HOKA  Speedgoat 5 Trail-Running Shoes - Women's

I cannot say enough about how fantastic this shoe is. I walked the Camino (500 miles) in 2019 wearing Vasque hiking boots. No blisters, but my knees suffered. I decided to wear the Speed Goat 5 in my 2022 Camino, where I walked 600 miles - honestly could have run it, I felt so great wearing these shoes. No knee issues whatsoever and fantastic on an enormous range of surfaces. They had little tread by the end of my journey, but they did what they promised to do! I’m walking a third Camino this September, and I’ll be purchasing a new pair for that journey as well.

First, let me say I love Hoka shoes. However, these really let me down. I hike mostly in the Sierra so that means a good deal of rugged and rocky (granite) terrain. In just one weekend backpacking trip (approx. 25 miles) my Speedgoat 5s started shredding and flaking around the foam cushioned sole and up the back heel where I had been going down trail built stairs. I contacted Hoka and they seemed to be less than concerned. A Hoka rep even commented that yes, these don't hold up well. These are exceptionally cushy. That being said, it means they aren't very rigid and you feel a lot in this shoe. I did notice my arches and feet in general were a bit more sore than usual due to this increased movement. These might be okay for very well groomed trails that are fairly level. Sadly, based on my experience, I cannot recommend these for serious trail shoes or backpacking shoes ... especially if covering rough, uneven terrain.