The RW Takeaway: The Rincon 3 has a bolder look—Lisa Frank vibes, anyone?—and shows that Hoka listens to runners’ comments. The result: more toe room, better traction, and the same lightweight and fast feel.
- Available in widths for the first time
- More breathable sandwich mesh upper
- New rubber placement on outsole for reduced wear
Price: $115
Type: Road
Weight: 7.4 oz (M), 6.2 oz (W)
Drop: 5 mm
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When the Rincon made its debut, runners raved about its lightweight build and versatility. “Literally can’t say a bad thing about this shoe,” gushed a tester. On its third iteration, the Rincon continues to impress. The 3 is even lighter while still maintaining that thick midsole Hoka is known for. Its cushioning strikes a balance between comfortably soft and supportively firm. It’s the speed-training counterpart to Hoka’s daily workhorse, the Clifton (the Rincon is almost 2 ounces lighter than the Clifton), making it ideal for tempo runs and track sessions.
Pros
- More spacious fit; also available in wides
- Lightweight and responsive
- Improved placement of lugs on outsole for durability
Cons
- Slim tongue sometimes goes off-kilter midrun
“It has a great ground contact that doesn’t feel too soft or mushy compared to my other highly cushioned shoes,” said a tester. “I ended my long runs faster than I started them, thanks to the shoe’s light weight.”
A More Accommodating Fit
Testers liked the redesigned mesh upper, which is more breathable—we tested them during a string of 90-degree days in the Northeast—and appreciated that the shoes don’t cause blisters or pinch your feet.
This is an improvement on the previous model. Testers had noted that the second Rincon seemed to have a tighter fit. “The Rincon 2 is so dang narrow,” said RW senior test editor Jeff Dengate. “It might be even narrower than the original.”
The 3 has a more accommodating fit in the forefoot. “I really enjoyed the wider toe box, especially toward the end of workouts and long runs,” said a tester. “The Rincon 3 never felt hot at faster speeds, and my feet felt fresh after runs.”
This Rincon is also the first of its line to be available in widths, so if you need even more wiggle room, that option is finally available.
A More Durable Outsole
Hoka also revamped the outsole, repositioning rubber in the heel and adding even more to the lateral edge of the forefoot to reduce premature wear. “The exposed foam on the outsole of the original Rincons wore out very early,” said one tester. The additional rubber outsole aids with traction as well as prolonging the Rincon’s life span, ensuring you’ll buy pairs less frequently.
Tester Feedback
Gabe F., tester since 2021
Arch: Medium | Pronation: Neutral | Footstrike: Midfoot
“The Hoka One One Rincon 3 is an overall great shoe. I used the Rincon 1 for a lot of my marathon training in 2019, and found that the Rincon 3 is a great evolution of the original. The main appeal of the Rincon 3 is its lightweight and cushioning, which is a dream combination for long distance runners. These features allow both steady tempo runs and long runs to feel effortless at faster paces, while also keeping my feet protected during the whole run. At no point during my 4- to 5-mile tempo runs did I feel hot spots in my feet, like I would with a less-cushioned shoe like the Saucony Kinvara. The inclusion of smartly positioned rubber on the outsole of the shoe addressed my biggest issue of the Rincon 1, providing greater durability than the original without any noticeable increase to the weight.”
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
