END. x Hoka Kaha Low GTX 'Overland'
If you have followed me for a while, you know how big of a fan I am of Hoka & End. Hokas are one of the few brands I will actually hike in & wear due to their comfort & versatility. In this Collab, end put out these & the Mafate Speed 2 & the Kaha gives me more of the hiker/gorp vibe, while the Mafate feels more everyday streetwear.
Materials: Hoka and End did a nice job w/ the material choice. The upper of this sneaker is done in a dark Olive nubuck that feels soft to touch, yet durable. On the toe cap, they used a tough, black rubber that wraps around the toe to protect your feet while hiking (you’ll also find this material on the back heel counter below the pull tab). Near the back heel, there's a goretex tab which means these are waterproof & suitable for hiking & wearing out on rainy days. Lastly, I wanted to mention the subtle branding throughout the sneaker. On the left shoe they added the End logo on the tongue tag, but on the right, you'll find Hoka & they did the same with the insoles, but left is Hoka & right has 'End Overland'. Overall, I enjoyed their material choice & the color blocking of this pair. Performance review soon 🍻.
Comfort/Sizing: in terms of comfort, these are a little softer than the Tor Lo, which is squishy right out of the box, yet has some firmness to them. I will note, this model breaks in really nicely the more you wear them. In terms of sizing, I received this in a US 8 & I'd recommend going with your tts. There's a tad bit of room in the toe, but I'd still go tts.
Overall Opinion: END put up 2 models in their 1st Collab w/ Hoka and I really love the color blocking they used bc it's a subtle & clean cw, which makes these an easy pair to wear on & off the trails. The story of this Collab is to explore the roads less travelled, which between everyday life & the trails, is where I have found the best spots & in my experience, is usually the more rewarding path. These drop this Friday & the raffle is still live on the End app for those looking to cop, GL 🎟️
Ty @endclothing & @hoka_eu for sending these over for me to review 🫶🍻