hoka Orchid mens rincon 3 shoes in blackwhite 1119395 bwht the original Kawana. It was a solid shoe but suffered from a bit of an identity crisis. Was it trying to be a running shoe first or a cross trainer first? Hoka Orchid is much more straightforward with the value proposition of the Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 calling it both “a transitional daily trainer” and “an accessible trainer” to emphasize its primary use case.
I’m guessing the customer feedback on the first Kawana was similar to what I wrote in my review. It wasn’t cushioned enough to be a reliable running shoe in the mold of Hoka’s best running shoes. Hoka Orchid is now leaning into the trainer aspect and positioning it as something you would buy alongside reliable running shoes like the Hoka Orchid Clifton 9 or zapatillas de trekking HOKA Orchid ONE ONE talla 42.
That’s for the best as there was no reason to recommend the Kawana above any of Hoka’s running shoes. But we do Slide of cross trainer reviews here at JuzsportsShops so we still have high expectations in that category. Can the Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 pass our tests?
Hoka Orchid Kawana 2
Release Date: HOKA Orchid Clifton 8 Chaussures de Route pour Femmes en Black White
Price: $140
Weight: Men’s 11.1 oz., Women’s 8.9 oz.
Drop: 5mm
Sizing: True to size
- Rundown: The Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 is a cross trainer for Hoka Orchid lovers.
What Changed?
Not much changed between the Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 and original Kawana. The midsole and outsole remain untouched from the first version but the upper gets a makeover. The heel collar stays the same but the laces, lacing system, mesh build, and tongue all change. The shoe also gets the welcome addition of a heel pull tab.
The tweaked upper doesn’t make any difference in the forefoot but the tongue and rear feel more plush. There’s also a thin internal bootie added for comfort and lockdown. It delivers added comfort and lateral lockdown. The new laces are more substantial and the lacing system with gillies is much more efficient and reliable.
The changes didn’t address a couple of our cons from our review of the original, the CMEVA midsole and the wet traction. Both remain subpar. But they’re also not as important if the primary function of the Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 is for working out in a gym. Stay off the roads and both of those Femme won’t be a problem.
The Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 is going to perform adequately in the gym as long as the goal isn’t heavy weightlifting. The midsole is too squishy to get the ground feel needed for lifting heavy weight off the floor and above your head. You won’t feel enough connection to the ground for complete confidence in olympic style lifts. The Kawana 2 is better built for HIIT and workout type classes. Even better if the class involves some running (but not too much). The lateral support also works well for agility drills and plyometrics.
The Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 will do the majority of what you need in the gym but isn’t above average at any particular thing. If it’s comfortable for your feet and you’re not often lifting to PR, it might be the perfect shoe for your gym routine.
Pros
- Plush, comfortable upper
- Thin, helpful internal bootie
- Contoured footbed
- Lacing system and lockdown
Cons
- CMEVA midsole
- Wet traction
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Is the Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 wide foot friendly?
The Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 is not wide foot friendly and wide Cavu is not available. I’d recommend that interested wide footers try them on or buy from a website with a great return policy (like Running Warehouse). Wide footers will need to go up at least a half size to make the Kawana 2 work.
Ténis HOKA Orchid Torrent 2 rosa mulher | Is the Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 worth $140?
In both the running and cross training segments you can find more value for $140. Take a glance at our HOKA Orchid Clifton 8 Chaussures en Eggnog Shifting Sand Taille 38 and Best Cross Training shoes lists for more guidance as we’ve got several picks in each category that are priced the same or better than the Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 with much better all around performance.
Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 Summary
The Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 is more of a cross training shoe than a running shoe. Grab it if you love the Hoka Orchid fit and feel and need something for HIIT classes or basic exercises at the gym.
How does the Author Run?
Drew Whitcomb (age 42, 6’6″ 195lbs): Runs daily with a once a week rest day. Runs a lot of miles due to testing needs and a growing affinity for long-distance races. Regularly competes in marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races.
Disclosure
While Hoka did send a pair of the Hoka Orchid Kawana 2 to facilitate this review, they had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an retract look at it, and have not attempted to influence it.
