HOKA SPEEDGOAT 7 REVIEW BY MAYAYO TECHNICAL TRAIL RUNNING SHOES. Our HOKA SPEEDGOAT section introduces the new generation of Hoka’s best-selling maximalist trail shoe, now also available in a wide fit. The HOKA Speedgoat 7 is scheduled to arrive in stores in early 2026 with a retail price of €165.

It is the lightest Speedgoat ever produced, tipping the scales at 275 grams for men, dropping to a 5 mm drop, and featuring a new supercritical EVA midsole combined with a Vibram Megagrip outsole with 5 mm lugs. Here is the in-depth analysis by Mayayo.

HOKA SPEEDGOAT 7 REVIEW BY MAYAYO.

TECHNICAL TRAIL RUNNING SHOES.

Within the trail running market, the Speedgoat family plays the role of that dependable family car that also enjoys climbing mountain passes at speed. It is a shoe designed to accumulate hours and kilometers in the mountains, prioritizing cushioning, traction, and long-term comfort, without completely closing the door to faster paces when the terrain allows. In its seventh edition, it stays true to that formula: a technical and mixed-terrain trail running shoe, priced at €165 and weighing 275 grams.

Its position becomes clearer when compared with familiar siblings in the Hoka lineup. Against the HOKA Tecton X 3, which is clearly more race-oriented with its carbon plates, higher price, and focus on propulsion, the Speedgoat 7 invests less in outright speed and more in craft: grip, stability, and protection for everyday trail running, especially long outings. At the other end of the spectrum, compared with the HOKA Challenger 8, a more door-to-trail option aimed at easier paths and compact surfaces, the Speedgoat is the shoe you choose when the ground stops being “path” and becomes “mountain”.

Geometry places it exactly where it belongs.

With a stack height of 33 mm at the heel and 28 mm at the forefoot, resulting in a 5 mm drop, it offers a high platform to reduce fatigue during ultras and long training days, while remaining manageable provided the upper delivers proper lockdown.

In terms of price and mission, it sits in a sweet spot of the market: more technical and mountain-focused than door-to-trail models, less elite and expensive than plated racers, and equipped with a Vibram Megagrip outsole with 5 mm lugs that explains why this family has earned its reputation as an all-day trail crusher.

HOKA SPEEDGOAT 7: TECHNICAL DATA

The HOKA Speedgoat 7 launches in January 2026 with a recommended retail price of €165. Claimed weight is 275 grams for men and 235 grams for women, making it the lightest Speedgoat to date. Stack height measures 28 mm at the forefoot and 33 mm at the heel, reinforcing Hoka’s trademark high-stack identity. The drop is set at 5 mm, one millimeter more than before but still a demanding wedge for many runners, particularly over ultra distances. Lug depth is 5 mm, on the aggressive side for a versatile trail shoe and well suited for muddy sections. The midsole uses a new supercritical EVA foam, while the outsole is Vibram Megagrip with 5 mm lugs. The shoe will be available in men’s and women’s versions, in three colorways and two widths for each, including a notable wide option.

HOKA SPEEDGOAT 7: KEY HIGHLIGHTS

The real leap forward happens underfoot. The Speedgoat 7 moves to a supercritical EVA midsole. In runner’s language, this type of foam usually aims to deliver more rebound and less of that brick-like feeling as hours go by, exactly the critical moment when you are three hours into a mountain run and still facing another long climb. Hoka presents it as an improvement in energy return and responsiveness, without marketing it as a pure racing shoe, but rather as an evolution of a reliable workhorse.

Fit adjustments are the second important update. Hoka fine-tunes the details that matter most when everything else already works: heel collar comfort and debris management in the mountains. The refined heel collar and integrated gaiter attachment, described by retailers as a simple gaiter loop, help in technical terrain. The addition of a wide version is a particularly smart move, given the traditionally narrow fit of the Speedgoat line.

Traction remains the flagship feature. Vibram Megagrip with Traction Lug technology and 5 mm lugs carries over, but the lug orientation has been reworked for mixed terrain. This suggests a focus not only on deep mud or wet rock, but on the real-world menu of trail running: dirt roads, singletrack, loose stone, and occasional damp sections, where overly specialized outsoles can become a liability.

From my perspective, the Speedgoat 7 should deliver more cushioning and a stronger sense of protection, combined with subtle fit refinements that can make all the difference for demanding feet. Some runners will celebrate the plush comfort, while others may feel slightly less secure when descending steep and technical slopes. As with most high-stack Hoka models, perceived stability depends as much on downhill technique and foot volume as on how well you lock down the midfoot.

HOKA SPEEDGOAT 7: CONCLUSIONS

The Hoka Speedgoat line is not a bestseller by accident. This Speedgoat 7 makes perfect sense when your priority is to run often, for many hours, and finish with feet that still feel relatively fresh. Long runs, ultra training, technical routes where serious traction is non-negotiable, and fatigue days when a high, protective platform takes the edge off repeated impacts are exactly its natural habitat.

With its generous stack, 5 mm drop, and 5 mm lugs, it competes squarely in the comfort-and-protection league with genuine grip. The official price of €165 positions it as a reasonable purchase within the “popular top-tier” segment: not cheap, but far from premium plated pricing.

It is worth choosing if you want a single shoe to train extensively in varied mountain terrain over many months, valuing grip and end-of-run freshness equally. If your focus is knife-edge racing, the Tecton X 3 will likely attract you with its elite race orientation. If most of your running is on asphalt and easy gravel, the Challenger 8 usually offers a smoother transition. But when the plan is “real mountains, real hours”, the goat keeps doing what goats do best: stubbornly reliable, confidence-inspiring, and this time with a little more spring under the sole. If your terrain is long, technical, and highly varied, the wide version of the HOKA Speedgoat 7 deserves serious consideration, and comparing both fits carefully is strongly advised.

In short:

It is a meaningful upgrade if you are coming from previous Speedgoat versions and were asking for more liveliness without losing character. The move to supercritical EVA is exactly the kind of change that, when well executed, becomes noticeable when you push the pace on runnable sections or when fatigue starts collecting its toll after hours of impact. It is a premium tool for runners who want a true mountain workhorse, neutral with moderate stability provided by geometry and elements like the Active Foot Frame, and who do not need plates or racing sensations to fully enjoy their time on the trails.