Speedgoat 7 vs Ultra Glide 4

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.

The Ultra Glide 4 is Salomon's soft, high-stack trail runner built for one thing above all: keeping your legs fresh over long, rolling miles. With 38.6mm of heel stack and a moderate 7.5mm drop, it sits firmly in the cushioned trail shoe camp, closer to a plush daily trail cruiser than a nimble racer. At 295g it is not the lightest option out there, but that weight buys you a genuinely comfortable, protective ride that soaks up rocky, uneven ground on the way home from a big day out. This is a shoe for runners who value comfort and easy-going stability over sharp, aggressive handling. It thrives on smoother, non-technical trails, gravel, forest paths and long ultra efforts where fatigue is the enemy. If you want a running shoe that lets you switch off and just log the distance, the Ultra Glide 4 makes a strong case at its £130 price.