# HOKA: October 2026 Releases

**By Onion** · 2026-10-08

## Trail shoes that never needed a mountain

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Why do shoes built for mountain trails end up being the pair people reach for on city streets?

This October, Hoka gives two answers from its Mafate line. One comes back from the archive. The other is light enough to see through. Both belong to Hoka Fall/Winter 2026, and both are what Onion picked from the season.

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Hoka was founded in 2009 in Annecy, France, by Nicolas Mermoud and Jean-Luc Diard, two former Salomon employees. Its signature is an oversized, deeply cushioned midsole, first loved by ultra runners and now by everyone else. The Mafate is its original trail shoe, first shown at UTMB Mont-Blanc.

For FW26, Mafate goes in two directions. One looks back to the original. The other moves forward with lighter, more open materials. Both stay real trail shoes, redesigned for everyday wear.

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> An original that still runs, and a new pair so light it almost disappears. That is the Mafate this season.

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A shoe born for the mountain never has to apologize for walking on pavement.

**Tags:** FW26, Hoka, Mafate, Product Focus, Sneakers, Trail

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> Source: [onionbkk.com / Onion](https://onionbkk.com/blogs/blog/hoka-fw26)