Anyone ? Experience with Hoka Anacapa

[walkonrocks]

Hi,

I’m considering getting the Hoka Anacapa Breeze Mid for my Camino which will start on 10/31 from Porto to Santiago. Does anyone have experience with this particular model on long walks ? I’m around 100 kg and will carry about 10 on my back.
I read a few times now, to not go with a. gore tex version. What’s everyone’s experience here ?

 

[woody66]

I cant give a recommendation on the Anacapa's; shoes are an individual thing to each person and their feet!! Get the shoes right or they can finish your walk a lot earlier than you want.

I don't know which path your walking Coastal, Senda or Central?
The Coastal and Senda are more or less free of cobble stones and pretty easy on the feet!
If your walking the Central then a cushioned footbed will help with the cobbles.

I only wear Hoka Stinson ATR6 now on my 10th pair; they work for me very well !

They are non waterproof trail runners (in light rain just one pair darn tough merino socks is enough; heavy rain swap them out for Sealskinz waterproof socks) My Hkas have dried out in about 45 minutes (changed out my socks) after 6-7 hours of heavy rain; your feet get wet whatever you wear!!


You need to put some miles on your choice of shoes i brought several variations that in the running shop felt comfy.
But all had issues after 5 or six miles; to late to return them to the store so beware!
I met two people on the Portuguese who's shoes destroyed them : a German guy who's feet were blistered and bleeding after two days and a Panamanian lady who's toenails were black and lifting after three!!!!!

The Stinsons are not perfect ;the fit FOR ME is new shoe on and walk no problem! But the grip for a trail runner in slippy mud is not brilliant so it's a compromise!
Good luck in your shoe choice.
Have a wonderful walk
Buen Camino
Woody

 

[JustOneGuy]

Hoka for trail are usually good shoes in my experience, although they do not last very long (and I personally prefer lighter shoes for hiking). But Vibram soles are still excellent for grip.

Said that, I know this type of comments are annoying and disappointing, but my suggestion is to go to a good shop, discuss with the sellers at length, and try them carefully. There is not really a general rule about shoes. Every person has different needs and the risk of buying the wrong shoes is too high.

 

[PiesIrlandeses]

I was close to buying a pair of Anacapas - which are really nice boots - before I realised a problem for us gaiter-wearers with these and similar flat-soled boots.

As the boots don't have a heel, the "stirrup" strap of the gaiters will always be in contact with the ground, which creates a permanent slip hazard in wet, slippy conditions.

 

[etazac]

Hi,

I’m considering getting the Hoka Anacapa Breeze Mid for my Camino which will start on 10/31 from Porto to Santiago. Does anyone have experience with this particular model on long walks ? I’m around 100 kg and will carry about 10 on my back.
I read a few times now, to not go with a. gore tex version. What’s everyone’s experience here ?

Don’t use Gore.tex shoes you will only have feet problems . I purchased goretes and had heaps of trouble with hot spots and blisters. They were Hokka Gortex, changed to another pair of Hokka and life was so much easier

 

[nattan]

I second JustOneGuy : it's impossible to know because each foot is different. Go to a shop if you can.

And as an anecdote, here is my little cautionary tale : I went to a specialized shop, had great advice, tried the Hoka Anacapa 2 (women - low), enjoyed them, bought them in 1and a 1/2 size larger. They were great for small hikes.

The week before my departure, I finally got the chance to try them in a long hike (the temps were over 35°C pretty much all summer before that), and I got a nasty blister on the side. Ah well, they were still lighter and more breathable than my other hiking shoes, I thought stupidly. I'll do my Camino with them.

The first day went ok, though that blister was killing me and each step put an added pressure on it. So I started walking differently in order to avoid that pain. Halfway through the second day, I tore my psoas. There was no false movement, I didn't stumble. It simply came from me trying to avoid the pain of that blister. I had to go back home the next day (thankfully, I had started directly from home, as I live in France).

I looked at the Hoka more closely after that and realized that the heel part inside was quite narrow and went steeply up on the sides. And it just so happens that I walk in a lopsided way (all my shoes get worn a lot faster on the right side of that foot). So that configuration didn't allow my foot to do the movement that came naturally to it in wider shoes.

Anyway, (very) long story short : the anacapa weren't good for me because of the way I walk, and that illustrates how personal shoes are! And also, don't be an idiot like me, always listen to your body : I didn't listen close enough to that blister and ended up with a torn muscle....

I hope you find good shoes and enjoy your Camino!

 

[bks]

I cant give a recommendation on the Anacapa's; shoes are an individual thing to each person and their feet!! Get the shoes right or they can finish your walk a lot earlier than you want.

I don't know which path your walking Coastal, Senda or Central?
The Coastal and Senda are more or less free of cobble stones and pretty easy on the feet!
If your walking the Central then a cushioned footbed will help with the cobbles.

I only wear Hoka Stinson ATR6 now on my 10th pair; they work for me very well !

They are non waterproof trail runners (in light rain just one pair darn tough merino socks is enough; heavy rain swap them out for Sealskinz waterproof socks) My Hkas have dried out in about 45 minutes (changed out my socks) after 6-7 hours of heavy rain; your feet get wet whatever you wear!!


You need to put some miles on your choice of shoes i brought several variations that in the running shop felt comfy.
But all had issues after 5 or six miles; to late to return them to the store so beware!
I met two people on the Portuguese who's shoes destroyed them : a German guy who's feet were blistered and bleeding after two days and a Panamanian lady who's toenails were black and lifting after three!!!!!

The Stinsons are not perfect ;the fit FOR ME is new shoe on and walk no problem! But the grip for a trail runner in slippy mud is not brilliant so it's a compromise!
Good luck in your shoe choice.
Have a wonderful walk
Buen Camino
Woody

If Woody 66 is on his/her 10th. pair there must be a problem here, i.e. the shoes wear out too soon. This creates a problem for the environment as too many micro pieces of small of plastic material, from the shoes, are prematurely scattered everywhere and the shoes also end up in landfills prematurely. To the member considering buying these shoes please take into consideration the effect shoes have on the environment.

 

[Wandalina]

I've walked the Primitivo, half the Norte, Coastal Portugese and Half the Frances in Anacapa never had a blister. Ive 45 km one day in them feet were fine. They got completely soaked for several days on the Norte and survived. They do seem to wear a little quicker but I've done about 900km in each pair I've owned. I'll keep buying them they work for me

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

If Woody 66 is on his/her 10th. pair there must be a problem here, i.e. the shoes wear out too soon. This creates a problem for the environment as too many micro pieces of small of plastic material, from the shoes, are prematurely scattered everywhere and the shoes also end up in landfills prematurely. To the member considering buying these shoes please take into consideration the effect shoes have on the environment.

Without knowing how many kilometres he's put on each Pair, let alone the type of terrain that's a bit of a broad generalization.
Not only that, but due to our individual gait etc some people wear out (exactly the same) shoes faster than others.
Realistically most of us probably hope to get between 8 to 1200 kilometers from a pair of trail runners, however some reportedly only managed 400 kilometers. This ties in with what manufacturers state. Hoka for example say "The 'typical' lifespan for a pair of running shoes falls in the 400-800 kilometre range, which in itself is very broad."
Which when you think about it is in keeping with much of the information available on the internet: I just did a quick search and REI have the following to say: "You should generally replace your running shoes every 300-500 miles.That's because it's around this point that the midsole cushioning on most shoes will lose resiliency and stop absorbing shock as well as when newer, which can cause more impact on your muscles and joints".

There are multiple other sites that say much the same.

Personally I'm on my third pair in roughly 18 months. (I've just purchased a fourth but I have yet to use them, other than a few days walking to check for manufacturing defects).
That may seem excessive but I wear the new shoes for caminos and multiple day walking, they then graduate to become my everyday shoes. (Aside from about two months in the middle of winter). One Pair did roughly 700 kilometers, one appx. 1k, my current Pair has roughly 1100 and are still comfortable.

I would however completely agree that we should take environmental aspects into consideration whenever possible.

 

[britnews]

Half way through the Camino Frances and I have worn hoka anacapas every day I’m very happy With them. I found buying a half size up and wearing with DArn tuff socks a perfect combination.the shoes have a gore Tex lining but they will get wet in heavy rain…. Just fill them with newspapers at the Albergue and they dry out overnight perfectly. Buen Camino!

 

[RachelK]

I wore Anacapa shoes (not boots) on the Portuguese Camino in December with lots of rain and mild temperatures. I bought 1 size bigger than my normal shoe. They were excellent, no blisters, dry feet despite some days raining all day, no foot issues at all. I would recommend them, for me, but they may not work for others - in general my feet are always cold so I don't have issues caused by sweaty feet in gortex.

 

[David Tallan]

Hoka for trail are usually good shoes in my experience, although they do not last very long

My Hokas that I wore on my Camino Madrid/Salvador/Primitivo/Finisterre-Muxia lasted fine for the 1000+ km Camino (about 1250 km all in according to my fitness app). Then they lasted the next year of regular walking as well. I have no complaints regarding their longevity, although I did buy I new pair for my next Camino.

 

[woody66]

If Woody 66 is on his/her 10th. pair there must be a problem here, i.e. the shoes wear out too soon.

My Hokas that I wore on my Camino Madrid/Salvador/Primitivo/Finisterre-Muxia lasted fine for the 1000+ km

That may seem excessive but I wear the new shoes for caminos and multiple day walking, they then graduate to become my everyday shoes.

As in Peters post above i wear Hoka Stinson's as my only shoe ALL the time they last about 1000km maybe more but i don't count!! Indoors, outdoors, and in bed

 

[soleil]

I wore Anacapa GTX on the Ingles last year. They eliminated the plantar fasciitis pain, and the pain from a lifetime of abusing my knees and ankles. Very light wear after a Camino and a week of city sightseeing (all pavement).

I love my Hokas and have several pairs...but I'd replace them with Breeze for another camino...I had nasty blisters on my little toes and lost a toenail, which general consensus attributed to moisture retention.

My hiking pal wore Stinsons...his were destroyed in two weeks.