
Hoka - Speedgoat 5 Mid GTX
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Jan 28, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
1096
401
"The roborock I have kicked and smashed with my foot so many times out of anger when it doesn't collaborate, and still he rocks 4-5 yrs later and no broken parts"
"they are extremely durable. ... I’ve got well over 1000 miles out of a pair and they still have grip and the uppers are in great shape"
"I've used them for 1500 miles of multi-day hiking with no issues!"
1898
551
"I even washed them accidentally and still worked perfectly fine afterwards."
"Been using them for about four years working out in my gym, and cycling daily (45+ minutes on a bicycle outdoors)."
"They last absolutely forever (I know 1980s models still in daily use)"
137
58
"super comfy (my knees ache so much less on descents with them) ... I can’t stress enough how much they’ve helped my bad left knee on descents."
"super comfy (my knees ache so much less on descents with them) ... I can’t stress enough how much they’ve helped my bad left knee on descents."
"I had them on my feet for 6 hours + with no pain points ... Super comfy"
561
131
"I was quite impressed with its comfort and trail capabilities, and truly believed I had found an excellent shoe for my long runs and hikes. ... the New Balance Hierro v9 remains my top choice for comprehensive trail running. Its superior comfort and, crucially, its consistently reliable grip in varied and challenging conditions make it a more dependable partner on the trails I typically encounter. ... I feel more secure in the Hierro, and that confidence is key. In fact I will be using it for my upcoming races and that says it all."
"The Vibram Megagrip outsole on the Hierro v9 is simply outstanding. Its 4.5mm lugs provide excellent, reliable traction across various surfaces, from dry dirt to slick roots and muddy patches. I've always felt incredibly secure, and it consistently inspires confidence in diverse conditions. ... Great Vibram outsole grip, even on mud and wet rocks"
"The Trabuco 12 have been the best trail shoes I’ve ever owned. ... I’m 6”4 and charge hard over serious rocky terrain…and I feel completely safe in them."
50
25
"As someone with severe nerve compression and multiple extruded discs; I need these shoes - they aren’t just for sport. ... Had to scour the internet to order new speedgoat 5s"
"I'm really prone to rolling my ankle. ... they definitely reduced ankle sprains for me."
"with a very nice stiff back around ankle it really plants your foot in place (and I had my ankles srrpingkled number of thimes back when I was playing baksetball)"
22
2
"I did a drying test on both pair last year and found both dry quickly IF you remove the insole when it gets wet or keep them dry and remove them before making a water crossing. ... In the field, I walked through creeks and got my feet totally wet (not on purpose) in November with nighttime lows in the upper 20s. Shoes dried by morning and the insoles were still damp, but dried as I hiked."
"quick-drying shoes ... all the wetness will be wicked away ... When you get to camp, take out the insoles to dry the shoe."
"they dry very quickly"
44
25
"super comfy (my knees ache so much less on descents with them) ... I can’t stress enough how much they’ve helped my bad left knee on descents."
"I also used to have weak ankles from a bad sprain years ago and I haven’t had any issues in this shoe with the 5mm drop. ... That’s why I like the 5mm drop on the Speedgoat. It feels right in the middle."
"Personally, I’ve rucked the Bataan Memorial Death March (a full marathon with 35 pounds dry weight, terrain is part road / part desert sand) a couple of times in Hoka Speedgoat mids, with zero foot problems."
225
76
"super comfy (my knees ache so much less on descents with them) ... I can’t stress enough how much they’ve helped my bad left knee on descents."
"I ran the R2R2R in a pair of Racer 3's. Flawless. ... I ran the 100-mile Javelina Jundred in three different pairs (Pursuit 2, older Racer 3's, and a new pair of Racer 3's). Flawless."
"The most striking aspect of the shoe was how much it protected my legs. ... At no point throughout the run did I feel fatigued. ... This is EXACTLY what I was looking for."
86
33
"they are extremely durable. ... I’ve got well over 1000 miles out of a pair and they still have grip and the uppers are in great shape"
"Very good on rocky, technical terrain. ... Use: any trail up to marathon distance."
"As far as grip goes, all three are excellent. It's truly amazing how good they are at gripping scree, sand, and unstable terrain."
167
42
"they are extremely durable. ... I’ve got well over 1000 miles out of a pair and they still have grip and the uppers are in great shape"
"As far as grip goes, all three are excellent. It's truly amazing how good they are at gripping scree, sand, and unstable terrain."
"It's truly amazing how good they are at gripping scree, sand, and unstable terrain. ... My Altra Lone Peaks saved me from nearly sliding off a cliff on sandy terrain in Arizona, kept my footing bouldering up a mountain in Pennsylvania, and across a ridgeline of scree along Mount Hood in Oregon."
Disliked most:
398
443
"About a year and the right bud would last about 15 minutes on a full charge."
"I've had them for a few years and now the battery doesn't last for more than 40 mins, so looking for a different model."
"And then during a race in September the mid sole of one pulled right off with less than 200 km on them."
78
163
"An almost new pair I wore in a mountain 100 was dead after the race. ... It was all stretched out and even had a hole in the side when it wasn't that crazy technical of terrain."
"An almost new pair I wore in a mountain 100 was dead after the race. ... It was all stretched out and even had a hole in the side when it wasn't that crazy technical of terrain."
"I have additionally had issues with the Vibram soles delaminating from THREE SEPARATE PAIRS of Speedgoats now. So they are struggling with some quality control issues with their adhesive. ... I think their adhesive just degrades with time. The shoes were probably manufactured and sat in a warehouse long before they made their way to my feet. Plus I think the design of their sole contributes to the problem."
6
25
"the outsole rubber doesn't last very long ... i've usually worn away some of the lugs after 250km."
"Mine lasted me 50km before they became gardening shoes."
"very lightly worn on mixed trails and losing so much tread already!"
8
30
"downhills my feet were all over the place"
"at the end of the day, my feet/ankles ached badly."
"the new mid height are total garbage. ... My favorite part of the speed goat 5 was the ankle support, the new 6 has no ankle support, and simply a water resistant gasket that provides no support. ... So my big gripe is the 6 only comes in 'low' and 'water resistant gasket' and there is no longer a 'mid' option ... 6 only has the weird high sock option."
22
62
"Also, the grip was really crap, particularly when it’s a purpose built trail shoe."
"Sections of the trail were fairly muddy this time. ... It was there the shoe washed out over and over again. ... The experience was similar to trail running in road shoes. ... There was a total loss of grip. ... We also need to see a shoe with longer lugs and a better lug pattern to give confidence in wet conditions."
"Tried my Ultraventures on a recent high route in wet weather and fell twice on slick rock/moss, they are relegated to cutting the grass now."
12
51
"They fit more rigid with more pressure points and have less room in the tow box. ... They were never as comfortable out of the box or hiking as a topo athletic shoe and I’ve had several pairs. ... I’m always very ready to take these shoes off at the end of the day.. ... after a long day, my feet feel like they were in a rock crusher since the cushion 0%."
"Speedgoats are not wide, they are one of the narrowest trail shoes ive worn ... I regret buying the Speedgoat wide because it squished my pinky toe and midfoot."
"they’re much narrower than the 5s. ... My 5s were my favorite trail shoe ever and the 6s were painfully unwearable for me. I wear a 2e wide and never had a problem with any other hoka before."
15
54
"where it bends in front by the toes is pinching the side of my foot."
"They fit more rigid with more pressure points and have less room in the tow box. ... They were never as comfortable out of the box or hiking as a topo athletic shoe and I’ve had several pairs. ... I’m always very ready to take these shoes off at the end of the day.. ... after a long day, my feet feel like they were in a rock crusher since the cushion 0%."
"I hate how narrow the toe box is. ... It’s causing issues. ... I simply can’t run in them any longer. ... That is not the case, at least for my foot. ... I can’t imagine how narrow earlier versions were!"
1
4
"sucks big time on road. ... I would not take the Speedgoat 5 on the road."
"Indeed the vibram lugs after 18 months of using mostly on hard surfaces were destroyed on one side. ... And that may happen in general to trail shoes with big lugs instead of more asphalt oriented outsole."
"I find running on road in luged shoes way more uncomfortable"
13
35
"maybe couple mm less would be great, rolled ankle once in technical terrain."
"maybe couple mm less would be great, rolled ankle once in technical terrain."
"The stability around the ankles is terrible ... keep rolling the ankle ... it has happened with both ankles"
18
31
"Sections of the trail were fairly muddy this time. ... It was there the shoe washed out over and over again. ... The experience was similar to trail running in road shoes. ... There was a total loss of grip. ... We also need to see a shoe with longer lugs and a better lug pattern to give confidence in wet conditions."
"they are not great in muddy conditions, the sole gets logged easily and loses all traction"
"the tread filled up with mud. ... While hiking along narrow rock I slipped several times and finally cracked a rib. ... He was bloody from slipping and falling."
If you enjoyed the 5 mids, the new mid height are total garbage. My favorite part of the speed goat 5 was the ankle support, the new 6 has no ankle support, and simply a water resistant gasket that provides no support. So my big gripe is the 6 only comes in 'low' and 'water resistant gasket' and there is no longer a 'mid' option
Hoka Speedgoat 5 mid trail running / hiking boot (goretex) for a recent 3 week pet sit in Sweden. Light and comfortable for long’ish hikes / bike rides in outdoor gear, and bright / colourful / smart enough for wearing with jeans to bars etc. Took nothing else and had no issues. Only travelled with an Osprey Daylite 26 +6 & an 8L Cotopaxi sling so space was at a premium.
There are many great recommendations in r/Rucking. Try this thread: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Rucking/comments/1k8q1j0/lets\_talk\_footwear/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Rucking/comments/1k8q1j0/lets_talk_footwear/) Personally, I’ve rucked the Bataan Memorial Death March (a full marathon with 35 pounds dry weight, terrain is part road / part desert sand) a couple of times in Hoka Speedgoat mids, with zero foot problems. But I don’t think they come in all black. Could perhaps paint them? (I’m only half joking.)
Btw I have been a lover of Hoka Speedgoat for several years. I use a GTX mid version & use it for mostly trail running in ❄️ winter time. I use the La Sportiva Bushido outside of winter. * hiking boots vs trail runners https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouverhiking/comments/1ltydv7/hiking_boots_vs_trail_runners/ * What shoes do you swear by? https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouverhiking/comments/o77olh/what_shoes_do_you_swear_by/
Trail runner Mids might just be your new travel MVP, ankle hugs without the boot bulk. Check out: [Hoka Speedgoat Mid GTX](https://www.hoka.com/en/us/mens-trail/speedgoat-6-mid-gtx/1155152.html?dwvar_1155152_color=OTC) / Weatherproof clouds for your feet [NNormal Tomir 2.0 Mid](https://www.nnormal.com/en_US/men/shoes/tomir/nnormal-tomir_2_0_boot-N2BTR02-002) / Allround Kilian-approved mountain beast One shoe to explore, run and roam.
I love the Hoka Mids. Super comfortable, light, quick drying. Not super durable, the soles get torn up on real rocky terrain. I just got a new pair, the old ones lasted 2 years. Multiple backpacking trips, lots of hiking, hunting and work. They’re expensive won’t last forever but they’re the most comfortable boots I’ve ever owned.
Hey OP, I asked a similar question a few years ago and I got the same spiels but I do still think that a high-cut runner isn't a bad idea. I don't think it's completely removing your ankle from the running equation, just giving you extra support. Something like the hoka speedgoat mid seems like a good shoe provided they fit right for you. I've also really wanted to try the Nike Kiger because it's a pretty low stack trail shoe and I think that would feel a lot more stable. Currently I have the Nike zegama and the fit is perfect just feels a bit tall.
I loved the SG 5. The fit and comfort were the best. I could wear them on any terrain, for any distance, in any weather. Then they released the SG 6, and they almost made me want to quit trail running.
I have haglunds, but it's rarely an issue for my trail shoes (apart from the heel being the main point of wear!). I've almost exclusively run in the Nike trail lineup (terra kiger, pegasus trail) which have softer heel counters, and have also tried Hoka SG 5s with no issues. Having said that, while they have always been fine for my use cases, I don't know if these would be quite aggressive enough for you.
Hoka Speedgoat 5, love them!!
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