HOKA - Kaha 3 GTX - Walking boots

I’ve been tripping all over the place and not in the endorphin release or psychedelic way, but the almost faceplanting the pavement, granite and grass way

This is my first purchase and review here. The hiking boots arrived very quickly. Have no complaints about the delivery. They were packed in a Bergfreunde box rather than the manufacturer's original box. Up until now this year, I had been using McKinley Kona V AQX M low-cut shoes for light hiking and walking. They were more affordable but of significantly lower quality, particularly regarding comfort. As I suffer from hip osteoarthritis and have a diagnosis of avascular necrosis of the femoral head (currently in remission), I needed more comfortable hiking footwear, the previously mentioned shoes caused hip pain, especially during descents. The Hoka Kaha 3 GTX are exceptionally comfortable shoes. After three consecutive days of hiking and covering 50 km in the mountains, I felt no hip pain. Upon first wearing them, I noticed that the fit wasn't as tight over the instep, whereas the ankle system is excellent—it tightens very well and provides stable ankle support. Despite the thick, elevated sole, I didn't feel any instability while walking. Walking on flat ground is incredibly easy thanks to the slightly curved sole. The laces are round but have a wavy texture, so they didn't come undone nearly as often as the round laces on the footwear I’ve used previously. The terrain I covered ranged from soft forest paths and gravel roads to scree slopes, hiking trails, and bare rock. The Vibram sole offers excellent grip and doesn't slip on rock. I couldn't test them on wet rock because the weather is currently warm and very dry. For the same reason, I was unable to test the waterproofing in actual field conditions. The rocks I walked on were limestone, often featuring very sharp edges and jagged points—something particularly noticeable when navigating between them or wedging one's feet into crevices. The midsole is especially vulnerable here, it sustained damage in places, and I even tore off a chunk of the EVO foam on a protruding root. It might be worth getting a slightly larger size. I wore double socks and had enough room to wiggle my toes, yet during descents, my toes frequently hit the front of the shoe. The nubuck leather upper remained undamaged.

I would certainly recommend to try these shoes to people with hip issues, depending on the stage of cartilage degeneration. However, they aren't suitable for every type of terrain, the comfort comes at the expense of the midsole's rigidity and durability, so one needs to walk more carefully on rough, sharp rocky ground to avoid damage.

Purchased And worn a lot of different Boot type & Brand over the years!
This is the Boot for me.
Cliff top walks & rugged stony beaches no problem.
Light ,Flexible,Waterproof,Great.