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Hoka Clifton 11 GTX review: the Clifton you love, rain-proofed
GORE-TEX Invisible Fit on the platform I already rated highly for easy miles. Here's what the waterproofing costs you, and when it's worth $175.
When I reviewed the Hoka Clifton 11, I called it the version that wins you over: smoother, lighter, and more relaxed than the Clifton 10, and the easy-day cruiser I'd been enjoying most.
The Clifton 11 GTX is that exact shoe, sealed against the weather. Same CMEVA midsole, same 42mm/34mm stack, same MetaRocker and Active Foot Frame, now wrapped in a closed mesh upper with a GORE-TEX Invisible Fit membrane so wet roads stop being a reason to skip a run. It's the first Gore-Tex Clifton since the Clifton 9 GTX back in 2023.
Having run both versions, the good news is simple: this feels great, very similar to the standard Hoka Clifton 11, and just as enjoyable at steady pace.
Hoka Clifton 11 Review: Smoother, Lighter Daily Trainer
The Hoka Clifton 11 refines the Clifton 10 with a lighter build, softer sockliner, and a smoother ride. My take after testing them for easy miles.
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I have been running in the Hoka Clifton 11 GTX, and this review covers what carries over, what the waterproofing adds, and the two honest trade-offs to weigh before you spend the extra $20.
If you purchase gear through links in this article, I may earn a small affiliate commission. For my training tools, exclusive content, newsletter, and more perks become a member, (it's free!). -Alastair ✌🏼
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Key specifications
- Price: $175 at HOKA, in regular and wide widths
- Weight: 10.5 oz (298 g) in my tested men's US 9, versus 9.1 oz (258 g) for my non-GTX Clifton 11 pair
- Drop: 8mm | Stack height: 42mm heel / 34mm forefoot (same as the standard Clifton 11)
- Upper: Closed mesh with a GORE-TEX Invisible Fit membrane and a PFC/PFAS-free water-repellent coating, plus an adjustable speed lace with toggle and reflective details
- Midsole: Compression-molded EVA (CMEVA) with MetaRocker geometry and the Active Foot Frame's raised sidewalls
- Outsole: Durabrasion rubber in the high-wear zones, sticky rubber at the forefoot, and weather-ready traction pods
- Extra attributes: Vegan construction; neutral support; road-focused
Sizing and fit
True to size works here, same as my standard Clifton 11; medium width with a roomy toe box, and wide is available if you need it.
The main fit difference is the lacing.
The GTX swaps the traditional double-lace lock for an adjustable speed lace with a toggle, which is quicker to get in and out of (a genuinely nice touch with cold or wet hands) while still holding the midfoot securely.
The padded, flexible heel carries over, and the closed mesh doesn't change the shape of the fit, just the airflow through it.
Performance review
The question with any GTX version is whether the waterproofing ruins the shoe underneath. Here, it doesn't, and that makes me happy.
The same Clifton 11 ride, sealed for the rain
Everything I valued about the standard Clifton 11 lives in the midsole and geometry, and all of it carries over untouched.
The MetaRocker still rolls you through heel to toe with that quiet, natural smoothness that asks so little of you over the back half of a longer run.
The CMEVA cushioning is still consistent and protective without going mushy, and the Active Foot Frame still keeps landings planted and balanced without ever feeling corrective.
On the run, the GTX feels very similar to the shoe I already rated highly, and it's thoroughly enjoyable at steady pace.
The waterproof construction hasn't stiffened the upper or changed the underfoot character; it's the Clifton 11 experience with the weather locked out; a little extra weight, and less breathability (standard pitfalls that come with waterproofing a shoe).
Invisible Fit waterproofing that doesn't fight the shoe
The GORE-TEX Invisible Fit membrane is bonded close to the upper rather than hanging inside it like a liner, and that construction choice is why the shoe still feels like a Clifton.
Paired with the closed mesh and the PFC/PFAS-free water-repellent coating, it does the job this shoe exists for; puddles, showers, and soaked morning roads stop reaching your socks.
Older waterproof trainers often felt like boots with foam; this feels like the Clifton 11 wearing a shell.
Wet-road grip and the small practical touches
Hoka didn't stop at the membrane.
The outsole adds weather-ready traction pods and a sticky rubber forefoot alongside the usual Durabrasion zones, giving noticeably more confidence on wet pavement, which is exactly the surface this shoe will live on.
The speed-lace toggle, the reflective details, and the quick on-off all fit the brief too: this is a shoe designed for dark, wet, get-out-the-door-anyway mornings.
The outsole durability questions I raised on the standard 11 for rough tarmac still broadly apply, so that remains the watch item over big mileage.
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The trade-offs: 1.4 ounces and extra warmth
Here's what the weather protection costs, and neither surprise is unique to this shoe.
First, weight. My GTX pair is 10.5 oz against 9.1 oz for my standard Clifton 11, a 1.4 oz (40 g) jump, and on the non-GTX I specifically praised how the lighter build helped late in runs.
The added mass is noticeable on paper, yet at the steady and easy paces this shoe is for, the shared rocker and cushioning keep doing the work, and it never stopped being enjoyable on my feet.
Second, breathability. The open engineered mesh I loved on the standard 11 for hot, humid Florida miles is gone by necessity, replaced by closed, sealed construction. That's the right trade in the rain and completely the wrong one on a dry 85-degree morning.
And as with the standard 11, this remains a comfort-first shoe: forgiving, predictable, and limited on energy return. The GTX changes the weather window, not the pace range.
My verdict
The Clifton 11 GTX does exactly what a waterproof version should; it extends the shoe I already rated highly into conditions that used to rule it out, without disturbing the ride that made it worth rating highly in the first place.
If you live somewhere with real rain, dark wet winters, or months of unpredictable roads, this is the Clifton to add so the weather stops making your shoe choice for you. It's the same smooth, planted, easy-day experience, now usable year-round.
The standard Clifton 11 remains the lighter, more breathable default for dry and hot conditions, and if you want this platform with real energy return, that's the Hoka Clifton Pro's job instead (my Clifton vs Clifton Pro comparison settles that fork).
Hoka Clifton vs Clifton Pro: which one do you need?
Clifton 11 vs Clifton Pro compared after testing both. Same platform, one foam apart: plush cruiser or the one with real pop.
Alastair Dixon
If you already love the Clifton 11's steady-pace character and your climate keeps interrupting it, the GTX is an easy $175 yes. Buy it as your rain shoe, not your only shoe.
Who should skip it: runners in dry or hot climates (the standard 11 is the better buy), anyone wanting tempo capability or lively energy return, trail runners (this is a road shoe), and anyone unwilling to carry the extra 1.4 oz for the membrane. For where it sits in the full lineup, my best Hoka running shoes guide maps every pick.
And for every waterproof shoe that's earned a place through testing, my best waterproof running shoes roundup is the full list.
For my complete rankings across every category, see my guide to the best running shoes right now.
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Alastair Dixon
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