Cheaper alternative to Hoka Bondi B?

I know what you mean. I don't know of a cheaper alternative. I really wanted to try Hoka's too but the price was a real turn off. I shopped around a lot and finally settled on a pair of the trail version (Mafate) from Boulder Running Company for $120.00. Still pricey but a little better.

The thing is, I have never worn another shoe that feels anything like this and I have been running for over 20 years. I thought they would be cumbersome but they are light and have a lot of bounce. I have had lots of issues with my feet over the years and I am very sensitive to all the negative feedback I get from my feet/ankles during a run. My feet are happy in the Hoka's to the point that one day this week I went for a trail run in the morning then turned around and did another in the afternoon!

You might try doing a search on Ebay or just wait until they closeout.

I can't answer your question, but I will forever feel compelled to caution people on pro-Hoka threads to find a way to try these with a return policy if they don't work for you.  I have never had such an epic shoe fail.  I really, really wanted these to work for me, and they didn't.  At all.

I don't know what it says about me as a runner, but these felt terrible.  I gave them many tries--just terrible. At $160-$170 a pair, the fail feels extra bitter.

A cheaper alternative to obtain the pillow soft feel:  pull the stock insole out of your running shoe and replace it with on that has "gel" or "air" in the heel and forefoot area.   This might work very well for you.

Wow.  Those are exactly my complaints.  They made my legs feel heavy and more tired.  I wouldn't wish a bad shoe experience on anyone, but it's "nice" to know it wasn't just me--so many people have been raving about them.

The 60 day return policy makes it a no-brainer to try them out.

You can also always get a 10% discount at Trisports.com or join roadrunnersports.com or thetrishop.com and get 10% off.  That would bring the price down to $144.  Still $40-$50 more expensive than most running shoes but still $30 cheaper than a pair of Newtons.

I found the Hokas to last a long time.

They really, really made a world of difference in my running and curing my running injury issues that had plagued me for nearly two years.  I'd pay $300 a pair if I had to.

Use the code TTS10 at thetrishop.com and get 10% off and free shipping. Brings the total down to $144 which is still less than Newtons. Also the 60 NQA guarantee is included so what do you have to lose?

Disclaimer: I am biased towards thetrishop.com

Also, Hoka's have a footprint that is much larger than most shoes which helps, somehow.

That said, googled them virratas, wished I could justify adding another shoe to my collection.

I agree with the previous poster.  True to size.  I wear a 12 in every other shoe and at first thought the 12's were too long so I then bought an 11.5.   The 12 was definitely the better option.

It's not at all like the Hoka. It's more similar to something like the Merrell Bare Access. Additionally, unless you have a very efficient footstrike, chances are you will go through the Viratta much faster than the Hoka. You may end up buying twice as many, which would make them more expensive.

IMO, if you've found something that works well for you, stick with it. You may end up causing problems by messing around with your shoes.