The Hoka One One Bondi 6 is one of the best running shoes for plantar fasciitis. It’s a lightweight and fully cushioned shoe with a rubber outsole and an EVA midsole for enhanced stability and shock absorption.
This shoe weights just over 240 grams and has a midsole drop fo 4mm, which is quite low compared to other running shoes that rate highly for heel pain.
Arch Support
The Hoka One One Bondi 6 is one of the most cushioned and stable shoes for women who are suffering from plantar fasciitis. And despite having a thick and plush insole, the arch support still stands somewhat firm to provide that support that is needed for the arches.
This shoe also comes with a modified EVA midsole to ensure a comfortable underfoot feel and a smooth ride. Though the EVA midsole is thick, it has a 30% soft feel to it compared to the standard EVA foam material. This extra soft material allows you to go on with your daily activities without causing tension in delicate areas of your feet. What’s more, the thick material offers shock absorption that helps reduce impact on your ankles, feet, and legs.
As far as neutral running shoes for plantar fasciitis, the Bondi 6 is considerably less stable than some of its competitors. But for those that need more cushion than firm arches and deep heel cups, the Bondi 6 is an alternative to look at.
However, the Bondi 6 offers a soft springy feel that provides underfoot flexibility similar to shoes with a midsole plate. It really offers unmatched underfoot protection, which is why it is preferred by those who are prone to injury as well as those who are still recovering. All this despite being lightweight in design.
Heel and Ankle Support
The Women’s Hoka One One Bondi 6 running shoe offers great heel and ankle support. It features an internal heel counter which ensures that your heel achieves a locked-in fit each time you wear it. The additional cushioning in the heel collar of Bondi 6 also improves the overall comfort of the shoe.
It also features a Meta-Rocker construction to deliver a smooth and seamless heel-to-toe transition, enabling you to float through every mile. The beveled heel also helps to achieve the same goal while enhancing durability. The Lycra comfort frame heel section delivers optimum and comfortable support for all distances.
This shoe is designed with efficiency in mind. The rubber outsole has been reconstructed in order to reduce its weight and optimize on durability. Due to its lightweight design, this shoe can be used for any number of activities.
And despite having an extremely lightweight outsole, it is still constructed to handle use in high abrasion areas. It offers remarkable ankle support and you won’t have to worry about losing traction, thanks to the construction.
Overall Shoe Feel
The Hoka One One Bondi 6 for women fits right and provides the perfect toe room to keep your foot in its natural position. The midsection is designed with a slight curvature that follows the shape of your foot and allows for a more relaxing fit. For those that don’t fit the narrow foot profile, the shoe also comes in a wide sizing option.
The Bondi also offers much as far as breathability, with is engineered mesh upper. It’s soft and comfortable, yet provides full-contact construction so you’ll still be able to tackle different terrain without feeling like you’ve given up comfort for durability.
As with most shoes, the Bondi 6 doesn’t have a break in period. It feels great out of the box, and what the shoe lacks in stability and arch support, it fully makes up for in comfort and practicality. The plush feel is really noticeable compared to other shoes with arch support.
As far as running shoes for plantar fasciitis, this shoe doesn’t offer the full support you may need, but provides a great option if your feet can’t take rigid insoles and you prefer a plush experience while still maintaining support.
Use
Although Hoka One One Bondi 6 is marketed as a running shoe, it can also be used for other activities. Most people wear these shoes when going to the gym, walking or during work shifts where they are on their feet for long periods. And while it’s not designed for arch support protection, many people with heel pain and plantar fasciitis like the soft feel under their feet and choose this as their athletic shoe of choice.
Updated List – Best Running Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis
Online User Reviews Overall Experience
- Comfortable and Cushioned
Several Bondi 6 owners mention the cushioning to be one of the best features of this shoe. They feel it brings energy back to the foot and also takes pressure off the knees and back. It gets positive reviews for those days spent standing for long periods of time. Those with muscle and joint pains in the lower extremities also claim this shoe helped to reduce discomfort and allowed them to manage their day-to-day activities better. The heel support is also quite comfortable.
- Perfect Sizing
Most people like that the shoe is true to size and hugs the foot properly without feeling too stiff. In fact, those with wide feet appreciate the stability it offers. On the other side, some feel that the toe box could have been wider.
- Good Arch Support
Despite not being known for stability, this shoe gets good reviews for helping with plantar fasciitis. It has a comfortable insole and many people comment on the relief they feel from the arch support in this shoe. Its predecessor, the Bondi 5 also had many positive reviews for plantar fasciitis.
- Super Lightweight
Most people are also quick to note that this shoe has a lightweight design when compared to other models. Surprisingly, the lightweight design does not compromise on its durability.
Pros:
- Plush comfort with enough support
- Lightweight yet durable design
- Favorable reviews for plantar fasciitis
- Adequate toe room for most
- Offers mostly true to size fit
- Great design with several unique color choices
Cons:
- May not offer enough support for those with flat fleet
- Some customers may find it too narrow
- The rubber sole may wear out quicker than other shoes
- Price is a bit on the expensive side