Hoka Infini Hike TC Sandal Review

Bottom Line

The Hoka Infini Hike TCs are highly cushioned, quick-drying sandals for long days on trail, getting wet, and all-around daily use. We put more than 100 miles on our Infini Hike TCs, using them across Colorado, from the Front Range hills of Boulder to an early-season excursion up four 14,000-foot peaks. We love their plush midsole combined with the grippy Vibram outsole that delivers the signature Hoka experience in the package of a breathable hiking sandal. The Megagrip tread delivers reliable traction on both technical terrain and slippery surfaces.

The downside? The Infini Hike TCs run large. We recommend ordering a full size down. The lip around the sandals, along with the reinforced cushioned and wider surface of the straps, is prone to trapping pebbles and debris. They’re on the expensive end and don’t show exceptional durability, despite the price. But when it comes to comfort, traction, and a breathable water-loving sandal package, the Infini Hike TCs are a solid choice.

Comfort

What immediately shines in all our testing of the Hoka Infini Hike TC is the high level of comfort. The soft W-strap webbing design with breathable, quick-dry padding wraps around each foot with care, without any abrasive points, and is exceptionally gentle against the skin. Even when wet, the straps offer enough surface area and tension to keep feet secure and from slipping around inside the sandal, which is a huge win for damp off-trail adventures or romping around town on a rainy summer day.

The CMEVA topsole and midsole offer exceptional cushioning, with just enough molded footbed and slight arch support for a gentle feel. Combine this with the Vibram Megagrip outsole with 3.5-millimeter lugs, and you’ve got the textbook HOKA cushiness combined with solid traction and responsiveness. This means that not only can you take the Infini Hike TCs on rocky and technical terrain, but they’ll also provide sufficient cushioning to protect your feet on longer mileage days or even on pounding, unforgiving pavement.

On the flip side, the footbed features a lip around the entire sandal, which appears to offer more of a platform for your feet, but in reality, it just does a great job of catching pebbles, sand, and other debris. We found it was difficult to remove these objects without taking the sandal off completely, which can slow things down a touch and cause some discomfort. 

Additionally, the Metarocker upwardly curved toebox isn’t for everyone. While it helps the front of the sandal avoid getting caught on rocks or branches on technical trails, it can create a pressure point on the ball of your foot due to lifting the toes. While the maximum cushion helps mitigate this potential problem, there is a risk of chronic injury for those who wear them on exceptionally long days. If you’re already in love with your Hoka trail runners without problem, fear not, as this is a general Hoka feature. But if you’ve never tried a shoe with a big rocker step, be sure to ease into their usage to allow your feet to adapt.

Traction

When it comes to traction, the Hoka Infini Hike TCs are a solid all-around option for most outdoor adventures. The Vibram Megagrip features moderate-sized lugs arranged in a geometric pattern, with rubber “barbs” facing the rear of the foot to increase grip when pushing off the ground. 

We took our Hokas all around Colorado on various types of terrain, including, most notably, an ascent of four 14,000-foot peaks in early-season conditions that included snow, light mud, scree, talus, and gravel roads, thanks to some trailhead construction that added miles. The moderately deep lugs did a decent job in the snow, with only a couple of slips, and on the scree, though they weren’t too deep to afford some bite on slippery talus after getting wet. The rubber was sticky enough for the packed dirt and smoother surfaces, while the lugs are spaced far enough apart not to pick up pebbles or mud. 

When it comes to water, the Infini Hike TCs are great on every slick surface we tested. The Megagrip outsole was picked for this in mind, while the quick-drying strap system and materials were quick to shed water, meaning the Infini Hike TCs are an excellent choice as a plush thru-hiking sandal, or as a crossover sandal you can bring to the water park while staying comfortable on the hot pavement between rides.

Last but not least, the Vibram outsole has been designed in order to be resoled if you’d like to either upgrade to a more durable outsole, add deeper lugs, find yourself wanting softer stickier rubber, or simply want to increase the life of your current pair, if you don’t mind the cosmetic damage you’ve likely done to the midsole in the meantime.

Stability

If you’re searching for sandals that sport a stable ride while retaining some cushion, the Hoka Infini Hike TCs are a solid choice. The footbed is fairly wide. The sandals as a whole are stiff and hard to bend. And the outsole’s lugs aren’t overly large, making for a combo that feels balanced whether you’re just at the park with your dog or tackling some technical terrain. Combine this with the plush W-strap system locking your feet down without causing pain points or foot slippage, along with some light arch support and a deep heel cup, and you’ve got a great, well-rounded, stable sandal.

The main knock against the stability of the Hokas is their high cushioning and comfort, with an overall stack height larger than that of most hiking sandals. A larger stack height puts your feet farther from the ground and therefore generally reduces groundfeel. The counterpoint here is that Hoka incorporated a 5-millimeter heel-to-toe drop. Meaning you’ll still have some groundfeel around the toe area while keeping maximum cushion at the midfoot and heel.

Adjustability

Making adjustments on the Hoka Infini Hike TCs is simple — a hook-and-loop strap over the forefoot, a hook-and-loop strap behind the heel, and an adjustable buckle at the inner ankle. With three adjustment points, fine-tuning is a breeze, and getting the sandals on and off is easy with the easy-to-handle buckle.

Despite ordering down in size, the Infini Hike TCs still felt a tad too large, especially at the heel. We essentially maxed out both the forefoot and heel straps to the point where we were running out of hook-and-loop fastening material, leaving the fit of the sandals too loose, especially when hiking without socks. If you get to this point as well, you end up with quite a bit of loose strapping flopping around. The heel of the Hokas is also absurdly long if you max out the heel strap on a smaller foot, sticking out almost half an inch and creating an odd look. 

All in all, the Hoka Infini Hike TCs run fairly large, so be sure to size down a full size from your normal. Thankfully, they’re offered in half sizes, unlike other sandals, so you can find a fit that’s right for you.

Durability

The Infini Hike TCs are also slightly below average in durability, a trait shared with their trail-running shoe line. After 100 miles, both on technical trails and around town, the midsole shows quite a bit of cosmetic wear. The Vibram Megagrip outsole is fairing about average, with some light damage, especially at the toe area where the lugs are a bit smaller. That being said, the soft upper-strap design with reinforced cushioning is holding up well, with no frayed straps or stitches.

This is, once again, no surprise from Hoka, a brand known for trail shoes that last at most 200 to 300 running miles. Given the longevity we’re seeing on the upper of the sandal and with hiking-trail miles in mind, we’d expect an average of 300 to 400 comfortable miles for a pair of Infini Hike TCs.

Versatility

If you’re looking for the comfort of a traditional, highly cushioned Hoka trail runner in a grippy hiking sandal you can take into the water, then the Infini Hike TCs are the perfect hiking sandal for you and a well-rounded choice for most outdoor adventures. 

The plush midsole ride, combined with the Vibram Megagrip outsole, is a great combo for tackling longer days on moderately technical trails while also withstanding the sketchy slipperiness of river crossings. The quick-drying, supportive upper-strap system is great for rainy days or puddle-jumping through town. And the deep heel cup and light arch support mean you can definitely get in some longer hiking days.

With all of that in mind, don’t expect to win any style points with your Infini Hike TCs. They look like a traditional water sandal with simple color options. And the lighter colored midsole is low on cosmetic durability, meaning your sandals will look like they’ve taken a beating even after just a few rocky hikes.

Should You Buy the Men’s Hoka Infini Hike TC Sandals?

The Hoka Infini Hike TCs are for hikers who want serious all-day comfort and solid traction on moderate trails and in water. Hoka really brought their trademark plush cushioning to the Infini Hike TCs, along with quick-drying straps reinforced with extra-softening material, making for a sandal that can deliver many hours of enjoyment. Adjusting straps on the go is quick and easy, and light arch support and a deep heel cup mean your feet won’t slide around, even when wet or sweaty. And they’re lightweight for the amount of cushioning and strapping you’re getting, making them perfect for quick hikes or running errands.

That said, we don’t recommend the Infini Hike TCs if you’re looking for ultralight, minimalist sandals. The rocker step is more of an aggressive trail running feature. The high cushion and above-average stack height mean you have limited groundfeel. And while they remain lightweight, their bulk would be harder to pack on a backpacking trip. Additionally, the sizing is off and runs fairly large, the extra strapping is prone to flapping, the design is prone to trapping pebbles and debris, and the styling and available colors are nothing to write home about.

But if you’re in love with your extra-plush trail runners and you’re looking to transition to a breathable option that you can get wet and dry quickly and that delivers comparable comfort and traction, the Infini Hike TCs are a no-brainer.

What Other Men’s Hiking Sandals Should You Consider?

Check out our best hiking sandals for men guide to see how the Hoka Infini Hike TC’s compare to the competition. Also, consider these other top picks:

Teva Terra Fi 5 Review: The Teva Terra Fi 5 is a great choice for long days of wear, in and out of the water, with comparable comfort and hiking ability, though in a bulkier, heavier package.

Astral Webber Review: Like the Infini Hike TCs, the Webbers offer a water-ready design and a comfortable fit for tackling days in creeks, lakes, and beyond. The Webbers aren’t as comfortable, but they’re a solid alternative. 

Lems Switchback Knit: The Lems are on the opposite end of the spectrum from the Hokas, sporting a more minimalist design but still retaining some comfort features like a 3-millimeter drop and light arch support.