Hoka - Mafate Speed Series

Mafate Speed 4 is still great. Big fan of the Nike Zegama 2 these days too. Both are on the heavier side but are very protective and have great grip. I feel a bit more nimble in the Mafate though. I have a Kjerag that I really like but I guess I have poor footwork because I think I need more cushion. I really hurt my foot landing on a root in the last race I wore them on. Mafate Speed 4 Lite is very cool but I want to see some reviews from trail runners. Hoka is positioning it as a lifestyle shoe which I think is odd and is causing it to be looked over by real runners (I think).

Mafate Speed 4. Just enough squishy cushion, and bonkers tread. I still remember one of the first legit trail shoes. The asics gel Moro. At the time they were a pretty great option when there was almost nothing else. They came out around the same time or maybe even slightly before the Montrail Vitesse.

Hoka Mafate Speed 4 - I find them as protective and cushy as the goats but not as "dead" feeling. Bouncier. And BONKERS tread. Recently have been hearing great things about La Sportiva Prodigio. Tried them on but didn't purchase. Felt amazing.

Mafate Speed 4. Love love love these things. Used to love Topo but now they feel so heavy.

I found the fit on my mafate’s to narrow for anything more than a 25k. Honestly wouldn’t recommend them even at that distance if you have a wider than a normal D size.

i’m really enjoying my hoka mafate speed 4’s. i’ve heard the new ones are shit though.

I ran through six pairs of Lone Peaks, they rocked for traction but usually exploded around 300 miles. After 10yrs of Altras I switched to Mafates and immediately stopped rolling my ankles, had near-complete resolution of my bilateral anterior tibialis pain, and the shoes easily last 100-200 miles longer. Mafates all the way if no other reason than durability

Nordas. Dyneema construction, designed for durability. May/May not be a good shoe for your needs. Designed to give double the mileage than Altras/Hokas. That said, I've found my Hoka Mafates routinely give me 500+ drama-free miles, whereas all my Altras would usually explode at ~300miles.

I am a big fan of the Mafate speed 4. And so i bought the 5. I was soooo disappointed! This is a totally different shoe. Soooo heavy and unsportive. I really hate this shoe. My toes also hurted: they are not even the same size. I just don't get it! Why not keeping it on the same track as the 4? The 5 has nothing to do with the 4. I really don't get it. I just sent them back. Really hate this shoe

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

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 

I use mafate speed 4s for most my runs but with use tecton x2s or tecton x3s for races depending on terrain.

I thought the 5 was awful and haven't even tried the 6. Have 2 pairs of 5s with about 100k in each. Lugs wore quickly and you felt every rock in them. Very little energy return from the foam. Switched to mafates and they are a better shoe is every way for me

Speedboats are probably the worst trail shoe I have ever tried. Had the 5 and have not bothered even looking at the 6. However the hoka mafate speed 4 is probably one of my favourite trail shoes. Run well over 1000ks between a few pairs and zero complaints with them. Lightweight and trail do bot really go hand in hand,dont think I have a single pair under 300g a shoe for my US12 One I am really enjoying this year has been the la sportiva prodigio pro, simply cannot fault that shoe at all.

Few are duplicate pairs because i like the shoes that much. 3 pairs of hoka mafates and 2 pairs of tecton x2s

Not really, they have done them fo a while, it's for flat not technical trail that you could do with normal shoes except they have more protected foam that would otherwise get destroyed by rocks. The naming is really confusing though, mafate speed is great for technical trail while the X (this one) would honestlmy be dangerous to use on something technical So overall it's not a big market, at least regular trail shoes can also be used for hiking, these ones havea very specific use case

Not really, they have done them fo a while, it's for flat not technical trail that you could do with normal shoes except they have more protected foam that would otherwise get destroyed by rocks. The naming is really confusing though, mafate speed is great for technical trail while the X (this one) would honestlmy be dangerous to use on something technical So overall it's not a big market, at least regular trail shoes can also be used for hiking, these ones havea very specific use case

If you like Clifton’s try the Hoka Mafate.

Mafate Speed 4. Strikes an awesome balance for everything I need.

I'm a huge fan of Hoka Mafate Speed 4. It is soft, yet very stable. It's also no slouch on technical stuff.

4s are my daily trainer and I love them. This looks like a major misstep for my preferences.

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?

No comparison. Higher quality upper, midsole, and outsole with Hoka (Mafate in particular). Read on RunRepeat regarding premium foams… might also consider how many pros run on trail (and road) in Hoka internationally, and the ability of the brand to invest in shoe running tech, as compared vs Altra… also try on the Nike Zegama if you want to try another trail option with premium tech…

I'm part of the target market. I have a 30 Mile in August at Lean Horse (Custer, SD) on a gravel railroad bed followed by a 50K at the Wolverine State 100 (Alpena, MI) on crushed limestone and then the Dead Horse 50 Mile (Moab, UT) on slickrock. While I'll be wearing the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra for them as I'm a small guy and need a lighter shoe, the Hoka Mafate X trail is going to be ideal for a medium or heavier runner running ultras on similar surfaces. Because I live in Michigan, I do a lot of my trail running on forest single track. I wouldn't wear a shoe like this for training. The always dependable Saucony Peregrine for easy runs or a shoe like the ASICS Fujispeed 3 for faster paced trail workouts is a safer option. But there are many ultramarathons that aren't on gnarley forest single track where plushness is much more important for long-haul events than trail feel or stability. But also where the trail surface would quickly chew apart a max stacked road shoe.

Mafate speed 4. Favorite trail shoes ever

Iv gone thru 1 pair of Speedgoat 5’s and have another 2 in my collection, so this is to say I enjoy the speedgoats. Over the summer I demo’d a pair of mafate’s which I enjoyed and didn’t find too different than the speed goats. I also recently added a pair of Oncloud Clouvistas which I did a 50k in and I liked those —grip isn’t as good as the speedgoats but similar padding. Finally Iv also had a pair of oncloud cloudventure peaks but those were minimalist padding and I felt the lugs wore out quickly so I wouldn’t recommend those

I have been curious about this model with the increased drop. I ran in the Mafate Speed 4 and really liked those 

Well I just ditched my Topos because of the aggressive toe spring 😩 and I'm currently trying to find a replacement. Will try the HOKA Tecton X 2 this week. But my favs have been HOKA Speedgoat 4, HOKA Mafate Speed 4, and the Salomon Sense Ride 2 & 4 Favorite vest is still the Nathan VaporHowe

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 

I found it fine in wet conditions. Nothing remarkable in terms of how long it took/how quickly they dried. Grip was good on wet terrain (mud, rock etc). Comfy for hike but wouldn't recommend for dry conditions above treeline or the shoes really dry out and start to peel

Mafate X is a great Clydesdale shoe. I've been loving mine so far. Speedlands as well.

Hello, here my feedback based on my experiences with trying on these shoes in store: Altamesa: I found it had good cushion except for where my toes were and it felt like they wouldn't soften no matter how many km's I put into them. Speedgoat 6: toe box felt weirdly roomy for a narrowish shoe and they didn't quite fit right. Hierro: I was able to try on the v7, v8 and v9 models all at one store. The v9 we're the best out of the 3 but I still didn't like the v9. It just felt oddly bulky which was a shame as I love NB shoes. The 1080's are my favourite. Stinson 7: I just bought a pair from MEC yesterday and they felt so good on my feet as soon as I put them on. I'm a little used to heavier shoes so that doesn't bother me. I really want a max cushion trail runners that doesn't need to be super technical trail focused. Salomon Ultra Glide/Ultra Flow: i really wanted to like these but they were a little narrow and just didn't have the comfy impact I was expecting. Altra Timp 5: I think these shoes are awesome except for the way the upper material bends at the toe box. It just feels weird and I can tell it will create problems for me a few km's into a run. I also have the Topo Ultraventure 4 which are great but I don't know how well I would enjoy them past 30km. I have Columbia Ecolite (the ones that look like they infused golf balls into the form) which have been great but just aren't on the same level as other trail shoes. I had the Brooks Caldera 6 which were okay and had great traction but they hurt my feet and caused blood blisters on the outside of my big toes so I was able to return them when I got the Stinson. I've tried on many other runners and I have the believe that you should go with the shoe that fells the best on your foot. E: forgot to add that I also tried on the hoka mafate speed 4 and I almost bought them as they were don't in the toe box compared to the speed goats 5 & 6 but I wanted slightly more cushioning. I think the mafate is a great comparison to the topo Ultraventure 4

Commenting to see other answers, I have same problem! I switch between my Salomon thundercross and HoKa Mafates for winter trail runs - I use my Hokas on long runs if I know there will be a fair bit of harder surface. They are « ok » on mud, better than other trail shoes like Speedgoat, but still find myself slipping about on muddy uphills and wishing I had my Salomons on.

The Mafates are good -I use them. That being said, when doing a desert ultra over mostly rocky surface the soles of my feet felt a bit mashed, probably not *enough* cushioning

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 had 4s and 5s and loved them. I returned the 6 after one run. The Mafate 4s are great but my pair was done after maybe 300 miles. I just got a pair of la Sportiva Prodigio pro. They feel amazing so far.

Love my Mach’s for the road. Been using Mafate Speed’s for trails. Not sure if they make em in wide.

I'm currently using Hoka Mafates and loving them. They replaced my old speedboats and have been excellent. Fairly light, great grip and incredibly comfy.

The Mafate 4 doesnt have a plate

Mafate speed 4 is actually 7mm in runrepeat test. I have a pair, and they don't feel as other 4mm drop shoes I use. OP, you could try Asics trabucos. They are 8mm, go for 12th versión, 13th upper is trash

I really like the asics Metafuji trail. They also aren’t the most stable shoes. I feel like these are the most road-super shoe like trail shoes out there. They hold up pretty good and are light, comfortable and very energetic. As a non plated option maybe take a look at the Hoka mafate speed 4. Very responsive and comfortable shoes that can go the distance but also have some pace in them and are more suited to rugged terrain as opposed to the metafuji trail.

I’m both a dad and an uncle, so double truth! Also get the Hoka Mafate 4. It’s perfect.

They’re not bad, but the SG5 was great… but the Mafate 4 is my favorite shoe!!

Yes, my SG5 and MS4 are both 11.5 US / 46 EUR

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

Vibram Megagrip - so the same as the Mafate, but the lugs are more regular so I feel like the grip is better. But honestly I think it comes down to personal preference.

Agree with this. I like Peregrines as all round trail shoes. but i think the Mafate Speed 4 is better, and the grip in Peregrine is proper thick mud or wet rocks is not good enough

This is a good suggestion, although I think the latest Speedgoats are now a clear step below the Mafate Speed 4, which are better in every way. They also both come in a wide option. For a more technical shoe with better lugs, look at Inov8 - the TrailFly is good for longer, faster paths, and the TrailTalon for deeper, muddier or more difficult terrain. They come in Max, Speed and Zero Drop options, and they have an anatomical toe box shape like Topo.

Hello. I come from the same issue. I had major issues with Plantar Fasciitis after running in the Speedcross and S/Lab Speed for many years. My first shoe was the Hoka Speedgoat Evo. That was an epic shoe, but sold out everywhere so quickly I only ever ran in one pair. Since then I’ve tried many similar shoes, looking for great grip, soft and bouncy ride, but good stability as I over-pronate, plus I recently developed osteoarthritisin my big toes. So, I really rate the following: - Hoka Mafate Speed 4. Good all rounder - Salomon S/lab genesis. A little narrow and unstable but speedy and shed mud quickly - La Sportiva Prodigeo Pro - great foam and good grip, lightweight. - Saucony Xodus Ultra - 1 and 3 are pretty good, ignore the 2. - Hoka Tecton X 3 - my go-to race shoe for hard packed trails and gravel I like the Speedgoat, Catamount, Fuji Lite, Ultra Glide too but they all have compromises that the shoes above don’t have in the same way.

Hello. As a lot of people say, a good road shoe will be good on the hard packed trails as well. But if you want a bit more traction and security, go with something that has a good foam and a smaller lugs. Options I’ve run in and like include: - Hoka Mafate Speed 4 / Tecton X - Salomon Genesis / Ultra Glide - La Sportiva Prodigio Pro - Merrell Agility Peak 5 - Brooks Catamount 4 - Saucony Xodus Ultra 1 / 2 (avoid the 3) For reference I am 85kg and usually run 30km / week.

Hoka Mafate 5 is comfy and fun. Mafate Speed 4 is still good but a little narrower and not quite so bouncy. I used to run in Speedgoats a lot but think the 5 & 6 are missing some comfort and the foam isn’t returning the energy of newer shoes. Salomon Genesis or Ultra Glide are both good if you can accommodate a narrower fit. I prefer the protection of the Genesis over the Ultra Glide. Prodigio Pro is also fun and bouncy, but much lighter, less protection around the ankle and so a bit more stripped back. Everyone I know loves them though. Hoka Tecton X 3 is a similar proposition to the Prodigio but both are spendy. Hoka is slightly more stable and bouncy but there is very little in it. If you want the best outsole rubber money can buy, look at the VJ Ultra 3. Seriously, the lugs and rubber is like glue. Finally, the Saucony Xodus Ultra is a good shoe for distances like this. It’s also comfy and protective. Just avoid the 2 or 3 and go for the latest version 4.

I bought the Mafate Speed 4 in the fall and found them to have really good grip on complex terrain. Ran a 30km race in them quite comfortably with lots of steep technical terrain. I also have a pair of the Tecton X3, which someone else mentioned, and used them for a relatively less technical 80km. I would not use them on the types of trails you described. They are killer fast for gentler stuff but not great when every step involves roots and rocks.

I know la sportiva kaptiva and use them for technical terrain. Akasha is a strange shoe for me … only works on forefoot. I also use speedgoat 5 and like it - can’t go wrong with 5 or 6. Mafate Speed also more for technical. I have also experience with catamount 1 and catamount 3. I don‘t have any experience with saucony peregrine. Over all the catamount 3 ist for me the most interesting shoe right now: fast on forefoot, rolling in the center and a softer feel on the heel than the speedgoat. No Vibram but the rubber of the 3 feels pretty sticky. All in all a really great shoe of it‘s not muddy. If la sportiva - I would give the prodigio or jackal boa a try. More modern kind of shoe. But: depending on your weight, fitness level, and your foot …

Hoka Mafate Speed 4 or the Challenger are both good options. Mafate is perfect for non and technical trails. But its main role is purely trails. One of my fav trail shoes ever. Challenger is a road to trail shoe or hybrid. Its a shoe you'd use when running from your house to the trail. It can do a bit of road running and its decent in non technical trails. The tradeoff is It'll do both roles decently but it doesnt excel in either. Any pure trail shoe you pick will wear out pretty fast if you run it on asphalt often no matter the brand. Easiest answer is to just buy 2 pairs one for road running and another for trails. Something like a Hoka Clifton + Hoka Challenger combo would work perfectly for you and both are usually on sale too.

I’ve run lots of technical alpine CO terrain up to 50k. I’ve found the Mafate Speed 4 and Xodus Ultra 2 to be comfortable and capable for long mountain days including scrambling. Merrell Agility Peak 5 also good. Speedgoat didn’t work for my foot but is a renowned mountain ultra shoe. I think pretty much any outsole will be capable in our dry climate and terrain, including some light scrambling- I would head to One of our great running stores in Denver metro and try on a bunch of pairs to see what feels good for your feet. Comfort is the most important factor for a long mountain day, more so than all the performance features *I do have a pair of Prodigio Pros that I intend to use for your stated purpose

1st gen Mafate is still my favorite. Ugly as fuck, on the heavy side, but like running on a cloud. Just had to watch for ankle twists with that elevated footbed. They also had bomber uppers that would last 500+ miles. I re-soled mine to get even more life.

Hey everyone, I’m looking for a trail running shoe that I can use for shorter mountain races—around 25km with 2000m elevation gain (~15.5 miles / 6560 ft)—but with enough support for a heavier runner. Most of the shoes I’ve checked out, like the Hoka Zinal 2, Nnormal kjerag, Merrell Long Sky II, Asics Fujitrabuco, or Terrex Speed, seem designed for lighter runners. I currently train in Hoka Mafate Speed 3 and really like them, but I’d love to have a shoe that I can use for more responsive training sessions and racing. For reference, I weigh 90-95kg (~198-209 lbs) and I’m 187cm tall (~6'2''). PD I have a 13-14US so I can't try any shoe at any shop Thanks in advance!

I found a particular colour way of hoca Mafate speed 4 with same thinking as your own and bought them. I’m male and my styling may be different to yours but worth having a look at them.

I m no trail runner, I do 2-3 trail races per year of over 10K for variety in my training. I picked Mafate speed 4 and I can say they are comfortable and not that bad for technical terrain. I know I should have gotten speedgoats for technical terrain but liked the Mafate so much when I tried them that I bought them.

Just bought me some Hoka Mafate for my first trail run which was a 1/2 marathon with lots of steep accents and descents. They did great and my feet also felt great.

I love my Mafate Speeds. Granted I have only run a relatively flat, but dry, rocky desert 50k in them but I feel like they are giving what you are describing. I do my roadwork in Mach 6’s…totally different feel but the transition was seamless and injury free. I’ve run with the Mafates on the east coast (near home) on the big rocky terrain…no problems at all. Love them and will definitely be using them for upcoming 50 miler and a tbd 100.

Hola, las que yo tengo para vestir son Hoka mafate speed 4, New balance hierro y te diría que cualquiera de On cloud.

I switched from boots to shoes years ago. I only use boots for winter conditions. The only injury issue I had was when using Hoka Mafates. They are super comfy. But so ‘tall’ that I would sometimes roll my ankle. Not bad. But enough to be wary and I switched shoes. I had been using Altras before and no issues but I would wear them out pretty fast. I have since switched to Topos and been super happy.

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.

The Hoka Mafate is awesome for this. I almost took them on a recent three week Europe trip, balked at the last minute because the colors are a bit gaudy, and regretted that decision for three weeks! Great support and comfort, lightweight for a trail shoe imo

I’ve really enjoyed the new HOKA Mafate X. They’re expensive, but really good

I’ve become a bit of a mafate Stan personally. But a lot of my buddies love the SGs.

LOVED the Speed Instinct! Ran many ultras with those. Currently doing well in Mafate Speed 4.

I ran 6 technical miles in the Mafate X a few days ago. My current fave trail shoes are Mafate Speed 4 and Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra, with more mellow days in Speedgoat 5. Verdict? Mixed. This is by far the SQUISHIEST and highest stack height shoe I've ever worn — and that would take getting used to. Even in my many different pairs of Hokas over the years, I've tended toward their more minimal models: Torrent, Instinct, Speed Instinct, etc. The tread was meh for steep/tech trails. The lugs are pointed like skinny arrows, rather than the massive mud-tire tread of the Mafate Speed. And the tread does not cover the entirety of the foam, which makes me wonder if they will break down or delaminate like other recent models. There's a big rock-grabbing hole in the foam, to boot. Now, for smooth and rolling "California carpet" types of trails? Might be great. The rocker is noticeable and add a good feeling of propulsion. But in these shoes I don't feel FAST, like I do in the Agravic Speed Ultra. And super rocky technical trails might eat this shoe alive. FWIW, the high stack height did NOT make my ankles feel unstable. The Adidas are more "tippy" than the Mafate X. That's a cursory take on my run. I was happily not in love with them (cuz I didn't want to plop down $225, but if they were magical I would consider it).

The Mafate Speed 4 was the first shoe I had with the newer foams, and I freakin love them. Makes Speedgoats feel mushy. Also, the tread/grip on Mafate Speed 4 is WAY better than Speedgoats. You made the right choice.

Side comment: I love the yellow colorway for men. The women's is a meh salmon pink.

Loved these when I tried on in store, but approaching the $200 mark - eesh! Is that the direction of all super foams now? That being said, I love the Mafate Speed 4 and they're only $10 less at retail.

If you like speed goats..... I ADORE my Mafate Speed 4's. Better traction, better bounce. Less stack height but they still feel better than the goats.

No particular recommendations because we have different needs, but as a New England runner, be careful optimizing for something like stack height. I would be guaranteed to bite it on our downhills in Agravic Speed Ultras or Mafate X, it's just too much shoe and too unstable when dealing with the rockhopping. If you do a lot of less technical running too then you'll find use for them, though. What's your race?

Hoka mafate speed 4, topo mtn racer

Been wearing the Hoka Mafate Speed 4s, and Solomon ADV Skin 5 vest. Vest is great, shoes are great I guess. I have no issues with them just not very experienced in trail running so I haven’t formed too many opinions on stuff yet.

Mafate speed 4s might be good. I have semi wide feet and they feel great with good cushioning

Thats what I did. Sized up in mafate speed 4 and they are wider than my previous speed goat 5 in wide

The Hoka Mafate Speed 4 Lite x Satisfy wrecked my heels the first time I used them. Tore my skin up good and took like 10 days to heal. Surprisingly, they are nice now and have been enjoying them. Nike Zegama 2 is my jam as well and I’ve been rotating in the Nnormal Tomir 2.0

Not much grip and I found the foam to be unstable. Sold mine. I'd get Tomir 2 or Mafate 4.

You need to go to a running shop and try on shoes. But I have the Hoka Mafate Speed 4 and would never use it in slippery/ muddy conditions. It has nowhere near the grip in those conditions compared to my Saucony Peregrines.

I had a tibial stress reaction, and was cleared by my physio to go on a running holiday in the Dolomites last year after a short period of rehab. I wore Hoka Mafate Speed 4s most days. I run in pretty technical terrain in Scotland and have tried many, many trainers and the Mafates are great. I do love the Speedgoat 5 but for easier terrain.

At the moment I don’t see any reason to recommend them. New Balance has one decent shoe with the Hierro but I would choose the Agravic Speed over it on almost any day. ASICS needs another year in my opinion nothing great on the market right now but they will get there for sure. You could try the Mafate Speed 4 from HOKA (not the 5!) if you can find them on a good discount because durability was pretty bad for me but others are happy with it. Personally I use the Prodigio Pro for everything trail related and my feet are happy now for 100km in them. I’m interested in the Agravic Speed 2 if the lockdown is improved on the second version it would probably be my choice for a lot of stuff. The normal Prodigio could be something to try as well I like them but after having the Pro I don’t use them anymore.

Lmk if u have the info i was not into those details but im interested ! i have mafate 4 it's good for me i dunno the materials on top but seems solid! same asics or elite brooks or this hoka :)

The Hoka Mafate Speed 4 are my favorite. Its versatile enough you can use it on all terrains.

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.

Did you pick up a pair of T1s? I saw a couple racers at an ultra this weekend with them on, but didnt ask about them. Edit: Bought the new Hoka Mafate Speeds just now to give them a go. I am a fan of the MS4, but bought the ugliest color on discount. Haha

I guess I’ll go against the grain. I wouldn’t want them for hiking. I find the midsole too flexible and soft. I prefer a stiffer foam or one with a rock plate of some sort

Peregrines and nice and stable but lack grip for steep technical terrain (i made this mistake). Since, I changed up to the Mafate Speed4 and love them. They are a higher stack so not as stable, you will need to get used to that and adjust, but they fit similiar to the peregrine 13s and have amazing grip going up and down steep terrain feals like you are on velcro.

I have Saucony Peregrines that I used for snow on roads, paths etc and dry non technical trail. Solomon Spike Cross that I used on any sort of snow covered hills, they are basically a Speedcross with metal studs but they fit narrow. And Hoka Mafate Speed 4 for more technical trails, they grip in dry to mild mud like velcro and are well cushioned. The Peregrines are low stack, flexible and not very cushioned, but feel very stable, they just lack grip for steep downhills. The Spikecross grip in snow and make traversing hills securely a breeze, but they fit narrow for me. The Mafate Speed 4 is a highstack very cushioned, stiff sole, but it does have a little roll to it.

I've switched to Hoka Mafate Speed 4. Comfortable, vibram Mega grip, 4 or 5mm drop. Haven't used them in a race yet, but did use them for running this winter with zero issues

I would list these as a gravel shoe. No good for steep trails. I have 3 pairs of them but have switched to Hoka Mafate Speed4. If they had a better sole, i would love them.

The Mafate Speed4 and Mafate Speed 4 Lite aren't heavy at all. The Lites have a tighter fitting upper that has more stretch. Andb they do feel more lively than the regular Speed 4s.

The Mafate Speed4 and Mafate Speed 4 Lite aren't heavy at all. The Lites have a tighter fitting upper that has more stretch. Andb they do feel more lively than the regular Speed 4s.

Saucony's outsoles are good for mild trails at best. I learned this the hard way. I've since upgraded to Mafate Speed 4s. I use my Sauconys for winter road running and training on mild trails.

I went from Saucony Peregrines to Mafate Speed 4s and they felt a little unstable at first because I was not used to the high stack. But now they feel very stable and they grip. But the Mafate Speed 4 lites are a different shoe and have a snugger fit, I have both, like them both, but the Lites are way snugger with a rubbery upper that have to pull your foot into.

I went from Saucony Peregrines to Mafate Speed 4s and they felt a little unstable at first because I was not used to the high stack. But now they feel very stable and they grip. But the Mafate Speed 4 lites are a different shoe and have a snugger fit, I have both, like them both, but the Lites are way snugger with a rubbery upper that have to pull your foot into.

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.

This is also my least favorite type of terrain (especially if it’s a steep downhill section). I like the Mafates for this type of trail since the tread is decent, but I’d recommend using Squirrels Nut Butter on your feet if you’re getting blisters. For the ankle twisting issue, I usually just end up hiking in sections like this, otherwise I also worry for my ankles, and my toes always seem to catch rocks and make me trip, so unfortunately I just have to take it slow.

Hoka Mafate Speed 4. I’m so sad that the 5s are totally changed with a higher drop and more cushioning because I loved the 4s, so now I have to try to buy them all up before they disappear.

Get a trail runner, such as HOKA Speedgoat 6, or the HOKA Mafate. But as others said, this is a question for r/hiking.

It depends on what your feet and legs can handle. I hike extensively, very hard hikes in the Alps, 50+km in a day, often crossing old snow fields, steep loose gravel, sharp pointy rocks, etc. all with non-waterproof trail runners (right now with Hoka Mafate Speed 4), see this hike I did last year, for example: https://www.reddit.com/r/hiking/s/AarII7juXV Unless you're doing something technical (climbing, crossing glaciers, etc.) you don't need anything more than trail runners, if your feet and ankles can handle it.

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

Came back to say that I’ve taken the Mafates on a few long technical runs now (10-15m, 3-4k feet) and love them! Great shoe!

I burned through 2 paire of SG5 and they’re really comfortable and versatile shoe - my only gripe with them is foam durability, which already feels dead at 200km mark. I recently bought Mafate Speed 4 and so far did one 23km run in them. They’re nothing short of amazing - more stability vs Speedgoat, but simultaneously a lot of bounce and responsiveness. I was also looking into SG6s, but decided against them and went for Mafate Speed 4.

There's no such thing as beginner trail runner shoes. But if you like HOKA shoes, try the Speedgoat, Mafate, or the Challenger if you'll also be running on the road with the same shoes.

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!

There isn’t a shoe that will work well in fells and road. You’ll have to sacrifice one or the other. There’s unfortunately no shoe that does it all. NVII Terra TT, VJ Xtrm have a bit nicer protection than Inov8s while being a proper hill shoe with superb grip. Various Scott Supertrac versions have more cushioning but they often have a very “dead” feeling on the road. Saucony Peregrine ST are very decent in mud but not so good on the rock and feel a bit burly. More than decent on the road as far as shoes go. Hoka Mafate/Tecton are great on more groomed trails but wouldn’t be my choice for most hill races in Scotland. Ditto on Saucony Xodus.

I got 800km in my Mafate 4’s and they hit some tough mountain miles. Besides them feeling flat I still use them for easy trails as they are still in good shape. I am currently wearing another pair on my travels as their grip is also one of the best I have ever tried. Well worth the money in my opinion.

yes they are... 5's were bad too. Mafate4 is the real progression for speedgoat 4's.

Satisfy Hoka mafate and they are good even in the UK weather!

Two pairs of mafate speeds, Both for daily training, the newer one also for racing. Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra for some none technical Trail racing, and Hoka Mach 5 for Everything Track/road

I'm not a huge fan of Speedgoats, though I know a lot of people really love them. I have some, but I only use them for hiking, and even then, I don't do long hikes in them. It's the only shoe I own that I feel like there's too much lateral movement in the forefoot/toe box. I love my Mafates, though.

The 12 was horrible durability wise. Lovely shoe, ran Canyons 100k in it; but after 200 miles the upper ripped on 2 separate pairs. I switched to Hoka Mafate Speed 4 for OCC and Javelina and they look pretty good after 300 miles on them.

I didn’t like them. I found the grip not so great compared to my Hoka Mafates.

This ⬆️ (But I don’t think OP will like them, since they are less cushioned than Speedgoats)

Yup I’m also Mach on the road, Mafate on trail. I sized up the Mafate and it’s so comfortable

Looks like I’ll be stocking up on the 4

Agreed , I much prefer the mafate speed 4 .I hated the tongue on the speedgoat 5s, I couldn’t get good heel lockdown without awful lace bite.

On paper the shoe doesn’t make any sense but I ran on these for Canyons 100k this past weekend and these shoes are far and away my favorite. For long trail outings, these are just amazing in terms of comfort without feeling like bricks (looking at you latest Speedgoat). I have the Tecton X 2.5, Zegama 2, Mafate Speed, the latest Speedgoat, and these and I’ll reach for these every time.

Agreed! It didn’t make a ton of sense to me that they’d feel extremely stable (or that on feet they didnt really feel like it was noticeably harder to get moving than my other shoes). These shoes are the only ones I have between road and trail shoes that have gotten smashed by reviewers and they might be my favorite. 😂

First, I bought the Hoka Mafete X shoes, but they’re so heavy that they didn’t really feel like race shoes, even though they fit well. Then I bought the Adidas Agravic Speed Ultras. Phew, how can a trail shoe be so ridiculously good? At least UTMB won’t come down to the shoes.

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.

Difficult to say, no? What kind of terrain? Distance? Profile runner? Nevertheless my personal favorite is the Salomon S/LAB Genesis. But I also like the Mafate Speed 4

It behaves very well in wet conditions. I ran TMB last year in 4 days: 3 days heavy rain and still lots of snow (June). Not any issue with the shoe in term of grip or blisters.

I had the opportunity to run in these earlier this week. They felt great, my first run in a carbon shoe in years. Very responsive and virtually no ground feel. I felt really good after, even though the upper felt like it got a bit sloppy halfway through the run but not enough to stop and adjust. Coming from my old standard Altra Superior these couldn't be much different. I don't see myself shelling out over 200 bucks for them but the rep was gushing about them, and for good reason.

I love the Mafate 4 for this. Toe protection helps keep your feet dry, and the lugs are very reliable on ice.

The Mafate’s outsole is infinitely better in my experience.

Hoka mafate 4 is one of the most versatile trail shoes ever made, don’t worry about the heel strike, we all do it.

I have about 10 running shoes. 4 trail; 3 road-to-trail hybrids which are Nike Pegasus 5 and NB heirro 8. The NB has more cushioning and good to less technical trail, the Pegasus handles wet, mud better and speed work. NB better for longer distance, say 20-40k. Hoka challenger also great for hybrid if you like cushioning. Then all trials I have Hoka mofate speed 4. Testing these ahead of my first ultra (52) in May. Uk based and this race could be mega boggy, wet, slippery with hills, or dry. So I may use a hybrid if dry the week before. So far the Hoka seem great, so much grip from the vibram sole, but good cushioning (I’m 95kg so I pound the trail lol). Doing 30k tomorrow so will see if they hold up with the cushioning! I tried the Nike Ultrafly too which were good but not worth the money so i returned them.

Hoka Mafate Speed. Haven’t tried the newest version, love the 4s

HOkA Mafate Speed 4 - they feel low to the ground to me and very stable.

I see a lot of praise for AP5, I love them, my favorite trail shoes along with the Mafate. BUT not when is muddy out there. I find they collect a lot mud. Unlike Mafate. During muddy runs I prefer the Mafate.

6’1 and 205-210. I’ve really enjoyed Hoka Mafate 4’s. Better cushion (not too soft either) and last longer than the Speedgoat 5s. Current pair is at 400 miles and still feels great. I also have really liked the Tecton X2’s. I have a couple pairs that are all in good shape at 300+ miles each.

This would be my pick! More cushioned and have held up way better than my SG

I do like Hokas (specifically the Mafate for hiking/trail running) but if you are looking for a wide toe box you should look into Topo. Generally though, I wouldn’t wear trail shoes around town - the lugs that give trail shoes grip will wear out pretty fast on pavement. The person below also recommended Altra for a wide toe box but if you go that route, just make sure you know what a zero drop shoe is and adapt over time.

The agravic’s narrower last would have me concerned with your foot. The metafuji may be a better option, so long as you don’t regularly roll your ankles because of the high stack height. Out of the other super shoes on the market, I wonder if north face’s options would work? If I recall that has a more traditional, less abrasive upper than most of the current gen trail supers. I wonder if experimenting within hoka’s lineup might make more sense - something like the Mafate speed (even though it’s not a super shoe) might get you most of the way there with a more comfortable upper. Current super shoes really only improve running economy by about 1%, compared to 3-4% on road, so they’re not nearly as game-changing in terms of performance as it might seem (however I do have a few pairs of supers, so that might be hypocritical of me)

Hoka mafate speed 4, best trail shoes I’ve ever had

YMMV I guess, I’ve never had an issue with them despite putting 350-400 miles on each pair over mostly rocky trails

The SG6 is like running on a block of wood compared to SG5, I had the 5 and currently run in Mafate Speed 4, the MS4 is better in pretty much every way, it’s more durable and the upper doesn’t stretch like the SG5, toe box is wider and generally more volume in the shoe but the heel lock is way better. The sole is equally cushioned and has better foam, SG has a basic Eva which takes a long time to warm up and then goes mushy. Oh and the grip, the MS4 has the best outsole I’ve ever run in, complete and utter confidence bombing down Lake District fells or chamonix mountains. The only things you need to be wary of with ms4; I find the upper material quite abrasive when I really cinch them down so have them quite loose on all but steep down hills and it’s quite a narrow platform for the stack height; I rolled my ankles a bit to start with moving from the SG.

To be fair you have to take fit with a pinch of salt whichever reviewer you listen to as it’s so dependent on foot shape, but hardly any of them talk about the shape of their feet! Mike actually does it a little and some others on road trail run do too, but very few others. It’s an eternal source of frustration for me as I seemingly have such weird feet, as soon as I find a reviewer with the same shape I’ll prob never listen to anyone else!! 🤣

Uurrgghh was afraid of this as soon as I saw some pictures, ms4s tongue was perfect for long comfortable miles, why change it?! It is such an amateur mistake if you can’t even tie a runners knot….

Mafate is a fun shoe but it has a plate and can hurt on pavement. I’d stay with a shoe without the rock plate, personally.

Crap, you’re right. I seem to mix this up with the Tecton. Why do I do that, I know this and yet still confound the two. I do love the mafate best out of all Hoka’s trail shoes, but they aren’t my first choice. Clearly!

Have several runs in these now. Compared to the 4s. The 4s have a slight edge in stability and maybe a slight better fit. But I enjoyed the 5s. More cushion, equal grip and felt lighter (even though I know they aren’t). I felt quick in them. I’ll continue to rotate between the 4 and 5s.

I've used these in wet conditions. The soles and grip perform well in wet conditions. I think just being prepared to get your feet wet should be a function of the right socks.

Happy to see I own three shoes featured on this list. \- Nike Peg Trail: A perfect door to trail shoe. Light, snappy, and can easily log long miles. Advised only for light trail terrain, think California carpet. \- HOKA Mafate Speed: Will just eat any type of terrain. Ran a 50k and never once bothered my feet. \- Nike Zegama 2: Have a pair stashed in the closet, ready for use.

Speedgoats or Mafate are the best hiking options.

I've got the Hoka Mafate Speed 3's (which I need to replace) and I find they are better for running downhill than any other shoe I tried, because when I descend I land on my forefoot, and all other shoes thin out too much towards the front (including my Speedgoats). The Mafate Speed 3's, by contrast, maintain their cushioning thickness all the way to the front. You can see this clearly when viewing reviews that cut the shoes in half lengthwise. For instance, here's a typical thickly cushioned trail shoe, with a measured 33.1 forefoot thickness. In spite of the thickness, note how much it thins out towards the front: [https://runrepeat.com/new-balance-fresh-foam-x-hierro-v9](https://runrepeat.com/new-balance-fresh-foam-x-hierro-v9) Compare that with the midsole profile of the MafateThree2 (couldn't find a review on this site of my Mafate Speed 3). Even though its measured forefoot thickness is less (31.7 mm), it effectively offers much thicker forefoot cushioning because it doesn't taper out as quickly towards the front: [https://runrepeat.com/hoka-mafate-three2](https://runrepeat.com/hoka-mafate-three2) Also, their 4 mm drop is about the most I can handle for descents. Anything higher means I feel like I'm running downhill in high heels. Plus, for a given amount of heel cushion, more drop means less thickness up front. I was thus dismayed to find that the Mafate now has an 8 mm drop, which I expect will make it unusable for me (unless I can cut a foam or gel insole in half and put the front half under the existing insole—though I've tried that with a few other shoes and it never feels right).

After years of Hoka Speedgoats and not liking the latest model, I now use the Hoka Mafate Speed for my hikes under 16-18 miles and Saucony Xodus for the long runs/hikes.

They have held up well for me! The last two outings I did were 15 miles, 6700 feet of vert and 21 miles, 5600 feet of vert on varied terrain. They don't feel like "running on clouds" as much as the Speedgoats, but they grip rock very well and give you more feel on class 2-4 scrambles. They also aren't as likely to tip and twist your ankles. I think if you're looking to get into ultra distance you might want something built more for a long haul, but I've been fine up to 20ish miles.

Yea was sad they ruined the mafates with the 5, buying up the 4s left and gonna try out the MTC T1s and Norda 005s

Apologies if this is totally unhelpful given that it’s mostly nonresponsive to your question, but I think the hoka mafate speed 4 is an excellent all-around shoe for trail runs and races of all distances and technicality if you haven’t already tried it

I switched to the Speed Mafate and never looked back

Up to 9 models of trail shoe and still looking... La sportiva bushido (500+ mi): great shoe but not enough of a rocker and limited cushion for longer days. Salomon ultra glide (350 mi): great shoe but limited durability of midsole and not stable enough on varied terrain. Hoka speedgoat 5: loved this shoe but can only seem to get 300 mi out of the midsole before I notice significant decline (still brought 5 pairs of these to 300+) Hoka Mafate speed 4 (320+165mi): loved this shoe but a set or two of the eyelits are not reinforced and will eventually rip, and the toebox is too narrow for me and gives blisters on the outside of my big toes. Saucony peregrin 3 (150 mi): like this shoe but long days or steep ascents are too much and the heel counter gives blisters (disclaimer: I have bony heels). I wear this for shorter runs with some tech but not much steep uphill. Saucony xodus 1 (250 mi): like this shoe but doesn’t perform well on technical terrain in terms of stability and outsole-lugs sheered off on first technical downhill. I wear this for non technical trails. Altra lone peak 7 (300+ idk): like this shoe but just for non technical trails, Toe box is too wide to get a full lockdown. I use this shoe for hikes and walks on non technical terrain and it is the shoe i wear more than any other bc it is my daily shoe at work, where i am on my feet a few hours every day. Nnormal tormir 2 (200 mi): like this shoe but the lockdown doesn’t prevent my toes from cramming into the front of the toebox on steep descents. I wear this for technical trails without steep descents. Hoka tecton x2 (12 mi): I have only worn this shoe twice for shorter (6 mi) runs, but it doesn’t seem to have the level of midsole comfort/cushion that would get me past 20 miles. I wear this for workout/faster runs on trails. Hoka tecton x3: bought these for a race because of the upgrades to the midsole and then got injured and couldn’t do the race. Feel amazing on my feet and am excited to try these out when I have an opportunity. My trail shoe rotation is almost complete. But I am still searching for the unicorn: a trail shoe that has a grippy and durable outsole, a lockdown that is a good for technical trails and steep descents, and a midsole that is sufficiently stable, cushioned, and resilient. I like the outsole of the tormir, the midsole feel and durability of the tormir and xodus. And I like the lockdown of the bushido and speedgoat. If only the tormirs had a better lockdown…if only the speedgoat midsole didn’t degrade at 300 miles. Should I try the Nnormal Kjerag? Is there a frankenshoe out there for me? Redditors what say you TLDR: is there such a thing as a trail shoe that has a durable and grippy outsole, durable,stable, and cushioned midsole, and a lockdown for technical trails and steep descents?

interesting! these are my first Topos and i can actually relate to you about the arch (my feet are flat af) but now my feet are pretty used to them. I used to run in the Hoka Mafate’s which i also loved but the toe box was too narrow and was giving me blisters, hence why I switched to Topos. when these ones bite the dust I definitely want to try out some other Topo shoes, i don’t think I can go back to the standard narrow toe box with other brands!

Just did my first 80k trail with the Mafate and It was really good, I would recommend

I just completed my first 80k with Hoka Mafate, I recommend those to everyone !

Agree with this. Went speedgoat to matafe and they’re unbelievably strong yet responsive. I feel invincible in them (wet / icy road, packed trail or mud) and stomped on a random stone which I think in most shoes would’ve broken my foot (it was painful enough for me to stop and go oh shit). The challengers are comfortable but garbage as trail runners, I bought them as a walking trainer and they’re bad enough at that in wet weather. Still do daily road mileage in them but wouldn’t buy again.

The problem is not overall volume but rather the shape - speedgoats are tapered toward the toes. Other models like Tecton x3 and Mafate speed are better in this regard.