Hoka Speedgoat 7 Review

Initially considered a shoe for trail-running enthusiasts, the Hoka Speedgoat line has attracted the attention of alpine hikers who appreciate the ultralight, well-cushioned ride. If you hike at a walking pace on soft dirt trails, the extra cushion isn't particularly amazing. However, if you like to pound out the miles on hard-packed gravel and exposed stone, the cushioning is so good you may never go back to stiffer designs.

Comfort

Simply put, the Hoka Speedgoat 7 cushioning is crazy comfortable. It feels deep and plush yet springy and responsive. Hoka uses supercritically foamed EVA, which uses a special form of nitrogen that improves energy return, making the material feel bouncy. The sole completely absorbs a lot of feedback from the trail by smoothing each step, which is quite comfortable. Once we got used it, we generally loved it.

The upper is lightweight and flexible and doesn't require a break-in period. The low-profile tongue isn't particularly padded, but it's not bad and protected the top of our feet from the laces even when laced tightly. The upper also now includes Hoka's patent-pending flexible “dynamic vamp,” which is a stretchy patch of material that fits between the tongue, upper, and toe box to reduce pressure points, accommodate foot swelling, and improve the toe box fit.

Hoka lowered the height of the collar and improved the padding, resulting in a more comfortable and supportive fit that still provides good heel lockdown.   Credit: Chris Maxcer

The heel pocket is centered over a wide, stable base. Heel strikes feel remarkably comfortable and consistent even when the terrain varies underneath.   Credit: Chris Maxcer

The wide sole cost us a bit of agility when we hiked through brushy country, but it contributed to the comfortable ride experience we felt on nearly all other types of terrain.   Credit: Chris Maxcer

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The toe box angles inward more than some shoes, which may increase forefoot stability while running downhill, but the point remains: the toe box is not roomy compared to most hiking shoes. Interestingly, this batch of Speedgoat fits 1/2 size short. Not only did we experience the shortness when we tried on our first pair, Hoka specifically encourages customers ordering online to size up 1/2 size.

Support

The Super Critical Foam (SCF) in the Speedgoat 7 delivers a springy feeling, and the midsole is thick enough to provide a solid, non-tippy base. In fact, the sole is extra wide, which results in a large platform for your foot to press into with each step. The upper is flexible but not stretchy, so it held our feet to the footbed without our feet sliding around. We could step through uneven terrain and feel as if the shoe was always there for us, increasing our confidence off trail.

This shoe isn't as good if you're side hilling on steep hills because the flexible sole doesn't bite well along its edges. In addition, it wasn't our favorite when we wore a heavy backpack because the sole wasn't as supportive over rocky or rooted trails when under an extra heavy load. To be fair, Hoka didn't design this shoe for backpacking. It's really designed for fast and light hiking and trail running.

Traction

The Speedgoat 7 Vibram Megagrip sole sticks to granite, feels secure on hard-packed dirt, and does a reasonable job of maintaining grip on loose, gravely trails. The lugs are widely spaced and not particularly aggressive, but the extra wide sole increases the contact patch. With such a large sole, you gain grip through the extra surface area available to grab the ground.

As we might expect with a shoe marketed for trail running, the tread pattern feels tuned for rolling over terrain quickly. We weren't particularly impressed with grip on wet, slick rock, but we weren't disappointed, either. We experienced average traction on wet stone, so hike carefully in wet conditions. We had a ton of fun using these shoes to walk over logs and scramble around on boulders. They were mediocre on steep, loose forest duff, mostly due to the softer footbed. As long as you're not planning to kick a step into a dirt hillside or snow bank with these soles, the traction will suffice.

Water Resistance

The Hoka Speedgoat 7 is not waterproof, but it is slightly water resistant. If all you're doing is cruising through a short dewey meadow on a morning run, your feet will likely stay reasonably dry. If you need to cross a shallow stream or puddle, though, your socks will get wet.

The thick midsole will keep you safely above the danger zone on very shallow puddles, but water will seep through the porous upper. They started leaking for us during our flood testing at just 2.75 inches.

Weight

We could hardly contain our joy when we put the Speedgoat 7 on the scale! Our admittedly large size 14 test pair weighed just 3/4 of a pound each, totaling 1.53 pounds per pair. These are astoundingly light.

While heavier shoes usually offer more stability and durability, lifting excess weight with each step can accumulate over time. If you are hiking a fast 12 miles on an out-and-back loop into a mountain lake, lightweight hiking shoes can save energy that's noticeable after long days.

Durability

The rPET (Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate) upper on the Speedgoat 7 seems to be more rugged than the upper on the Speedgoat 6. It also appears to be more abrasion-resistant than softer knitted mesh designs.

The entire upper is nearly devoid of exposed stitching. Instead, the synthetic sections are welded together, creating a near-seamless upper. So far, after nearly 30 miles, the upper looks perfect. The only sign of wear is a slightly dirty outsole with some very slight tread wear.

Should You Buy the Hoka Speedgoat 7?

If you want an ultralight, super cushy ride, the Hoka Speedgoat 7 delivers. The tall and chunky midsole looks clunky, but the lightweight build is a joy to lift step after step. The wide sole provides a stable base that isn't too tippy, while the upper keeps feet where they belong. If you spend most of your time cruising well-marked trails, it's hard to go wrong with this running-shoe-like ride. Just remember to size up 1/2 size to give your toes the room they deserve.

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