When customers spend more than $150 on a pair of work shoes, they usually expect comfort and durability.
For nurses who deal with long shifts and hours on hard floors, shoes are more of a piece of equipment than a fashion choice.
According to one ER nurse, though, that expectation fell short with his latest pair of Hokas.
In a recent video that has gotten more than 77,800 views, TikTok creator Gary (@garytheernurse) walks viewers through what happened when his $160 Hoka shoes began to fall apart after just four months. What followed, he says, left him done with the brand for good.
What Went Wrong With The Shoes?
Gary explains that he has owned several pairs of Hokas before and that this was his fourth pair. This time, he bought the Clifton 9 GTX, the waterproof Gore-Tex version designed to handle rough conditions.
Then he picks up his shoe to show the damage. “This is what happened,” he says, showing the bottom of both shoes where the rubber tread has peeled away from the base. “After four months, the tread started coming off on both of them.”
Gary explains that because Hoka advertises a one-year warranty, he submitted a claim expecting either a replacement or a refund. Instead, he says the company denied it.
“They sent me an email yesterday denying the claim,” Gary says. The message told him it was “not their fault” and that the company would not issue a refund or exchange.
“That is my fourth pair of Hokas, and I will not be buying anything from Hoka ever again because they don’t honor their warranty,” he says. He closes with a warning to other buyers: “If you are thinking about getting Hoka shoes, I would think twice… I’m now stuck with a $160 pair of shoes that I can’t really wear.”
Gary Isn’t The Only One To Have Experience Hoka Warranty Issues
Plenty of other customers online say they have run into similar warranty headaches.
One Facebook user writes that her shoes began letting water in after “a few months,” even though they were marketed as protective, and that customer support told her the damage did not qualify for coverage.
On Reddit, another shopper says they opened a brand-new box only to notice one shoe made a strange noise with every step. When they sent the shoes back under the one-year warranty, the pair was allegedly returned to them. Attached with it was a note saying the warranty had already expired, despite their insistence that it had not.
Public reviews paint a mixed picture. Hoka currently holds a 3.8 out of 5 score on Trustpilot based on more than 11,000 reviews, but many of the negative ones focus on durability and warranty disputes.
One reviewer describes almost the exact same problem Gary experienced. “By mid-November, the sole on the left foot shoe began tearing off,” the reviewer wrote. “I have never had a shoe at this price point that fell apart so soon.”
The same reviewer also criticizes customer support, writing that they received “no explanation for why the defect occurred” and were only sent a link to the warranty page. The complaint ends with, “For an expensive pair of sneakers, Hoka is a woefully inadequate product.”
There’s An Update To Gary’s Case
A few days later, Gary shared a follow-up showing that Hoka changed its decision after his video gained traction.
In a screenshot posted to his account, the company wrote, “Thank you for contacting us via DM, Gary. We apologize for the denial of your return, as we understand it can be frustrating. However, we have reviewed your case and are pleased to offer a replacement for your Men’s Clifton 9 GTX in black/black, size 10.5 as a one- time courtesy.”
In his caption, Gary credits the reversal to public pressure. “While I’m appreciative they are replacing them, it’s only because I have been calling them out on my socials,” he wrote. “I don’t have have a huge social media presence but it was big enough and I have y’all to thank for that!”
@garytheernurse I am very disappointed in @HOKA — I bought this pair of Clifton 9 GTX and after four months, the souls started coming apart. They offer a one year warranty, so I submitted a claim and it was denied. This was my fourth pair of Hokas and it will also be my last. All of my other pairs, I have worn the soles completely through, but clearly this manufacturing was not as good. And I can no longer recommend this product based on this experience. I can live with occasional defects, it happens, but to refuse to honor your warranty is a dealbreaker for me. #ernurses #nursesoftiktok #shoesfornurses #hokashoes
Commenters Share Similar Stories
In the comment section of Gary’s post, other longtime customers began comparing notes.
“Used to be loyal Hoka buyer,” one person wrote. “But now I’m disappointed because the fabrics on the heel gets holes after a couple months. Quality has gone down.”
“My podiatrist saaaang Hokas praises and i tried and purchased 4 different styles… they’re honestly not worth the price,” shared another. “I was comfier in my new balances that costed 1/4 of the cost of those hokas.”
Another user claimed quality went down recently. “Bought my wife hokas 5 years ago and she wore them for 5 years! we got her a new pair and they didnt even last 6 months,” they said. “they denied her warranty claim saying she was intentionally rubbing the sides of them to wear out the fabric above the sole when you can tell they glued it and its seperating!”
BroBible has reached out to Hoka via email for comment. The outlet also contacted Gary through the contact form on his Linktree to ask for any updates about his claim.