Article by Jeff Valliere
Hoka Ora 3 Recovery Slide ($60)
The Hoka Ora 3 is perhaps the ultimate in recovery slides, with superior cushioning and support, offering unrivaled comfort for wearing post run, post race or just as a day to day house slipper. I have reviewed several other slides, but the Ora 3 is in my opinion the best yet!
Stats:
7.8 oz./221g US Men’s 9 (8.1 oz/231g US Men’s 10 Sample)
Stack Height: 40mm heel / 34mm toe (6mm drop)
$60 - Available now including at our partners below
Pros: Unrivaled comfort, deep but supportive cushioning, vented upper, projected durability
Cons: Fit - they run a whole size large
First Impressions, Fit and Upper:
Whoa, these are huge! In a good way, the Ora 3 is deeply cushioned and quite substantial looking, more than any slide I can think of. I am immediately impressed by how soft, yet supportive and not mushy they feel. This is exactly what I have been hoping for when looking to review the Ora 3, as I have been dealing with some Plantar Fasciitis for some time.
The fit however is surprising, as I had to double check that they were my usual size 10 as requested. Indeed they are, but they are a good one full size big (see photos below, one where my foot is all the way forward and one all the way back, just to show the added length on either end). Because of the large sizing and my low volume foot, the upper is not particularly secure, not quite as good as the size 9 I tried at REI. That said, for general house use, they work fine.
At first I debated trading them out, but didn’t want to be fussy, so I just started wearing them. While loose, I do well enough walking around the house in them or occasional trips to the mailbox, garage or garbage cans on the side of the house. Anything beyond that however I would be reluctant. While on a recent visit to REI, I noticed that they had the Ora 3, so I tried on a size 9 and they were perfect, so if I were to do it all over again, I would for sure go with the 9 and strongly suggest sizing down.
Midsole:
The Midsole is injection molded sugarcane EVA with an early stage Meta-Rocker as found in many other Hoka shoes. How does the Meta-Rocker help a recovery slide? I’m not sure it really does, but it doesn’t hurt and I do like the feel of it for casual house shuffling and going upstairs. Either way, the cushioning is very soft and plush, though without being mushy and I find it to be wonderfully supportive for hours of working from home while standing at my adjustable stand up desk. Other slides have quickly broken down, but I have high hopes that the midsole of the Ora 3 will hold up well over time.
Outsole:
The outsole is made of injection molded EVA and provides ample grip for their intended use. I have tested on flat carpet, steep carpeted stairs, hardwood floor (both wet and dry), tile, wood decks, flagstone walkways, cement, pavement and even off route in moderate grass and mulch with full confidence. Durability so far seems good after 1-2 miles per day over several weeks around the house and I predict long life from the outsole.
Ride, Conclusions, Recommendations: The ride is plush, soft, yet supportively comfortable and great for long days standing at a desk or for shuffling around the house and yard. I love how they feel underfoot and keep my PF from acting up when I am standing for long periods working and are better than I had even hoped for. If you are looking for the ultimate, most comfortable recovery slide, then this is it! (just size down a full size).
Score: 9.5/10 with a deduction for fit, otherwise would give them a perfect 10!
😀😀😀😀😀
Comparisons:
Oofos OOahh Sport Slide Sandal: A favorite of mine for a long time, but I just simply wore them out, compressing the foam and wearing out the “outsole” (foam). Fit is more true to size, but I like the thicker, more supportive midsole of the Ora 3, its deeper cushion, its more grippy and durable outsole and projected durability. The Ora 3 is also $10 cheaper.
The Hoka Era 3 Recovery Slide is available from our partners below
Samples were provided at no charge for review purposes.RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased via shopping links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'.
EUROPE Men's & Women's SHOP HERE
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3 comments:
Following
Thanks for the cool review. I've finally got mine and have been using them for a few days now. They are a godsend when it comes to comfort. However, when it comes to sizing I feel I had exactly opposite experience to yours. The upper arch wouldn't fit my foot. I had to order a full size bigger and even now my heel only barely fits.
Weird, they must have some inconsistencies in their size runs, I am absolutely swimming in my normal 10!
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