Males’s HOKA Speedgoat 5 Assessment

Backside Line

The HOKA Speedgoat 5s are certainly one of our prime picks total for males’s mountain climbing footwear in terms of consolation, help, and light-weight design. We’ve climbed dozens of 13,000’+ mountains within the Colorado Rockies and racked up over 400 miles on path sporting the Speedgoats.

They provide thick, responsive midsoles with glorious cushioning and affect absorption on tough trails. Their roomy toe field and chunky lug sample present top-tier traction, and fast-drying, breathable uppers make the Speedgoats really feel breathable and ethereal. 

The froth soles put on out sooner than extra sturdy path footwear and the distinguished dovetail heel takes some getting used to. Nonetheless, the Speedgoat 5s glorious help, unequalled cushioning, and vibrant colorways make them a best choice for hikers prioritizing consolation and traction.

Consolation

The HOKA Speedgoat 5s are probably the most comfy mountain climbing footwear available on the market, making them certainly one of our prime suggestions for tackling robust, rocky trails. The thick, mushy foam soles supply a pillowy trip that cradles your ft by way of mile after mile of backcountry. The Speedgoats have excellent arch help, which is essential for sustaining foot well being on lengthy hikes, and we love the roomy toe field that gives loads of room on your forefoot and toes and prevents cramping and blisters. And, there’s little extra comfy than the Speedgoats’ breathable mesh uppers that preserve your ft cool and dry on sizzling summer season days. The soft heel cuff, paired with a big heel tab, means these footwear are straightforward to take off and placed on.

Due to thick, bouncy, mushy foam, the Speedgoat 5s require no break-in interval, so you may hit the paths as quickly as you open the field. We discover the huge foam outsoles are glorious for help, making you are feeling assured and steady on path whereas lowering pressure. Throughout our current testing interval within the Colorado Rockies, the place we climbed 5 peaks over 13,000 ft, we discovered the froth soles stored our ft feeling recent even after 20+ mile days on among the most difficult routes.Nonetheless, we’ve discovered that the sizing runs somewhat lengthy. We’d advocate attempting them in-store if attainable, or take into account going a dimension down for those who’re between sizes. And, in comparison with different footwear, the Speedgoat 5s laces are a bit shorter, which doesn’t accommodate different lacing types in addition to we’d like. Moreover, the chunky foam dovetail behind the shoe – which supplies the Speedgoats their token rockered sole and supportive really feel – takes a little bit of getting used to. That mentioned, the consolation and efficiency of the Speedgoat 5 is nearly unequalled, and it’s simply probably the most cushioned, supportive path runners we’ve examined.

Traction

The HOKA Speedgoat 5s are on the prime of their class for traction. The Vibram soles are cheesy and sticky, biting into the bottom to make sure a agency grip. Mixed with an efficient lug sample, the Speedgoat 5s soles supply most grip and braking energy on steep ascents and descents with big, evenly distributed lugs that present superior management and stability on most surfaces and angles. The Speedgoat 5s carried out significantly properly on all kinds of brutal terrain within the Rocky Mountains, together with sand, free filth, and gravel in excessive mountain couloirs, unstable boulder-filled ridges, and tough trails filled with scree and roots. These footwear are versatile and steady with out slipping or shedding footing. That mentioned, the beneficiant quantity of froth supporting these lugs makes the Speedgoats really feel simply as agile, steady, and efficient on packed trails.

Nonetheless, these footwear don’t carry out properly on slick and slippery surfaces, which generally is a disadvantage for routes with numerous rocks or in moist and icy situations. Moreover, the thick cushioning and sturdy construct end in a restricted floor really feel, making them much less optimum for technical trails that require exact foot placement, like scrambling or edging on rocks or boulders. This lack of floor really feel is a drawback for routes with rock, talus, or lengthy boulder fields because the footwear don’t supply a lot tactile suggestions. Nonetheless, the Speedgoat 5 stays a wonderful selection for hikers who need excellent traction on most trails.

Weight

In case you’re searching for among the lightest footwear available on the market, the HOKA Speedgoat 5s are your golden ticket. Weighing just one pound, 3.6 ounces, these are among the lightest footwear you’ll discover. Due to a woven mesh higher and ethereal foam soles, these footwear dramatically cut back fatigue and pressure so you may hike additional at a sooner tempo with out discomfort. The light-weight construct makes us really feel agile and nimble and presents excellent breathability.

What’s the draw back of such light-weight footwear? They don’t have the safety or sturdiness of heavier, extra sturdy footwear with toe caps, leather-based and textile uppers, or heel bumpers. The tradeoff of light-weight footwear is much less safety from sharp rocks and particles on the path and a shoe with a shorter lifespan. In case your prime precedence is a extra rugged and protecting shoe, you’ll wish to look elsewhere.

Sturdiness

Contemplating how light-weight and breathable they’re, the HOKA Speedgoat 5s nonetheless punch above their weight and supply respectable sturdiness. We’ve hiked over 400 miles in these and so they’ve held up impressively properly, though the final 100 miles aren’t fairly. Typically, the woven higher maintains its integrity over the lifetime of the shoe, as do particulars just like the laces, TPU overlays, and heel tab.

Nonetheless, there’s no method round it: these footwear aren’t probably the most sturdy on the market. In case you’re searching for mountain climbing footwear to trek in harsh environments or final greater than 400 miles, there are higher choices out there. The mesh higher is awesomely breathable, nevertheless it doesn’t maintain a candle to heavier supplies like nubuck leather-based or burly textiles. The froth soles supply glorious cushioning, though we discover they’re much much less resilient in comparison with rugged path footwear with burly rubber composites. The Speedgoats lack technical options like a toe cap and rock plate, so that they don’t supply a lot safety on rocky, brambly, and closely forested routes, and so they have a tendency to interrupt down sooner because of this. Regardless of these concerns, the HOKA Speedgoat 5 is our selection for light-weight consolation and agility on the path.

Climate Resistance

The HOKA Speedgoat 5s prioritize breathability over climate resistance. The mesh uppers received’t preserve you dry from most moisture, and we discover water shortly and simply penetrates these footwear from puddles to creek crossings and light-weight drizzles to heavy rains. The advantage of this light-weight design is that they dry impressively quick – in our expertise, 45 minutes or much less on heat summer season days. This fast drying time is a dream for routes with occasional moist areas since their beneficiant airflow helps preserve ft cool and dry.

Nonetheless, the Speedgoat 5s don’t supply weatherproofing discovered in additional sturdy mountain climbing footwear that block out moisture. In case your subsequent hike is muddy, filled with water crossings, or the climate appears to be like wet, take into account footwear with waterproof membranes and sturdy higher supplies that repel water extra successfully.

Ought to You Purchase the Hoka SpeedGoat 5?

The HOKA Speedgoat 5 is good for path runners and hikers who prioritize light-weight consolation and agility over rugged sturdiness. These are a few of our absolute favorites as a result of their plush cushioning, ethereal development, and distinctive traction supply a significantly clean trip for most individuals on established trails. They’re excellent for people seeking to cowl lengthy distances shortly with out sacrificing consolation, making them a favourite for thru-hikers, endurance athletes, and day hikers alike.

In case you’re searching for heavy-duty climate resistance or most sturdiness to navigate technical terrain, you’ll in all probability discover the Speedgoat 5 a bit missing. However for those who’re looking for vibrant and crowd pleasing designs, you’ll be hard-pressed to search out footwear with bolder and extra colourful designs.

What Different Mountaineering Sneakers Ought to You Think about?

In case you’re contemplating the HOKA Speedgoat 5, you may additionally wish to have a look at:

Brooks Cascadia 17: The Cascadia 17s supply a barely extra sturdy construct than the Speedgoat 5s, however supply comparable trail-running capabilities with extra give attention to sturdiness and help.

Saucony Peregrine 14: Just like the Speedgoat 5, the Peregrine 14 is among the lightest footwear we’ve examined, making it a strong selection for path runners looking for consolation, agility, and cushioning.

Topo Athletic Ultraventure: That includes one of many roomiest toe bins on our record and a versatile, cushioned sole, the Ultraventure presents a steadiness between consolation and sturdiness, excellent for long-distance hikes and different terrain.

These are glorious options to the Speedgoat 5, since they cater to these searching for light-weight, comfy, and agile trail-running footwear with glorious breathability.