Hoka - Speedgoat 2

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 just found out that they re-released the mythical Speedgoat2. HOKAs have a relatively narrow toe box, mind you. If you like low drop, I would recommend checking out Altra. The new Olympus 6. The toe box is pretty wide and all Altras sport a 0 mm drop. The drop used by HOKA is 4 mm. Though I am not sure if this is important in trail shoes. I use both and are quite happy with them. The main advantage that I see is that the Altra has a fancy Velcro strap at the heel to attach their proprietary gaiters. They work well, but make me look like I'm wearing Scrooge McDucks shoes XD

Look for shoes with a 2E or 4E width! Those are width sizes and these sizes are extra wide. Hoka do speedgoats in 2E for example. NB and Inov-8 also do trailshoes in wider width sizes. Made all the difference to my feet.

Hey everyone, I've been running for about 8 years now and have gone through lots of shoes in that time but I still don't feel like I've found a perfect shoe for me, so I am here seeking advice. For context, I am 6'1"(186cm) and \~205 lbs(93kg) and I have really wide feet with high arches. I've run in a mix of trail and road shoes between Asics, Saucony, Hoka, and New Balance, and most recently, Atreyu. Out of these, my favorites have been Hoka Speedgoat 2 & 3 and the New Balance Fresh Foam More Trail v2 because of their comfort and durability. I like a higher stack height to help soften the heavier strike I have from being a relatively larger frame. Additionally, I tend to break/tear most of my shoes in the exact same way on the medial/interior side of the forefoot where the upper meets the midsole. I suspect this has something to do with my wide feet, but it still happens in wider shoes or when I order shoes in wide sizing. However, in some shoes this happens after 500-600mi (Speedgoat 2) or only after 100mi (Speedgoat 5 be damned). Also, for those of you wondering: Yes, the Speedgoats are quite narrow and they're somehow my favorite shoe, usually this requires a not-so-pleasant 50mi break-in period. I am looking for a trail shoe with decent/high stack height, the best durability possible (500mi+), and catering to wide feet. Ideally, I would also like good wet-surface grip since I live somewhere very rainy. I am mostly familiar with the big running shoe brands (Nike, Saucony, Asics, New Balance, Hoka, Brooks, etc.) but I know almost nothing about more niche/new trail shoe brands (e.g. Salomon, Topo, Altra, North Face, NNormal, Norda, La Sportiva, etc.....). Any input would be appreciated!

Really loved my old Hoka Speedgoats but the new iteration just isn't durable like it used to be. Swapped to Nike Zegama 2: super grippy, nice and cushioned, higher on the ankle, great laces, comfortable toe box with no hot spots for me.

I adored version one and recently got three pairs cheap from Sierra Trading Post. The later versions I did not like as much but it varied. I did like 3 better than 2. But shoes are highly subjective. I think this is generally a solid shoe for what you are looking for. Whether it works for you though will simply depend on your feet. What works or not for others may differ for you.

Winter/snow i wear waterproof Danner boots. The rest of the year i rock Speed goats no gortex. they dry fast and I have sweaty feet.

I hiked the PCT in Hoka SG and they’d last me 800 miles max before they got big holes.

I’ve had a couple Hoka SG versions, Peregrines, Cascadia were nice… my favorite are Speedcross 5 if you like a structured sturdy feel, rock solid, super durable, fantastic traction, lace system rocks, you really get your money’s worth and they feel “new” even as they age

I have and not a great fit unfortunately. Still a little tight in the midfoot. I’m sure they’d break in fine, but wasn’t my glass slipper out of the box lol

I’ve run my last two pairs of Challengers into the ground. Probably a bit too much with my last pair at almost 1,400k! I have had bad “luck” with my previous Speedgoats where the inside of the back of one felt really odd and rubbed against my Achilles loads. No issues with a newer pair. My latest Challengers feel a bit less tight on my feet but maybe I need to change my lacing.  That happening twice to you doesn’t just feel like bad luck though. 

I’m not a fan of GoreTex running shoes as they’re less breathable if you have hot/sweaty feet like me, and if you get water in the top of them then they stay wetter for longer. Breathable shoes are much more preferable.  And yeah, get to a shop and try some on if you can. I have some Speedgoats as they were the best fit of the four or five I tried. The hybrid Hoka Challengers are great for light trails and the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever had. 

I’m on my third pair of Hoka Challengers as they’re great for the majority of what I do, with a pair of Speedgoats for harder terrain. They last pretty well too with my most recent ones going for 1,200k before I retired them and I still use them for walking.  (I’m not a Hoka fanboy but whenever I’ve been into a shop to try new shoes, I’ve still always preferred these ones). 

Ah, thanks. Good additional info there! I tend to keep a few different shoes in my drop bags or with my crew during the really long races. I've found that really high stack shoes (Speegoats, Zegamas for me) work well early in the race, but as my muscles fatigue, my form degrades, and my turnover starts to suffer, I want a little bit less shoe. The big stack shoes make me stumble and trip! When that becomes a problem, I go down to a smaller stack shoe. Like most things shoe related, I think you'll have to experiment a bit. Over the years, I've grown further and further toward using exclusively high stack shoes both training and racing. I've been testing out different stack heights in training more recently, simply to remind myself that other options exist and can work in the right situation. If you feel like your shoes might be holding you back, give a new strategy a try.

I used to use New Balance 4E Hierro which fit well, but I was really disappointed in their grip. I was sliding all over the place on anything remotely slick which isn't really good for a trail runner. I switched to the Topo Pursuit shoes and they are wide, comfortable, and very grippy. The Terraventure get great reviews but they were substantially narrower. They were similar in width as the Hoka Speedgoat so wouldn't work for me. Altra had wide shoes at some point, but they progressively narrowed them to the point that I could no longer fit into the Lone Peaks. Supposedly, they are making them wider again and migrating to a Vibram sole which hopefully will be a vast improvement with their shoddy proprietary sole. Their quality control in generally has been poor. Brooks were always too narrow. I could never fit into the Cascadia.

If your terrain isn’t too technical, the Salomon Glide 2 might be more appropriate than the Speed Cross (longer lugs, more protection and heavier). Hoka‘s are good too, Speedgoat have a nice Vibram outsole.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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 

Buy what's the most comfortable to you.  Trail runners are lighter and breathe more (unless you buy GTX versions). Therefor, they will most likely last less.  Speedgoats are among my many shoes. I do not like them. The foam is a bit too soft for my liking, and they scrape the bottom of my ankle bone.  Chill for short runs. Nightmare when hiking.  Which only reinforces my original point. Buy whatever fits you. If you are not sure, get something cheaper in the category you are interested in and give it a try. 

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’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.

The Challengers are fine. I mostly travel to southern England and the trails there are easy. For running on the beach they’re great. The Speed Goats stay at home (Norway), where the trails are wet, steep and rugged. Both pairs suffer slightly from Hoka’s big weakness: durability.

I really like the Speed goats when I'm training because they definitely have a softer landing and less brutal on my body. I do think I will just margineably roll a bit more in them on loose rocky trails.

In Hoka Speedgoat I wear an 11, but also feel fine in a 11.5. In the Prodigio Pros I went to a 45.5. I also bought a 46 which is a little bigger in the toes but still feels good (mostly want that for long races if my feet swell). According to La Sportiva a 45.5 corresponds to a US 12. So my experience for me was sizing up from a US size by at least a half, maybe a full. Hope that helps. (Btw, I have three pairs, love them.)

correct, speedgoats are designed to work well on trails, but they're not clunky either. i actually like road running with them when it's rainy because i feel less like i'm going to slip

My son and I both wore Speadgoats at Philmont for a 50-mile backpacking trip. Loved them, and they worked great.

I always have a pair of trail shoes for whenever I'm going for some more serious trail run. Otherwise, I'm running in some older road shoes, which are already after high mileage. My trail shoes are mostly for mixed surfaces. I don't really want to wear them on asphalt too fast. I believe Hoka speedgoat are great, but they last around 300 miles only (on trails).

As others have said, it's not likely to be the shoes, Speedgoats are already so cushioned if you go any more cushioned you won't feel the trail! I get IT band issues if I haven't worked them before a trip and there is no magic shoe that will fix that. The way I fixed it when after the first time I had the problem is look up a bunch of IT band exercises to target the right muscle groups and good stretches. After doing those religiously in the lead up to the next trip I had no issues whatsoever despite it being a very similar trail. I'm doing this ahead of starting the AT in late April. Don't get me wrong, it's still worth figuring out what the best shoes are for you, but they will never be the magic bullet.

Yes — so similar to the old Speedgoats

I've used both, Speedgoats for about 4000 miles, Topos (Ultraventure Pro and Mtn Racer) for over 1000. Each of them have their up and down sides. Speedgoats are a lot narrower at the front, so even a wide isn't as wide in the footbox as a Topo, and the heel is wider for the (wide) Speedgoats, so some have issues with slipping. I've given up on Topos though because of toe and arch issues. I guess my feet don't bend like the makers of Topo expect them to, so I end up in pain after 150 miles. Speedgoats roll easier and are softer where the balls of the feet are, which takes a lot of strain off my feet (though that is, unfortunately, not as pronounced anymore as is used to be with older models). Speedgoats are probably going to counteract the lifting of your toe, but you'll have to try if it really works for you, or if the footbox is still too low.

Hoka Speedgoat are pretty squishy. I just switched to topo mtn and they hard af, miss the Hokas.

No to Goretex unless you plan on running/traveling on snow for extended periods. IMO if the outsole isn't vibram then it's a no for me, but I trend towards more rugged trails. Most popular shoe is probably the Hoka speedgoat or Brooks cascadia. I love the Hoka Mafate but its pricey. What type of trails/runs are you looking at doing?

Years of Altra-Topo… just went Zegama 2 and love it… will also keep Speedgoat in the rotation… tried on Caldera and liked it…

Zegama 2 is firm, fresh foam more is firm, speedgoat is firm. I have tried them all and they might be softer than an old style trail shoe, but definitely not soft shoes. The softest I have tried so far is ASICS trabuco max 2&3 But I would love to find a similar or softer and bouncy trail shoe, like Neo vista but for door to trail type shoes.

The crowd can relay anecdotal evidence on which shoes last and which don't, but none of us can say with certainty which ones will feel comfortable to you. It looks like you're using boots. HanWag are some beefy bois & last, so if you like 'em get another pair. Most of the folks here will recommend trail runners. There are endless discussions on why & when to use one or the other so I'll leave you to do that research yourself. Just remember that runners have an average lifespan in the 500-800 mile range. I will say that in general, runners are super comfortable so worth trying on some pairs to see what you think. Maybe even buy a pair & test 'round town. But if you want something that will last years, stick with boots, whether low mid or high top. Personally, I've switched mostly to hiking sandals and now only wear my trail runners during the fringe seasons when it's a bit chilly for my piggies. In near (or below) freezing weather, I still use my boots, which are Keens and have lasted me about 10 years with only the heel fabric wearing down and are still comfortable to me. My own anecdotal is that I've found Altras to be very uncomfortable to my feet. My runners are Hoka Challengers. I've even found their SpeedGoats to be uncomfortable to me while others swear by them. The Challengers have held up as well as any runner has (about 800 mile life for me).

I live in Arizona, you definitely want trail shoes — loose dirt has terrible traction. I run mostly in Hoka Speedgoats and have also had a pair of OnCloud VenturePeaks. Ran 5 miles once in Hoka Mafates at a demo. Which trail shoes you use is personal preference though. The vibram grip and tread patterns on Hokas tend to be pretty good compared to other brands

Holy smokes. I live in Arizona and have 391 on OnCloud VenturePeaks and 573 on Hoka Speedgoats and the lugs on both are basically gone (which was the case for the speedgoats by 400). After just 250 on both the lugs were already severely degraded. And I’m 155 lbs

I found all Topos to run short. Wore a women's 8.5 in HOKAs and a size 10 in Topos. I trained in the Speedgoats and Mafates and currently wear Pursuits and Ultraventures 

Dang! carbon shoes on gravel. If you must have carbon the adidas terrex are popular but i'm not a fan. I'd choose the Hoka Speedgoats. They're my ride or dies.

Brooks Divide is marketed as an all-terrain shoe. The rubber is harder than things like mega-grip and the lugs are shallower than typical trail shoes. I bought a pair to try out since I generally run exclusively in trail shoes, even when logging city miles. My take is they truly are an “all terrain” concept, so when I’m on roads they are fine and when I’m on gross (wet or muddy) trails I do notice the lost traction, but they get by and are much better than a road shoe. On dry trail I cannot tell a noticeable difference with something more aggressive. Would recommend, but if you are OK with more aggressively wearing down some trail shoes, I’d just get a pair of trail shoes. I still prefer my Hoka Speedgoats over anything.

I'm currently on the PCT. I hike anywhere from 20-30 miles per day and will be ramping up in Oregon. Currently wearing topo traverse. Topo made these specifically for thru hikers.i started with Hoka speedgoats in a wide but they are too narrow and has been the case for many PCT hikers that I've come across. It doesn't mean it won't work for you. I also had some lone peaks. The new ones are trash and people with foot problems blaze physio (the physical therapist that follows the PCT bubble) always found that the common denominator is these shoes and how flexible they are. Most people are also not used to zero drop shoes coming from regular sneakers. I did not like my lone peaks because it didn't give me the grip I wanted. I'm loving my traverses which gave me zero blisters the past few months and 1400 miles.

Really depends on what kinds of trails you'll be running, and what kind of milage. I have and like the AP 5 a lot, but use it mostly for muddier and/or steeper terrain on longer runs. It has aggressive lugs, that you don't need for smoother, flater single track. They'll of course work for that, but won't be as fun. Same with the Speedgoat (which I also own) but they're a little more stable, while not a agile. If you're coming from the road and some fast running, something like the Salomon Genesis might work better. Or even the Sense Ride, if you'll be doing mostly shorter runs. The Sense Ride is what I use for "speed" work on the trails, and it's a fun shoe. But it doesn't have deep lugs or a lot of cushioning/stack height, so I don't use it for longer runs.

But the Speedgoat is even clunkier (I have both). And for the stack height, I think the Agility Peak is pretty nimble.

Do not do this with plantar fasciitis. Get a shoe with a high stack like the hola speedgoats or the NB fresh foam. PF is not something to mess around with because it will end your hike in a way that nothing else can by making every step agony.

I own too many lol. An old pair of Saucony Peregrine that I use for trail runs or on snow during winter. A "new-ish" pair of Hoka Speedgoats that I use mainly for races. Most of my runs are on pavement, where I alternate between Asics GT-2000 and Hoka Clifton. I also own a cheap pair of YUL shoes that I use as gym/treadmill shoes. And while technically not shoes, I own an old pair of Luna sandals that I will wear for a couple of runs during the year, in the summer when it's very hot or raining a lot.

I'm not sure about the zero drop, but I'd look at Challengers or Speedgoats. Always loved the wide Hoka models for my thick toes

Even the wide model?

I suggest hoka speed goats, some microspikes and ankle gators. Ensures that you can you use them all year round. Only downside for me is trail runners last 300-500 miles (480-800 km) whereas hiking boots last 500-1000 miles (800-1600 km). I see the durability as a none issue, especially when considering the comfortability they provide during long treks. After logging about 300 miles in my speed goats, I feel that I have a season or two left in them.

I adore my Hoka speedgoats - have worn them for many years, but prefer to travel with an all-in-one shoe that's a bit lighter unless I'm running in actual mountains with tougher terrain. I just got a pair of the Nike pegasus trail and liking them so far!

Yes but it's not just the high stack for me. Outsole grip/traction, upper fabric security (does it stretch a lot or keep my feet directly over the sole at all times?), and how soft/firm the cushioning is matter some too. I'd still wear high stack shoes like Speedgoats, Xodus Ultra 1-2, and others over loose rocky terrain but will slow down to maintain stability. I wouldn't be running them much faster with lower stack shoes because the risk and consequences is still higher and I'd be making trade offs with foot comfort and overall pace e.g., faster and more comfy the rest of the time vs being slightly faster on rocks but overall slower because after a while my feet get punctured.

I’ve found the TOPO to be an amazing shoe. Also not under $100 but the HOKA Speedgoat has an amazing sole for Rocky terrain. I wish there were quality trail shoes under $100 - seems an impossible task these days.

I absolutely love my HOKA Speedgoats this season. The Vibram sole has kept me from going ass over teakettle so many times on the trail. And the wide toe box feels so roomy. It’s $ but for my foot, wonderful. https://preview.redd.it/87p0r5ce4j1f1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfbe521c79c4ee9024de68360e354bc721000386

100%. I wear the HOKA Speedgoat for most of my local hikes. When it gets really muddy or incredibly rocky, I transition to TOPO hikers. But for the most part, my feet are far happier in runners. Here’s a piece on how to choose. https://www.coloradohikesandhops.com/blog/how-to-choose-hiking-boots-shoes-trail-runners

I used Hoka speed goats and they were great

Approach shoes would be fine I'm sure. I did 5 days across Skye in hoka speedgoats with a full 65l pack. Kept to my routine of changing to dry socks at lunch ,dry em at night then dry socks in the morning. Quite a lot of bog but once your feet are wer you can just stomp through it.

Disagree with brand not mattering - I cannot recommend the Hoka Speedgoats. They didn't even make it 6 months. But my Brooks are still going strong after like 2 years. But yes, trail running is the best

Yea same here. 2 of mine are different versions of hoka speed goats and a could Nike zegamas. I just have a hard time getting rid of the old ones because every once in a while they can be nice for a change of feel on a recovery run

I’ve had best success using wide Hoka Speedgoats sized up 0.5 or a full size depending on the model. Depending on the technicality / terrain of the trails you’re on it may work better to find a 2e/4e road shoe without too much stack height and use that. Something like a Nike Pegasus, Brooks Ghost etc. People often recommend Topo as an alternative to Altra so that may be worth a look. Haven’t tried myself so I can’t say for sure. Probably also worth finding a podiatrist who specializes in working with runners, they are worth their weight in gold.

I’m just speaking from my experience as someone with measured 4e feet and custom orthotics. Speedgoat wides up half or a full size work for me. I wouldn’t recommend the regular width at all.

The Hoka Speedgoat is the most popular option. I like mine for hiking. [https://www.hoka.com/en/us/trail/](https://www.hoka.com/en/us/trail/) I own the Bondi also - but don't take that on trails.

I \*hate\* wearing trail shoes on the road. Always just feels... clompy. Doesn't matter the brand, my old Hoka Speedgoats, Sauconys, Salomons, New Balance, I've never found a trail shoe that feels comfortable on the road. It might be part psychological but I don't think it's 100% in my head. The cushioning doesn't feel quite right, there's no snap, it almost feels like the outsole is sticking to the road. Or like I can feel the lugs pushing back up into my foot. I can grind out a slow mile or two but I \*hate\* it. And as noted, you'll wear your trail shoes down much more quickly on asphalt. It's not just that the lugs are deeper, they're a softer rubber for better grip on rocks. Where I HAVE worn trail shoes on the road is in the winter, when it's snowy and slushy, and doing so I burned through a pair of Salomon Speedcrosses in maybe 200 miles. Tread was just gone. So, even if you need to front a little but more $$ up-front to buy a second pair of dedicated road shoes, in the end it'll save you money because you'll likely get at least 25% more miles out of the road shoes, and I would guess a bit more.

I prefer Altra Lonepeak. But Speedgoats are especially great for the longer hikes (4+ hours). They got more cushion.

Second this. I’ve taken my Speedgoats to Colorado and they were more than I needed. But anywhere in the Appalachians the tread is essential…for me at least.

So I really love Hoka Speedgoats - but even in the men's wide I have to wrap my bunions in leukotape and still get a lot of irritation due to the toe squeeze of the tapered toe box (and I'm already going up 1/2 size). Altras (with a heel lift) and topos fit well width-wise, but I need a rocker due to hallux limitus and at least the topo ultraadventure bothers my feet (maybe because it's a late-stage rocker? from what I understand early stage rockers are better for hallux limitus). The phantom topo feels better (though it's not a trail shoe). Are any other of the topo trail runners rocker shoes? So: ideally the speedgoats would be offered in extra wide, or the toebox would stop tapering. Assuming that isn't going to happen anytime soon -- does this shoe I'm looking for exist? (extra wide toebox on a rocker). Or is there any hacks I can do to my speedgoats to make them work? Thanks.

In the same boat in re loose ankle ligaments and rolled ankles, and never really made the connection. I was running exclusively in SGs, and rolled my ankle badly thrice in three months at the end of last year. Been in PT and just getting back to being able to run again after the last one. Didn't have this issue with my old cascadias, so now I'm curious to try switching up my shoes.

For me La Sportiva's shoes have been unrivalled for durability. My first pair of mutants have roughly 1500km in them, though have now been downgraded from a fell shoe to a trail shoe as the lugs have worn down. If the Bushido's are so clearly working for you, I'm not sure why you would move away, but the Mutants should perhaps be a considerations. My personal view of Speedgoats is that they shit clumpy things with even shittier grip on muddy terrain, plus a horrendously high stack. Mine lasted me 50km before they became gardening shoes. Doesn't matter how durable a shoe is if you don't get on with it, hence why the Bushidos seem the obvious choice for you.

Speedgoats and speedcrosses are quite different shoes. Both are quite cushioned but it’s not a case of one being better than the other, they’re just different. What I will say is that speedgoats are rubbish in anything other than a thin layer of mud, so you may want to keep that in mind.

i wore my hoka speedgoats everywhere both trail running in iceland and hiking and perfectly fine!

I do. The Hoka Speedgoat, La Sportiva TX4 (pretty much all La Sportiva models, honestly), Scarpa (many models), and Salomon XA Pro 3D V9 and X Ultra all have really good tread. It's just a matter of finding the right last (foot model of the shoe) for your unique feet.

The Speedgoats do a better job when cornering, or on uneven and/or technical terrain. The Calderas make you fight a little bit with the side walls in those situations. However, I actually find the Calderas better when running faster, because they have some nice flexibility in the forefoot.

I think it depends entirely on the environment. I’d wager the speedgoats’ sole holds up well in the PNW, but they seem to essentially dissolve in hot dry conditions

The AZT killed my speedgoat soles after a week, it’s really not a great compound for hot/dry/sandy

I trail run some but mostly hike. Love my hoka speedgoats for both activities. Look into the speedgoat mid- It's like a hiking boot on a running shoe chassis. They provide a little more support for hiking on rough terrain , but you can run in them comfortably.

I agree with the other poster. Highly recommend going to a dedicated running store and trying g them on. In my experience, peregrines struggle on truly technical terrain. Anything over 12ish miles and my feet really start to feel it. I moved to speed goats directly after peregrines and my feet are much happier in that regard. I’m guessing this is for winter? Solomon thunder cross have great grip but are less cushioned. They are waterproof. If you like the peregrines you may want to try the xodus ultra line. I have a pair of xodus ultra 2 ice or shield or winter or whatever they branded it as that I bought and really like. Only ran in them once or twice as I’m saving them for winter (I think it’ll roughly coincide with when my speedgoats start to fail).

I’d encourage you to go to a dedicated running store and try a bunch on. My experience with speed goats, which are currently what I’m running in, is the ankle is actually somewhat shallow. The heel in Nnormal and even Sauconys and some Solomons are deeper then the speedgoats in my experience. My rec would be try out Nnormal Tomir. I thought the heel in that was deep and really superb.

I went from speedgoats to xodus ultra 3 and prefer them, though I do feel like they are far more of a stability shoe than the sg6 are.

The Hoka website has a really good size guide. I measure my feet in cm and it’s accurate. They have quite a roomy toe and heel which for me is good, not super super wide but wider than some. I have had a couple of pairs of speedgoats I trail run then retire them for walking. Super comfy and very grippy. I have also had a pair of sky high kaha boots. Very good but the top around the ankle is a giant sponge which defeats the point of them being water proof, gaiters fixed that issue. Overall very happy with both they don’t last as long as traditional leather walking shoes/boots but are good durability in the trail running category. The luggs at the bottom I wear down after a couple of years. I mainly do long distance walking less technical but the odd grade scramble. Found them good for most dry non technical conditions. I walked the whw, Cumbria way, Aviemore to Blair Athol and lots of day walks in speedgoats. For longer good weather hikes the cushioning is brilliant.

I run in mafate 4 and speed goats and have no problem alternating between trails and a bit of road. Lots of races will have that

My hoka speedgoats made it to 600 miles before they got holes. Trails can wear shoes down a lot faster than roads. 450 miles is acceptable IMO 

No. They need to be strengthened. But also, there is technically name for it. But like, the speed goats have a bit of an outward flare from the top to the bottom of the soul. Creates a larger footprint, a bigger platform. Certainly helped. But largely, I twist my ankles regularly. It fucking hurts

Hoka Speedgoat comes in wide and has the Vibram Megagrip compound. A 5mm drop so close to your Topos as well.

even when you encounter water they dry out much faster, I only use full waterproof when snow hiking and it's important to keep your feet warm and dry. I've actually considered retiring my old hoka speedgoats to be watershoes for kayaking type activities. I also have a lot of boots and shoes. My opinion just on the trail runners I've had: Hoka speedgoat the most breathable but the most fragile, shallower lugs, great on compacted dirt fire roads in the heat but get torn up on rockier trails like gorgonio. Salomon speedcross more durable and less breathable, deeper lugs on the bottom for softer dirt, I probably liked these the most for an all around general purpose if you are going up some of the higher mountains Alta lone peak, probably inbetween the speedgoat and speedcross in most ways including breathability and lug depth. These have a very roomy toe box which makes it a darling for PCT through hikers for those extra long miles, however because of that looser fit they don't feel as secure when scrambling on rocks.

Inov8 has begun making their shoes in an different shape. I haven’t tried them yet but would like to. As go for the SpeedGoats I went with a size bigger but wouldn’t recommend the 6 that I done way to firm for longer runs.

A bit on the pricier side but Nordas 001 are my current fav at the moment. Comfortable, extremely grippy and it looks like its built to last. Hoka Speedgoats are great as well but I find the latest version a bit on the firmer side. Still a really great option though but you can probably snag last years model on sale. Whichever you pick make sure to try them in store first!

Either a closed toe sandal or a trail running shoe, I use Keen Clearwaters or Hoka Speedgoats. Whatever you choose go for quick drying, there is no such thing as waterproof footwear.

Theoretically, yes, they should be better. If you're looking for a show with a ton of cushion like the Excursions I would look at Hoka. I dont over think my shoes I just use what works. I tried Peregrines and theyre light and hold up for a long time. I tried Hoka Speed Goats and they gave me blisters. So I went back to Saucony and used the Endorphin Trail. I liked those but Peregrine are lighter and I prefer light with less cushion.

Hoka speedgoat is solid. Runs narrow but a widefit fixes that and the sole/durability of them is crazy good.

Everyone is right in here, but I’ll tell ya what I’ve gone through: Brooks Cascadia: Wore this model for years. Eventually found that the cushion wasn’t enough for my knees. The shoe held up okay overall Hoka Speedgoat: definitely a big switch compared to the Cascadias. Almost felt like my feet were on the second story of a double deck bus. The cushion, which is fantastic, felt taller because of this and I would find myself tripping often. This was probably me getting used to the model. It was a bit small in the toe box. Overall love the shoe and comfort level. Out of the box, VERY grippy, but after 100 miles of trails they’re shredded. I had to switch to protect my wallet! Altra Olympus: Big time grip, comfy, and wide toe box. I’ve only put about 30 miles into them, but I dig em. I find the material the heel is made out of pulls on the sock/skin on the back of my heel, it feels like a suede or felt almost. I honestly thought I was going to have an enormous blister, but it ended up being okay. These are my current shoes. I know all of these experiences are very personal, but I thought I’d share with you my experiences with a few models. Hope this helps.

San Diego hiker here. Just left the Brooks brand after 10+ years for Hoka. I’m 41 and hike a ton, I love the Hoka Speedgoat. Very comfortable, I find that I don’t fatigue as easily, VERY grippy out of the box, and breath well.

I have had a similar struggle. Brooks cascadia too stiff, hokas too narrow even in a wide, topos too sloppy, not sure about committing to zero drop with altra, I assumed Nikes wouldn't work....but the zegamas fit beautifully. I am a lady and I wear the men's size for the width and it's the best fitting trail shoe I have found.

I still like peregrines for 50km distance, and speedgoats start feeling not cushioned enough once you hit 100km! I haven’t tried the others though. But it also depends on terrain and personal preference! Both peregrine and speedgoats are pretty grippy, so great for technical terrain. Speed goats are the most comfortable on the downhill, especially if technical or steep. I’ll happily deal with less comfort/cushion but more secure footing. I used to hate speed goats for uphill because they’re so chonky that I felt like I couldn’t get onto my tippy toes on steep climbs. But now I’m used to them and I’m happy with how they fare in longer ultras. On shorter distances around 50km, feet can handle more so I am more likely to go with shoes where I have better ground feel. So peregrine for technical terrain, and hoka zinal for non-technical!

Speedgoats are super grippy for me but if you want even more bite I would suggest looking into NNormal and Norda.

I also switched from hoka SG to topo (green ones I forget) 300 miles into the PCT and it actually removed the knee pain I had had for years that was ironically caused by hokas

I have Hoka Speed goats for trail hiking and running and love them. I tried other hokas for running but find them very soft, so wear them for walking. I have leather ones I wear for walking at work that are fabulous.. Great for that, for road running I have Brooks ghosts. I have wide feet. The best is to go to a running shoes store and get fitted and try on a bunch. They will help you find the right ones For your feet.

Lots of people run it in speedgoats. If it fits you well, then stick with it

I’m a fan of them but I think it depends what your running style is and I could see not liking them. I don’t think of them as that heavy but they are pretty stiff with almost no rocker and only moderate cushioning. I think this generally helps me get firm ground contact when Im impacting towards the forefoot and on dirt trails but I do find they struggle with rocks a bit and if you start impacting closer to the heel they start getting clunky and cumbersome because there’s almost no rocker to help roll you forward

I've had a couple pairs of cascadias and I loved them. A couple years ago when I went to get new shoes REI didn't have them so I switched to Hoka speedgoats and haven't gone back but cascadias are definitely amazing.

Speedgoats are pretty good for mixed, but you are going to burn through them fast, like sub 250mi from my experience. I made the switch to all trail and never looked back.

Maybe you could try more padded Altra, so Timp or Olympus. Lately, I'm a huge fan of Inov8, so maybe you could look into those as well. The new models are foot shaped like Altra or Topo but have a bit more support for me. I wouldn't get hoka speedgoat. It's really narrow shoe which could cause other issues on trail.

I know I'm not the only person in the world who uses Speedgoats for hiking/backpacking but also for trail running. They've accompanied me on a few trips to the store, too. Yeah, I have hiking boots, and pavement running shoes, and some trail runners, too. But the Speedgoats are my do-it-all pair, and they get the most play. Totally doable. You'll just have to replace that pair more often.

That’s quite accurate. I have a Hoka Speedgoat. First impression is good. Yet it’s the least used shoes (almost never). It just doesn’t feel good when running. I wear Inov8 Trailfly G270 every time. On my fourth pairs of those now (from back when it was called Terraultra). This is obviously personal to me as everyone know that everyone’s different 😆

Another vote to just go try them on. We do some rocky trails in HOKA speedgoats, which are my current fave partially because the uppers are so thin and breathable. The stores close to me don’t carry altra lone peaks, but they are on my list to try on the next time we’re in a more populated area.

I love my HOKA speedgoats. But shoe fits are variable, and your best bet is to go somewhere with lots of options and try em on. There are also lists some years about what shoes were worn on the Appalachian Trail (and probably other big trails, but I always come across the AT one). I like to browse it for ideas too.

They didn’t work for me for this reason, especially after they broke in for 6 months or so. After a few different shoes I feel much better in Sportivas.

Agree on the trail shoes. I have a pair of Hoka Speedgoats that I found too cushiony for trail running, but perfect for rucking (both road and trail).

Yes, Speedgoat is a perfect example of this to me (still a fine shoe). Compared to say a Topo Terraventure MUCH less stable especially at speed.

I switched from Altra to Home Speed Goats and ended with Hoka Challengers. Switching to Hokas was the best decision I made and kept me going.

Hoka speedgoat didn’t need any break in time

I ran all summer in the mountains of Maine and NH in Speedgoats and they worked just fine. Whatever shoe you decide on I would recommend two things for every race in wet conditions (humidity, wet trails, or both). First is to lube your feet. I use Astroglide but Squirrels Nut Butter works well too. Second are gaiters which will reduce the amount of grit that get in your shoes and increase the chance of foot issues.

These destroyed my feet even in a wide they are really narrow

currently sitting at the airport wearing Hoka Speedgoats

Love the Hoka Speed Goat a lot but have recently switched to the Altra Lone Peak. Two very different feels but am a fan of both!

I love me some speedgoats. I’ve worn (out) every version since SG2. I’ve had 2s, 3s, two pair of 4s and now 6s. They’ve been with me for multi day section hikes of the Colo Trail, day hikes in Oregon and Cali, and I just got back from a trip down the Grand Canyon and back up.

I have fairly sweaty feet and I find that non-waterproof shoes work best for me. Shoes like the Altra Lone Peaks, Hoka One One Speedgoats, or anything else with a lightweight, breathable mesh upper. I wouldn't wear those unless I was staying on the Rim Trail at the Grand Canyon. Any of the trails that drop into the canyon are going to be steep. You'll want something you can lace tight to minimize your foot movement within the shoe. You're feet are already going to be moving more than normal. I've spent a fair bit of time in the canyon (Rim to Rim to Rim, multiple Rim to Rivers), and I've seen people wear everything from boots to flip flops in the canyon. The two best pieces of advice I have for people hiking in the canyon are: 1. Be extra cautious. You hike down into the canyon. this takes more of a toll on people's legs than they realize. Then, the climb out is more miserable than needed (it's already miserable) because they thought it was easy to keep going down. 2. Take care of issues with your shoes and feet as quickly as possible. Stopping to put leukotape or moleskin on a hot spot as soon as it starts will save a lot of pain later.

i personally prefer a wider shoe. hoka speedgoat (at least the previous models, not sure about the new ones) were wide and helped me build up my ankle stability (6 years back)

Personally I can't stand the soft foam right below the heel on those shoes- it wears thin enough after maybe 100 miles that small pointy rocks jab right in there. I have repeatedly bruised my heels on rocky downhills in Speedgoats, once so badly that I thought I'd broken my calcaneus. Never buying them again. Obviously they work for tons of other people though

Speed goats are comfortable but clumsy and fall apart. Fine for non technical trials.

I have the Hoka Speed Goats and they are so grippy. Trail shoes will suffice for 99% of the hiking any person will do on the weekends.

Obvious point, but can equally say that the methodology has revealed the least favourite/most hate, and that's the... Hoka Speedgoat! This isn't hate for the Speedgoat - I like the 5s - just reflecting that maybe the ratios tell a more nuanced story. I for one am surprised not to see any Inov8s in there.

What are they saying? I loved them a couple years ago but I’ve moved on since they weren’t lasting long. Sometimes I think about trying a new pair again

Man I loved my speedgoats but they don’t last very long.

Hoka speedgoats

Same, I was just too slow for speedgoats, but when I went fast no sprains and awesome response, That being said, what shoes are good for long slow runs to not sprain your ankle?

Had lots of issues in my Hoka trail shoes, challengers and Speedgoats…switched to Altra Olympus…amazing

I ran it in 2021 when it was 100k and am going back this year for the 120. It was my first 100k back then so I had no idea what was doing. Ended up hiking the last 30k so am hoping to finish a little stronger this year. It is runnable by UTMB standards, but don’t underestimate a lot of small up and downs in additions to the big climbs. Those ups and downs are basically continuous for the whole thing. The 2 big climbs around the lake are steep but not hugely technical, but the descent to St.Gilgen around 50k is a quad killer. I remember most of the uphills were always walking, but aside from a few small technical sections, the downs were runnable. Terrain is a mix of grass, woods, roots, and rocky tracks. I ran in Speedgoats last time, and will either go with them again this year or maybe the Salomon Ultra Glides. Aid stations are very well stocked, so you don’t need to overdo it with your own supply. I would just have a few gels and drinks and rely on the aid stations for solids.

Last year, I did it in speedgoats and half way at Courmayuer, changed into a second pair of speedgoats. Don’t forget that it’s closer to 110 miles, not 100 miles. That last section is probably the most technical (unless I was hallucinating it at that point). In my opinion, I didn’t think it was too technical outside of that.

Hoka speedgoats were recommended via a place that goes Gait testing etc. I love the speedgoats for comfort they are great to hike in. Unfortunately their souls and the desert are very incompatible and they will wear out fast, so if you are expecting 500 miles per shoe, the hokas will not hit that, especially in the first 700 miles. Disappointed that I barely made the 260 mark on no tread, I switched to topos. Comfortable, love the toe box, and I got to say they designed a really intelligent shoe. I really really liked them, and they were very durable. Unfortunately by Wrightwood I was having knee issues I've never had before. I saw blaze Physio and she showed me how I was walking in those shoes. The solution according to her? Where Hoka speedgoats. I continued to wear them to hikertown, and gave someone they very good condition topos for my new rei ordered speedgoats and she was right. So how you walk really matters for the shoes you wear and these two different a lot. I really wish topos made a sole more like the speed goat or that hoka made a more durable shoe. At home I'm getting closer to 400 miles with the speed goats in pnw hiking but that desert Sands them down fast

In my opinion, Speedgoats would be the way to go if that's the only Hoka you're considering, but I'd also highly recommend the hoka challengers. About to start my hike in a couple months in lightly worn Hoka challengers - but I almost went with speed goats! One of my parents is an ultramarathoner/trail runner and went with me to REI to help me choose between a few different shoes there, and while we both liked the speed goats and my gait in them we noticed one small issue: micro spikes. If you're going to be wearing spikes at any point during your hike, check to make sure that dip in the outsole in the back center of the speed goats (and in any shoe you're trying) doesn't render your spikes in that spot useless. I am using kahtoola micro spikes, and on speed goats the back center spikes are right over that outsole gap and as such don't actually dig into any snow/ground when pressure is put on the shoe/you take a step. Not sure about other brands of spikes, so if you have spikes that work with the shoe, awesome!! Hoka challengers have, from my and my parents experience with them, very similar benefits to speed goats but slightly tougher/longer lasting tread than speedgoats, slightly better grip on rock, as well as work great with Kahtoola micro spikes. But if the speedgoats are what you're set on, my regular-marathoner parent absolutely loves them and wears them as a primary hiking/trail running shoe, so really you can't go wrong there haha. Just be aware of the arrangement of your micro spikes if you use them!!! As for the wearing out issue, Speedgoats will wear faster than challengers due to the make of the outsoles, and excessive road walking will kinda kill Speedgoats. Challengers can tolerate it due to the tougher outsole, but they'll also wear out faster on pavement. Overall though, I'd say they're worth it despite that issue, and nothing stops you from almost literally running them into the ground with how much of an outsole they've got on them.

I switched from hiking boots to Hoka Speedgoats about 4-5 years ago for hiking/backpacking and never looked back. The comfort is out of this world right out of the box. I’ve slowly built my collection over the years. I work on my feet all day and they are excellent for that as well.

+1 for Hoka Speedgoat. Love mine. Bummed to hear yours didn’t last.

HOKA SpeedGoats are the gold standard in trail running right now. Currently they are the most popular shoes at all my local trails.

You will want less stack height probably. I ran a technical 30km trail race in speedgoats as a first trail race ever and that was a terrible decision. Rolled my ankle and thought I broke it. And almost rolled it a bunch more times. The shoes were very "tippy" and easy to roll because of the height. And hard to run fast and technically in. My last few races I've used s/lab pulsar 2s and feel much more nimble and confident in them

When I tried the speedgoat I had the same experience as you, it was way too tight over the middle of my foot. Afterwards I tried the Asics Trabuco 13 and it fit like a dream. I am also on the heavier side (93kg-ish) and the Trabucos are super comfy for me, so I would suggest you give them a try!

My HOKA Speedgoats seem to handle getting soaked (wading through rivers soaked) really well. But they’re the only shoes I’ve run in so I don’t have comparisons. Merino wool socks help too.

how are they for traction on rock? I'm a Hoka Speedgoat guy, and I love them. The rubber is super sticky and soft, so anytime I'm on solid slick rock, they're amazing. But the trade off of soft grippy rubber is faster wear. How are the Cascadias when it comes to rock?

Personal preference but for me, Hoka Mafate speed 4's. My feet measure 9.5 US and I wear 12s. Your feet will grow, a lot. They will flatten out getting wider and longer. Make sure your toe box is wide enough and has enough room so that your toes don't get jammed walking downhill. Any of the Hoka trail runners will work well. Many like the Speed Goats. Hokas' initial secret was the high stack height which made them super cushy allowing you to eat up road and rocky trail miles with no pain. It also makes them feel a little tall initially. Give it a week and you'll be loving them. Lots of other shoes are going full stack. Many folks love the Altras. I just finished the Norte-Primitivo, Portuguese, and the Fisherman's Trail, about 800 miles all in one pair of shoes.

I have not found the right shoe yet, no. I have found the Altra Lone Peak, Olympus, and Hoka Speedgoat midsoles to all lose compression rebound before the sole or uppers wear out. I don't have enough miles in my Hoka Mafate Speed 4 to make a determination, but they feel really good. I think the Ego Max midsole on the Altra Timp 5 has much better life than the Ego EVA, but is too firm for long days. The Nike Zegama 2 would've been a homerun for me if they didnt use the weird heel cup sock liner thing.

The Speedgoat is significantly stiffer than the Mafate. Altra Timp is a wonderful hiking/running shoe if you are interested in zero drop.

Yes, the Speedgoats are good for hiking, very comfortable and grippy on rocks (I wore them in rocky, wet conditions in the Adirondacks mostly). However I stopped wearing them because the soles wear down too quickly. I switched to La Sportiva Ultra Raptors instead.

I have a really wide foot and the speedgoats come in wide, and they fit me great. I have 5 pairs of them over the last 3-4 years.

YES! Same problem with HOKAs. I’ll never buy another pair. They’re comfortable so I initially got 4 pairs/ 2 speedgoat (trail with vibram) and 2 hoka transporter - also vibram. The soles/ treads on all four pairs wore out immediately. None of my other brands of shoe or hiking boots with Vibram grips have EVER done that. So, now I stick with Keens and older model Merrills. I was a big fan of Merrill’s- but all of Merrills’ sizing this year was messed up.

I love my Hoka Speedgoats. I’ve tried a couple others but for my foot they feel and preform the best for me.

For Hokas, I prefer the Mafate Speeds over the Speedgoats. The fit is better and the tread lasts a lot longer — most of the trails I run are pretty rocky, and the Speedgoats only lasted about 150 miles before the tread was worn, whereas the Mafates can get 400+ miles.

I’ve found the Hokas to be narrow, and I’ve read the same in multiple reviews. Surprised to see them described as comfortable for wide feet. They weren’t at all for me.

Can confirm, I started the transition from road to trail with Speedgoats, and continued to use them for many years. I have since transitioned to Altra Lone Peak(zero drop shoes will take you a couple of months to transition into typically), I love the wide toe box, really benefits when foot swelling happens during longer jaunts on the trails.

Nice! Are the Mafates looking like a better shoe for longer and technical mountain runs? Also bummed that I’m not liking the speedgoats as much as earlier versions

I prefer trail runners (hoka speedgoat), especially in the long slogs over boulders above treeline. The more flexible trail runner gives better feedback and makes it easier to balance, in my opinion. However it is a little harder on your feet than boots. I also prefer to have non-waterproof footwear in the summer (especially if they’re shoes) as they’ll dry much faster than the waterproof models and will keep your feet cooler. That said, as long as the footwear is made for hiking/trail running, has good grip, and feels good on your feet, you’ll be good to go on the presi range in the summer.

Eh I’ve pushed two pairs or speedgoats 1000+ miles so it depends on how much you care about comfort. One pair almost made it 1500. That being said I still think the Topo teraventure is the perfect trail shoes for me. I’ve made it 1000 comfortably with those

Yes. I did the W Trek in Torres del Paine in Hoka Speedgoats. I also have strong ankles and have hiking countless times.

I like Hoka Speedgoats for warmer weather, unless I have a heavy pack, in which case I go for boots (Salewa). The soles on the Speedgoats are great for any kind of terrain.

That describes most trail shoes I've experienced. Tried half a dozen of the most popular trail runners including Speedgoats, all too stiff. They don't seem to do anything special to prevent water intrusion over a road runner for me. Goretex models do a good job of trapping sweat and water coming inside the shoe, and the heat they trap in is terrible. I resort to road running shoes, even in zone 4 terrain. I am not running on sharp rocks, however, perhaps trail runners are needed for this?

I tried both at the store. I found the brooks to be more responsive and also more plush. To me the speedgoats also felt great though. I just decided to go with the brooks because I preferred the midsole feel I guess.

I dislike the Speed Goats as well. I sometimes wear them for training runs because they are so heavy.

Yes, absolutely. For me it’s how likely I am to clip the outside of my heel. Lower height and zero-drop shoes make me run more on the forefoot, much safer on technical terrain. I run in Speedgoats on my easy weekday runs, Tecton X’s for the more technical weekend

I agree that Speedgoats are more ankle-rolly than my Tecton X’s or eg Altras. Chunkier heel = more chances to catch the outside edge of the heel. But your (my!) technique is the more important factor.

Honestly I don't get the hate. First Speedgoats for me and after about 50 miles the whole shoe has softened and moulded to my foot like a glove. I always go wide in Hoka without a doubt, if makes a world of difference. Great traction, fit and cushion for me. The upper feels durable although not the most breathable upper I've had. Seems like a solid shoe for me which suits my road to trail antics. Haven't tried running anything over half marathon distance in them though, so not sure how they'd do on an ultra.

Mostly due to toebox width, I now use Speedgoats for longer trainings, and for racing ultras it's either Nike Ultrafly (dry/faster courses) or Mafate 4s (for more technical/muddy races). If you're lucky, you can find Ultryfly under 150 Euro right now and I gotta say, this shoe really surprised me. Wider than any Nike shoes I had before and Vibram outsole is a game changer!

I hiked the Colorado trail, which is unsurprisingly very mountainous, rocky, and steep, in Hoka Speedgoats and not once thought I’d made a mistake wearing them.

I also have a shorter left leg and I run in Hoka Speedgoats. With a good runner's knot, my heel never lifts and they're super comfortable.

They're not the mids, but that would definitely help keep things in place.

I use my Merrell Moab Speed 2 GTX for trailrunning, hikes and citytrips. Also have HOKA Speedgoats, but I prefer to use those ones for trailrunning.

I love mine, I just hiked to Mount Washington in them last week. I very, very rarely slip and love the traction they have. I also hike in Hoka Speedgoats but I prefer Lone Peaks.

I mean, those shoes have an obvious design flaw with only partial coverage by the sole. Any trail runner with a solid rubber sole will hold up better that style with gaps in the tread. It's exposing way more edges to fail. I don't think my wife nor I have had that style of sole last more than a couple hundred miles in the Rockies without lots of regluing. Hoka Speedgoats for instance, the tread on some of theirs isn't complete either and it gets chewed up on any rocky terrain well before other shoes, we've usually reglue them a bunch. Versus all of our standard soled runners that last well over 300-400 miles, at least glue-wise. Nike Wildhorses, multiple TNF, multiple La Sportiva, Topos, Salomon Speedcross have all held up to our areas sharp talus.

I first hiked in speedgoats (wide) and was very happy with them. The only downside is that the grip is gone pretty fast. I need to replace them after ~700 miles but they might take you further. I am just not in the mood for a broken shoe in the middle of nowhere. I swapped to the topo traverse out of curiosity because they are hard to get in my home country. After a few days my left food started to hurt to thw point where I was barely able to walk. Loosening the shoe solved the problem but i did not really feel comfortable with a verly loosely tied shoe. Now I can wear them without problems but I haven't done any multi day hikes with them since I'm back. Never change your shoe model if they work for you! Pro speedgoats: had no problems, good cushening, good fit is nice for rough terrain, my feet felt more protected Pro traverse: bigger toebox, grip lasts way longer

I had no blisters nor other foot problens with my hoka speedgoats. They also lasted longer than the topo traverse I tried.

I hiked the PCT in both topo ultraventures and hoka speedgoats. I hated my topos, I bought them after realizing zero drop shoes were not for me and were one of the only other options available. They fell apart quickly and I still pronated fairly bad in them (causing me to have post tib tendinitis). I wore them for 300ish miles before they had fallen apart. after working with blaze physio I switched into hoka speedgoats and it changed my hike! The pain in my ankles was gone and the hokas lasted 500-700 miles.

Look for deals on late models. Hoka speedgoat, Brooks Cascadia, La Sportiva Ultra Raptor. Non GoreTex. Deals to be had on running shoe websites. Your feet will thank you

I definitely rolled my ankles more in Speedgoats than I do in my topos or lone peaks. But I don’t think it’s as much about stack height as it is about forefoot width. Just having a wider base helps a lot for the stability, for me at least

I was rolling my ankles every 6 months wearing Hoka speedgoats for years. I switched to Speedland and almost 3000 miles and 18 months with no rolls at all. I also found that riding a one wheel has strengthened my ankles considerably.

Yes. I’ve never rolled my ankles as much as I do in speedgoats (I have very Gumby like ankles though so it hardly impacts me but I know one day it will…) which is disappointing because they are genuinely comfortable.

Trail runners are great. I walked in Hoka Speedgoats

I like my speed goats for hiking. I have bondi for walking.

I wouldn’t call Topo a “not-so-common” brand. I’ve been running in the ultraventure for the past couple of years and they’ve been good to me. I usually change shoes in the middle of my 100’s to change pressure points but have taken the ultraventure all the way in my past couple of 100k’s. I would split time between topo and Hoka but my last two speedgoats had durability issues and now I’ve been just rotating all topo’s

I really like these hoka speedgoat...seem to hd up with good cushion and traction

I rotate between two Hoka Speedgoats and one pair of Topas. Never waterproof; always wearing Merino socks.

salomon speed cross: unmatched traction and high cushion, not super stable though saucony peregrine: great grip with deep lugs similar to the speecross, not as cushioned but more stable hoka speedgoats: good balance of stability, traction, and cushion, but if you’re running consistently on sharp rocky terrain they are gonna fall apart. their foam is notoriously easy to break down and tear altra experience wild: great cushion and stability, tread isn’t as aggressive but still grips on a wide range of surfaces, doesn’t run quite as wide as some other altras which may be a good thing for you to get a more secure fit la sportiva bushido ii/iii: my personal fav of the shoes mentioned, universally grippy on all surfaces, best lateral stability and rigid support, cushion is a bit lacking but not the worst

In addition to what’s already been said here, I find that trail shoes « stick » to the road. My Speedgoat even make a sticky sound when used on asphalt. Can’t be good 😅

I'm on my second pair of Hoka speed goats I love them I wear them for hiking and then I started doing Trail half marathons and they're great for that as well

I also like the wide toe box of my shoes and I trail run with Hoka speed goats

For me, it's definitely different shoes on the road and on the trail. I wear Hoka speed goats and ... because of the uneven terrain your feet, ankles, knees, legs back will all feel different after trail running. I usually road run durring the week and trail run on the weekend to stay fit.

I don’t suppose you have Vitality insurance for your house, life, health etc do you? Cos you get 40% off at Runner’s Need and I got my Hoka Speedgoats for £80 that way and they’re great.

When I started trail running, I went with the Mafates - I thought they were a good middle ground trail shoe and they were great. Then I got the On CloudUltra and hated them - for all the hype they felt like running with cinder blocks for the soles. Now with Speedgoats.

I too am a Speedgoat guy and the Altra Experience Wilds. I love these two shoes so much.

I like my HOKA Speedgoats even though the speed has left this goat.

Not a HOKA spinner but my Speed Goats have been great from day 1. Only negative, at 59 their Slow Goats.

I basically do 90% of my runs in Hoka Challengers, which are a road/trail hybrid. For more technical and trail only runs I switch to Speedgoats.

6’2” 215 here. I’m using Prodigio Pros right now and they are the best shoes I’ve used, hands down. The problem is finding them in larger sizes. I went through four pairs of Speedgoats but heard the fives had some quality issues, so I moved on to Altra Timps after those. They were… fine. Decent grip, nice toe box, but they started coming apart pretty quickly. I like having something with a higher stack height for anything longer than 20k I’ve got a pair of VJ Xtremes that I use for muddier or more technical trails, and the grip on those is insane, but they beat up my knees past 10 miles. I’ll probably grab some of their Ultras if I can’t find the Prodigios in my size again

I wear Hoka speed goats for nearly all my races. Love them in the always wet PNW, great in the desert, and enough padding for the long hauls. But, for really really muddy nasty situations I have a pair of Inov8 with deep lugs that are amazing. They are minimal in terms of padding, but the ground feel is unreal. I can only wear them on 50k and under races with how minimal they are, but they really grip.

Would you happen to know how the compare to speedgoats ?

I had to return my xa pro 3d after seams ripped on both sides, won’t be buying Salomon for now. Hoka Speedgoat’s arch support is a bit too high for me so they were uncomfortable, I’ll probably stick to Asics for now.

Brooks Ghost or Hoka Speedgoat. Both dry out pretty quickly for me.

If you like the Brooks Ghost, try the Cascadia. That is what I am using at the moment. Hoka One One Speedgoats are very popular for a reason. The correct answer though is to find a local or specialty running store. The big box stores rarely have people who are also runners.

I prefer trail runners, such as the altra lone peaks and hoka speedgoats, for longer day hikes (10-14 miles). Based on your trip photos, I think you'd be fine using trail runners.

I went through three pairs on two back-to-back Caminos (Portuguese Coastal with my Mom then the Frances). First were a pair to Topo that I wore through the back heel a little after Logrono . Second, a pair of Salomon's that I didn't realize were Gore-Tex until it was too late and I abandoned in Leon. Third were Hoka Speedgoats. Those lasted me till I got to Finistere, but the insoles had been destroyed at that point. I will always have replacement insoles in the future and probably change them out every 150-200 miles. Granted, I'm not a light person...250lbs (115kg or so) with a short stride. The Speedgoats were by far the most comfortable. Also, I opted to go a full size up on the Speedgoats.

I just feel so slow in minimalist/more minimal shoes. I like my Altras a lot, they’re very comfy and my feet are usually healthier when I stick to them, but I’m a lot slower in them, than say, my Speedgoats. I haven’t found a good in between. I’ve heard good things about Topo as sort of an in between but haven’t tried them yet.

On streets, I go with the Saucony Endorphin line. On trails, Topo MTN Racers or Hoka Speedgoat.

Yeah, but the EVA foam Hoka uses in these is pretty short lived.

Sprained my ankle pretty badly last year in speedgoats…but that was probably because I tripped on a root and not anything to do with the shoe itself. No other issues!

I did the AT this year. I would say 80% of us were Topos and 20% in Altras. Altras have a zero drop which is bad if you have calf/Achilles/plantar fascia tightness. I used to hike in Hoka Speedgoats until they made the toe box more narrow.

This is nuts. I tried a pair and they lasted maybe 150 miles. 1500 is longer than I've ever heard of any running shoes lasting on a thru hike. Teach me your ways.

I can vouch for HOKA Speedgoat. Non Gore-Tex.

Switched from my nice hiking boots to Hoka speedgoats and the difference was insane. Trail runners are so much better for hiking, especially long distance. Ill pull the boots back out next winter probably, but they're sitting on the shelf until then

I have the speedgoats and am looking to get the Pegasus 5s for when I’m doing a mix of road and trail. I feel like the lugs on the speedgoats are getting worn way too quickly on the roads I’m running. My SO recently bought the Pegasus 5 and loves them (good grip on wet rocks, mud etc) and not sticky when running on pavement

Every shoe will work for people differently. I did the first half in Topos and got terrible Achilles tendinitis and planter fasciitis. Made the switch to speedgoats at Shasta per the recommendation of the shoe guy and all symptoms started to get better. Though I had planter fasciitis until February the following year haha

Hokas are very different shoes. Much higher stack, much softer foam and much narrower, especially the Speedgoats.

I like the Hoka Speedgoats, they are for trail running, but they are tall like hiking boots they are very cushy.

As some have already said the Speedcross is amazing. I've been using them since the OG and use it for races up to 26 2. Just an awesome shoe that gets better with every new release. I wear mine down on the trails and when the lugs are down a bit use them for road/gravel/smooth trails. The 6 is amazing and I try something new I always regret it and they are moved to everyday/work in hospital use. That said I liked the Sense Ride but above 10 miles I could feel it in my feet. I race ultras in SLab Genesis and train in the regular Genesis. For your terrain and preference I would look at the less aggressive lines. Another option outside of Salomon would be Hoka Speedgoats. Super cushy and lower lug height that Speedcross.

Speedgoat for The Rut worked well for me.

The vibram kept separating from the midsole on mine after 50 or 100 miles. I loved the comfort and fit of the shoe, but just couldn’t get past the durability. I went back to the Cascadia (17, previous pair was the 15) that I really like and can take a beating much better than the Hoka. Not as comfortable though, but a great all around hiking shoe.

I'm here in eastern Tennessee, and I use my Hoka speed goat's for 14 mile hikes… Whether walking on the Appalachian, or trail running in the Smokies, this shoe seems the most versatile.

Not sure how technical Zion is - this makes a huge difference on whether you can just roll with something more road shoe-like in terms of stack/drop or whether you need to be more locked in and low to the ground. That said, a lot of people start with Hoka Speedgoats cause they are sort of jack of all trades and have a Vibram outsole. I know I started there until I learned better what worked best for me personally. That said, just know the Hokas have a very narrow toe box, which, once you get into ultra distances, can be an issue depending on foot shape, but 60k is terribly long, so you will probably be just fine. I would also just say that the recent Speedgoat models tend to twist on the foot for me at least, they changed the upper pretty radically with the 5, and I have moved away from them. But a lot of people love them, and I certainly used to as well! My current fav all-around shoe is Nike Zegama 2. That also is comfy and has Vibram (and fits my foot better).

Is it just me or are the Speedgoats heavy and cumbersome? I’ve worn them multiple times and they just don’t do it for me.

Love my Hoka Speedgoats! They have great soles for traction on rocks and dirt! Just don't wear them on cement for long periods, cause that will wear them down.

Yep these or topos.

This is me but with speedgoats. I run road on them often up until I got my Arahis last month. Still occasionally use them on the road, they support my feet well.

yeah, slightly light, I have 5&6, and in my opinion 6 is lighter than 5 while also easier to consume it's sole. BTW, lack of air cushion make me to buy some shoes like altra Olympus or speedgoat for my recovery running.

Lots of choices for you in my opinion. First and foremost I say every individual will find different shoes that are best for them. I do not marry myself to any one brand or shoe because the models change yearly and our feet and body mechanics can change as well. So something that worked for me once, may not work for me later. If you purchase the shoes from Running Warehouse or REI you have a trial period to try them out. I do not condone abusing running warehouse’s 90 day return policy, but it is nice to know you can try something out and if it doesn’t work for you can try something else. I am currently in Hoka Speedgoats, which is a cushy shoe that I thought I would never wear! Why am I running in them? The combination of the Vibram grip outsole and being able to run for many hours without my feet getting sore is why. I love the Altra Lone Peak that I also refer to as “Trail slippers“ because they are so damn comfortable. BUT I went through the exact same thing as you with my feet banging all over the insides of them as soon as I got on technical trails where I was constantly torquing in different directions. So those shoe felt amazing in the shoe store and on easy rolling dirt trails, but very different on a technical downhill. I still think they are awesome shoes for hiking or even just wearing with my jeans, but not for my trail running needs. I do think finding a good grip shoe for Trail Running is very important and I have yet to find any comparison to the Vibram outsoles when surfaces get wet.

Another vote for speedgoat. I wear them walking and also light hiking - nothing with crazy elevation but they provide a lot of traction and I find them to be super lightweight compared to a true hiking boot or shoe.

I’m in Salt Lake City and the state does a great job maintaining the roads in the winter. As in it’ll snow in the morning and by noon the roads are clear and dry, it’s super nice. When I do need to run on the snowy trails I will wear my trail shoes with spikes and ankle gators to keep snow from getting into my shoes. Right now I’m in Hoka speedgoats and they work really well.

I have loose ankle ligaments. I do PT and they’ve gotten much better but it’s definitely a weak spot for me. I feel like I’m seeing both that high stack like the SGs cause more ankle rolls and that the SGs are stable. Should I be going for lower stack? Lower drop? I tried a pair on and they fit great. Just waiting for the rain to pass to take them out, but curious if I should be considering a lower stack option.

No reason. I tried on a whole bunch and these + the brooks cascadia are the most comfortable. I’m going to give them both a try but would rather not fall in love if it’s going to get me injured haha The cascadia reviews are mixed. But Brooks’ shtick is just creating boring, reliable shoes…which is fine! I run in them on the road.

Keeping your feet dry and clean will prevent blisters. Try using Merino wool socks (Darn Tough are my fav), consider sock liners if you still get blisters. Air out your feet and change your socks every few hours. Really you will need to try out some things and see what works for your feet and your body. When you select footwear, remember that usually your feet will swell after a few hours hiking. Consider a size larger than typical for your feet. I have been doing a lot of training with trail runners, getting ready for TMB and training with 25 pound pack. My feet suck (very flat) and I have custom orthotics. I have tried 4 trail runners so far: * Altra Lone Peak - very minimalist, I feel the rocks, I wouldn't use them on rough trails, but if you are running ultralight kit this could be a great option. * Topo Traverse - semi-minimalist, I felt some rocks in these. Probably my favorite for smoother trails and light loads. I've read these are more durable than the Altra Lone Peak. * Hoka Speedgoat - not comfortable for my feet but I was impressed with the soles, very grippy * Brooks Cascadia - My favorite that I have tried. Most comfortable for my feet. On the heavier side for trail runners. * For colder weather and rough terrain my favorite are the Oboz Bridger boots (not ultralight).

I personally really like Hokas for the trails. I've put 500+ miles into every pair of Hoka Speedgoats I have owned--really just the lugs start to wear down after a while. The Hoka Tectons are the more responsive racing shoe and I like them for flatter, faster trail races. What are your preferred road shoes? Some brands have a trail "sister shoe" that is basically a re-soled version of the road shoe with a rock plate

I've had good success running my trail races in Hoka Speedgoats--had at least five pairs now and I just keep going back to them

I swear by the Altra Timp. It has a wide toe box, thick cushion , but the heel isn't higher than the forefoot, so it's a zero drop shoe. I prefer that style . If you don't want a zero drop shoe and don't need a big toe box, than a hoka speedgoat is a great trail shoe.

I ditched the crispi for my hokas for elk hunting few years back. The speedgoats are just so much comfortable even with the 120lb pack across a steep slope. Honestly the item that made the most difference was trekking poles. Everybody needs to do whats best for them. Todays trail running shoes are pretty damn sweet and far advanced from what they were even 10 years ago. Hiking boots to me are a remanent of the 1930/40s where mountain climbers needed them and the general public thought they needed good boots for hiking, because wearing your converse all stars or other "tennis" shoes on a day hike was terrible for your feet. A good trail shoe didnt really exist until the 80s. Times have changed and shoe tech has evolved so much that hiking boots are a relic for times gone by.

Yes. Ive hiked all over in my hoka speedgoats. They are amazing. They wear out a little faster, especially if you are carrying a 40lb pack, but so much better than hiking boots. I even wear my hokas hunting most trips. They arent bad at all packing out 100lbs of elk multiple trips. I dont see where boots have any advantages over good trail running shoes

Something I’ve noticed is that you lose the wide widths in the GTX option. If you don’t absolutely need the waterproof, I’d skip it. Just use wool socks and Vaseline your toes for warmth in winter. Hoka Challenger or Speedgoat could be a good option from the brand. Brooks Caldera is another one I love for mileage & comfort on a mix of paved & trail.

i've had friends that switched from SGs because of rolls, most went to the ultra glide for the lower stack and increase ground contact feel. I have historically rolled my ankles a lot but have run thousands of miles in speedgoats because they've been the most comfortable and ive learned to adapt to them. So it's possible, but the high stack definitely comes at a cost.

I actually tend to roll less in my Speedgoats than in some other lower stack shoes like my La Sportivas. However, when I do roll in the Speedgoats it’s bad. Only rolled once in the last couple years, but it was bad sprain.

Speedgoat is the most comfortable shoe I’ve ever worn of any kind. 20 mile hike and feet still perfectly happy. If they fit you, they’re amazing

Brooks Glycerins are my go to running shoes, but none of the Brooks trail runners quite fit. Found the Hoka Speedgoats fit perfectly. So if our feet are similar it might be worth a try

I’ve used whatever my current rotation trail shoe is on any and all hikes - Scottish munroes in full winter conditions with YakTrax spikes over the outsole, to running down snowdon in summer. Hoka speedgoats are good (latest iteration seems to have divided opinion), Salomon Sense Ride 5 for more technical stuff (find them super grippy), Saucony Xodus Ultra for longer stuff (nice cushion). Haven’t tried the NB’s you linked but I’m sure they’ll be fine! 👍

Definitely not the speedgoat. It has a narrow toebox and a very stiff heel counter

Yeah, but we don't want the entire shoe to be wide, we just don't want a tapered toebox. I tried a pair of wide SG5's, and while I loved the traction, the toebox was still too narrow, and the rest of the shoe fit too loose for my technical trails. That's just my personal experience. Plus, the OP said he had a haglunds bump, and the speedgoat has a really stiff heel counter.

I don't really know of any one personally who uses adidas terrex unless they're sponsored. Not the best pair. I personally use Merrell. It's cheap and sturdy but quite heavy and not too agile. Hoka challenger and speedgoat are good for more established trail routes, especially if there are a lot of road sections. Salomon speedcross is great but the toebox can be a bit narrow. Altra is great, especially for people with wide feet, but not very durable and not very supportive. Which race are you joining?

Speedgoats or Mafate are the best hiking options.

That’s interesting because the Speedgoats felt more narrow in the toe box to me than Nike’s, but they’re close. Like you said, really depends individually how shoes fit

Heavy? Not really. Cumbersome? Yes, they feel dead on my feet. Decent shoe for yard work now.

I used to wear waterproof hiking boots but switched to trail runners. I have wide-ish feet and strong ankles - I don't need ankle support and have never had issues even with a heavy load. I prefer the quick-drying nature of trail runners, plus the breathability, traction, and flexibility. Since you say you have narrow feet, I would take a look at the Hoka Speedgoat, as u/AliveAndThenSome mentions below. Another narrow foot choice is the Addidas line of trail runners. Some people rave about them. My two-cents on Altra Lone Peak and Hoka Speedgoat: The rock plate in the Altra Lone Peak line is great, but you still get the "feel" of the terrain. The Hoka SG is far better at protecting the bottoms of your feet. Both are incredibly comfortable, have good-great traction and are comfortable for wide feet (narrow feet may slide around). I did a drying test on both pair last year and found both dry quickly IF you remove the insole when it gets wet or keep them dry and remove them before making a water crossing. In the field, I walked through creeks and got my feet totally wet (not on purpose) in November with nighttime lows in the upper 20s. Shoes dried by morning and the insoles were still damp, but dried as I hiked. Good luck!

Really great shoes and they dry fast

I switched to trail runners after years of wearing boots for two main reasons: comfort and quick drying. Hiking Boots and Hiking Shoes made my feet ache and sweat after just a couple of hours of hiking; therefore, I looked for an alternative. I heard about hikers wearing trail shoes, and since I was a runner, I thought I'd give it a try, so I did, and I never went back. I wear Altra Lone Peak (flexible, comfy), Topo Mtn Racer (stiff), and Hoka Speed Goat (comfy, bouncy), depending on my mood in that order. My go-to is the Altra Lone Peak as they have a rock-plate and are zero-drop. I just find them to be like a glove, allowing me to "feel" the ground when I hike. I have hiked extensively in Pennsylvania, a place that I believe is one of the rockiest places on earth. Rocky as in, the trail is rocks where every rock is pointy and the points all face upward ready to pierce your foot. For reference: I've hiked all over the West and consider the Rocky Mountains to be comfortable by comparison. If you want to really protect your feet, then Topo Mtn Racer or Hoka Speed Goats will give you that added bit of protection, and a bit of bounce. As far as grip goes, all three are excellent. It's truly amazing how good they are at gripping scree, sand, and unstable terrain. I do caution when it comes to wet and slick rock though - for that, I have no answer, but good luck. My Altra Lone Peaks saved me from nearly sliding off a cliff on sandy terrain in Arizona, kept my footing bouldering up a mountain in Pennsylvania, and across a ridgeline of scree along Mount Hood in Oregon.

Those look horrible Speedgoats have a good toe box

I use Speedgoats, and I’ve used them in some pretty muddy races. They’ve been great for me on wet, rocky terrain, but definitely aren’t perfect. I haven’t tried the Speedcross, but I’ve used other Salomon shoes. Hoka and Salomon are very different fits-at least in my case. Salomon’s simply do not fit my foot, so keep in mind that one may just work much better fit wise.

I have tried all the fan favorites... Lone peak, speed goats, topos etc. Can't do it... It's either blisters or foot pain. Found these that work great. On my second pair now. https://www.saucony.com/en/peregrine-15-wide/59977M.html?dwvar_59977M_color=S20991-100#cgid=saucony-peregrine&start=1

Spent some time with Hoka Speedgoat and now loving my Brooks Cascadia. 

I have probably 4 on regular rotation, 1 pair of speed goats, 1 pair of altras (timp?), 1 ancient pair of road runners/gym shoes, and 1 pair of Salomons (the ones with the almost cleat like tread). I really could get away with probably just the speed goats but I have found that having the option of different heel drops and treads really helps with different trail technicality and conditions as I am wildly injury prone. I retire my shoes after about 500-800 miles so depending on my training volume sometimes that’s once or twice a year, sometimes that’s after 4-5 years

I have a life long problem rolling ankles; started from basketball. I would also roll my ankle pretty good on every lengthy section hike. Since wearing Hoka Speedgoats, now for years, I have not rolled my ankles once. The reason is that the sole is super wide and tapers aggressively from the fabric, outward into a wedge shape. It’s what all other brands are all COPYING now, “max” cushioning with a super wide wedge shape profile. It is without a doubt the most comfy long distance shoe you can buy, and I’ve tried a ton. Former boot guy myself, then keens, Moab’s, you name it. Speedgoats are a game changer. They are so plush I don’t even carry camp shoes on thru hikes. No need to get more comfy in camp in anything else.

I'll give you this anecdote. A few months ago my dog and I were hiking and had to walkthrough what I thought was a slightly muddy area, was about 2 feet of mud and water. My pup navigated her way through it and shot me a judgy look, but I ended up with one leg in 6 inches of mud, and about 18inches of water on top of it. I was about 3 miles from the truck, but within a half mile I wasnt sloshing, just muddy and wet. I was wearing Hoka Speedgoats and Darn tough ankle socks. I became a believer that day.

Hoka speedgoat is a great shoe with super tacky grip. Not sure if it will meet your ankle standards but otherwise it might work for you!

Agree 100%. My Hoka SG’s are sitting in the closet…and I’m enjoying my third pair of Challenger 7’s.

IMO the best road to trail shoes are just to run in road shoes. I find running on road in luged shoes way more uncomfortable than running trails in road shoes. If the types of trails you run makes it difficult to run in road flats however, I’ve had a lot of success in really broken in speedgoats.

depends on how loose and the incline. I use Hoka challengers for tracks that don't need as much grip as Speedgoats for example.

I have worn every trail shoe that anyone could think of. I have a weird sickness around buying shoes. The stiffness and stack height of the midsole is going to affect the traction strongly. A squishy shoe will remove itself from edges when weighted. I have had the most luck with shoes having the Vibram Megagrip outsole. Speedgoats are great, but they’re too stacky and cushioned to provide top level traction in super technical terrain. My current favorite shoe for technical runs is a Dynafit Alpine. I have the DNA version which has a ridiculous amount of support and lockdown from the upper. Shoes for super technical terrain are highly specialized since most trail runners are on relatively easy trails (I live in Colorado and do miles of off-trail scrambling in my shoes). The Sportiva Bushidos are great when you’re doing a lot of scrambling and a little running, but they’re not the best shoes for actual trail miles. If you’re not on rocks for miles and you have to negotiate snow, mud, and soft dirt, the Solomon Speedcross are great due to the height of the lugs. People like the Mutants for super technical stuff, too. If you want to go all in on traction, get into a pair of La Sportiva TX2’s and cry when your 170 dollar shoes don’t have a midsole anymore after 7 big days out. I used to also really like the Altra King Mountains before the Alpines took over.

Toe box is still extremely narrow. I had to abandon speedgoats because of the toe box. Wides made it worse for me because now the lockdown was worse and my toes jammed in even more 

I am a fan of Hoka and Altra on the trails and regularly alternate btn speedgoats and Mont blancs on my longer runs, but that won’t work for everyone. Others chimed in on transition but I will also note how the zero vs (typically) 4mm drop is less noticeable on trails vs roads. As with any new shoes, ease into the mileage. Don’t just rip a 20-miler in your new zero drops. Also, topo or altra, I recommend finding a good running store to try out a few options and see what feels best on your feet. I’ve found the biggest difference in feel when running comes down to the stack height and less so the heel drop. If you like the higher stack/cushion, that will narrow your choices in either brand. For Altra, I think Olympus, Timp and Lone Peak are their flagship trail shoes. There are good options out there but what works for me may be a fail for you and vice-versa. Good luck!

What did you do to them. The same pair of speedgoats have been my go-to sneaker for 2 years now (casual wear) and every disc golf round.

I stopped running in Altra Lone Peaks because of the poor wet weather performance. Hoka Speedgoats have worked well for me when things get slippery out.

If mainly rock, Hoka Speedgoats are highly rated and cushioned.

I’ll second the Speedgoats. For as great as they are on trail and as big as the lugs are, they run really smooth on pavement.

I’ve had both the Pegasus Trails and the Hoka Speedgoats with the Vibram sole and the difference in massive. Have no confidence in the peggys but o bought a second pair of hokas as they’re super grippy. I live in the UK so for almost the whole year you’re running on wet slippy rocks on the trails

Speedgoats completely stick to wet rocks, it’s amazing and it’s the Vibram sole. Weird the Torrent given its name doesn’t have that

My Hoka Speedgoats last about a year, which I estimate is about 1500 miles, mostly walking. That said, the last pair was falling apart by the time I replaced them, so I probably should have done so sooner. My new shoes are not noticeably comfier, so I don’t think the old ones were too worn. It’s just the bottom of the sole was falling apart.  EDIT: I originally said 2000 miles, but I’ve remembered I also own walking boots. (It’s summer here. Not worn them for a while.) The boots were maybe used for 25% of my miles.  

I backpack and trail run. I recently moved into topo vista and wow they are unbelievable comfortable and breathable. The vista are a max cushion shoe that has been the most comfortable out of the box shoe I have worn of the topo series. They’re very comfortable under foot and have a medium to stiff flex -I would say 7.5 out of 10 and you will not feel rocks through the bottom. Even after mountain backpacking a dozen miles over very steep rocky trails my toes are never sore or cramped feeling. Typically at the end of a backpacking day I immediately put my flip-flops on, but I noticed i had no rush to take my shoes off immediately the last 2 trips because my feet have been so comfortable. The shoe does not feel too big or unstable for me size 13 190lbs. My arch and toes are so happy in these shoes. The upper material is on the thinner side and you can see a colored sock through the shoe face fabric which is concerning, but I have not had any issues so far. My other previous favorite shoe was the hokka speed goat. I think these have one of the best grips of any shoe. They fit more rigid with more pressure points and have less room in the tow box. They were never as comfortable out of the box or hiking as a topo athletic shoe and I’ve had several pairs. I’m always very ready to take these shoes off at the end of the day.. However, I like how stable they are on rough terrain and they are extremely durable. I feel maybe 20% more confidence on sketchy water crossings or log crossing because the stackstock height is lower and the traction and stability is better. I would trade this for the insane comfort of the topos vista and the critical foam insert. I’ve got well over 1000 miles out of a pair and they still have grip and the uppers are in great shape but after a long day, my feet feel like they were in a rock crusher since the cushion 0%.

I’ve noticed topo changed the design of the protective rubber around the toe which exposes more fabric to abrasion . Also the fabrics has changed and looks like a new weak point on some models. I’m worried about my topo vista, good thing I bought them from REI and get free extended returns for up to a year. It seems like the previous generations of topo were designed better. I’ve heard a lot of folks having tears in same place as yours this year. I tried on a lot of different max cushion shoes in the Vista were by far the most comfortable of anything I put on my feet put right now I have less than 200 miles on them so we will see how they hold up. My hoka speedgoats have well over 2000 miles now - some day hiking, trail running, but mostly backpacking. The outer fabric and stitching still looks excellent somehow with only a tiny rip by pinky toe. These things have been all over the desert of Sedona and Escalante. The outsole tread is basically bald in the midsole is flatter than a pancake. I’m surprised how they’re still holding up though especially after tons of hot baths and creek crossings. I only replaced them because there is no tread and the midsole cushion is gone and causing foot pain. The topo vista are definitely a step up for cushion comfort compared to the speedgoats and the uppers are not quite as rigid so they are more comfortable.

If the trail is local to you then I’d ask some local running shops what shoes they like best for the terrain around you. I personally like to have a rotation of shoes for different conditions, but a few that I think are decent all rounders (cushioned enough that you won’t be in pain if you’re running on road, deep enough lugs that you’re not going to slide around the second there’s a little bit of mud, stack height not so high you’re likely to break your ankles as soon as there’s rocks and roots, etc) are the Salomon Ultraglide, On Cloudultra, North Face Flight Vectiv, Topo Mtn Racer, New Balance Hierro. Hoka Speedgoats probably fall under there too but I found them a bit clunky on anything technical and they only lasted 400km (I can usually get double that from a shoe).

Speedgoat will be fine.  The quads are not your shoes' problem though.  Be ready to be out there for 3x as long as you've ever gone.  It's a long, steep race.

Rocker compensates for low drop, so the Speedgoat doesn't really feel like a low drop shoe. Altra is very flat - you are going to feel the drop alot more. Why not try the Zegama 2s? They are softer than Speedgoats and not as pointy in the toebox. 4mm drop and rockered so similar in feel.

300 is terrible value.

Also EVA is like running in sand (idk how some ppl like that feeling 🤷🏼‍♂️).

I started an AT thru hike on Lone Peaks. Had to switch to Altra Olympus due to painful plantar fasciitis after 300 miles of terrain that was much less severe than the White Mountains. I eventually landed on HOKA Speedgoats - more padding, decent grip. The wide version was wide enough but not as roomy as the Altras. Every foot is different and lots of people love Lone Peaks. My feet just couldn't handle the minimal cushioning.

Absolutely love my Hoka Speedgoats for the Whites, great grip, super comfy (my knees ache so much less on descents with them), and I’ve dunked them in rivers and they dry quick.

I’m on my 3rd season of switching to trail runners over hiking boots. Everyone may have a different experience but for me, my feet have never been happier (Hooka, Speedgoat 5).

I’ve switched almost entirely to trail runners including on a lot,of rugged terrain. I did find that when I was using Hokas that I had an increased tendency to roll my ankle after about ten miles. I like the padding, but have found lower drop shoes to be better for this. Altras are good, but I destroy them in about 300 miles. Trying Topos right now. Not as padded, but low drop with a wide toe box and they seem to be holding up better.

Trail runner will be fine. I was talking to a guy recently that said the AT requires real boots. But even by his argument, trail runners will be fine. The thing with trail runners is when you are tired, it is easier to roll your ankle. I have only found this to be a concern when I was using Hoka. Altras and Topos have less to zero drop and they don’t have this occur for me. Though Altras kind of suck for durability (expect 300 miles unless they fixed things). And Topos have less padding and are not as comfortable.