Hoka Speedgoat 5 - Our Thoughts
The Reviewer
Hi, my name is Nathan Cremin, I've been training and competing in the sport of track and field for nearly a decade now, mainly racing the 800 metres and 1500 metres and on average I run around 40 - 50 miles per week. Throughout my time as an athlete I have run thousands of miles in countless pairs of running shoes, giving myself a great knowledge on running shoes and their many different uses and abilities. In my post today I'll be giving you the reader my personal opinion and experience with the Hoka Speedgoat 5s, what I found to be the shoes pros and cons, and what type of runs I would use the Hoka Speedgoat 5s for.
The Review
UNBOXING
Admittedly, I probably am not the most qualified person to be doing a review on a trail shoe as i have very little experience with running on trails and have never even ran in a specialised trail shoe before, however if anything i think that makes testing the Speedgoat 5 more interesting and a new experience for me. When I first took these shoes out of the box I noticed the sheer amount of difference when compared to road running shoes. Just by holding them I could tell they were heavier then your normal running shoe, mainly due to the mid sole being so thick to protect your foot from any sharp stones. Another difference I noticed was the spike-like lug grips underneath to dig into loose terrain on the trails.
THE FIRST STEPS
After lacing up the Speedgoats and walking around in them, I got on the treadmill and started at my usual slow pace, and right away noticed that this is definitely not the environment I should be testing the shoes in. The treadmill was not going to give a clear representation of the Speedgoats potential.
UP AND RUNNING
I found the landing firm but also comfortable and I highly doubt that on the trails I would feel any sort of rocks digging into the sole of my foot. While running i found the shoes to be quite heavy on my feet however on the trails this weight is necessary and essential to keeping your foot locked down. I attempted to speed up a slight bit however I learned that these shoes are definitely not made for going fast, especially on a treadmill. The upper of the shoe really locks in your foot and there is no moving around inside the shoe, so there's no worries of you twisting or spraining anything on a trail.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while I wasn't able to test the Speedgoat 5s to their full capacity and potential, I was able to get an insight into why these are the most sought after trail shoes on the market right now. It was very strange to run in a shoe with so many differences to the usual road running shoes I wear, however the Speedgoats definitely felt extremely comfortable to run in and were very forgiving on the legs despite the midsole being so firm. The upper makes your foot fit like a glove and completely stabilises and locks down your foot, all the while still allowing enough room for your foot to move freely. In my opinion I think the Speedgoat 5s could be worn for any type of trail run, whether it be a race or just a simple hike.
Nathan Cremin
Team Adrenalin