Erin Trail

Initial Impressions

Comfortable straight out of the box, providing Hoka’s cornerstone cushioning.  These trail runners are suitable for all kinds of trail uses, from hiking to running on flowy dirt and technical rocks. 

Hoka Speedgoat 6 Detailed Review

I’ve been running and hiking in the Hoka Speedgoat 6 trail shoes for the past month, covering everything from smooth flowy, mostly dirt singletrack to technical, rocky (and sometimes sketchy) trails. I am fully into my off season, focusing on fun and adventures, with hikes up to 2 hours and runs around the 5-8 mile range. 

Out of the Box Impression

I usually wear Hoka Bondis, and I’ve found that the Speedgoats fit and feel similar to the Bondis.  The main difference (other than road vs trail) is that the Speedgoats have a lighter, more breathable upper and a smooth, flexible tongue. While they look big and clunky, they’re actually incredibly light.  I need to wear insoles (I have a torn plantar plate) and the Speedgoats easily accommodated a slightly thicker insole volume.  These are also good with a variety of socks, from my triathlete below-the-ankle socks to higher more traditional hiking and trail running socks.

On the Trail

The Hoka Speedgoat 6 shoes are comfortable on any off-road surface, but they REALLY shine on sketchy technical rocky things. While at the Grand Canyon, my husband and I were walking on a paved surface on the way to the trailhead, and my husband remarked at how he could hear the lugs gripping the pavement. They are literally so grippy, you can HEAR them grip. 

I have a mixed history with trail running.  I’m bad at picking my feet up, resulting in trips and sometimes Superman-like flying (and crashing) experiences. I also nearly always take a bad step and almost sprain and ankle. A long time ago, I had a really bad day in Moab on a hike where I was on a slickrock fin, my shoes lost traction, I started to slide, and my husband had to grab my pack to save me from some serious damage. Cliffnotes version: I want to love trail running, but it doesn’t always love me. Revelation while testing these shoes: I think the Hoka Speedgoats may help level up my trail running confidence and unlock more skills and speed. 

Visual impressions could lead wearers to think that the Speedgoats are clunky or not responsive, due to the stack height and cushion.  I found during testing that the shoes are nimble and easy to navigate on technical terrain WHILE having some really great cushion. I had just a few minor trips (but way less than normal), no missteps or potential ankle sprains, and zero Superman impressions.  In fact, as I used the shoes more, my trust in their grip and trail agility went up, which then allowed me to focus on my running/hiking and my surroundings. I even found myself becoming more aggressive on steep downhills with babyhead loose rocks and found each step as stable as if I was on flat ground. 

Foot turnover was smooth and effortless. The lightness of the shoes allowed me to move my feet and, I’m pretty sure the shoes also enabled me to pick my feet up easier (because the amount of tripping was substantially lower than normal for me).  These shoes especially shined on the sketchy slickrock of Sedona.  One of my hikes was to the Devil’s Bridge, which took me across slabs of slickrock and then a long, steep, narrow sandstone “staircase” to the bridge. The rocks often had a fine coating of sand – and later on – water from an afternoon shower.  I never once lost footing or grip.

And speaking of grip, I was able to test the shoes out in snow and slush, due to a heavier-than-expected snowstorm at the Grand Canyon towards the end of our trip.  What should have been just a dusting of snow was actually inches of deep frozen slushy stuff.  The Speedgoats keps me secure and safe on my sojurns from our campsite to the bathrooms. I am confident that these would be a great option for winter running on concrete paths before the plows have a chance to clear the snow away. 

Overall Impression

I really love these shoes because of their confidence-giving abilities.  The lightness of the shoe helped me to pick my feet up and over trail gotchas while the grip enabled me to trust my footing. I’m hopeful that these will help me to elevate my trail running capabilities to my true potential.  I’m excited to work in more trail runs – with the Hoka Speedgoats – into my usual training routine.

Erin Trail