Hoka Hopara review

The Hopara has what it takes to be your next go-to trail or all-day wear companion. You will appreciate this Hoka offering if you want a sandal that is extremely versatile. it can handle easy-to-moderate hiking, camping, walking, fishing, paddling, swimming, among other activities that involve water.

There is a good reason why "Hopara" is a Maori word for “explore.”

If you'd like to explore a similar closed-toe hiking sandal that is more plush and has a stronger heel strap, we recommend checking out the KEEN Newport H2!

And if you feel like doing some beach/water hiking, you may want a lighter and more laid-back style like the Teva Hurricane XLT2.

What helps to justify the Hopara's above-average weight is the amount of cushioning that it packs. This sandal is loaded with comfort and to say we are addicted is an understatement!

A generous stack of 26.8 mm under the heel makes it a real joy to wear all day long. Compared to other sandals we've tested, the Hopara is an actual shoe!

Stepping on almost anything that poked underfoot was never a problem in this Hoka sandal.

Is this sandal just as massive in the forefoot? Oh, yeah!

With our caliper showing 22.6 mm of stack height, the Hopara once again proves that it is a true Hoka. The brand is famous for its extra-cushioned hiking and running footwear.

According to the official stats, the heel-to-toe drop of the Hopara is 5 mm. Based on our own measurements, it is even less - 4.2 mm.

In real life, this means that your foot sits nearly parallel to the ground inside the sandal. No significant elevation in the heel.

• The benefit is that you feel more grounded and in control of the footing.
• The drawback is that beginner hikers may feel muscle fatigue faster in low-drop footwear.

At first look, the Hopara may appear soft and cozy but its rubberized EVA midsole proves otherwise.

Pressing our durometer against the foam, the tool showed 33.6 HA. This is on the firm side of hiking sandals and, for reference, 56% firmer than the Teva Hurricane XLT2!

Some people may wish for a plusher underfoot experience but only until they step on the first sharp rock.

We were elated by the fact that the Hoka Hopara had enough room in the toe area. There is absolutely no squeezing or pinching.

In the widest part of the toebox, our caliper showed 109.4 mm which is significantly wider than average.

To further cinch up the upper, The Hopara used a quick-lace (or bungee) system. We love this type of lockdown mechanism as it is so quick and effortless to adjust.

It also comes with a handy lace storage to tuck excess laces away.

Apparently, this hiking sandal from Hoka has never heard of ankle rolls. It made us feel exceptionally stable all throughout the hike test, especially on rocky and uneven terrain.

It took a little twist with our hands to reveal the sandal's fairly stiff platform. Thick, firm, and wide, it can't be bent so easily!

This convinced us to rate this Hoka sandal's torsional rigidity with an above-average score of 3/5. No wonder the Hopara feels so stable and supportive underfoot!

Next time you see a Bigfoot's footprint on the trail, don't get too excited. It probably came from a fellow Hoka wearer.

The sandal's landing area is absolutely massive. Measuring the widest part of the forefoot with a durometer, we got 125.1 mm which is much wider than average.

Meanwhile, in the widest part of the heel, our caliper showed a whopping 100 mm! That's a whole centimeter wider than average.

Having so much sole to fall back on made our steps surefooted when going downhill and hopping in between rocks.

You can probably tell by now that it's not easy to bend your foot all the way in the Hoka Hopara.

Using a force gauge, we found that it took 25.1N to get this sandal to a 90-degree angle. This is 40% more than it normally takes a hiking sandal!

Wearing the Hopara, you certainly compromise ground feel and natural movement. But you do get plenty of cushioning and protection in return.

The Hoka Hopara is a burly sandal for sure. It even feels off to refer to the Hopara as "sandal." Just like most closed-toe sandals, it is basically a hiking shoe with drainage.

Tipping the scale at 12.6 oz (357g) in a men's US 9, it sure is heavier than most sandals. But to be fair, its close competitor, the KEEN Newport H2, is even heavier at 13.4 oz (381g).

Hoka takes toe protection very seriously in its closed-toe Hopara sandal. It's hard to ignore the humongous toe bumper and extra thick overlays of this model.

To test exactly how resistant the Hopara is to abrasion, we resorted to our trusty Dremel. After 12 seconds of drilling the toebox at a consistent speed (5K RPM) and pressure (3.2N), we were thrilled with the result!

It not only looks aggressive but is also ready to hold the blow! Looking at the minor damage on the rubber, the Hopara made us more confident about bumping into rocks and other immovable hazards.

Compared to what the same Dremel test can do to other types of outdoor shoes, the Hoka Hopara deserves a maximum 5 out of 5 for toebox durability.

The sandal also showed off its sturdy lining inside the heel strap. Drilling it for 4 seconds at a 5K RPM speed resulted in just a tiny scratch.

If we only consider the lining, it deserves a high score of 4 out of 5.

But there is a caveat....The stitching on this heel strap is not very reliable which is very likely to result in an unfortunate tear. This risk is especially high if you pull the finger loop too hard when getting the Hopara on. 

If you don't want to come across this potential problem, you may want to go for the better reinforced KEEN Newport H2.

Even though the Hopara is only partially covered with rubber, the quality of that rubber is on par with some hiking boots!

Just by feeling its hardness, we can anticipate a longer-than-average life for this Hoka sandal. Our durometer shows 81.0 HC, which is notably firmer than average.

Indeed, the outsole of this sandal showed tremendous results in our Dremel durability test.

Having applied the tool for 22 seconds at an unforgiving speed of 10K RPM, the damage was nearly cosmetic! Where most sandals lose at least 1 mm of rubber, the Hopara only lost 0.5 mm, based on our tread gauge.

This finding proves that the Hoka Hopara is a trail-ready option and not just a beach flip-flop!

As our caliper shows, the rubber layer of the Hopara is also thicker than the average of hiking sandals. At 3.0 mm without the lugs, it has a lot of outsole to wear through before this sandal screams for replacement.

The Hopara undercuts many of its competitors from Teva, KEEN, and Chaco by having some pretty aggressive lugs. According to Hoka, they are 5 mm deep and it was (almost) confirmed in our caliper measurement (4.8 mm).

We were ecstatic to finally find a sandal that gives more bite on loose soil. Slippery stones, lava rocks, smooth surfaces - it handles them all, based on our trips.

This Hoka sandal features very small yet important reflective strips on the heel loops. You can see them reflect the light back in the dark.

The neoprene tongue of the Hopara is quite thin. We measured it at only 2.7 mm.

This is a welcome bonus for those who don't like too much material on top of the foot in their sandals.

The sandal comes with two finger loops - one on the tongue (with the HOKA logo) and the other one on the heel strap.

But do be careful with the back loop. We found that pulling it too hard can result in ripping the strap altogether!