\u201cThe Speedgoat 4 makes the most of what works well in our other lines,\u201d said Jared Smith, Product Line Manager of the Sky Run series. \u201cThick, light, and versatile.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Mens-Speedgoat-Mid-2-GTX-900x730.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
As the flagship shoe in HOKA\u2019s new Sky Run line (think flashpacking), the Speedgoat 4 is built in two versions: a classic cushioned trail runner version and a mid-cut lightweight hiking boot, along with a waterproof version of each utilizing a Gore-Tex liner. If you know you like the feel of Speedgoat on trail runs, the mid-cut hiking boot is going to feel very familiar.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what\u2019s going on in the Speedgoat and what makes it a powerful \u201cutility\u201d shoe:<\/p>\n
A Big\u2014but Not Too Big\u2014Midsole<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe Speedgoat employs the classic extra-thick foam midsole found throughout HOKA\u2019s products, with a few refinements.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor that midsole, we constantly noodle on perfect volume \u2013 we don\u2019t want to add foam just for as the sake of it. But are looking for the perfect balance of cushioning and feel,\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Speedgoat-4-Non-GTX-2-900x730.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
HOKA\u2019s massive rockered midsole is one of the defining characteristics of all their shoes. Sculpted from a dual-density foam \u2013 EVA for soft, pillowy cushion in places and a rubberized foam for a more responsive, energetic feel in the forefoot \u2013 the midsole extends into the footbed, allowing the user\u2019s foot to \u2018embed\u2019 into the top of the midsole for direct contact with the structure of the shoe underfoot.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn engineering our midsoles, we work hard two things for the specific targeted uses: volume and cushioning,\u201d Smith noted. \u201cWe use high grade foams which are very durable, and because we have more foam throughout the midsole, the shoes transfer the load over greater volume of foam\u201d for less direct impact pressure.<\/p>\n
No Shank, No Rock Plate\u2014Just Foam<\/strong><\/h2>\nThat\u2019s one of the reasons, Smith says, that Hoka foregoes use of a traditional shank under that midsole. Another is to ensure a better control and feel on each stride. \u201cThe way the midsole is constructed, the foot sits inside the top of the midsole, so the runner enjoys more inherent stability,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
That concept drives the design all Hoka shoes but was especially emphasized in the Speedgoat 4.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Womens-Speedgoat-Mid-2-GTX-900x730.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cThe key tenet of our design is cushioning and support,\u201d Smith said. \u201cSupport in terms of overall stability, on the specific terrain you are interacting with.\u201d<\/p>\n
A rigid or semi-rigid shank does provide some foot protection, but it also dampens the feel of the terrain. \u201cThe HOKA midsole provides enough foot protection that you don\u2019t need a shank to protect from rocks and rough terrain,\u201d Smith says.<\/p>\n
An Aggressively Rockered Outsole<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Hoka-Rocker.png\")
<\/p>\n
The geometry of that midsole, with its aggressive toe-to-heel curve \u2013\u00a0known as the shoe\u2019s \u2018rocker\u2019 \u2013 also adds to the control and comfort of the shoes. \u201cThe rocker effect allows smoother transitions through the strides,\u201d Rosario said. The rocker helps guide your foot through the heel-to-toe motion, reducing the impact force of your stride and providing added power on each push-off, he added.<\/p>\n
Gore-Tex Waterproofing Options<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Speedgoat-4-GTX-Water-900x548.png\")
<\/p>\n
To complement the new Speedgoat 4 designs, the waterproof version of the shoe and, beginning this year,\u00a0other footwear in the Sky series \u2013 Run as well as Hike \u2013 will make use of Gore-Tex liners. Previous models employed eVent membranes for waterproofing.<\/p>\n
The switch to Gore-Tex involved several meetings and discussions between the design teams at HOKA and Gore. The year-long process eventually led to HOKA opting to incorporate Gore-Tex in the Speedgoat 4 line as well as other shoes going forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found that Gore-Tex is bringing great performance to our products,\u201d said Rosario. \u201cThey have a very robust innovation pipeline that we can jump on.\u201d Plus, Gore-Tex has significantly higher brand recognition than eVent, he noted, and \u201cit\u2019s easier for people to understand the performance characteristics of a product they already know more about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Full-Rubber Vibram Outsoles<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Speedgoat-4-Outsole-900x489.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Where the Speedgoat 4 meets the road, HOKA stuck with their proven Vibram Megagrip outsole, though with some significant upgrades. This outsole, according to Smith, has earned high praise from runners of all calibers, so HOKA wanted to refine it rather than replace for use on the new shoes. The updates to the Megagrip sole were simply repositioning of lugs, and a slightly different geometry to the lugs themselves. \u201cWe moved some lugs to give better traction going up and down slopes. And the lugs themselves now have stepped sides to help them shed mud and debris without losing traction or control,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n
A Roomier Fit<\/strong><\/h2>\nFinally, Smith noted during the 15 months of development of the Speedgoat 4, designers and engineers incorporated feedback from actual customers, as well as HOKA\u2019s pro athletes for some tweaks to the overall fit of the shoe. The Speedgoat 4 shoes all feature a slightly wider forefoot box than was found on previous HOKA models.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe feedback suggested our standard fit was a little snug right around the metatarsal head, so we opened that up just a little to give a bit more forefoot volume in the Speedgoat 4,\u201d he said. \u201cThe fit is still purely performance oriented but now it offers a little bit more room for comfort during long runs. That added comfort should allow for better performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nThat\u2019s one of the reasons, Smith says, that Hoka foregoes use of a traditional shank under that midsole. Another is to ensure a better control and feel on each stride. \u201cThe way the midsole is constructed, the foot sits inside the top of the midsole, so the runner enjoys more inherent stability,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
That concept drives the design all Hoka shoes but was especially emphasized in the Speedgoat 4.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThe key tenet of our design is cushioning and support,\u201d Smith said. \u201cSupport in terms of overall stability, on the specific terrain you are interacting with.\u201d<\/p>\n
A rigid or semi-rigid shank does provide some foot protection, but it also dampens the feel of the terrain. \u201cThe HOKA midsole provides enough foot protection that you don\u2019t need a shank to protect from rocks and rough terrain,\u201d Smith says.<\/p>\n
An Aggressively Rockered Outsole<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
The geometry of that midsole, with its aggressive toe-to-heel curve \u2013\u00a0known as the shoe\u2019s \u2018rocker\u2019 \u2013 also adds to the control and comfort of the shoes. \u201cThe rocker effect allows smoother transitions through the strides,\u201d Rosario said. The rocker helps guide your foot through the heel-to-toe motion, reducing the impact force of your stride and providing added power on each push-off, he added.<\/p>\n
Gore-Tex Waterproofing Options<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
To complement the new Speedgoat 4 designs, the waterproof version of the shoe and, beginning this year,\u00a0other footwear in the Sky series \u2013 Run as well as Hike \u2013 will make use of Gore-Tex liners. Previous models employed eVent membranes for waterproofing.<\/p>\n
The switch to Gore-Tex involved several meetings and discussions between the design teams at HOKA and Gore. The year-long process eventually led to HOKA opting to incorporate Gore-Tex in the Speedgoat 4 line as well as other shoes going forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found that Gore-Tex is bringing great performance to our products,\u201d said Rosario. \u201cThey have a very robust innovation pipeline that we can jump on.\u201d Plus, Gore-Tex has significantly higher brand recognition than eVent, he noted, and \u201cit\u2019s easier for people to understand the performance characteristics of a product they already know more about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Full-Rubber Vibram Outsoles<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Where the Speedgoat 4 meets the road, HOKA stuck with their proven Vibram Megagrip outsole, though with some significant upgrades. This outsole, according to Smith, has earned high praise from runners of all calibers, so HOKA wanted to refine it rather than replace for use on the new shoes. The updates to the Megagrip sole were simply repositioning of lugs, and a slightly different geometry to the lugs themselves. \u201cWe moved some lugs to give better traction going up and down slopes. And the lugs themselves now have stepped sides to help them shed mud and debris without losing traction or control,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n
A Roomier Fit<\/strong><\/h2>\nFinally, Smith noted during the 15 months of development of the Speedgoat 4, designers and engineers incorporated feedback from actual customers, as well as HOKA\u2019s pro athletes for some tweaks to the overall fit of the shoe. The Speedgoat 4 shoes all feature a slightly wider forefoot box than was found on previous HOKA models.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe feedback suggested our standard fit was a little snug right around the metatarsal head, so we opened that up just a little to give a bit more forefoot volume in the Speedgoat 4,\u201d he said. \u201cThe fit is still purely performance oriented but now it offers a little bit more room for comfort during long runs. That added comfort should allow for better performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
To complement the new Speedgoat 4 designs, the waterproof version of the shoe and, beginning this year,\u00a0other footwear in the Sky series \u2013 Run as well as Hike \u2013 will make use of Gore-Tex liners. Previous models employed eVent membranes for waterproofing.<\/p>\n
The switch to Gore-Tex involved several meetings and discussions between the design teams at HOKA and Gore. The year-long process eventually led to HOKA opting to incorporate Gore-Tex in the Speedgoat 4 line as well as other shoes going forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found that Gore-Tex is bringing great performance to our products,\u201d said Rosario. \u201cThey have a very robust innovation pipeline that we can jump on.\u201d Plus, Gore-Tex has significantly higher brand recognition than eVent, he noted, and \u201cit\u2019s easier for people to understand the performance characteristics of a product they already know more about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Full-Rubber Vibram Outsoles<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Where the Speedgoat 4 meets the road, HOKA stuck with their proven Vibram Megagrip outsole, though with some significant upgrades. This outsole, according to Smith, has earned high praise from runners of all calibers, so HOKA wanted to refine it rather than replace for use on the new shoes. The updates to the Megagrip sole were simply repositioning of lugs, and a slightly different geometry to the lugs themselves. \u201cWe moved some lugs to give better traction going up and down slopes. And the lugs themselves now have stepped sides to help them shed mud and debris without losing traction or control,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n
A Roomier Fit<\/strong><\/h2>\nFinally, Smith noted during the 15 months of development of the Speedgoat 4, designers and engineers incorporated feedback from actual customers, as well as HOKA\u2019s pro athletes for some tweaks to the overall fit of the shoe. The Speedgoat 4 shoes all feature a slightly wider forefoot box than was found on previous HOKA models.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe feedback suggested our standard fit was a little snug right around the metatarsal head, so we opened that up just a little to give a bit more forefoot volume in the Speedgoat 4,\u201d he said. \u201cThe fit is still purely performance oriented but now it offers a little bit more room for comfort during long runs. That added comfort should allow for better performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nFinally, Smith noted during the 15 months of development of the Speedgoat 4, designers and engineers incorporated feedback from actual customers, as well as HOKA\u2019s pro athletes for some tweaks to the overall fit of the shoe. The Speedgoat 4 shoes all feature a slightly wider forefoot box than was found on previous HOKA models.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe feedback suggested our standard fit was a little snug right around the metatarsal head, so we opened that up just a little to give a bit more forefoot volume in the Speedgoat 4,\u201d he said. \u201cThe fit is still purely performance oriented but now it offers a little bit more room for comfort during long runs. That added comfort should allow for better performance.\u201d<\/p>\n