Hoka Skyward X vs Hoka Skyward X 2:
Which to Choose

On paper these are close cousins, but the changes are more meaningful than a typical yearly refresh. The X 2 is the lighter shoe at roughly 286g in a men's US 9 versus about 320g for the original — a real ~34g drop that you feel across a long run. Hoka also trimmed the platform: the X sits on a 48/43mm stack, while the X 2 comes down to 46/38mm, so it rides slightly lower and less towering underfoot. Drop moves from 5mm on the X to 8mm on the X 2, nudging the newer shoe toward a more heel-friendly, natural roll rather than the flatter balance of the original over its tall base. The midsole philosophy shifts too: the original stacks dual-density PEBA around its winged carbon plate for a livelier, springier snap once you press into it, whereas the X 2 pairs a PEBA-based top foam over a supercritical EVA layer around a re-engineered carbon plate — protective and planted, but a touch more damped and less overtly bouncy. That tracks with how each is tuned: the X 2 rates a hair more stable (5/6 vs 4/6) thanks to its wide, planted base, and it's dialed for relaxed cruising (optimal around 5:00–6:00 min/km) versus the original's slightly more uptempo lean (4:45–5:30 min/km), where lengthening your stride wakes the shoe up. Both share max cushioning, high responsiveness, stable-neutral support, a carbon plate, and the same half/marathon sweet spot; the X 2 also swaps in a premium jacquard mesh upper. Net difference: the X 2 is lighter, lower, higher-drop, and more comfort-and-stability oriented, while the original is taller and rewards a stronger, faster cadence with a bit more pop.