Slab Contrasted Hoba 5 is a very bold, wide, low contrast, italic, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Vigor DT' by DTP Types, 'FF Kievit Slab' and 'FF Milo Slab' by FontFont, 'Equip Slab' by Hoftype, 'Open Serif' by Matteson Typographics, 'Modum' by The Northern Block, and 'Rogliano' by TipoType (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: headlines, posters, sportswear, packaging, logos, athletic, retro, confident, loud, friendly, impact, energy, display, branding, retro feel, chunky, bracketed, rounded, bouncy, compact.
A chunky italic display face with heavy, slab-like serifs and softly bracketed joins. Strokes are broad and sturdy with subtly rounded corners, giving the letters a dense, weighty texture. The slant is consistent and energetic, and many forms have slightly squared counters and blunt terminals that keep the rhythm punchy. Uppercase shapes feel blocky and stable, while the lowercase introduces more bounce through single-storey forms and pronounced entry/exit shaping.
Best suited to large-size applications where impact is the priority: headlines, posters, sports and event graphics, packaging, and bold wordmarks. It can also work for short bursts of copy (taglines, calls to action) where a dense, energetic texture is desirable, but it is less suited to long-form reading at small sizes.
The overall tone is bold and upbeat, with a sporty, retro flavor that reads as confident and attention-seeking rather than delicate or formal. Its italic motion adds urgency and momentum, making the font feel expressive and promotional. The heavy serifs and compact interiors lend a friendly toughness—more “headline punch” than “quiet editorial.”
The design appears intended to deliver a forceful, forward-moving presence by combining a strong italic stance with heavy slab serifs and compact, high-mass letterforms. It prioritizes immediacy and brandable personality, aiming to stand out in display settings and convey momentum and confidence.
Figures are robust and display-oriented, matching the overall weight and forward-leaning stance of the letters. Spacing appears intentionally tight in text settings, producing a dark, high-impact color that emphasizes mass and rhythm over airiness.