Intro
Unless you have been living under a rock, you’ve heard about (and seen!) HOKA. Big, chunky soles. Super cushy. Comfortable for walks, runs, and maybe a Target run or two. Pickleball? Not so much. Here’s the catch: HOKA shoes were built for high-stack comfort, not on-court stability.
At SQAIRZ, we engineered XRZ™ for the torque, tension, and unpredictability of pickleball. And when SQAIRZ was put head-to-head with HOKA? The lab didn’t lie. The difference was immediate and measurable.
Let’s break it down.
Why We Win
Start at the ground.
XRZ™ features a low-profile platform with court-connected feel, a stability frame, and a Smart Traction™ outsole built for lateral torque. Add four lateral outriggers, and you’ve got a shoe that moves like you move.
HOKA shoes ride high. That’s their thing… extra foam underfoot. But in pickleball, that stack height leads to more wobble and delayed ground feedback, especially during quick cuts or changes of direction.
Then look at the base.
XRZ™ has a roomier forefoot and neutral chassis—allowing your foot to splay naturally, stabilize quickly, and push off with confidence.
HOKA’s sole stiffness, combined with a narrow base in many models, created instability during testing. Specifically, athletes showed more medial-to-lateral ankle movement and head sway in HOKA shoes. That translates to reduced control and increased injury risk.
Balance Test
We ran the numbers.
In a clinical motion capture study using Kinetisense Gait Analysis, adult pickleball athletes improved their balance score by 26.5% when wearing SQAIRZ compared to HOKA.
That’s a full quarter improvement in balance—just by changing shoes.
Here’s what the lab found:
-
HOKA’s higher durometer sole and softer foam led to ankle instability at foot strike. This instability translated upward, increasing head sway and reducing overall control.
-
XRZ™, with its more secure platform and lateral support, reduced ankle roll and stabilized gait patterns.
The result? Players looked smoother. Played more confidently. And were measurably more balanced.
Feature Breakdown
Toe Box & Comfort
Your toes weren’t meant to be squished. XRZ™ gives you room to anchor and move.
Edge: SQAIRZ. Built for action, not padding.
Ground Feel
XRZ™ keeps you low, agile, and ready to react. HOKA’s foam? Great for sidewalks.
Edge: SQAIRZ. More feel, more control.
Ankle Stability
Our outriggers and neutral chassis limit roll and sway. In tests, HOKA showed excess ankle motion.
Edge: SQAIRZ. Control starts at the joint.
Lab-Verified Balance
Real pickleball players. Real-world data. XRZ™ beat HOKA by 26.5% on balance scores.
Edge: SQAIRZ. The science speaks for itself.
Conclusion
HOKA makes shoes that feel like clouds—perfect if your idea of a workout is a power walk and a smoothie. Their oversized foam and signature rocker shape were built for forward motion, not court chaos. And that toe lift? Feels fine on a treadmill. On a pickleball court? It tips you forward and throws off your balance.
The higher you are off the ground, the more likely you are to roll an ankle—and with HOKA’s stack height, you’re basically playing on stilts. That may work for running straight ahead, but pickleball is all about lateral bursts, backpedals, and last-second pivots.
XRZ™ keeps you grounded. Stable. Supported. It’s built low and roomier for a reason—so you can plant, cut, and slam without feeling like you’re riding a hovercraft.
So yeah, HOKA’s fine for errands. XRZ™ is for pickleball athletes.
Lace up the shoe that shows up when the match gets real. Leave the soft stuff on the sideline.