Shoe: Bondi 6
Description: Neutral, Maximal Cushioning
everyday training shoe.
Great
for: Long
endurance runs and recovery runs and also for triathletes (or anyone) running
on already tired legs.
Terrain: Road
Weight: (size 7 US W) 8.6oz
Getting back into running shape
since the birth of my son last September has been more challenging then I ever could
have imagined and I have found that as I have gone through the journey of
rebuilding my body, fitness and strength I have had to change my training shoes
to better fit the needs of my post baby body. I guess when your body has been
through so much change that it makes sense that it will respond differently to
training loads and require different elements of support from your running
shoes.
I used to run in the Clifton and
the Clayton, and loved them! But this year I found that I was dealing with knee
and back niggles that I had never experienced before and that my legs and
joints were craving a more forgiving and cushioned shoe as I went through the
hard slog of rebuilding.
The Bondi is heralded as Hoka One
One’s premium neutral cushioning shoe and boasts the maximum ‘running on clouds’
effect that Hoka One One is so famous for… so I decided to give it a go.
To be honest I have never been
one to choose to run in such a cushioned shoe. I have always preferred a lighter
shoe with a bit more responsiveness and more of an under foot feel of the
terrain that I was covering.
However the Bondi 6 although been
slightly heavier than my previous training shoes, does not feel like a heavy run.
This I think is mostly due to the Meta Rocker System, which creates a rolling sensation
as the foot transitions from footstrike to toe-off, making it feel much lighter when
you run then it is because of the way it effortlessly rolls you through every
stride.
The combination of this unique design
aspect of the shoe and the maximal cushioning not only feels like your running on clouds but also greatly reduces the impact forces or load that
occur as the foot hits the ground. This reduces the amount of muscle damage and wear
and tear on the body from training and helps you to front up back-to-back days
with a reduced level of muscle soreness.
With the extra cushioning I have
noticed that I have lost a bit of the underfoot feel that I am used to in a
running shoe, BUT and it’s a big but! The Bondi 6 is one of the most
comfortable shoes I have ever run in! On days that my legs should feel
absolutely wrecked, simply put … they don’t.
Its been an incredibly hard road
trying to get back into shape this year and there have been days when my legs
should feel absolutely wrecked and I have stepped out the door and braced
myself for the first few steps of the run and the familiar aches and pains of
tired sore legs but with the Bondi 6 I am always pleasantly surprised as to how
good the legs actually feel.
The plush cushioning and the metarocker
design of the Bondi 6 has enabled me to run day in and day out rebuilding my
fitness without my legs feeling wrecked. I guess you could say at a time when
my body has needed a little extra kindness, the Bondi 6 and its pillow like cushioning
has given me that.
Do I feel as fast in the Bondi 6
as I do in the other Hoka One One shoes I have run in? like the Elevon? To be
honest no, but it is by no means a slow shoe and even though in a maximal
cushioning shoe there is always a little less responsiveness I still feel that
I am able to easily tick the legs along at a good clip. The Bondi 6 is also
very stable even when cornering and running down steep downhill.
The upper is very breathable and has
a very snug form-fitting feel around the heel and mid foot and the perfect
amount of room in the toe box.
The bondi 6 can be used for any
length run. Either for the longer slower runs or for the recovery shorter runs,
or anything in between depending what you want out of your run.
I am currently in a build phase
of training, and so I have been using the Bondi 6 for most of my road runs, regardless
of the length. But as the phase and the specifics of my training develop I will
be mixing it up with the Elevon for my faster training days. Personally
together I think they make the perfect training dual!
The verdict… simply put the Bondi
6 has been brilliant!
