Hoka Clifton 9 vs. Avia Run Swift: Which exercise sneaker is best?

This article is part of our series Battle of the Brands, in which we compare category-leading products to their counterparts to determine which are actually worth your money.

A major player in the running and fitness space, Hoka has become a well-known and beloved brand — crossing the billion-dollar mark in 2023 — thanks to its line of ultra-plush and super-comfortable shoes. Admittedly, I’m a big fan myself. When I started intensifying my running training a few years ago, I invested in the Hoka Clifton 7. Since then I’ve tried several of Hoka’s new iterations and models, including the Clifton 9, which is currently my go-to running shoe.

But at a cool $145 a pair, this was a splurge I wasn’t sure I could keep shelling out for. Which is why I thought it was time to compare these pricier running shoes with an affordable alternative, like the Avia Run Swift, which usually hover around a much more palatable $50. Through tempo runs, long walks, bodyweight workouts and moderate lifting sessions, I tested the two sneakers to see if the differences between them were more than just the Benjamins.

Hoka Clifton 9 vs. Avia Run Swift at a glance

Quick comparison

Both are comfortable but Hoka wins with sizing and width options

Straight out of the box, the Avia Run Swift sneakers felt comfortable. I have wider feet and find that some shoes can feel a bit narrow and tight in the toe. In fact, because Hoka offers both regular and wide widths, I normally go for the wide version of the Clifton 9 to give my toes space (yet another facet of the brand that keeps me repurchasing). Avia only offers the Run Swifts in one standard width, but in a pleasant surprise, my toes didn’t feel overly cramped.

The Hoka Clifton 9s have a super-light, “barely there” feeling and give stability without squeezing my ankles or midfoot too tightly. The thick midsole cushioning gave a soft landing pad that helped to better absorb impact than the Run Swifts, which left my legs feeling more resilient and able to turnover more quickly. The Clifton 9s are also a better fit for my naturally high arches, making it easier to roll through my feet as I move.

While the Avia shoes lack the midsole padding of the Hokas, they do have lots of little features that add to their overall comfort, like thickly padded orthopedic insoles and extra cushion around the ankle collars. They’re by no means clunky or unpleasant to wear, but when side by side with the Clifton 9s, they just don’t offer the same cloudlike bounce underfoot.

On my first few runs in the Avias, I found myself paying more attention to exactly how my foot felt when it made contact with the ground without the extra padding of my Hokas. It wasn’t hard to adjust to the different feel of the shoe after a mile or two, and while it didn’t affect my pace or leave me feeling any new soreness, I did miss the effortless bounce of my Clifton 9s.

Also, a small quip, but I did find the laces of the Avia Run Swifts to be a little long. They’re not long enough to trip over or step on while in motion, but they are long enough that they do flop over the front and sides of the shoe.

Both the Hoka and Avia shoes are comfortable, but the Hoka Clifton 9s win out in the end. They’re lightweight both on and off the feet with more midsole cushion for absorbing impact as you move. Plus, their extended sizing and width range means you can better fine tune the Clifton 9s to suit your feet.

Hokas give a lot more running cushion

One of the first things I noticed about the Avia Run Swifts was how flat the bottom of the shoe felt, especially compared to the Clifton 9s. Because Hoka’s are made mainly for running, the shoe has a rocker-shaped bottom to help propel you forward. This slightly lifts the front part of the shoe off the ground when standing, and when paired with a high stack height (the technical term for all that foam cushion on the bottom of the shoe), it helps give you that bouncy, soft feel that so many Hoka runners love.

The Avias have both a smaller stack height and less of that rocker shape. These features will give you a more grounded feel when you run or exercise, but you’ll have less external cushion to dampen impact. Despite this, the Avias still felt comfortable during my runs with good ankle stability and breathability. Though, I did notice that on my faster, tempo-paced runs, the balls of my feet and heels felt a little hotter in the Run Swifts than the Clifton 9s.

Though everyone has a unique foot shape, gait and bodily idiosyncrasies that will affect how they feel in each shoe, the Avia Run Swifts aren’t going to top the Clifton 9s in my running-shoe lineup. However, they have made progress when it comes to the gym (more on that below).

As you would expect from a brand synonymous with running, the Hoka Clifton 9s are a great running shoe. The shoe’s lightweight design and plush bounce are a treat while running. The Avia Run Swifts will still support you, but you’ll notice the impact more as you go.

The Avia sneaker is versatile for gym training

After spending $145 for my Hokas, I would like to use them for things other than running too. Yet, while the Clifton 9s are great for walking and running, I tend to steer away from them for heavier weight lifting and resistance training, due to the high cushion and rocker shape of the shoe bottom, which is more likely to cause ankle rolling and instability in weighted power movements.

By comparison, the Avias allow me to both run and lift heavier weights comfortably. The more grounded feel of the shoe and less extreme cushion lets me better feel my feet in contact with the floor, allowing me to have a more engaged push on exercises like dead lifts and squats. Basically, everything that makes the Clifton 9s great for running makes them a liability in the weight room, while everything that makes the Avias better in the gym makes them less likely for me to lace up for a long run.

Another difference between the two shoes is the heel drops, which measures the difference in height between where your heel and forefoot sit in a shoe. Since the Run Swifts didn’t have a heel drop measure listed in their online specs, we reached out to the design team at Avia to confirm that the shoe has a 10-millimeter heel drop. Hoka lists the heel drop for the Clifton 9s as 5 millimeters.

So, why does this matter? The heel drop on a shoe can shift your running gait and change where stress is directed on your body. Lower drop shoes will give you more flexion and mobility through your ankles but also generally put more stress on your feet, ankles and lower legs, while shoes with a higher heel drop will have your hips and knees bearing a heavier load.

For strength training and lifting, many people find shoes with a higher heel drop (let’s say in the 6 to 10 millimeter range) to be more comfortable. In a squat position, for instance, a more raised heel means your ankle performs less flexion as you squat lower. Because of this, shoes with high heel drops often allow people to squat deeper and with better torso posture, making it safer to carry heavier loads. The raised heel also gives you a base to sit your back into as you activate your leg muscles to push up against gravity. Though there is an argument that lifting in lower- and even zero-heel-drop shoes will help you better increase ankle flexibility over time.

In the end, I felt that the Avia Run Swifts gave me more confidence to safely lift heavier weights in the gym than my Clifton 9s typically do.

While you can use the Clifton 9s for HIIT, plyometrics and bodyweight exercises, they ultimately offer less stability and can increase your risk of injury in jumping and lifting movements. Though not as plush, the Run Swifts are a better bet for the diverse mix of exercises I like to tackle outside of running.

Bottom line

For speed sessions, double-digit-mile runs and long bouts of walking, I’ll still be reaching for my Hoka Clifton 9s. The fact is, if you’re going to spend so many hours putting miles on your feet, it’s worth the investment to have a shoe specifically designed for running.

But if you’re looking for something comfortable that will keep you feeling supported through a variety of training sessions, resistance workouts or long days — without plunking down a big chunk of change — the Avia Run Swifts are a solid option.