The Hoka Speedgoat 6. All images: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
The Hoka Speedgoat 6 ($155) is the most recent replace of a well-loved shoe that has been a favourite within the path working and ultrarunning communities for a very long time. The 5-millimeter lugs present sufficient traction for many kinds of terrain with out being a burden on roads and harder-surfaced trails, and the Vibram Megagrip outsole with Traction Lugs sticks to rocks in each moist and dry circumstances. The shoe’s drop has elevated from 4 to five millimeters, however it’s a barely noticeable distinction. The 38-millimeter and 33-millimeter heel and toe stack heights for the ladies’s shoe and 40-millimeter and 35-millimeter stack heights for the lads’s present loads of cushion, even with a firmer midsole materials.
The shoe has an precise weight of 9.8 ounces (280 grams) for males’s dimension 9 and is a good all-around shoe for coaching and racing. With a lighter midsole materials and extra cutouts on the outsole, the shoe has misplaced a pair grams from the earlier model. Hoka has up to date the higher and given it extra construction, making a design that resembles the Hoka Speedgoat 4 (evaluation) rather more so than the Hoka Speegoat 5 (evaluation) and brings again that locked-in midfoot feeling.
iRunFar’s Travis Liles takes a deep dive into the updates of the Hoka Speedgoat 6 and the way it differs from the earlier two variations of the shoe.
[Editor’s Note: For those looking for alternative looks, additional colorways will be released around July 15.]
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Hoka Speedgoat 6 Evaluation Transcript
Hey, and welcome to Path Trials, the video evaluation part of iRunFar. My title is Travis Liles, and on this video, we’re going to check out the brand new Hoka Speedgoat 6. Let’s test it out.
Let’s begin with the fundamentals right here. That is the sixth iteration of a really well-loved shoe within the Speedgoat. It has a 5-millimeter heel-to-toe drop, which is one millimeter greater than the earlier technology. It is available in at 9.8 ounces in a males’s dimension 9. That may be a half-ounce lighter, in response to the web site. [Editor’s Note: We measured a smaller, 4-gram reduction in weight.] It has a unique higher, a unique midsole, a unique tongue, and a unique outsole. So, we’re going to check out all these and see what this shoe is all about.
Hoka Speedgoat 6 Outsole
The outsole of the Hoka Speedgoat 6.
Let’s begin by speaking concerning the outsole of the Hoka Speedgoat 6. In case you try the outsole, it appears to be like pretty acquainted. And by that, I imply it is a very acquainted lug patterning. It’s a really acquainted look to what the earlier Speedgoats additionally have been. This makes use of Vibram Megagrip and in addition has Traction Lugs. In case you look actually shut, you’ll be able to see these little dots throughout right here. These are supposedly including extra traction, and I assume by simply advantage of additional floor space, that’s what’s occurring right here. You get a bit bit of additional grip by having these additional tooth. From a patterning standpoint, you’ve acquired reverse lugs for braking whenever you’re going downhill. You’ve acquired forward-facing lugs whenever you’re going uphill.
The key distinction between this and the earlier model is a barely completely different sample. You’ll be able to see a bit little bit of change when it comes to these channels right here, of the midsole poking by means of. There’s a bit extra publicity. You had the holes and the dots on this aspect, however only a barely completely different appear and feel.
Efficiency-wise, I don’t assume it’s even noticeable — for my part, and in my put on time. Hoka says that that is meant to be extra like a hoof, and I assume that’s the fork right here. However in efficiency, I don’t assume you’ll discover something. In case you’ve appreciated what earlier Speedgoats did for rock, moist, mud, and all of the issues that I believe the Speedgoat does nicely with this kind of tread sample and compound, I believe the shoe won’t disappoint. And with 5-millimeter lugs, they’re deep sufficient to grip, however not so deep that when you do have street working or extra of a tough floor, you don’t discover these lugs poking again by means of.
Hoka Speedgoat 6 Midsole
A lateral view of the Hoka Speedgoat 6.
I’d say the midsole is likely one of the main updates for the Hoka Speedgoat 6. The reasoning is that it’s a brand new compound. That compound is meant to be a bit bit lighter, and this shoe is a half-ounce lighter general. A few of which may be within the much less tread. A few of which may be within the midsole as nicely. It’s a single-density foam all the way in which round, identical to earlier generations. I’d say from the step-in and the texture of placing this shoe on, it nonetheless has the rocker. The drop moved up from 4 to five millimeters, however I don’t really feel it’s noticeable in step, in top, or simply standing within the shoe.
You’re going to note the firmness, and particularly whenever you examine it to one thing just like the Hoka Mafate Velocity 4 (evaluation), and even earlier variations of the Speedgoat. This has a firmer really feel. It has extra of a rebound to it. Particularly, whenever you’re working on more durable surfaces, you’ll be able to really feel rather less dampening of the vibration, however you get a bit extra return whenever you’re doing turnover. So, it’s a firmer midsole, however when it comes to match and really feel, I believe the bottom really feel is similar as previously.
Hoka Speedgoat 6 Higher
A medial view of the Hoka Speedgoat 6.
The key updates of the Hoka Speedgoat 6 are within the higher. Only for reference’s sake, I’m going to drag up two variations right here — that is the Speedgoat 4, 5, and 6. In case you take a look at these, there’s extra occurring within the 4 and the 6, because it pertains to the higher. The 5 acquired very, very stripped down. They used this engineered mesh — there have been no inside or exterior cages, and plenty of floppiness. I actually needed to crank it right down to get a match that simply by no means, for my part, held nicely for actually technical terrain and downhill working. I all the time felt like my foot was shifting round so much, particularly once I in contrast it to the 4.
After we pull the 4 in, what I’ll name out is you had this exterior caging that locked your laces down and allowed that midfoot to lock down so much higher. You don’t see that externally on the 6, however they exist. You’ll be able to really feel them on the within of the shoe. Most likely the best visible is that this spot proper right here, the place you’ll be able to see dust on each side. There’s a bit strapping inside this shoe that takes the lacing system and brings that right down to the midsole. And there’s extra of that on the shoe’s exterior, or the lateral aspect, as nicely.
There’s a bit little bit of caging on the within, so whenever you put your foot in there and pull the laces, as an alternative of simply cloth holding it in, there’s a bit bit of additional mechanical strapping that retains your foot in place. It’s not as aggressive because the exterior strapping on the 4, however it’s positively noticeable. Your foot stays locked in.
The secondary piece including to that locked-in really feel is that the higher is much, far much less stretchy. Versus, once more, this kind of stuff [in the 5] that you may simply see has a ton of flex in it. You’ll be able to actually transfer that throughout. This can be a rather more structured higher. It’s very a lot a extra locked-down really feel. In case you moved from the 4 to the 5 and didn’t have that, you’re getting it again within the 6.
One other factor to name out right here that’s completely different is a padded tongue. It’s solely actually padded from concerning the lace keeper within the center up, and it’s most prevalent up right here on the prime the place you’re going to lock your laces down. You’ll be able to see that little bulbous piece right here, and whenever you’re tying your laces, you’ll be able to see that the highest of these laces are going instantly over it. It’s a bit small. I’d prefer it to come back up a bit greater, particularly for me with a slim heel — I take advantage of this again eyelet. Most of this top-of-your-foot strain is dispersed, particularly at this lock-down level on the prime.
The toebox may be very related in dimension to the 5, which I believe is sweet. This stretchy mesh space was additionally within the 5, whereas within the outdated variations, it was an enormous piece of plastic that simply sat there. They up to date it, and now it’s rather more purposeful versus a design determination. And that is stretchy, so it permits a bit little bit of respiration room out of right here, I’d say for getting warmth out, however it additionally permits this toebox space to flex a bit bit and provides your toes some room to wiggle.
There’s a deal with on the again to drag your shoe on. You in all probability don’t want it a lot with this massive wing right here within the again, however that’s there. [The wing] is a bit bit knocked down from the earlier model. It could be laborious to inform from this video, however that is positively a bit bit shorter and never fairly as pronounced, which can also be a pleasant replace. After which lastly, customary stuff right here, the toebox across the toes itself is calmly strengthened with this overlay. After which very a lot a robust apex right here that wraps up from the midsole and gives safety from kicking issues.
Hoka Speedgoat 6 Total Impressions
A prime view of the Hoka Speedgoat 6.
I believe whenever you take a look at the three collectively, the Hoka Speedgoat 6, 5, and 4, you’re getting again to what the Speedgoat is most identified for, which is a locked-in really feel. I believe the Speedgoat moved again, or fairly darn near, the place it was with the 4. All that stuff that occurred within the 5 with that stretchy higher that didn’t lock your foot down has been acknowledged and adjusted. There’s the inner cage that’s inside right here that locks your foot down.
The higher materials is much much less stretchy than on that model. When you consider the Speedgoat, you consider hammering downhills and going throughout rugged terrain. This locks your foot in significantly higher than that earlier model and far nearer to the two, 3, and 4 of this shoe — getting again to the roots, if you’ll.
The distinction is that it’s acquired a firmer midsole. There’s simply no denying it. This can be a firmer, springier sort of really feel, and that’s acquired its professionals and cons. If I’m working on the street, I would need that. If I’m type of going over repetitive terrain over and over and over, it positively will not be as forgiving and as gentle because the earlier model. Actually, whenever you examine it to one thing just like the Hoka Mafate Velocity 4, and I’d say these sneakers fill the same area, however the Mafate Velocity is softer. You’ve acquired an possibility right here, which is the excellent news. If you need a softer, extra beneficiant general match, the Mafate Velocity fills that. If you need one thing a bit firmer, a bit extra athletic, a bit tighter package deal general, the Speedgoat goes to do this.
So, with that mentioned, questions, feedback. Are you enthusiastic about this new Speedgoat? Is the earlier model of the Speedgoat, the 5, one thing that you simply actually appreciated and also you’d like that extra beneficiant and free match, or again to this little bit of a tighter package deal? Go away questions and feedback under. Thanks for watching. We’ll catch you subsequent time.
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Name for Feedback
- Did you just like the adjustments to from the Hoka Speedgoat 4 to the Speedgoat 5?
- Are you excited for the brand new updates within the Hoka Speedgoat 6? In that case, which replace to this shoe do you assume makes the most important distinction?
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