Hoka Speedgoat 6 Trail Runner Review

The Hoka Speedgoat 6 GTX is a trail running shoe for hiking and running on moderate terrain and hard-packed trails. It has a light cushion and a flared outsole, providing good shock absorption and balanced comfort with a responsive toe-off.  A stack height of 5 mm makes them easier to transition to than a full zero drop trail runner, while still providing similar benefits including a more natural gait and better impact dispersion.  Available in waterproof lows (reviewed here), non-waterproof lows, and waterproof mids, they have good toe-box protection and gore-tex lined uppers to help keep your feet drier in cool and wet weather.

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Specs at a glance

• Gender: Men’s (Women’s also available)
• Wide sizes available: Yes
• Weight: 11.1 oz (men’s 10.5 reviewed)
• Heel Drop: 5 mm
• Heel Stack Height: 40 mm
• Forefoot Stack Height: 35 mm
• Midsole: EVA
• Outsole: Vibram MegaGrip w/ 5 mm Traction lugs
• Rock Plate: No
• Width: Regular & Wide
• Variations: Low. GTX Low (Gore-Tex), GTX Mid
• Mfg Weight (pair): 1 lb 3.6 oz

The Speedgoat 6 GTX

The Hoka Speedgoat 6 GTX is a lightly cushioned trail running shoe built for covering long distances. It’s a very active shoe that is quite literally shaped to keep you on your toes, with a sloped forefoot that seems to propel the foot forward as weight is shifted from heel to toe. This additional rocker creates the feeling of having a little extra spring in each step.

The toe box in the Speedgoat 6 is moderately wide so you can splay your toes, although nowhere as wide as the Altra Lone Peak, which I’ve also been using this year. Otherwise, the interior of the shoes is fairly narrow, although wide sizes are available: I have a relatively narrow feet, and I found the fit to be comfortable enough but not roomy. Out of the box, the Speedgoat 6 looks extra long, but I suspect that’s an optical illusion created by the shoe’s design because fit-wise they’re slightly short in length compared to the previous model.

The Speedgoat 6 has an extended heel tab at the back of the shoe, which is designed to make them easier to take off. Unfortunately, it can interfere with gaiter fit because it sticks out so much. This is a concern for hikers who kick up a lot of debris when they walk and benefit be wearing a gaiter to block it from entering the shoe. A gusseted tongue helps block some of the debris, but Speedgoats do not have a gaiter trap on the heel for holding a gaiter like the Altra Lone Peaks.

The exterior of the shoe has been upgraded since the last version with a very fine and more durable mesh fabric which helps keep sand and dust out of the shoes. There’s also considerably more impact and abrasion resistance around the toe box and down the sides of the shoes. The GTX version we tested worked well at keeping moisture out of the shoe, particularly after the heavy mountain dews we have most mornings in autumn. While I prefer shoes that drain well and dry quickly most of the year, a Gore-tex liner is a godsend when the days get shorter and cooler.

The midsole padding on the Speedgoat 6 is relatively light and the shoes feels quite stiff to walk in. This is a big change from the plush midsole padding of the previous model. Hoka also increased the stack height the the Speedgoat by 5 mm in this latest version of the shoe, given them a very different feel. I wouldn’t say that I prefer the Speedgoat 6 over the Speedgoat 5s. If you concur, I’d encourage you to pick up a few pairs of the Speedgoat 5 before they’re sold out.

Traction

The Speedgoat 6 has Vibram’s MegaGrip outsoles with multi-directional 5 mm lugs that provide good grip in mixed and muddy conditions. The lugs are positioned forward, backward, and toward each side to promote better traction. They’re also 1mm (20%) longer than on the Spedgoat 5 and a good idea firmer enhancing durability, at the expense of some trail feel.

Durability

The Speedgoats are designed to run or walk over the hard sand and gravel that makes up most of the trails used by hikers and trail runners. So far, I have been pretty impressed with the shoe’s durability. The outsole has shown very little wear and the upper mesh doesn’t show any abrasion along the sides of the toe box where my other trail runners often fail first.

Recommendation

Hoka Speedgoat 6 Trail Runners are a good choice if you are someone who is looking to hike many miles on hard compacted trails and wants to feel confident in their footing mile after mile. Their tightly woven uppers keep sand and grit out while the flared sole helps with stability. They might be a bit overkill for running on rail trails or other graded paths and are not ideal for nimble rock hopping, but they will certainly keep your feet and knees happier on long hikes and backpacking trips.

The Speedgoat 6 is the latest model of the popular Hoka Speedgoat product line. If you liked the Speedgoat 5, be forewarned that the Speedgoat 6 is a significantly different shoe, with a higher stack height, a higher drop, and a different trail feel. If you liked the Speedgoat 5s because they were a plush and comfortable trail runner, you might want to pick up a pair or two before they disappear. The Speedgoat 6 is stiffer and narrower although it has a more durable mesh outer and better toebox protection than the previous model.

Disclosure: The author owns these shoes.

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