Hoka Speedgoat 4 Review

All Hoka shoes have a ton of underfoot cushioning in the form of EVA foam, and the Speedgoat 4 is no different. With a 32mm stack height under the heel, suffice to say that this shoe's midsole gets the job done plenty well without the need for even more foam, as is found in some other Hoka shoes. It has a 4mm heel-toe drop, 1mm less than most other Hoka trail runners. However, what sets this shoe apart is the Vibram Megagrip outsole, made by the same company that manufactures the outsole used in many climbing shoes. This rubber compound is very sticky and grips exceedingly well to either wet or dry rock. The deep lugs ensure that it also grips well on slippery and loose terrain. While it's pretty similar in most important aspects to other beefy Hoka shoes, the traction is why we think this is one of the best.

Performance Comparison

The Speedgoat 4 is one of the most comfortable and well-tractioned of any extra cushioned shoe we have tested. These shoes just keep getting better.

Foot Protection

This shoe is one of the most protective you can buy, especially for the undersides of the feet. The 32mm of EVA foam under the heel does an incredible job of dampening the effect of stepping on sharp or uncomfortable protrusions such as rocks and scree, although you can still feel a slight sensation. To sum it up, you can feel you are stepping on things in these shoes, but you won't be able to tell that they are sharp. While Hoka claims to have tweaked the recipe for the EVA foam to make it more responsive, the fact is that we have a hard time telling the difference between it and older versions in side-by-side testing.

There is very little toe bumper on this shoe besides a simple 3D print overlay, although the rockered geometry of all Hoka shoes does a pretty decent job of minimizing the frequency of kicking rocks. The upper material is a thinner but seemingly more durable version of reinforced mesh with 3D print overlays in the most critical wear areas, but it doesn't do a ton to protect the actual sides of the feet. We find we don't need this protection as much in these shoes riding as high off the ground as they do. While not the absolute most protective, foot protection is nevertheless these shoes' strongest attribute.

Running along a rocky ridgeline high above Smith Rock State Park in Oregon. These shoes are so protective for the feet that they can easily handle any type of terrain underfoot.

Credit: Andy Wellman

Traction

We like the Vibram Megagrip outsole rubber found on this shoe better than any other Hoka shoe. The main reason is that it's very sticky, which helps it grip rock, either dry or wet. Since we love to run where it's rocky, we appreciate a soft and sticky rubber that isn't too hard and grips well. The outsole is littered with 5mm deep lugs with their own unique shape. These pronounced lugs are pretty durable and not overly prone to ripping off, although they do begin to wear down over time, as you would expect of most soft rubber soles.

The sharp-edged lugs do an excellent job biting into soft and loose surfaces such as loose dirt, grass, and snow. We also think they grip nicely on mud but still experienced some pretty epic caking on one mid-winter trail run where we encountered persistent mud. This finding suggests that they could stand to be spread out slightly more. Minor complaints aside, traction is not something you will have issues with while wearing this shoe.

The outsole is made with Vibram Megagrip rubber, which is about as sticky on rock as they come. The lug pattern does a great job gripping into soft and slippery surfaces, although can become caked with mud depending on its consistency.

Sensitivity

No matter what type of terrain you are running over, there is very little trail feel to be experienced with these shoes. We found that on the very roughest of trails, where we were constantly stepping on rocks and scree, we experienced some sensation in our feet, but by and large, this sensation was severely dampened.

There is no rock plate sandwiched into the layers of foam, but the foam itself is so deep and plush that it's not necessary to insulate the foot from the ground effectively. Runners who value sensitivity over foot protection are barking up the wrong tree if they consider this shoe and would be better off with something like the Saucony Peregrine 11.

Heading back down after summiting. We love wearing the Speedgoat because we can just bomb down the trail! While they aren't very sensitive, the amount of cushioning they offer really takes the stress off the joints on the downhill.

Stability

Compared to low riding, zero-drop alternatives, Hoka shoes are not exactly the most stable. It is understandable when you look at them, as their underfoot platform is 32mm tall! Any time you are moving your foot that far above the ground, stability will be compromised, and this is the essential trade-off that one must choose to pay when looking for maximum cushioning.

That said, we think the Speedgoat 4 is quite possibly the most stable Hoka we have worn. It grips the foot securely to avoid slipping around on the inside and combines a wide landing platform with a low heel-toe drop. Over time, we've also realized that it becomes possible to adapt to anything you use frequently, and we don't find that most Hoka users have too big a problem with stability. We notice it the most when on steep, uneven terrain such as grass hummocks off-trail or when running in a washed-out trail that has eroded into a v-groove without a flat landing spot in the bottom. On standard trails, even rocky ones, where we find a relatively flat landing spot, the added stack height isn't generally a big deal.

Running down steep hills or across uneven terrain like this one is a test of a shoe's stability. While the Speedgoat 4 is not super stable compared to the competition, it is still plenty stable on terrain like this, as long as you step carefully.

Comfort

We find this shoe to be very comfortable. Hoka claims that they made the toe box slightly wider than previous versions, as many people complained it was too narrow. There is no doubt that this toe box is still on the narrow side and tapers to a point in the front that isn't shaped like a foot. However, the heel also seems to fit a bit narrower, which helps grip the foot better, an issue we noticed with previous versions. Overall, we think the fit on the Speedgoat 4 is excellent, and those with wider feet can order a wide version. There is no need to size up or down.

The scar above Smith Rock is a straight up the hill trail that we usually can't run all the way - but we love to try! With awesome traction and at a relatively light weight, the Speedgoat 4 helped us crush on this day.

This shoe's upper construction quality is excellent, with a seamless interior on the upper that has no obvious rub points. The tongue is now a thin piece of material that does less to pad against the pressure of the laces, but we never felt any discomfort from this. The only downside is that we noticed that the shoe absorbs more water than the previous version in our water bucket test, despite being made of thinner material. It also doesn't shed that water as quickly. So if you want a shoe for the very wettest of daily runs, this may not be the top choice, but it is pretty comfortable regardless.

Showing the old Speedgoat 3 on the left compared to the 4 on the right. The 4 has less padding around the ankle and heel opening, and has an unpadded tongue. It is also made of thinner material on the upper, and is a bit wider in the forefoot. While both versions are very comfortable, we think the newest version is more so.

Weight

Our pair of size men's 11 weighed in at 23.6 ounces on our independent scale. For reference, the older Speedgoat 3 weighed 22.5 ounces, so we logged an increase in weight of roughly half an ounce per shoe.

The Speedgoat 4 saw adjustments to both the midsole foam and the upper, which combined make up most of the shoe. Any drastic changes are sure to have repercussions on the weight, but we are, of course, a bit bummed that the increase is so much. It is now one of the heavier choices that we have featured in our review, and yet, considering the size of the shoes themselves, we are still impressed that they aren't heavier.

A close up view of the aggressive lugs on the bottom of the shoe, as well as its weight (size 11) on the scale.

Should You Buy the Hoka Speedgoat 4?

The Speedgoat 4 is a great footwear choice because it's comfortable, performance fitting, and has some of the grippiest traction of any maximally cushioned shoe we have worn. Despite adding a little weight over the previous version, we feel the fit is enhanced to provide even better performance. If you are in the market for super thick, absorbent cushioning, this is where we recommend you begin your search.

We love running in maximally cushioned shoes like the Speedgoat 4 on pretty much any sort of trail, and only ever avoid them if we are going off trail. The fat stack of cushioning allows us to run day after day with less soreness in our body.

What Other Trail Running Shoes Should You Consider?