Our Hoka SpeedGoat 6 Review.

Just as marathon and ultra-marathon running have become more popular, trail running has found its own renaissance. 

What could the reasons be, I wonder? More dramatic scenery? More fun and engaging? Can you walk every once in a while to catch your breath and take in the world around you?

Once you realise that trail running is just like a hike, but you can run for some of the way, you realise it doesn’t need to be a race, slogging it up hills or swimming in knee-high mud. It’s spending time in nature and enjoying the best parts of getting outside and running. 

Recently, I got into it, and found my normal running shoes were not up to the mark, so I bought what are regarded as the best trail running shoes on the market: the Hoka SpeedGoat 6. 

I bought a pair, have been running in them for a few days now, and I thought it was time to write a review about this epic shoe (giving my thoughts away already). 

Let’s get into it: 

Customer Service. 

I purchased my shoes on Hoka.com in the UK. If you take a look at the company’s Trustpilot profile,  you’ll see lots of customers saying: “the shoes are great, but the customer service is terrible”. This is entirely reflective of my experience, too. 

For one of the biggest running shoe brands on earth, Hoka have one of the worst customer experiences for online shoppers. The major issue is that you cannot seem to get hold of anybody when things go wrong. 

I ordered my shoes and created an account. I am always extra careful with my address and details, and I made sure that everything was correct. I could see my order on the website so I was happy to go. I ordered late on a Thursday, but paid extra for Saturday shipping, knowing that if the order was picked up on Friday, it would be given to DPD and arrive on the correct day. 

The problem came on Friday, when I went to check the status of my order; to track the order, an order confirmation number is required. The problem was that I did not recieve a confirmation email which would include the number. Not to worry, I thought, I know that information will be on my website account, but when I tried to log in to my account, I couldn’t. 

Maybe it was the password, so I tried to change it, but I didn’t get the email either. I knew something was wrong, so I tried to reach out to customer support to check the status of the order and get my order confirmation number

The only option for a customer is to contact their automated AI chatbot, which directed me to the website and told me a customer service representative would reach out in 3-7 working days. What!?

A bit annoyed, but not too annoyed, I thought I’d just wait. Saturday came, and the shoes were not delivered. At this point, I was worried something had gone wrong. 

Thankfully, the shoes arrived out of the blue on Sunday, but I have yet to this day hear back from Hoka’s customer service.

The shoes are a little tight, but not enough to face the pain of more interactions with the customer service. 

The fit and feel. 

This particular Hoka shoe is super tight. It’s something I knew before purchasing because I’d watched a few YouTube reviews, but it’s not clearly mentioned on the website. I can imagine that – given how poor the customer service is – that returning the shoes for a new size is a nightmare. 

The shoe is also very narrow, so if you’ve ever worn barefoot shoes, then choose the wide option for the shoe. 

Otherwise, I quite like my running shoes to be snug on my feet. The material is very comfy, and the sole is nice and soft. Out of the box- they are some of the comfiest shoes I have worn in a long time. I’m looking forward to breaking them in a little bit. 

The fabric on the sides of the shoe feels robust yet breathable. Also, the top is super breathable and comfy. 

The Grip

Obviously, the key selling point of these shoes is that they have much more grip than a traditional running shoe. It’s not a good look – or feeling – to slip around because you’re wearing the incorrect footwear. It is very dangerous and takes the fun out of the whole experience. The solution Hoka came up with is their Vibrim Megagrip soles. 

The 4mm lugs are designed in the shape of a goat’s hoof and grooved in the middle to provide extra surface area. 

I tell you this for free: you’re sticking to the roof in these shoes. The grip is unnervingly good. 

Where I run, the path is very steep, hard gravel that is slippery with a fine layer of melting leaves and mud. On the way up, the mud is not usually a problem, but on the way down, I have had my feet fall from under me. I knew this would be a great location to test the megagrip, and I nearly fell because the grip was way more grippy than expected. 

I found that even in the harshest conditions, my Hoka Speed Goats 6 soles performed magically, and saved me from a few falls. 

Final Thoughts: Hoka SpeedGoat 6 Review

Overall, the Speedgoat 6 trail running shoes are exceptional. They truly are. There are a few minor issues with the fitting, but I’m very happy with my purchase. 

Pros

1. Comfy
2. Great group
3. Durable 
4. Look great

Con’s

1. Hoka’s customer service is shockingly bad
2. The shoes size down, meaning you need to buy at least a size up. Quite awkward.