HOKA  Speedgoat 7 Trail-Running Shoes - Men's

HOKA as a brand have become my first stop when looking for athletic shoes. While I’ve used many brands over the course of a fairly active life as a runner, triathlete and now a walker and gravel cyclist, these shoes fit me well and support indoor and outdoor activities that also includes just getting around in comfort. I don’t fully take advantage of everything this shoe will do, but it supports everything I want or need to do in comfort and style. It’s only money, and at this point in my life, continuing to be active and fit are a high priority

 I wore these for about 50 miles across two weeks. I ran in very soft and squishy mud and then hard in Rocky Arizona desert. They performed great and they felt great on my feet. But after cleaning them, I found that the tread was separating on the back of 1 foot and the front of another. It looked like it could’ve been a problem with the molding. I understand that the challengers also have an issue with tread coming off the back. I liked the shoe a lot so I am going to return them and try again.

Shoes ripped on my 5th run. Really disappointed in the quality since it’s not a cheap shoe.

I am an avid Trail and Ultra Runner who has been wearing the Speedgoat exclusively since version 4. Each version had their own strengths and weaknesses, I feel like this one finally got most everything right and it is definitely the best overall so far for me. It does tend to run a tiny bit smaller, at least it feels that way from me. Where the toe guard is on the front of the shoe seems to be a little bit lower height wise on the interior volume. I have a size 12 which is the size I've owned in versions 4, 5,

It feels so good to have the REI I’ve known and loved back in top form! After a bit of a post-pandemic slump, the store is buzzing again with great product selection and truly knowledgeable staff. I worked with a staffer to find "the answer" for my upcoming trip to Mexico. As a firm believer in wide toe-box, zero-drop, barefoot-style shoes, switching to the Hoka Speedgoats was a major departure for me. However, I’ve been battling plantar fasciitis and needed a different approach. The salesperson was incredibly patient, helping me compare these against cushioned zero-drop options from Altra and Topo. After a few days of test runs—wow. I’m officially impressed and feel great about this purchase.

I have a somewhat wide foot and typically have to order a Wide size in most Hoka shoes, including previous Speedgoat models. I just ordered the Speedgoat 7s in a wide. Although the width would have worked, the toebox is very shallow and the upper material is quite stiff. All of which resulted in the upper material pinching down on my foot whenever I walked or ran. That was a deal breaker. Please fix this problem Hoka.

The Speedgoat 7 is much improved over the 6. The midsole foam is softer, the tongue is longer, and the sole is fuller. The upper has less stretch than the previous version, but it is still very comfortable.

The shoes arrived today and I tried them on, first thing. Thin pair of Injinji socks, I wear a 10.5 in the Mafate X, so that’s what I purchased with these. They are running 1/2 size small, in my opinion. I like the way the shoe fits, and feels otherwise-it’s definitely a different feel than the Mafate X-not nearly as soft. I am going to REI on Tuesday and exchange these for size 11. I will update my review when I’ve had a chance to get outside and test the shoe for its intended use.

**This is. a review as a faster, toe striking runner** The speedgoat 5 was a favorite, a mountain shoe that has some cushion. The Speedgoat 6 was stiff as a brick and just wasn't it. I thought the Speedgoat 7 would be awesome, it felt responsive and exciting with that mountain shoe DNA. Unfortunately, the upper on this does not allow for any amount of adequate lock down and creates an unstable ride downhill. The grip on this shoe is great as always. This being said the midsole foam is good, it's still years behind other shoe manufactures, but it's soft and has a decent amount of energy return. This shoe kind of feels like it wants to be a La Sportiva Prodigio Pro and I would just shell out the money for those instead.

Great shoes, but they wore out after eight weeks. I'm only doing about 40-50 miles a week of hiking/running on sandy trails. After eight weeks these things were pretty much toast.