Test: Hoka Speedgoat 5

The culmination of natural running shoes

Over the years Speedgoat has re-calibrated the concept of trail running shoes, renovating itself a lot from version to version but always remaining faithful to its original concept. Speedgoat 5 features a completely redesigned upper with a very elastic seamless upper. In addition to being more breathable, it wraps the foot better by slightly tightening the fit on the forefoot but without creating compression points. We also liked the new collar, with the mustache on the Achilles tendon taken from the Cliftons. In general, the shoe seems much lighter and responsive, also thanks to the foam in the midsole with increased resilience and whose EVA density seems to have been decreased, making it more similar to the third than the fourth version. In the sole returns the Megagrip compound with a single density, giving it a homogeneous hold over the entire surface. We enjoyed it on runnable forest routes, while it is inevitably not very sensitive on technical terrains. It gives its best at a fast pace and worn by light runners, and in general in situations where the legs spin fast thanks to the EVA midsole which is able to return energy in the deadlift phase, while it tends to compress under more important weights and at low speeds, returning the typical buffer effect, which in any case has guaranteed its success over all these years.

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