HOKA MAFATE SPEED 3: Long and comfortable mountain running. Our TRAIL RUNNING SHOES section today presents you the most popular model perhaps of Hoka One One to run long in the mountains, without excessive technical complications. And to do it with full guarantees, having a Vibram Megagrip sole included.
It comes with a 170€ price, for 316 grams of weight, with a ground height of 31mm in front and 35mm behind, thus maintaining the usual 4mm drop of the brand. The Vibram sole provides 5mm lugd that make it a solid companion in the mountains. Let’s go with the details. 
HOKA MAFATE SPEED 3: LONG AND COMFORTABLE MOUNTAIN RUNNING
The HOKA TRAIL 2021 range features seven different shoes: You can see them all here as they are portrayed today by the official website of the brand. Complete the series an eighth passenger, in this case limited edition of the iconic Speedgoat. 
HOKA ONE ONE: THE DESIGN PILLARS.
As you can see in the image above, almost all Hoka shoes (the Torrent as an exception) share basic principles: More than 25mm. cushioning, Contained weights (264-333gr), medium drop (4-5mm), rocker chassis and oversized sole in width that stabilizes ground height and better distributes weight. Light foam: Hoka remains true to its patented EVA rubber blend.
They emphasize that it is more elastic, for better support and energy return. They also argue that it is more durable than traditional EVA. The foam has received different names, including RMAT and R-Bound, but the underlying chemistry is essentially the same. Rocker chassis: Translated into names like Meta-Rocker and the Active Foot Frame.
- The Meta-Rocker is a combination of a low heel tip drop and a rounded sole shape that, according to the house, complements the natural stride and helps to propel forward.
- The Active Foot Frame cradles the foot deeper into the shoe midsole, providing more support as you run. Hoka compares the design to sitting in a low bucket seat of a race car. And true, that peculiar adjustment made it narrow for many people to narrow their last years.
HOKA ONE ONE MAFATE SPEED 3. DATA SHEET.
- Price: 170€. High price within the range, for a prestigious consolidated shoe.
- Weight: 316gr. High weight within the range, combining a lot of foam and a lot of rubber in the sole. Earn almost 20gr versus the previous version.
- Ground height and drop: Height 31mm/35mm. Drop 4mm. Earns 2mm from
- Sole: Vibram rubber. Taco 5mm. Same rubber, more taco and more rubber.
- Stability and damping: On the promotional scale of the brand, it adds 1 in stability and 3 in cushioning.
HOKA MAFATE SPEED 3: PREFERENTIAL USE.
The Mafate has been, together with Speedgoat, one of the shoes that have carved Hoka’s reputation in the mountains. The brand presents them as tough companions that offer excellent performance in technical terrain… as Americans understand “technical.”
That is, reliable and safe, but far from the real technical shoes for alpine terrain created by European brands such as the Salomon XA Alpine Pro or the brand new Scarpa Ribelle Run.
Due to their high cushioning they will go especially well to the heavier runners, from 70kg onwards. In return, with a 4 mm drop and a high ground height, you will get the most out of them if you have a medium-high running technique. On the uphill you may not notice it as much, but jumping into a technical descent with shoes that carry a 35mm “heel” from the ground is really a very different feeling as to go down with shoes that have just 10-11mm to the ground.
Our thorough test of the previous ones, the HOKA MAFATE SPEED 2, was carried out by our #patroncarrerasdemontana Mikel Leal, as you can see in the images below.
HOKA MAFATE SPEED 3: MORE WEIGHT TO GAIN DURABILITY.
The HOKA MAFATE SPEED 3 are tested by our #patroncarrerasdemontana IKer Martínez: Another of our “fastest” testers. Based in Pamplona, Iker is an all-lander who enjoys climbing, mountain skiing or running on asphalt if tertiary, where he has already gone down from sub3h to marathon. But above all, the Navarrese is an expert in the brand, having shoes more than a dozen pairs in recent years. Few better than it to draw conclusions. As Iker starts his shoots with her, we give you some highlights:
- The Mafate returns in their third version with a sustainable mesh cover made of recycled polyester. For many, this is perhaps the most important improvement… at first glance, before rolling them.
- They also arrive now designed with KPU molded overlayers to offer a more protective hold,
- The Speed 3 CMEVA midsole. it is almost identical to its predecessors, EVO Mafate and Mafate Speed 2.
- In addition, as usual, the Mafate Speed 3 is based on the same aggressive double density sole composed of EVA and VULCANized EVA with Vibram 5mm studs. A sole that gains rubber now, looking to add more durability… although logically more rubber, more weight. It rises 20 grams, from 296gr prior to the current 316gr.
- They debut a dynamic fabric tongue for more elastic comfort and a perforated and breathable section.
- It has also been reinforced with an H-mount structure on the eyelets for a custom fit.
HOKA ONE ONE MAFATE SPEED 3: CONCLUSION.
Hoka reinforces with this new Hoka Mafate Speed 3 its “central” role in its range: Among its various ultra running shoes for mountain and trail, this is, perhaps, the safest shot to start trying the brand.
This Hoka Mafate Speed 3 have lighter sisters like the Torrent 2, and also cheaper and kinder ones for the long easy runs, such as the Challenger ATR6. And we could also not be no missing, some more “goat” for more demanding terrain, such as the Speedgoat 4.
However, the great virtue of the Mafate is its balance within maximalism: they will fulfill their mission of helping you run long and comfortable on (almost) all kinds of terrain off the asphalt. Hence they may add a high price, at the top of the range, but its worth it. If you want a single shoe that will serve you, like this one, to train daily the same as competing in long, you have to invest on it. Now, we’ll see if durability has been boosted with this year’s settings. Iker will let all us know… 
HOKA ONE ONE MAFATE SPEED 3: ALTERNATIVES.
As always with brands with well-staggered catalogs, this Hoka Mafate Speed 3 has two good alternatives, without leaving home: The first, in case we run more easy trails and easy paths, will result in up to 40€ cheaper and lighter sister: the Hoka Challenger ATR6. The second, if we run in more technical areas, maybe we can better fit the Hoka Speedgoat 4. If, on the other hand, we are looking for solutions with a different lasting and philosophy than Hoka, we propose two more very different ones:
- On the one hand, the well-known best-selling New Balance Hierro V6 that fit the same Vibram Megagrip sole but provides a very different last and foams than Hoka. And it’s a lot cheaper.
- On the other hand, we will soon have in stores the Salomon Ultra Glide, premiere in the maximalist category of the French giant, which looks like a solid proposal. Would you risk being one of the pioneers with them?
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