Considered a benchmark and HOKA bestseller, the Speedgoat 5 is one of the most popular models on the trail. Is this reputation justified? To find out for ourselves, we invited Corentin, Floriane and Mathieu from the Private Sport Shop to test it from top to bottom.
TESTER PROFILES
Corentin: 30 years old.
Sales manager for the Performance division. I've been trail running since March 2023, about 70 km a week (800 km since the start of the year). I took part in the Hivernale des Templiers (66 km / 2400 D+) in 2023. This year, after a 1st quarter devoted to the Barcelona marathon, I'm back on the trail format with 2 objectives: the Endurance Trail des Templiers (104 km / 4550 D+) in October and the SaintéLyon (82 km / 2300 D+) in December.
Floriane: 39 years old.
Production assistant. I'm part of the AC2A Team Trail run by Emmanuel Gault and Stéphane Jouvance, and I run around 65 km/week. In 2024, there are lots of races on the program: French Short Trail Championship, French Mountain Running Championship, Festatrail du Pic St Loup, Duo étoilé du Mont Blanc Marathon, Trail du Canigou and the Festival des Templiers (35th in 2023 in the 85 km).
Mathieu: 25 years old.
Buyer Running & Raquettes & Teamsports. 850 km since the start of the year, I'm determined to go ultra-distance. Like Corentin, I have two trail objectives this year: the Endurance Trail des Templiers and the SaintéLyon. Last year, I took part in the Hivernale des Templiers (66 km / 2400 D+ in 8h24) and last March I finished my 1st marathon in 2h59min11sec (Barcelona).
TEST CONDITIONS
- Test duration: several outings between 10 and 30 km
- Zones and types of terrain: hilly dirt roads with areas of forest and rocky paths.
- Type of training: warm-up, long run, split, D+ session, recovery
- Weather conditions: spring (wet and warm)
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Corentin: Very comfortable shoe, in line with the Hoka range. I usually run with the Tecton X 2 and I have to say that the Speedgoat provides extra support and sturdiness, especially on stony or technical trails. The stone-guard toe cap provides excellent protection against debris. A very light and colorful shoe, ideal for fun on technical trails, rocky climbs and steep descents.
Floriane: Nice design with well-fused colors. Easy lacing, but the top tongue is a little short, while the rear tongue is too wide. Very pleasant first sensations on the run, with good cushioning and comfort.
Mathieu: A model with a wide choice of colors that will satisfy runners. Comfortable shoe with excellent foot support. Soft, pleasant upper. Even with the wide version, I find that the product is not very wide.
MIDSOLE
Corentin: The level of cushioning is insane! Without skimping on comfort or sturdiness. Support when changing direction or stepping on large rocks is impressive.
Floriane: Natural from the start, very comfortable and with good bounce. Good overall support.
Mathieu: What's striking is the comfort and support for the foot. The model is not one of the lightest, but compensates with plenty of cushioning.
OUTER SOLE
Corentin: The shoe clearly doesn't move. You can accelerate, descend or climb with no loss of grip. Ideal for technical trails.
Floriane: Crampons that play their role to perfection: grip and hold that show up very well on pebbles in unstable terrain. A great discovery, and a feeling of confidence throughout your outings.
Mathieu: In my opinion, it's THE quality of the shoe: strong grip and adherence on all types of terrain, clearly the runner's best ally on technical trails. The stone guard also does a great job of protecting the foot from various shocks.
RACING SENSATIONS
Corentin: Having already tested Hoka in the past, I can tell you that the sensations of comfort, cushioning, sturdiness and support are all there, with a pair that remains very light and wide enough to tackle all types of trails. The shoe's grip is also striking, on all terrains, offering comfort and a reassuring stride!
Floriane: I find the shoe very comfortable on all types of terrain. It's responsive and offers great propulsion in the stride. Foot support is perfect.
Mathieu: Model suitable for both soft and technical terrain. A little extra for technical terrain, thanks to its stability and grip. It's equally suited to all distances, from short to long. The Speedgoat 5 is comfortable to wear and handles distance very well. I think there are other models competing with it for shorter, more dynamic formats with softer, lighter shoes.
CONCLUSION
In short, the Speedgoat 5 is a versatile trail shoe, suitable for all runner profiles and distances (up to ultra-trail), without compromise or concession.
This version, lighter than its predecessor, offers optimum grip on all types of terrain and maximum cushioning. Stable, dynamic and responsive, it will also satisfy your desire for speed. Here are the scores awarded by our three testers:
| Corentin | Floriane | Mathieu | |
| Style - Design | 7/10 | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Slippers - Fit | 7/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Racing behavior | 7/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Grip and Traction | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | 9/10 |
| Foot protection | 9/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Value for money | 9/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 |
Speedgoat 5 technical specifications:
- Drop: 4 mm
- Weight: 291 g for men - 242 g for women
- Midsole: compression-molded EVA foam
- Outsole: Vibram® Mega-Grip with 5mm Traction Lug lugs
- Upper: double-layer jacquard technical mesh
- Stone guard
Buy Speedgoat 5 now on Private Sport Shop!
