HOKA has been my go-to since I began mountain running about three years ago. I would claim that I hated running when really what I hated was my knees and hips hurting on the downhill. I went to visit my local running store to chat about my issue when coming down. Immediately he suggested HOKA and specifically the Speedgoat, originally named after Karl “Speedgoat” Meltzer. My super bright new kicks made me feel like a gazelle going up and mountain goat on the way down. Most importantly, the impact reduction on my joints was definitely noticeable.
Since then HOKA has made a few changes to the Speedgoat and they recently released the racing-weight called the EVO. The EVO is everything you have come to expect from the traditional Speedgoat: megagrip high-traction, an absorbent sole and stability on the trail. It simply weighs less. The MATRYX® upper textile provides the strength and stability you need on the mountain and minimizing the weight of the shoe.
They took a full race to get used to. My first ever mountain 10k on Vail Mountain felt amazing. I am still getting my stride down and tend to run on my whole foot into corners. I felt a bit of a roll when I planted on my heavy feet. What I noticed the next time I ran in them is it had me running more on my forefoot correcting some of my bad form. They not only felt great, but they improved my running. HOKA, you continue to impress me and improve my running. Maybe by my next review I will call myself a runner!
EVO Speedgoat – $160
