HOKA? For base shoes? Anyone?

[SeeingEyeDog]

https://www.hoka.com/en/us/men/black/

HOKA is a running, walking and trail shoe company based in California, manufactured in China and Vietnam. I just bought a pair of these a few weeks ago for daily use. I am not a runner but, as someone with a wide foot, I have a hard time finding comfortable daily wear, bang around sneakers. I like them a lot. They do a great job fitting you and working with you to select the best shoe for your needs. (At these prices, they'd better!)

Is anyone currently using these on the baseball field? If so, how do you like them? Is the look too chunky, too overstated and obnoxious for an umpire? Your turn, brothers...what do you have here?

~Dawg

[alex7]

https://a.co/d/03PHKAb

I bought these Hoka Clifton 8s and enjoyed them on a turf field. Soles did not have that huge chunky look, while the comfort was wow.

 

[MadMax]

9 hours ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

too overstated and obnoxious for an umpire?

Amongst black-shoe candidates, “overstated” is anything triple- or all-black (we get it, you’re an official, wow 🙄), and “obnoxious” is anything polished or patent leather (we get it, you wanna big-League your shoe game 🥱). 

Never ceases to amaze me – the guys that denounce the “look at me! I’m umpiring!” antics are the same turkeys that insist on glassy shoes, glossy belts, and dry-cleaning their hats 🧢. 

[SeeingEyeDog]

1 minute ago, MadMax said:

Amongst black-shoe candidates, “overstated” is anything triple- or all-black (we get it, you’re an official, wow 🙄), and “obnoxious” is anything polished or patent leather (we get it, you wanna big-League your shoe game 🥱). 

Never ceases to amaze me – the guys that denounce the “look at me! I’m umpiring!” antics are the same turkeys that insist on glassy shoes, glossy belts, and dry-cleaning their hats 🧢. 

I was more referring to the overly chunky soles (engineered for comfort and support versus aesthetics)...

~Robert

[boyinr]

They are super comfortable.  I wear them as a turf only shoe.  I forget which model. The traction isn’t there for me on a grass field.  

[GreyhoundAggie]

I'm rocking a pair of hoka's as well. Been great for me as I needed arch support. I got the Arahi 6. They have cushion but more structure and come in wide.

[The Man in Blue]

Agree with you @MadMax except for the "all black" part ... I still can't bring myself to have white on my umpiring shoes.  Understated greys and shades of black I am OK with:

 

 

That may be because I still have way too many dirt fields around me.  Given my summer ball schedule was mostly turf though, I could be changing my tune for those games ...

A fellow umpire recommended looking at Hoka and Brooks.

[SeeingEyeDog]

@The Man in Blue, Blue Man, once again I am completely simpatico with you. I too have always favored the all-black base shoes. I finally relented and got a pair of Mizuno turf shoes that have some white trim on them. Honestly, I like how they feel and I think they look sharp. I only use them on turf so they don't require as much cleaning as when they would be used in the dirt. I am giving these HOKAs a heckuva look maybe for next year...

~Dawg 

[MadMax]

14 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

except for the "all black" part ... I still can't bring myself to have white on my umpiring shoes. 

Sure, I get that… 

… but I also know you’re not the type of colleague to laud it over fellow umpires in some superiority / inferiority complex… or ostentatiously coat the things in shoe black, polish, Windex or hairspray so as to get maximum shine and bling. 

They’re black shoes; no one cares. 

[Thunderheads]

On 7/31/2023 at 10:53 AM, boyinr said:

They are super comfortable.  I wear them as a turf only shoe.  I forget which model. The traction isn’t there for me on a grass field.  

I may be in need of new base shoes for next season and I was considering HOKAs, but this may give me pause as most of my schedule is HS, and mostly not turf 🤔

[Mudisfun]

A bunch of my peers are wearing these more and more. They speak highly of the comfort and they look fine, so why not?

Heck, 1/2 the time I am wearing Nike Monarchs (old man shoes) just because they have a comfortable memory foam insole and they are leather so they wipe clean easily. Nothing better for those games where your standing in C most the day because one team cannot pitch or field and the other team is already going station to station in the bottom of the 1st inning.

I seriously crack up when partners are more worried about matching their shoes (you have white, I have to go white also!) then actually pre-gaming and making sure we are working off the same page mechanics wise. 

 

[The Man in Blue]

2 hours ago, MadMax said:

Sure, I get that… 

… but I also know you’re not the type of colleague to laud it over fellow umpires in some superiority / inferiority complex… or ostentatiously coat the things in shoe black, polish, Windex or hairspray so as to get maximum shine and bling. 

They’re black shoes; no one cares. 

One of the greatest days of my umpiring career was when I overcame that.  I came up with a guy who wanted everything to shine, so that was instilled in me.  I wasn't good at it, but the notion was there.

When I went down South and started working turf in the southern summer heat ... all that went out the window.  "Canvas" and breathable became the priorities.  😁

I did buy a shiny belt for the first time this year, though.  😉

[Thunderheads]

9 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

One of the greatest days of my umpiring career was when I overcame that.  I came up with a guy who wanted everything to shine, so that was instilled in me.  I wasn't good at it, but the notion was there.

When I went down South and started working turf in the southern summer heat ... all that went out the window.  "Canvas" and breathable became the priorities.  😁

I did buy a shiny belt for the first time this year, though.  😉

Is it "necessary" .... no.  I tend to like it, but I'm old       Having a 'sheen/shine' is more old school and I think tends to come from military shoe/boot theory.  As long as they're clean and look good, ... its' fine.  I like the look of the HOKA Cliftons

[Velho]

14 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

I did buy a shiny belt for the first time this year, though.  😉

I like my shiny belt 😁

 

[834k3r]

2 hours ago, MadMax said:

Sure, I get that… 

… but I also know you’re not the type of colleague to laud it over fellow umpires in some superiority / inferiority complex… or ostentatiously coat the things in shoe black, polish, Windex or hairspray so as to get maximum shine and bling. 

They’re black shoes; no one cares. 

My name is Beaker, and I wear glossy shoes and glossy belt while umpiring. I wear it to look as professional as I can--it's a habit I picked up from my military career. That's the only reason--just pride in my personal appearance.

[Thunderheads]

8 minutes ago, 834k3r said:

My name is Beaker, and I wear glossy shoes and glossy belt while umpiring. I wear it to look as professional as I can--it's a habit I picked up from my military career. That's the only reason--just pride in my personal appearance.

Nothing wrong with that!

[SeeingEyeDog]

6 hours ago, Velho said:

I like my shiny belt 😁

 

Shiny Belts and Shoes Mafia 4evuh! YOLO! ...or...you know...whatever the cool kids say today...

~Dawg

[Thatsnotyou]

I’m a runner and have worn Hoka Cliftons as a base shoe for a few seasons. Glad to hear there are some others out there. I wear them on grass as well and haven’t had an issue. The black mesh can pick up some dirt on messy fields, but a quick water spray and wipe postgame and they are fine again. 

They are known for the huge stack height, so it may take a second to get used to jogging in them.

 

Since it’s a running shoe that is made for 400ish miles, it should hold up for many, many seasons. The midsole in the new balance umpire shoes I had a few years ago disappeared rather quickly. 

[BT_Blue]

I have heard nothing but great things about Hoka shoes. At some point, I'm going to break down and actually spend the money to take care of my feet.... some day 

[Aging_Arbiter]

On 8/1/2023 at 12:14 PM, 834k3r said:

My name is Beaker, and I wear glossy shoes and glossy belt while umpiring.

Welcome Beaker.  

 

😁