoes but can appreciate some cushioning
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Keep reading for the Run the Shoes Hoka Rincon 3 review.
Specs
Offset: 5mm
Weight: 6.5 oz (Women) // 7.7 oz (Men)
Price: $120
Between you and me, it is quite hard to make running shoe reviews interesting, and I really want to make this Hoka Rincon review a tantalizing masterpiece because this shoe deserves the love. Let’s see if I can do it.
The Rincon are a remarkable pair of shoes. At 6.5 ounces, they are literally lighter than a bagel…with cream cheese (or just a very large bagel with nothing on it). These are the third pair of Hoka shoes I’ve owned and by far the lightest and most versatile; I’ve also run in the Clifton and Bondi, both of which are heavy shoes, and as such, not great for when you want to pick up the pace. The Rincon, however, are a solid option for both speed work and easy runs.
Like all Hoka shoes, they’re incredibly soft. But it’s a different softness than the Clifton, which has that firm mattress feel; the Rincon aren’t particularly firm, in fact, they’re quite malleable. I quite like this flexibility as I find it yields a soft ride. A firmer fast-paced shoe, like the Saucony Endorphin Speed, yields a snappier ride, but I like the smooth feel of these.
The Rincon 3 has a less pronounced heel tab than the Rincon 2. It’s whatever. Kind of unnecessary. And like all Hokas, the Rincon comes in great color schemes—the “plein air/orchid hush” combo (pictured below) is *chef’s kiss.*
What to love about the Hoka Rincon
The first thing to love about these shoes is the price. Compare that to the Saucony Endorphin Speed, which goes for $160. Damn.
I also really love how light and fast these shoes feel. I recently wore them for a 13 mile run in which I ran the last two miles at a 7:30 pace, two minutes faster than my pace for the first 11 miles. The last time I tried to do this workout on a hot and humid day, I was wearing the Cliftons and could barely hit 8:00 pace for those last two miles. Maybe I was better fueled or rested this time, whatever it was I nailed the pace and hit 7:20 for the last mile. The Rincon are my go-to shoe for long runs at marathon pace.
What not to love about the Hoka Rincon
I love almost everything about the Rincon, but if I had to find one thing to be nitpicky about, it would be the durability. The Rincon 3 are built to last longer than the Rincon 2, which has an exposed foam outsole that is prone to wearing down, but they still don’t last as long as the Clifton.
The bottom line
A lot of people love this shoe, and for good reason (Runner’s World Editor-in-Chief named it his favorite shoe of 2019 in his Hoka Rincon review). It’s a soft and lightweight neutral shoe that can handle both speed and easy days, and has all the features of a well-built Hoka, like the Meta-Rocker and EVA foam midsole. It’s also one of the least expensive shoes from Hoka, which comes with the territory of it not lasting as long as the brand’s other headliners, but if you’re a medium volume runner, it’ll get you through one marathon training cycle.
I’ve been running for 51+ years, and about 15 months ago I decided to switch shoes from ZOOT to HOKA.
To date, I’ve had one pair of the Rincon 2 and two pairs of the Rincon 3.
I really like the Rincon 3, the thin upper feels very soft, lite and airy.
As a very neutral pronator, I find these shoes actually last very well.
I wear each pair for approx 1,000 Klm (training runs and track speed work)….and then still use them for general walking afterwards, with no or splits, etc….
The soft but snappy “ground feel” is just the right balance for me.
Great on the long runs and also fast 5K’s at the track, etc.
They are good to go straight out of the box, with zero “wearing in” time required.
So, to date, durability has not been any issue for me at all, in fact quite the opposite.
Note, I’m a 260 Klm per month runner at a 4:45 p/klm regular training pace. Age 65+
Very good value for money.