Hoka is throwing it back to the early days of its brand by bringing back a hit trail runner from 2012.
The Hoka Stinson Evo OG is making its return Thursday with a new eye for the lifestyle market. The trail running shoe was widely praised in its first go around, when Hoka was still widely unknown and its beefy midsoles were still perplexing. Its upper also boasts the overt hallmarks of the era’s running shoe, making its revival fit for the retro running trend that more established brand’s have been leaning into.
Wavy overlays in metallic silver sweep across the Stinson Evo’s upper, which is rendered in a bright “Habanero Red” mesh upper and utilizes Hoka’s early “Zero Gravity” technology to keep its weight down. The shoe’s once-novel meta rocker midsole also features blocked red striping, and indentations beneath allow for “Adaptive Tuning” by puncturing them deeper to customize support for pronators or supinators.
An additional colorway in black with more sparse red accents will also usher in the Stinson Evo’s return.
At the time it first released, more minimalist running shoes were in favor, and the proposition of a midsole that’s both propulsive and pillowy was still hard to believe. Now, of course, doing both is the norm and Hoka has proved influential across the entire running industry.
Hoka hasn’t waded into its past much, likely because its past doesn’t run very far and the progress it’s made in such a short time. Although all of its technologies remain intact, the Stinson Evo could do well in the lifestyle space, which is clearly the goal with the sneaker releasing in boutiques such as Extra Butter and Sneakersnstuff. Hoka is even embracing sneakerhead nomenclature by labeling the shoe’s rerelease as “OG.” Given that its shape was more innovative dozen years ago, the shoe could also be more comfortable than some of its retro peers.
The Hoka Stinson Evo is out Thursday, August 1, through select third-party retailers. Pricing is set at $175.
Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
