Gently Recommends: HOKA Rocket X 3 - Is This the Best Carbon Plate Running Shoe for Men?

There’s something quietly gladiatorial about the start line of a local 10K on a British Sunday morning. It feels infinitely more serious than a Parkrun. Bleary-eyed runners in club vests and battered trainers pretend not to size up the competition - until someone shows up in the latest must-have racing shoe. Last weekend in Richmond Park, the pair everyone was trying (and failing) not to stare at? The HOKA Rocket X 3.

While runners bounced, stretched, and sneakily peeked at the neon rocket ships on someone else’s feet, I realised this was no ordinary carbon-plated trainer. If you want a running shoe that guarantees envy - and maybe even a PB - this is the one to beat.

On first glance, the HOKA Rocket X 3 is an audacious move even for a brand known for bold design and uncompromising performance. But this is no mere addition to the carbon-plated crowd. The Rocket X 3 is what happens when HOKA lets its engineers off the leash - sleeker lines, a stance that looks fast even when you’re standing still, and a dual-density foam midsole that seems to roll you forward whether you’re ready or not. There’s a cleverness here: the carbon plate’s sculpted ‘winglets’ give a little nudge and the whole shoe feels built for that moment when you decide to really open up your legs and see what you’ve got left. The grip is also sensational. It’s running tech that doesn’t just keep up with the Jones' - it elbows them aside on the start line.

So here's one caveat: the men’s Rocket X 3 exceeds World Athletics’ heel height limit, making it illegal for most sanctioned races. But for training, Parkrun, or local events? You’ll be the best-shod runner at the coffee stop.

If you want the best carbon-plated running shoe in 2025 for men in the UK - one that combines performance, style, and a dose of racing excitement- the HOKA Rocket X 3 is it. You’ll get noticed at every start line (and probably finish ahead of your mates).