HOKA Transport Hike GTX review

In our opinion, the HOKA Transport Hike GTX hits a sweet spot for people on-the-go who need the following:

• a waterproof, three-season boot for both city use and moderate trails
• a mid-cut boot with excellent impact protection for long hours of walking
• a boot with moderate lugs and excellent traction for mixed terrain and wet surafces

If you intend to go on multi-day backpacking trips or tackle technical terrain more often than not, it's better to go with the HOKA Anacapa 2 Mid GTX or the even more advanced HOKA Kaha 3 GTX.

And if you could trade the chunky cushioning for a more grounded and manoeuvrable platform, the Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid GTX is one of our top picks for challenging alpine routes.

Even though its shock absorption measured slightly below the other HOKA boots, the Transport Hike GTX still delivers plenty of impact protection at 114 SA! Scoring well above the category average, it offers significantly more comfort for long distances, minimises fatigue, and takes good care of our feet and joints.

Even though it doesn't pack any of the brand's advanced cushioning foams, the Transport Hike GTX showed a pleasantly high energy return of 52.3% in the heel! With just a standard EVA-based foam, the boot exceeded the category average and proved to be springier than both the Anacapa and the Kaha boots.

We were also surprised to find that the Transport Hike GTX offers such a well-cushioned ride with a pretty moderate stack height. Measuring its thickness at the heel, we got a merely average reading of 35.6 mm!

It's not your typical chunky HOKA visually, but it certainly feels that way underfoot!

But the boot's platformy nature reveals itself in the forefoot, showing a rather tall stack of 27.8 mm. While it mutes out the ground feel under your toe joints, it also adds more comfort and protection in this area.

Contrary to the brand's product specs (4 mm), our calliper measurements showed that the boot's heel-to-toe drop is twice as high at 7.8 mm.

This means that the heel sits higher inside the boot than one might expect from a 4-mm offset. But nevertheless, it's still a comfortable and ergonomic setup for most hikers.

True to HOKA's positioning of the Transport Hike GTX, the boot offers balanced cushioning that's neither too plush nor firm.

It hits a sweet spot, moderately soft, with a durometer reading of 36.6 AC, which is significantly softer than the average hiking boot! Curiously, it is even 11% softer than the low-top HOKA Transport shoe.

A pronounced MetaRocker sole geometry complements the boot's lively cushioning and lightweight build, making its overall ride feel fast, smooth, and effortless. This benefit becomes most apparent on hard-packed, non-technical terrain and on steep ascents.

It seems like the HOKA Transport Hike GTX is built on a different last than the Transport GTX shoe because the boot clearly offers a snugger fit.

Equipped with a digital calliper and a gel mould of the boot's interior, we measured its widest part at 94.0 mm. While this is not a very wide-foot-friendly fit, it proved to be on par with the average of hiking boots.

Unfortunately, this HOKA boot is not offered in wide widths either, catering to folks with medium-to-narrow feet.

We could see the mould's pronounced tapering even before our calliper measurements confirmed that the Transport Hike GTX's toebox width falls below the average at 67.8 mm.

The boot's vertical space also sits slightly lower than average, but not critically.

There is some decent wiggle room with a toebox height of 26.4 mm.

Showing an exceptionally high friction coefficient of 0.69 on wet concrete, the Vibram Megagrip outsole of this HOKA boot is one of the tackiest we've seen in hiking boots!

You can count on its traction in rain, slush, and stream crossings, as it maintains grip even on smooth boulders and wet rocks.

While the Transport Hike GTX won't shy away from some mud, there are limits to how much the boot can handle.

With a lug depth of exactly 4.0 mm (true to the brand's specs), it excels on more moderate terrain, whereas the HOKA Anacapa 2 Mid GTX (5.0 mm) bites into softer ground more effectively.

The Traction Lug has a more aggressive design than that of the Transport GTX commuter shoe. We've got chevron lugs with jagged edges for stronger performance on steep ascents and descents.

The HOKA Transport Hike GTX has a typical stiffness for a hiking boot, requiring a standard force of 29.4N to bend by 30 degrees.

Even though it doesn't have any stiff shanks or burly upper overlays, its tall forefoot stack limits a broader range of motion.

But to be fair, we never experienced any discomfort in that regard, as the boot's toe rocker makes heel-to-toe transitions feel buttery smooth.

Intended for shorter, easier day hikes, the HOKA Transport Hike GTX has the lightest build of all HOKA boots, at only 13.5 oz (383g).

And because it is not as overbuilt as the more technical alpine boots, it feels equally at home on the trail and in an urban setting.

Breathability is not expected from a mid-cut boot with Gore-Tex waterproofing, such as the Transport Hike GTX.

You can see just how airtight its upper is in our smoke-pumping test above.

Even its airiest mesh upper material has such a high-density weave that it doesn't allow any tangible airflow.

Earning the lowest breathability score of 1 out of 5, it's best to wear this HOKA boot in temperatures below 70°F (20°C) to avoid sweaty feet.

As long as you stick to moderate terrain and light backpacks, you can expect solid support from the HOKA Transport Hike GTX.

While it doesn't have any rigid shanks, rock plates, or stabilising TPU overlays, the boot offers great inherent stability through its Active Foot Frame. This implies raised midsole edges that form a supportive cradle all around the foot.

That way, we get to enjoy the boot's soft cushioning without worrying about ankle wobbles and rolls.

The Active Foot Frame demonstrates its sturdy nature in our manual test by preventing the Transport Hike from twisting at any significant angle.

That earns this HOKA boot the highest torsional rigidity score of 5 out of 5, ensuring a stable gait on moderate trails.

The Transport Hike GTX also features a very stiff, structured heel counter that anchors the heel and ankle securely inside the boot. On a 1-5 stiffness scale, we gave it a solid 4.

Platform width is where we can recognise a typical HOKA boot. Even though it's not intended for the most demanding hikes, the Transport Hike GTX shares similar above-average dimensions with its counterparts, the Anacapa and the Kaha.

We measured the widest part of its forefoot at a sizable 119.5 mm!

The boot's heel width also landed among the broadest in our hiking boot catalogue at 95.5 mm. That's a tonne of surface area to feel surefooted on lighter terrain, but it can be a headache on rocky trails where manoeuvrability is preferred.

The Transport Hike GTX's primary upper material is made of 100% rPET (recycled polyester) fibre. This can raise concerns about this fabric's long-term durability because mechanical recycling can slightly degrade the fibre quality.

But not in the case of this HOKA boot!

The material showed only surface-level scuffing in our Dremel test, scoring the highest toebox durability score of 5!

But on the downside, we have concerns about this HOKA boot's internal lining.

Having applied our Dremel to two areas of the boot's interior, we found that both its collar textile and the face fabric of its GTX Invisible Fit have subpar abrasion resistance. The latter makes matters worse because its damage also compromises waterproofing.

The wear and tear is also more likely if you tend to overpronate or have foot deformities like Haglund's.

However, we sighed with relief when our durability test showed just a minor dent in the boot's outsole. As shallow as 0.6 mm, it performed even better than the average!

But please note that the HOKA Transport Hike GTX has a thinner outsole layer, too. At 1.7 mm, it helps keep the boot's weight down but makes it less rugged for demanding adventures.

The PU insole of this HOKA boot is moderately thick at 4.5 mm.

The insole can be removed in favour of a more customised orthotic, but please note that the boot's tapered toebox shape may not accommodate all inserts.

The HOKA Transport Hike GTX's waterproofing makes it a viable option for three seasons, winter included. So you might be pleased to know that its midsole doesn't get punishingly firm in low temperatures.

According to our durometer measurements, the boot's midsole gets 20% harder, which is normal for this category.

HOKA added reflective elements to the back, sides, and top of the Transport Hike GTX for safer commuting in the dark.

The boot's internal padding is not as massive as that of its HOKA counterparts, but it is sufficient for the Transport Hike's use case.

We've got 7.0 mm-thick foam throughout the entire tongue, offering great protection from lace bites. And there is just about as much padding around the ankle.

A semi-gusseted tongue blocks water, sand, and small debris from getting inside the Transport Hike GTX. But please be wary of stepping into deep puddles as the gussets don't extend all the way up the boot's collar.

A large finger loop at the back facilitates easy entry in this HOKA boot.

Even though it's intended for less demanding adventures, the HOKA Transport Hike GTX is priced on par with the HOKA Anacapa 2 Mid GTX, which is the brand's dedicated hiking boot for challenging terrain and heavy loads. This can make the Transport feel overpriced for its intended purpose. But to fair, its amazing comfort, lightness, waterproofing, and traction are worthy of a higher price point.

Taking steps to improve its environmental impact, HOKA used recycled and more sustainable materials in the following components of the Transport Hike GTX:

• main vamp mesh (100% rPET)
• rear quarter mesh (100% rPET)
• GTX face fabric (71% recycled polyester)
• PU sockliner (50% soybean oil)
• EVA midsole (30% sugarcane)

It's equally important to note that this boot is vegan.

A pair of wide lace hooks at the top of the boot make it easier to lace, unlace, and readjust tightness on this HOKA boot.