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Hoka’s Heritage Hiking Shoe Undergoes a Striking, Somewhat Unexpected Refresh

The brand treats its original hiking shoe from 2015 to a modern, on-trend makeover.

Close-up of a black Vibram shoe sole with deep treads and yellow Vibram logo on a green background.Hoka
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By Jack Seemer

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Louis Sullivan, a mentor of Frank Lloyd Wright, once said, “form ever follows function.”

The Tor Summit Plus is Hoka’s rebuttal of the famous quote, positioning the two less as cause and effect but coexisting qualities.

Based on the platform of Hoka’s original hiking shoe from 2015, the new model has features that ground it in a utilitarian ethos.

Low-cut hiking shoe with brown and white spotted fur upper and black Vibram sole.
The Tor Summit Plus is Hoka’s latest reinterpretation of its original hiking shoe from 2015.
Hoka

These include a hardwearing Vibram outsole, durable metal eyelets and reflective accents for low-light visibility.

White and brown patterned trail running shoe with Vibram sole and metal eyelets.
The model retains is aggressively lugged Vibram outsole.
Hoka
Pair of trail running shoes with brown and white cowhide pattern uppers, black laces, and black soles, viewed from above.
Metal eyelets and reflective details preserve the utilitarian ethos.
Hoka

As for the pony-hair upper? Well, it’s hard to see an exact use case … which might be the point.

The material “introduces tactile contrast and visual depth, turning a performance silhouette into a statement piece,” Hoka says on the product page.

White and tan speckled hiking shoe with metal eyelets and thick Vibram sole.
Pony hair is a trendy treatment also used by Adidas, Nike and others.
Hoka
Black sneaker with brown and white cowhide pattern on the upper, viewed from the back.
The material comes in two color schemes, “White Onyx” and “Pirate Black” (pictured).
Hoka

Availability and pricing

Now live on Hoka’s official website, the Tor Summit Plus costs $220.

It comes in two color schemes at launch, “White Onyx” and “Pirate Black.”

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.

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