HOKA Kawana 3 review

We think that the HOKA Kawana 3 will suit active folks who need the following:

• an all-in-one shoe for daily wear, long walks, casual runs, treadmill, cardio, and some machines at the gym
• a high-traction shoe for smooth and wet urban surfaces
• a mild stability shoe that feels supportive without being intrusive

If you want a similarly versatile yet more gym-oriented trainer, we highly recommend the HOKA Solimar 2. It is more grounded, lighter, has a roomier fit, and costs less.

And if we're talking even more serious gym use with strength training and lifting, a better alternative would be the Nike Free Metcon 7.

Blurring the line between gym, walking, and running shoes, the HOKA Kawana 3 offers moderate cushioning to accommodate a wide range of activities.

With a shock absorption of 117 SA, we found that it offers sufficient impact protection for long walks, casual daily runs, and short treadmill sessions. But in the context of training shoes, it falls in the upper range of impact protection, catering to high-impact cardio exercises.

HOKA calls the Kawana 3 a 'cardio-loving trainer,' promising 'high-energy foam' in its midsole. But as our lab test showed, the shoe's energy return measures only slightly above the average, at 53.4%.

That's enough to create a pleasantly responsive underfoot experience, making it easy to step or jump into the next move. But not so high that it turns the shoe into a bounce castle.

Measuring the Kawana 3's heel stack at 33.5 mm, we found it to be in line with most other walking shoes but much taller than the average training shoe.

In typical HOKA fashion, the shoe leans more towards cushioned comfort and packs as much as 29.9 mm of stack height in the forefoot!

And while that means plenty of love for the ball of the foot and the toe joints, it cancels out forefoot flexibility and proprioception for gym exercises like planks, lunges, and more.

As our caliper measurements showed, the Kawana 3 features an even lower heel-to-toe drop of 3.6 mm than the stated 5 mm.

This can feel unusually low if you are used to the traditional 8-12 mm drop of most other walking shoes. On the one hand, a lower offset can cause discomfort for tight Achilles and calves, but on the other hand, it helps the foot feel more stable, promoting more natural biomechanics.

We didn't observe any changes to the new shoe's midsole foam, as it apparently features the same compression-molded EVA.

With a durometer reading of 44.0 AC, it falls within the firm range of cushioning foams, offering a balanced platform for walking, running, and light gym use.

The Kawana 3 carries over its predecessor's pronounced toe rocker and aggressive heel bevel. And we believe it is a reasonable design choice, given the shoe's stack height, as it makes heel-to-toe transitions feel extra smooth.

And yet, if this shoe is positioned for training, wouldn't it make sense to lower and flatten its platform to make it more usable for strength training and moderate lifting?

Using special liquid, we created a one-to-one gel cast of the Kawana 3's interior.

Once the cast solidified, our caliper showed that its dimensions were identical to those of the previous version. It is still more of a close-fitting shoe, measuring 91.9 mm at the widest part of the forefoot.

It also comes with a mildly tapered, snug toebox shape, showing 70.0 mm of width in the big toe area. Exactly like the Kawana 2.

The shoe's vertical space also remained unchanged, showing the same tall toebox height of 28.3 mm.

It prevents this HOKA shoe from feeling too tight on top of the toes.

HOKA doesn't specify the rubber blend it uses for the Kawana 3, but does the name really matter when the grip is this good?

Brushing the shoe's heel against wet concrete, our machine recorded a high CoF of 0.59! This is plenty of traction for a variety of surfaces, from polished hardwood and rubber gym mats to subway tiles, stone steps, and even wet concrete.

But please note that the Kawana 3 does not have a one-piece rubber outsole. The shoe features zonal rubber pods in key areas of the heel and forefoot to provide grip and wear resistance without adding bulk or stiffness.

A shoe that's 7.5 mm thicker than average in the forefoot obviously doesn't bend as easily as the average platform.

Requiring 18.7N of force to bend by 30 degrees, this HOKA proved to be 36% stiffer than the average walking shoe!

Even though it's not a problem for walking and running, it limits the Kawana 3's versatility for more extensive gym use.

The shoe kept the same weight to a gram!

Tipping the scales at 10.5 oz (298g), the HOKA Kawana 3 weighs exactly the same as the previous version, falling squarely into the category average.

It's not so light that it disappears on the foot, but there's no excess bulk weighing it down either.

The Kawana 3 is described as a neutral walking shoe, but our lab tests revealed a few stability-enhancing features that make it feel inherently stable and appropriate for people with mild and even moderate overpronation.

First of all, try twisting this HOKA shoe, and you will encounter considerable resistance!

Our lab test showed that it takes 18.9 Nm of torque to twist it by 10 degrees in either direction, which is 12% more than the average walking shoe.

Rearfoot wobbling is also eliminated by the shoe's structured, well-padded heel counter. Assessing its stiffness on a 1-5 scale, we gave it a solid score of 4.

The Kawana 3's tall stack height is balanced out by its above-average midsole width, creating a broad base for stable landings and push-offs.

Our caliper recorded as much as 115.5 mm in the widest part of the forefoot.

The platformy silhouette of this HOKA shoe is especially apparent at the heel, where the widest area measured a whopping 97.3 mm.

The lip at the back of the shoe's heel deserves a special mention. The brand trimmed it down in the new Kawana 3 to fit gym machines like the Concept rower.

Although the new Kawana 3 features a new intricate mesh pattern with tighter weaves in high-abrasion areas, its toebox durability remains as moderate as its predecessor's.

Assessing the damage our Dremel left on top of its toebox, we gave it the same middle-range score of 3 out of 5.

We are happy to see the same wear-resistant fabric inside the shoe's collar as before. Practically unscathed, it earned the shoe's heel padding durability a maximum score of 5 out of 5.

Applying our Dremel to the shoe's outsole rubber for 18 seconds, we recorded an acceptable damage of 0.9 mm. This is a perfectly normal result for a walking shoe.

But do be wary of the areas with exposed foam, as they will wear out much sooner than those covered with rubber. You can see our Dremel cutting through the material like a knife through butter, leaving a massive 4.4 mm dent in the foam.

Gladly, in the areas where rubber is present, it has a solid thickness of 3.0 mm, helping prolong the shoe's lifespan.

A padded insole buffers the foot from the firm midsole. We measured its thickness at 4.7 mm in the heel area.

But if you need more targeted cushioning or arch support, you can swap the shoe's stock insole for a custom orthotic, as the toebox height allows.

If you happen to wear this HOKA shoe in cooler weather or leave it in low temperatures overnight, you will find that its firm midsole gets firmer.

Taking a durometer measurement before and after keeping the Kawana 3 in the freezer, we recorded an 18% difference in its midsole softness. Although it didn't turn the shoe's midsole into a block of ice, it surely contributed to its firm ride.

We detected no reflective elements on the HOKA Kawana 3.

The shoe's product description promises a plush tongue and delivers it with 9.6 mm of foam. It is no longer as monstrous as the previous Kawana 2 (13.9 mm), but it is still notably thicker than average.

We still experienced a soft and secure hug around our instep, protecting it from lace bites.

The Kawana 3 maintains a fully gusseted tongue, offering a snug, secure lockdown with no undesirable tongue shifting.

An Easy-in heel pull at the back of the collar makes it easier to slide into the shoe, given its limited opening due to a gusseted tongue.

With no upcharge over the previous version, the Kawana 3 remains reasonably priced, offering fair value for money in terms of comfort and quality.