Mafate 5 vs Speedgoat 7

The Hoka Mafate 5 is a max-cushion trail running shoe built for the long haul: big vertical days, rough ground, and ultra distances where your legs need a buffer between them and the mountain. With a 45mm heel stack and an 8mm drop, it sits at the plush, protective end of Hoka's trail range, and the Vibram Megagrip outsole means it can actually cash the cheques that cushion writes on technical terrain. It is not light. At 332g it asks you to trade nimbleness for comfort, and for the runner it suits, that is exactly the right deal. Think of it as the burly ultra companion to the more agile Speedgoat 7. If your idea of a good day out is six hours on wet, rocky, root-strewn trails and arriving home with your feet still speaking to you, this is the shoe we would point you to. Racers and short-loop speed hounds should look elsewhere.

The Speedgoat 7 is Hoka's do-everything trail running shoe, the one most runners reach for when the ground turns rough. It is a max-cushion daily trail trainer built for long days, technical footing and steep descents, not a stripped-back racer. The headline change this year is the switch to a supercritical EVA midsole, which gives a livelier, more resilient feel underfoot than older Speedgoats without adding weight. At 257g it stays reasonable for a shoe with this much stack. Underneath sits a full Vibram Megagrip outsole, still the benchmark for grip on wet rock, mud and loose gravel. With a 5mm drop and 37mm of heel stack it plants you in a cushioned, stable trail platform rather than a snappy one. If you want one trail shoe for everything from muddy local loops to an ultra, this is the safe pick. The step up from the Speedgoat 6 is the new foam more than anything dramatic.