Hoka - Speedgoat Series

I have Hoka Speedgoat 6 GTX for my 10 to 20 km runs and very happy with them.

good eye! Yes. they did well during the race. when I switched to the Speedgoats at mile 50 is when my feat started to hurt. maybe that was the speed goats, maybe it would have happened anyway. I don't know. but my feeet were feeling pretty good for the first 50 in the Mafate X.

I have hoka speedgoat 6s!

There are many great recommendations in r/Rucking. Try this thread: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Rucking/comments/1k8q1j0/lets\_talk\_footwear/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Rucking/comments/1k8q1j0/lets_talk_footwear/) Personally, I�ve rucked the Bataan Memorial Death March (a full marathon with 35 pounds dry weight, terrain is part road / part desert sand) a couple of times in Hoka Speedgoat mids, with zero foot problems. But I don�t think they come in all black. Could perhaps paint them? (I�m only half joking.)

I have always worn Speedgoats in wide (2e) the past but moved to a NB Hierro 9 this year. It�s a softer, more comfortable ride. Gonna try the Norda 005 when they arrive in a few days.

If you're comfortable with the Altra�road shoe, then the Altra trail shoe is likely to fit similarly. Personally I've had good luck with Hoka Speedgoat and the Spartan OCR Speed. Hokas have better padding for races (non-spartan) where there is a mix of trail and some road. Critically, make sure you get in some runs PRIOR to your race. No new gear on race day, especially shoes.

Used to be on the Salomon bandwagon until about six years ago; went to Altras for a while, then landed on Hoka Speedgoats. Super comfy, very grippy, and a shoe you can wear all day, every day. While I have GTX version to use around the house and on some hikes here in the wet Pacific Northwest, I prefer non-GTX in nearly all other cases.

I had three versions of speed goats prior. The midsole on the speed goats is softer. Grip is about the same. I like the upper on the brooks a tiny bit better. The big difference is the toe box (for me). My biggest issue with speed goats has always been the toe box being too narrow, but I could never find another trail running shoe that had a soft midsole, good grip, and durable, so I kept coming back to speed goats. The Brooks has most of what speed goat offers, plus a wider toe box.

I've run a couple trail marathons where the course is proper woodsy trails, plus some old asphalt utility roads. I also took a beating on the roads, hips mostly. I was using the Spartan OCR Speed, and switched to a Hoka Speedgoat 5.

You'll probably see more trail runners than hiking shoes on the trails. Not sure where, exactly, they draw the line between the two. I've been in trailrunners for several years now, and after Salomon XA Pro 3Ds and Altra Lone Peaks, I'm very happily a Hoka Speedgoat backpacker/hiker. So, so comfortable, grippy. No, they're not nearly as airy as the Lone Peaks, but a lot more comfortable over many miles and rough terrain. I'm on the heavier side for my height, too, so I appreciate the extra cushion.

I use Speedgoats for almost all my hiking and backpacking; I have pairs of both non-Goretex and Goretex, and the Goretex ones are only used in the real wet conditions, or when I'm out and about on a rainy day doing errands or yard work. If it's snow/slush/excessive mud, I'll move up to Salomon 4D GTX boots and usually gaiters.

Altra LP's are quick-drying. My problem with them is that while they're super comfy have a pretty shallow footbed, my feet/ankles would ache after a long day on rough terrain, backpacking with about 35lbs. I've since switched to Hoka Speedgoats and all that is a distant memory. Super cushy, excellent grip with the Vibrams, and they're okay at drying out, though not as good as the LPs. No, they won't last forever but the payback in end-of-the-day comfort is huge to me.

The 6s are stiff, but they do break in decently. Very stable, not a very exciting shoe, but an absolute workhorse. The grip does wear down a little quicker than I�d like, but it is what it is.

This thread has been so helpful for me. I love my speedgoat 4s, and have been disappointed by the "improvements" made to the newest Speedgoat models. Not sure if this will gain any traction, but I made a petition with the hope of convincing Hoka to bring back the Speedgoat 4. If you feel similarly, please feel free to sign and share. Likely nothing will happen, but might as well try...�[https://chng.it/ttq7VG4zsv](https://chng.it/ttq7VG4zsv)

I had the aching feet with the LP4s and moved to Hoka Speedgoats and never looked back. I can hike all day with the softer Hokas and my feet never ache like they did with the Altras. I occasionally wear my LP4s around the house and yeah, I do miss the airy toe box, but functionally, I don't think I'm missing anything with the Hokas.

Never waterproof, they don�t breathe as well and if they get wet inside they take significantly longer to dry. There�s a very narrow set of conditions where they�re useful. Trail runners > boots, the majority of boots just don�t provide any meaningful ankle support. If you want to see boots that actually have decent support you can look at mountaineering boots, but you wouldn�t want to hike in those. The �meta� has definitely shifted to trail runners. I�m partial to Hoka Speedgoats but visiting an REI or a specialized running store will help you get fitted.

I require a wider toe box as well, and the mafate has it. I had mafate first and then tried speedgoat and they were terrible for me. Mafate for much better. I currently have Norda 001 and the toe box isn't big enough�

FYI: I�m a very wide boy, but the Salomon Speedcross and Genesis both fit very comfortably. None of their other shoes do, but those are both great shoes you might want to try. Hoka also has nice wide options across their lineup. If it�s grip you want, I find the Speedgoat is second only to VJ Shoes - but VJ run narrow.

The last of my SG 5�s are toast, went the same route and ordered Prodigio. Scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

If there's travel over a good bit of snow, I'm wearing gaiters; either full-calf gaiters, half-gaiters, or even just dust gaiters like dirtygirl gaiters. I prefer to hike in trail runners (HOKA Speedgoats) and keeping the snow from getting into the shoe is a huge benefit. Plus it keeps my legs drier and warmer. There's nothing better than finishing your hike back at the trailhead or at camp with relatively warm and dry lower legs and pants vs. snow-sopped everything.

The 5�s were my favourite trail runner hands down. Just the right balance between cushioning and stability. The 6 was a disappointment being too stiff. Such a shame.

I switched from Saucony Peregrine to these and I'm planning on switching back. After 100 miles they looked bad and now that they're 200 miles they look terrible. They still feel OK but they look about the same as yours. Back when I first started their road shoes were my go to but I had the same problem after 100 miles. The cushion starts to fray and chip off

Hoka Speedgoat 2. For my foot, they were so comfortable that it made running for extended distances much more enjoyable. They also lasted me over 500 miles. I miss them lol

I saw lots of Speedgoats when I did it. If the Matafe are pretty much the same, go with them. Or just buy another pair of Speedgoats.

I�m currently using both pairs. I like the Challengers for multi use trips. They�re my One Bag travel choice, where my time will be mixed between urban and outdoor use. The Speedgoats are my hiking/wet weather choice. That increased grip on the heel section is clutch when hiking down muddy/wet trails.

I am using now Hoka speedgoat 6 and they are amazing! I would recommend going to the shop, trying all 3 and just pick up the one the feels most comfortable. All 3 are great options

I've had two pairs of speedgoats and love them. What made you change to Mafates?

Btw I have been a lover of Hoka Speedgoat for several years. I use a GTX mid version & use it for mostly trail running in ?? winter time. I use the La Sportiva Bushido outside of winter. * hiking boots vs trail runners�https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouverhiking/comments/1ltydv7/hiking_boots_vs_trail_runners/ * What shoes do you swear by?�https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouverhiking/comments/o77olh/what_shoes_do_you_swear_by/

The ultralight thing is true I guess, but my Hokas are so much more sturdy than that. I've been running in my Speedgoats for quite a long time now without any signs of holes and they are not that heavy. Altra is definitely skimping on the materials since they were sold a few years ago.

OK, thanks. I got a new pair of speedgoats, so I'll have to wait to try some Mafates. Happy trailing!

I've got both of the same shoes. The Speedgoats are perfect, I generally like the Spartan shoes too but they have two issues: a lot less padding makes them tear up my heels (even when I taped to try to prevent), and they seem more slippery and don't grip surfaces super well, like Olympus and the rope climb.

I second this! One tip though I would consider staying away from the super squishy shock absorbing shoes like a Norda 001 or Speed goat 5. With a back pack the higher stack height might make you more prone to rolling ankles. I�ve done some long 100km plus fast packs in a few pairs of trail runners and do recommend it, you�ll just want to keep your pack weight down. Hiking is much more fun with a light pack anyway!!

I have hoka speedgoat 6s!

I've had the mafate and currently have the speedgoat 6. I hate the speedgoats and can't wait to wear them out so I can get my next pair of shoes. Mafates were excellent. I use them for trail running at all distances.

The first trip I did with Hoka Speedgoats was a 26 mile backpacking trip, in the rain. They weren't waterproof (not really necessary with trailrunners, even in the Pacific Northwest). They were fabulous. No foot problems despite them being wet for the 5 hour trail. Hokas are super popular, as are Topo Athletics, Altra, Brooks, Salomon, though each definitely has its own fit characteristics. I've gone from boots to Salomons to Altras to Hokas.

Same; trailrunners 98% of the time unless I'm snowshoeing or on super wet/muddy/slushy conditions, of if I'm going to do a lot of side-hilling over loose scree where my feet/ankles/lower legs might be imperiled by moving ground/rocks. I just did 25 miles last week over granite, roots, rocks, dirt, and very happy with trailrunners (HOKA Speedgoats) w/ ankle gaiters to keep debris out. I was carrying a 30lb backpack. Sure, the trailrunners will wear out faster than boots, but my feet were completely pain, ache, and blister-free. That said, I used to hike in Altra Lone Peaks, and while they were super comfy and airy, at the end of the day, my feet/ankles ached badly. Once I switched to HOKAs, all that disappeared immediately. My first time ever wearing Speedgoats, I did 26 mile r/t backpacking trip and my feet were completely fine. Anecdotally, the only time I've significantly sprained my ankle was when I was wearing full, over-ankle leather boots (Vasque St. Elias). Just hit a rock wrong and my ankle went full over. I've done the same (hitting a rock) in trailrunners countless times, but their lower profile (lower heel/rise) means I had a lower fulcrum and could easily recover. I also think that with boots, you can become overconfident with how you're bombing down rugged terrain and while most of the time, it's okay, but if you start to turn an ankle, you're going to go way over and cause more damage than if you were going more carefully as you would need to with trailrunners. Again, that's my anecdote.

I've the Speedgoat 5 and Zegama 2. The Zegama are way better for me, in particular for long runs 20k+, as I'm getting blisters with the SG5s. Zegama's are so much more comfortable and better fitting and they work very well on tarmac too. Due to the stack height, they are not the most stable, so I wouldn't recommend them for highly technical trails or muddy stuff (but I'd say that's true for the SG5s too). Next trail shoe purchase will be Zegama's again, my feet do love them.

I have a pair of the NB Fresh Foam More V3 in 4E and they've been good. I have wide feet in the toe box and mid area with normal heels. I hike in them regularly in UT, and they hold up well on the rocky trails. Had the Hoka Speedgoats in wide - loved them, but they weren't wide enough. They irritated a toe injury and neuroma, so had to get surgery. I'm still building up my running mileage, so haven't done more than 5 miles at a time with the NB. We'll see how they handle higher mileage and a full running season next year!

Waterproof helps for shallow water like snow to avoid your socks getting wet. If water gets inside the shoe through the top, like deep water, swimming, dunk wall, it just means the water is trapped inside. The non-waterproof one lets water seep out above the toe box. I have both since I do prefer the waterproof on regular trails, but a lot of the Spartans have some deep water.

Same, I've got 2 pairs and they do great for Trifectas, super comfortable. For people considering, you'll want the cheaper regular version, not the MTX, since you don't want waterproof.

The first trip I did with Hoka Speedgoats was a 26 mile backpacking trip, in the rain. They weren't waterproof (not really necessary with trailrunners, even in the Pacific Northwest). They were fabulous. No foot problems despite them being wet for the 5 hour trail. Hokas are super popular, as are Topo Athletics, Altra, Brooks, Salomon, though each definitely has its own fit characteristics. I've gone from boots to Salomons to Altras to Hokas.

Hoka Speed Goat On my 4th pair. I have had the waterproof ones and the regular.

I loved as well the 5th iteration of the speedgoat, and I have been enjoying the mafate speed 4 more than the speedgoat 6.