Named for HOKA Athlete Karl Speedgoat Meltzer, the Speedgoat 4 is part of an award-winning family known for making quick work of technical terrain. The fourth edition features a new breathable yet rugged mesh. Grippy on the uphill and secure on the downhill, the Speedgoat 4 is badass on every trail. | Features. Updated mesh upper provides breathability. 3D printed overlays provide additional midfoot support and lockdown for a more secure feel. Gusseted tongue features strategic cutouts for breathability. Lacing eye-rows contain a small winged component to ensure a secure fit. Midsole features a new lightweight foam for a more responsive ride. Wider forefoot offers a more stable ride and accommodating fit. Vibram Megagrip rubber outsole provides grip in wet and dry conditions. 5mm stepped lugs offer additional support and stability. Zonal rubber placement adds support and stability.
Named for HOKA Athlete Karl Speedgoat Meltzer, the Speedgoat 4 is part of an award-winning family known for making quick work of technical terrain. The fourth edition features a new breathable yet rugged mesh. Grippy on the uphill and secure on the downhill, the Speedgoat 4 is badass on every trail. | Features. Updated mesh upper provides breathability. 3D printed overlays provide additional midfoot support and lockdown for a more secure feel. Gusseted tongue features strategic cutouts for breathability. Lacing eye-rows contain a small winged component to ensure a secure fit. Midsole features a new lightweight foam for a more responsive ride. Wider forefoot offers a more stable ride and accommodating fit. Vibram Megagrip rubber outsole provides grip in wet and dry conditions. 5mm stepped lugs offer additional support and stability. Zonal rubber placement adds support and stability.
Named for HOKA Athlete Karl Speedgoat Meltzer, the Speedgoat 4 is part of an award-winning family known for making quick work of technical terrain. The fourth edition features a new breathable yet rugged mesh. Grippy on the uphill and secure on the downhill, the Speedgoat 4 is badass on every trail. | Features. Updated mesh upper provides breathability. 3D printed overlays provide additional midfoot support and lockdown for a more secure feel. Gusseted tongue features strategic cutouts for breathability. Lacing eye-rows contain a small winged component to ensure a secure fit. Midsole features a new lightweight foam for a more responsive ride. Wider forefoot offers a more stable ride and accommodating fit. Vibram Megagrip rubber outsole provides grip in wet and dry conditions. 5mm stepped lugs offer additional support and stability. Zonal rubber placement adds support and stability.
Named for HOKA Athlete Karl Speedgoat Meltzer, the Speedgoat 4 is part of an award-winning family known for making quick work of technical terrain. The fourth edition features a new breathable yet rugged mesh. Grippy on the uphill and secure on the downhill, the Speedgoat 4 is badass on every trail. | Features. Updated mesh upper provides breathability. 3D printed overlays provide additional midfoot support and lockdown for a more secure feel. Gusseted tongue features strategic cutouts for breathability. Lacing eye-rows contain a small winged component to ensure a secure fit. Midsole features a new lightweight foam for a more responsive ride. Wider forefoot offers a more stable ride and accommodating fit. Vibram Megagrip rubber outsole provides grip in wet and dry conditions. 5mm stepped lugs offer additional support and stability. Zonal rubber placement adds support and stability.
Last updated at 01/03/2025 22:54:42
originally posted on hoka.com
This is the only shoe I have ever hiked in that hasn't given me heel blisters. I spent years trying what felt like every hiking shoe possible, but every hike ended with severe heel blisters no matter what kind of padding I used. Hiking was often miserable for me. I must have a unique foot shape with very narrow heels but not a narrow foot. I have been using these Hokas for over a year now and have finally been able to go on backpacks and longer hikes without issue. I still use moleskin on my heels just in case, and sometimes have to pad my small toes after 10 miles because the toebox is a little narrow, but that's nothing compared to the pain I had to deal with before. The grip is amazing, even on wet surfaces, and the significant padding easily protects against ... MoreThis is the only shoe I have ever hiked in that hasn't given me heel blisters. I spent years trying what felt like every hiking shoe possible, but every hike ended with severe heel blisters no matter what kind of padding I used. Hiking was often miserable for me. I must have a unique foot shape with very narrow heels but not a narrow foot. I have been using these Hokas for over a year now and have finally been able to go on backpacks and longer hikes without issue. I still use moleskin on my heels just in case, and sometimes have to pad my small toes after 10 miles because the toebox is a little narrow, but that's nothing compared to the pain I had to deal with before. The grip is amazing, even on wet surfaces, and the significant padding easily protects against walking on pointy rocks all day without a shim or rockplate. They feel very stable, even with a heavy pack, and the bottoms of my feet are less fatigued in these shoes than others I've tried. I can't stress enough how much I love my Hokas!I also have the Hoka sky kaha goretex boots, which I got for snowshoeing. They work for snowshoeing because I don't hike as far and can use gel pads on my heels in the cold, but when it's hot, the friction melts the gel pads and gives me heel blisters, so I can't use them in the summer.If you have weird feet like me and are curious, here's the list of other hiking shoes I've tried over the years: La Sportiva Trango TRK, Oboz Bridger mid, Keen Terradora, La Sportiva Bushido, Saucony Peregrine.
originally posted on hokaoneone.com
I wore a single brand new pair of Hoka Speedgoat 4 during my entire thru-hike of the Colorado trail.The GOOD things about these shoes-very comfortable spongy bottoms for long miles and lots of rocks. Good traction and stability even in snow. The wide toe box is especially comfortable for my advanced bunions.The BAD things about these shoes-tread was completely worn down on the heels and toes by mile 240 causing loss of traction on steep slopes. When they get wet the uppers stretch and you have to continually readjust the laces to obtain a proper fit. The shoes do not dry out quickly after a rainstorm or stream crossing. They averaged at least a day and a half to dry which is not good for repeated exposure to water. The dampness contributed to blisters and extreme ... MoreI wore a single brand new pair of Hoka Speedgoat 4 during my entire thru-hike of the Colorado trail.The GOOD things about these shoes-very comfortable spongy bottoms for long miles and lots of rocks. Good traction and stability even in snow. The wide toe box is especially comfortable for my advanced bunions.The BAD things about these shoes-tread was completely worn down on the heels and toes by mile 240 causing loss of traction on steep slopes. When they get wet the uppers stretch and you have to continually readjust the laces to obtain a proper fit. The shoes do not dry out quickly after a rainstorm or stream crossing. They averaged at least a day and a half to dry which is not good for repeated exposure to water. The dampness contributed to blisters and extreme shoe odor.The UNFORGIVABLE is the sharp tongue. I will have permanent scars on the front of my ankles from these shoes. I leukotaped the front of my legs and trimmed the tongues but still developed significant skin cuts from the tongue material particularly from hiking up and down sharp inclines and declines. Good shoes do not injure the wearer.I will not recommend these shoes or purchase another pair until the tongue is redesigned. Otherwise these shoes are excellent for single day ultra-marathon events but not for extended thru hikes or exposure to repeated dousing or water exposure due to the slow drying.
originally posted on hoka.com
So far I am very happy with this shoe. I have not upped the mileage too much yet (max 10 mi run) but I've put about 100 miles on these so far and they are holding up well and I have not had any discomfort from the tongue as others have mentioned. I can see that with some higher mileage runs (20+) that the tongue might get uncomfortable, so I do hope Hoka sees all these "tongue" reviews and makes some adjustments. If I do have issues I plan on just doing a series of cuts along the edge of the tongue to give it more flex (my friend's great idea - can't claim that one). I was hesitant to go to Hoka because I have not run in such a high stack shoe, and I'm also coming off ankle surgery from multiple sprains so I've been wary of rolling my ankles in a higher shoe. But, I ... MoreSo far I am very happy with this shoe. I have not upped the mileage too much yet (max 10 mi run) but I've put about 100 miles on these so far and they are holding up well and I have not had any discomfort from the tongue as others have mentioned. I can see that with some higher mileage runs (20+) that the tongue might get uncomfortable, so I do hope Hoka sees all these "tongue" reviews and makes some adjustments. If I do have issues I plan on just doing a series of cuts along the edge of the tongue to give it more flex (my friend's great idea - can't claim that one). I was hesitant to go to Hoka because I have not run in such a high stack shoe, and I'm also coming off ankle surgery from multiple sprains so I've been wary of rolling my ankles in a higher shoe. But, I need the cushioning now and I'm amazed at how stable these shoes are considering the cushion. It's the perfect balance (for me anyway) of cushion, while still being stable and not feeling clunky or like I am running in a platform sneaker. I find myself always reaching for these over other brands I rotate through (Saucony, Topo) and I converted my husband from Altra to Hoka Speedgoats too, (He was having lateral foot pain and the Altra shoes were falling apart before he even put 50 miles on them.) I really like these shoes - they are well made and give me the cushion I need while not sacrificing weight or stability. I am usually bw a 9-9.5 and have a normal width foot and I ordered a 9.5 width B.
This is the only shoe I have ever hiked in that hasn't given me heel blisters. I spent years trying what felt like every hiking shoe possible, but every hike ended with severe heel blisters no matter what kind of padding I used. Hiking was often miserable for me. I must have a unique foot shape with very narrow heels but not a narrow foot. I have been using these Hokas for over a year now and have finally been able to go on backpacks and longer hikes without issue. I still use moleskin on my heels just in case, and sometimes have to pad my small toes after 10 miles because the toebox is a little narrow, but that's nothing compared to the pain I had to deal with before. The grip is amazing, even on wet surfaces, and the significant padding easily protects against ... MoreThis is the only shoe I have ever hiked in that hasn't given me heel blisters. I spent years trying what felt like every hiking shoe possible, but every hike ended with severe heel blisters no matter what kind of padding I used. Hiking was often miserable for me. I must have a unique foot shape with very narrow heels but not a narrow foot. I have been using these Hokas for over a year now and have finally been able to go on backpacks and longer hikes without issue. I still use moleskin on my heels just in case, and sometimes have to pad my small toes after 10 miles because the toebox is a little narrow, but that's nothing compared to the pain I had to deal with before. The grip is amazing, even on wet surfaces, and the significant padding easily protects against walking on pointy rocks all day without a shim or rockplate. They feel very stable, even with a heavy pack, and the bottoms of my feet are less fatigued in these shoes than others I've tried. I can't stress enough how much I love my Hokas!I also have the Hoka sky kaha goretex boots, which I got for snowshoeing. They work for snowshoeing because I don't hike as far and can use gel pads on my heels in the cold, but when it's hot, the friction melts the gel pads and gives me heel blisters, so I can't use them in the summer.If you have weird feet like me and are curious, here's the list of other hiking shoes I've tried over the years: La Sportiva Trango TRK, Oboz Bridger mid, Keen Terradora, La Sportiva Bushido, Saucony Peregrine.
I wore a single brand new pair of Hoka Speedgoat 4 during my entire thru-hike of the Colorado trail.The GOOD things about these shoes-very comfortable spongy bottoms for long miles and lots of rocks. Good traction and stability even in snow. The wide toe box is especially comfortable for my advanced bunions.The BAD things about these shoes-tread was completely worn down on the heels and toes by mile 240 causing loss of traction on steep slopes. When they get wet the uppers stretch and you have to continually readjust the laces to obtain a proper fit. The shoes do not dry out quickly after a rainstorm or stream crossing. They averaged at least a day and a half to dry which is not good for repeated exposure to water. The dampness contributed to blisters and extreme ... MoreI wore a single brand new pair of Hoka Speedgoat 4 during my entire thru-hike of the Colorado trail.The GOOD things about these shoes-very comfortable spongy bottoms for long miles and lots of rocks. Good traction and stability even in snow. The wide toe box is especially comfortable for my advanced bunions.The BAD things about these shoes-tread was completely worn down on the heels and toes by mile 240 causing loss of traction on steep slopes. When they get wet the uppers stretch and you have to continually readjust the laces to obtain a proper fit. The shoes do not dry out quickly after a rainstorm or stream crossing. They averaged at least a day and a half to dry which is not good for repeated exposure to water. The dampness contributed to blisters and extreme shoe odor.The UNFORGIVABLE is the sharp tongue. I will have permanent scars on the front of my ankles from these shoes. I leukotaped the front of my legs and trimmed the tongues but still developed significant skin cuts from the tongue material particularly from hiking up and down sharp inclines and declines. Good shoes do not injure the wearer.I will not recommend these shoes or purchase another pair until the tongue is redesigned. Otherwise these shoes are excellent for single day ultra-marathon events but not for extended thru hikes or exposure to repeated dousing or water exposure due to the slow drying.
So far I am very happy with this shoe. I have not upped the mileage too much yet (max 10 mi run) but I've put about 100 miles on these so far and they are holding up well and I have not had any discomfort from the tongue as others have mentioned. I can see that with some higher mileage runs (20+) that the tongue might get uncomfortable, so I do hope Hoka sees all these "tongue" reviews and makes some adjustments. If I do have issues I plan on just doing a series of cuts along the edge of the tongue to give it more flex (my friend's great idea - can't claim that one). I was hesitant to go to Hoka because I have not run in such a high stack shoe, and I'm also coming off ankle surgery from multiple sprains so I've been wary of rolling my ankles in a higher shoe. But, I ... MoreSo far I am very happy with this shoe. I have not upped the mileage too much yet (max 10 mi run) but I've put about 100 miles on these so far and they are holding up well and I have not had any discomfort from the tongue as others have mentioned. I can see that with some higher mileage runs (20+) that the tongue might get uncomfortable, so I do hope Hoka sees all these "tongue" reviews and makes some adjustments. If I do have issues I plan on just doing a series of cuts along the edge of the tongue to give it more flex (my friend's great idea - can't claim that one). I was hesitant to go to Hoka because I have not run in such a high stack shoe, and I'm also coming off ankle surgery from multiple sprains so I've been wary of rolling my ankles in a higher shoe. But, I need the cushioning now and I'm amazed at how stable these shoes are considering the cushion. It's the perfect balance (for me anyway) of cushion, while still being stable and not feeling clunky or like I am running in a platform sneaker. I find myself always reaching for these over other brands I rotate through (Saucony, Topo) and I converted my husband from Altra to Hoka Speedgoats too, (He was having lateral foot pain and the Altra shoes were falling apart before he even put 50 miles on them.) I really like these shoes - they are well made and give me the cushion I need while not sacrificing weight or stability. I am usually bw a 9-9.5 and have a normal width foot and I ordered a 9.5 width B.
The pictures are of my two pairs of Hokas. I had the grayish pair since 2017, and they were fantastic. I traveled to Europe, and they were great for walking on the cobblestone roads and walking for long periods of time.The blue pair are my second pair of Hokas, and I was really debating whether I should buy them, and here are my reasons why: 1.) I take a EE, and women sizes only go up to D; 2.) Since my foot is wide, there were very few choices to choose from (only 3 choices), and the color options weren't great; 3.) I was worried that they wouldn't be true to their size.After wearing them for a day I came to these conclusions: 1.) Due to the wider forefoot feature, a D in width for my foot was good with a little extra space (I think a EE would have been too ... MoreThe pictures are of my two pairs of Hokas. I had the grayish pair since 2017, and they were fantastic. I traveled to Europe, and they were great for walking on the cobblestone roads and walking for long periods of time.The blue pair are my second pair of Hokas, and I was really debating whether I should buy them, and here are my reasons why: 1.) I take a EE, and women sizes only go up to D; 2.) Since my foot is wide, there were very few choices to choose from (only 3 choices), and the color options weren't great; 3.) I was worried that they wouldn't be true to their size.After wearing them for a day I came to these conclusions: 1.) Due to the wider forefoot feature, a D in width for my foot was good with a little extra space (I think a EE would have been too wide); 2.) Where my foot bends, you can notice that a crease has already started to form (circled in red), so I'm a bit concerned that overtime, the shoe material might break there; 3.) Shoe looks better in-person. I needed a pair of shoes that have a cushioned heel, because I have plantar fasciitis. With this said, sometimes the higher heel makes the shoe looks clunky; however, I found these shoes looking pretty sleek; 4.) The tongue of the shoe is very thin and tough, which might be painful if you don't wear a thicker sock; 5.) The shoes are true to their size.Overall, I give these pairs a 3.5 star rating for these reasons: 1.) Extremely limited color selection for people who have wide feet; 2.) There's a crease already forming where my foot bends after wearing them for only a day; 3.) The tongue is tough.I think that Hokas are a great brand, but I just don't know if these particular blue shoes will work for me. I recommend having more colors available for people with wide feet; going back to the softer shoe tongue; and doing something about the easily-formed creases on the shoe.
I am so grateful for the Speedgoat, AND for HOKA's awesome return policy. I was needing to upgrade trail shoes to something that could get me through a 50 mile ultra over LOTS of ROCK. After reading many reviews, I narrowed my search to THIS shoe, and another brand that I use a LOT which features a foot shaped toe box. Both shoes were advertised to have lots of cushioning, which is what I needed to move swiftly over the terrain I was going up against. The other shoe was more familiar/comfortable to me out of the box. This one, however, won out on the up-and-down-hill-aggressively-rocky-terrain-test. The footshape felt awkward to me, but the "bounce" and comfort the Speedgoat provided on the bottoms of my feet was unparalleled....! The other company also offered a 30 ... MoreI am so grateful for the Speedgoat, AND for HOKA's awesome return policy. I was needing to upgrade trail shoes to something that could get me through a 50 mile ultra over LOTS of ROCK. After reading many reviews, I narrowed my search to THIS shoe, and another brand that I use a LOT which features a foot shaped toe box. Both shoes were advertised to have lots of cushioning, which is what I needed to move swiftly over the terrain I was going up against. The other shoe was more familiar/comfortable to me out of the box. This one, however, won out on the up-and-down-hill-aggressively-rocky-terrain-test. The footshape felt awkward to me, but the "bounce" and comfort the Speedgoat provided on the bottoms of my feet was unparalleled....! The other company also offered a 30 day trial period, so back that shoe went.Fast forward to my 50 miler. I am sure that the Speedgoats saved me foot fatigue from the terrain. I am sure that I felt more confident charging down rocky downhills w/o worrying about exact foot placement with every step. BUT I MISSED MY BELOVED FOOTSHAPED TOE BOX SO MUCH! Mid-ultra I noticed a lot of tenderness in the toes, and it affected my ability to charge downhill in the last 20ish miles. Post-ultra, after my recovery week, I noticed that when I wore my Speedgoats for gentle trail runs, my feet "relived" their toebox trauma, but when I wore out my less cushioned, but roomy footshaped trail shoes, my toes felt awesome post run. The Speedgoat is an awesome shoe. HOKA is an awesome company. But my other trusted brand is also really awesome, and I am just wishing for a merger! For my chill training runs, I'm grabbing my footshaped trail shoes every time. I only feel the "tradeoff" of bounce and cushioning are worth it for racing, or very aggressive trail workouts on rocky terrain. BUT I WOULD BE A CONVERT IF A SHOE LIKE THE SPEEDGOAT CAME IN A MORE NATURAL FOOTSHAPE. :) :) :) Lmk, HOKA if you ever lean this way in shoe development. ;)
I bought these to use for hiking, and multi-use trail walking, trail running etc. These are the most comfortable shoe for hiking I've ever worn - but with pros, cons and cautions for rocky terrain.Where used: Bruce Trail hiking, summer, fair & rainy weather. They performed OK and were so comfortable, but for safety I would not use these again for challenging, rocky Canadian Shield trails. Awesome for dirt and less rocky trails!Pros:- cushioning comfortable, even without rock plate zero comfort* issues with very rocky terrain underfoot (*see below cons re: stability)- shoe is breatheable, feet never too hot- great fit - I have a bunion, bought wide width & used with orthodics. I wear running socks (not hiking socks). Never felt tight, no pain.- Grip was good ... MoreI bought these to use for hiking, and multi-use trail walking, trail running etc. These are the most comfortable shoe for hiking I've ever worn - but with pros, cons and cautions for rocky terrain.Where used: Bruce Trail hiking, summer, fair & rainy weather. They performed OK and were so comfortable, but for safety I would not use these again for challenging, rocky Canadian Shield trails. Awesome for dirt and less rocky trails!Pros:- cushioning comfortable, even without rock plate zero comfort* issues with very rocky terrain underfoot (*see below cons re: stability)- shoe is breatheable, feet never too hot- great fit - I have a bunion, bought wide width & used with orthodics. I wear running socks (not hiking socks). Never felt tight, no pain.- Grip was good on most terrain, but not good on rocks when wet- At the end of a day of long, hard rocky hikes, no blisters, feet never contstrained, I was not dying to get them off, my feet felt amazing!- The most comfortable shoe I've ever worn for hikingCons- new tongue... per other reviews, edge is high and cuts into the front of the ankle. I cut the tongue to a lower profile, and wear with low sock that comes up past the tongue. This solved it.- Reduced feeling of the ground & stability on very rocky terrain (like Bruce Trail) due to heavy cushioning. Also, you feel higher up from the ground (platform-effect) so you feel disconnected and imbalanced on rocky, unstable terrain (= dangerous)- I found these shoes did not grip on wet rock (not as well as other hiking shoes I have)- **important**: heel of the sole sticks out. This caught often on or between rocks, and made going downwards on rock portions of the trail difficult (= dangerous). For this reason I wouldn't use them again on challenging rocky trails. Not a great substitute for a serious hiking shoe with rock plate for those conditions.This is an updated review from my initial reivew 2020 ("I'M TORN: SHOE IS GREAT BUT THE TONGUE")
I go running / walking through my local city/town park (pretty flat, mostly gravel, cement and wood trails. The usual route I take is not necessarily long or arduous, but I bought these shoes for the traction (my old sneaks that I would run in outside, albeit, were not trail shoes, would allow for slipping after rain). I also made a hike straight up an 800 ft mountain nearby and that's also when these shoes really shined in all its glory! Uphill, downhill, through rain, mud, any condition, these shoes have amazing traction and grip. If your foot is sloped at an up or downward angle, you can FEEL how well your feet are planted and stable on any surface you're standing on because of these shoes' amazing grip. These are my first pair of Hokas, which I bought in ... MoreI go running / walking through my local city/town park (pretty flat, mostly gravel, cement and wood trails. The usual route I take is not necessarily long or arduous, but I bought these shoes for the traction (my old sneaks that I would run in outside, albeit, were not trail shoes, would allow for slipping after rain). I also made a hike straight up an 800 ft mountain nearby and that's also when these shoes really shined in all its glory! Uphill, downhill, through rain, mud, any condition, these shoes have amazing traction and grip. If your foot is sloped at an up or downward angle, you can FEEL how well your feet are planted and stable on any surface you're standing on because of these shoes' amazing grip. These are my first pair of Hokas, which I bought in conjunction with Clifton 7's (for the gym / indoor usage, which I also ordered in a size 8). The Cliftons fit JUST RIGHT but this size 8 in the Speedgoat 4's left me with TONS of room in the front toe box, which had me really worried that I might have to exchange them. As soon as you get yourself used to wearing the shoes and after about 10-20 mins of walking in them each time, I don't notice the extra room anymore. I am assuming they give you more room in the front to allow your foot to move more freely and comfortably when it's at an angle. This appears to be the case. I ordered the wide option and they fit great around that area.The cushioning is so comfortable with every step you take.The design is beautiful and chic and the reflective details make me feel really safe in any visibility.
I bought these shoes for hiking and backpacking as I wanted something lighter and more breathable than the Gore-tex Salomon hiking shoes and boots I've used over the years. (X-Ultra 2 and X-Ultra 2 mid). I have size 5-5.5 feet that are a bit on the wider side and have high arches so I ordered the Speedgoats in a size 5.5 WIDE width. (I tried the regular width and they were too tight.) I tested these out on a day hike yesterday with a weighted bag (about 20 lbs). I took them on a trail that is very steep with mixed terrain consisting of loose dirt, roots, long technical rocky sections with lots of rock steps, some boulders, and a bit of snow at the top. I also walked through a glacier stream on two different occasions to see how they fare with my feet being wet. ... MoreI bought these shoes for hiking and backpacking as I wanted something lighter and more breathable than the Gore-tex Salomon hiking shoes and boots I've used over the years. (X-Ultra 2 and X-Ultra 2 mid). I have size 5-5.5 feet that are a bit on the wider side and have high arches so I ordered the Speedgoats in a size 5.5 WIDE width. (I tried the regular width and they were too tight.) I tested these out on a day hike yesterday with a weighted bag (about 20 lbs). I took them on a trail that is very steep with mixed terrain consisting of loose dirt, roots, long technical rocky sections with lots of rock steps, some boulders, and a bit of snow at the top. I also walked through a glacier stream on two different occasions to see how they fare with my feet being wet. Overall I have to say that they were VERY comfortable and felt like walking on clouds! I had no rubbing, no hot spots, no blisters, and no discomfort in the upper or with the tongue. I couldn’t feel the trail underneath and therefore didn’t develop any pain in the bottom of my feet like I usually get. (Hard to say what this will be like after a few long days on a backpacking trip, but I'm feeling quite optimistic.) Also, as someone who is used to the amazing grip of Salomon footwear, I was unsure how these would perform in comparison, but the grip was very impressive!Two things to note however:1. I was wearing some cushioned Darn Tough merino socks and after walking through the water the inside of my shoes stayed very wet and soggy for the rest of the hike even though it was hot and sunny out. So, I wasn’t overly impressed with that. However, usually having wet feet is what gives me hot spots and blisters and I didn’t experience that, so I can probably overlook the fact that they didn’t dry. (If were doing a backpacking trip I’d probably take the time to air them out while I was on the trail.)2. I have a weird 4th toe on my right foot (called a mallet toe) and I experienced pain in it coming downhill. I tend to supinate and walk more on the outer edges of my feet so going downhill puts a lot of pressure on that oddly bent toe...and being in these shoes was no different than any other shoes I've used in the past. So, I’d say this might just be an issue no matter what shoe or boot I try. My friend recommended going to a physio to see if they could recommend some taping techniques or something to help alleviate that. It’s only in my right foot so I will say that my left foot was having a wonderfully comfortable time!
I play a dog sport where I'm regularly running on different surfaces like dirt, grass, sand etc. and I've found trail shoes to be the best shoe for general traction.I have pretty wide feet, with very high arches and finding comfortable quality shoes is a nightmare of a process.When Hoka came out with a wide option, I was hopeful, but there's a few problems with this shoe.The ladies wide is really not that wide. I could have and should have selected the men's wide, but I hated the colour option. So I went with the ladies 9 wide.The 9 is a bit too long, which could have been easily rectified by using the last set of lace holes but... NOPE, they made the laces so stupidly short, that it's not an option. The tongue is also crazy short, I read the other reviews ... MoreI play a dog sport where I'm regularly running on different surfaces like dirt, grass, sand etc. and I've found trail shoes to be the best shoe for general traction.I have pretty wide feet, with very high arches and finding comfortable quality shoes is a nightmare of a process.When Hoka came out with a wide option, I was hopeful, but there's a few problems with this shoe.The ladies wide is really not that wide. I could have and should have selected the men's wide, but I hated the colour option. So I went with the ladies 9 wide.The 9 is a bit too long, which could have been easily rectified by using the last set of lace holes but... NOPE, they made the laces so stupidly short, that it's not an option. The tongue is also crazy short, I read the other reviews and thought people were being a bit ridiculous but after wearing the shoes for a few weeks... I understand the complaint. I also found out, the hard way, that you can't go bare foot in this shoe. The tops of my toes were ripped apart after one training session.The cushioning is amazing, they definitely get 5 stars for that, but I'm also very unbalanced on these shoes. I've had a few falls when changing direction quickly on the field while running. I'll keep wearing them here and there, but I'm back to the drawing board when it comes to finding training shoes.
I am a hiker with very sensitive feet. My feet have always been my body's weakest link and were always deeply sore after a long hike--until I switched to Hoka trail running shoes. I have both the Speedgoats and the Challengers, both of which I love for different situations.The Speedgoats are simply an amazing shoe (paired with a Protalus insert). The grippy soles are perfect on desert terrain. The padding is so helpful for any rough landscape. They feel like feathers, which helps me feel less tired. And my feet only ache at the end of the day, which is a huge improvement over the pain and deep soreness I previously experienced with many different brands/types of hiking shoes. I can hike longer distances as a result. I usually wear an 8.5 and went with a 9, which ... MoreI am a hiker with very sensitive feet. My feet have always been my body's weakest link and were always deeply sore after a long hike--until I switched to Hoka trail running shoes. I have both the Speedgoats and the Challengers, both of which I love for different situations.The Speedgoats are simply an amazing shoe (paired with a Protalus insert). The grippy soles are perfect on desert terrain. The padding is so helpful for any rough landscape. They feel like feathers, which helps me feel less tired. And my feet only ache at the end of the day, which is a huge improvement over the pain and deep soreness I previously experienced with many different brands/types of hiking shoes. I can hike longer distances as a result. I usually wear an 8.5 and went with a 9, which feels good on my feet. Although I agree that the tongue is a strange material, I have not experienced the same issues as other reviewers. I did not like these shoes at first because they felt so stiff but after about ten miles, they felt good enough to keep.I just ended an eight week work-related trip in Death Valley and put many hard miles on these shoes, including backpacking and 200 miles of cross-country day-hiking. I also wore the same pair for about 125 trail miles in Zion NP last autumn (two backpacking trips and lots of day-hiking). The shoes are showing quite a bit of wear from the difficult terrain but my feet feel great. Other shoes might last longer but feeling better makes more frequent replacement fine with me. I have converted four friends to these shoes and they all agree that they are perfect for hiking and even backpacking, if they fit your feet. As I said, these shoes are a miracle, at least for me.
