Hoka

Arahi 7

Women's

I love the Arahi 6. It's my go-to and I've had like 4 pairs. I wear a wide which gives me the roominess I need in the toebox. The new Arahi 7 has a different shape and is narrower in toe box (NO!) and wider through the mid foot. The foam also feels firmer/harder and less plush. Full disclosure, i did not run in these - but I knew after putting them on and feeling the tight fit through the toe box they weren't going to work. Luckily I have a couple pairs of new Arahi 6s coming so that will keep me set while Hoka figures out how to make the 8 more like the 6.

I've been an Arahi fan since version 1 and have had multiple pairs of most editions. I first wore an 11 and now a 12 since Hola seems to have adjusted the size. I was anxiously waiting for version 7. My new pair arrived today and I took them for a spin around our local rec center. Here are some initial thoughts. 1) Despite the somewhat bland color choices, this is the nicest looking Arahi yet. It is plain but that's to its credit. 2) It's narrow. I have a narrow foot and the forefoot of most Arahi versions has been a tad wide.. These are narrow and people with a wider forefoot may find their feet cramped. (I have found that fit varies from color to color so this may not be true for all colors.) 3) The shoe is very firm, almost too firm, compared to the Arahi 6. At first I thought it was because the shoes had been sitting outdoors in a box all day in freezing temperatures. But even after a 3 mile walk, they were still very firm (I think responsive is the term Hoka uses to indicate firmness.) For Hola lovers, this may come as somewhat of a shock. Firmest Hoka I've worn yet. Feel of Hoka 6 was more to my liking. Not sure if I like the feel of the 7, but we'll see.

The Arahi 6 is perfect. Seniors beware of a significant change from the Arahi 6. The lacing on the Arahi 7 is difficult to adjust because, at 2 points on each shoe, the lace goes down one hole and up the next on each side of each shoe, preventing easy adjustment. You may also find that the standard version is slightly narrower than the Arahi 6, but not enough to pick the wide version.

My new 7's arrived this week. There is much less cushion than the 6 and the shoe is much narrower.