Ultra-marathoner Nicolas “Nico” Mermoud and former SALOMON CEO Jean-Luc Diard founded HOKA in 2010 with the desire to produce running shoes to withstand the rugged trails of mountain races in their native French Alps. Drawing inspiration from oversized skis, golf clubs, and mountain bike wheels, Mermoud and Diard collaborated with a chemist in a Chinese shoe factory to develop a maximalist running sneaker that features a low drop to prevent heel strikes, an oversized midsole, forefoot and heel rockers, and an active foot frame that allows for a natural range of motion while propelling the runner forward. In 2014, HOKA debuted its innovative Clifton model and the brand has continued to forge its own path with the PRO2Lite technology featured in its Tracer, Clayton, and the Speed Instinct models.