If you’re a trail runner you have no doubt heard of the brand Hoka One One and in this case two of the most highly regarded shoes on the trails, the Hoka Torrent and Speedgoat. The Speedgoats have been a go to for many of the elite ultra runners because of their incredible cushion for extremely long runs. Many world championships and FKTs have been set in these shoes. For many though, the Speed Goats felt like overkill for shorter trail races. Enter the Torrent. A shoe designed to be lighter & more responsive. To find out what that means let’s take a closer look at the two. And determine what is the difference between the Hoka Torrents and Speedgoats?
After a bit of research and trying both first hand I thought it would put together a quick check list of the differences to help you make the right choice based on your needs.
Hoka Torrent vs Speedgoat
- Hoka Torrents are 1.5oz lighter than the Speedgoats. The Torrents are 9.3oz and the Speedgoats are 10.8oz.
- Speedgoats have 1mm less drop than the Torrent. Speedgoat have a 4mm drop compared to 5mm on the Torrent.
- Â The Torrents are considered more “responsive” than the Speedgoats. They sit lower to the ground and have slightly less padding meaning you will feel more of the trail.
- The Speedgoats perform better on pavement/roads. This is due to the different lugs. Important to know for races that have large road sections.
- The Torrents have much less cushion with a sole volume of 395cm3. Compared to the Speedgoat sole volume of 651cm3
Hoka Torrent 3
MSRP Price: $125
Men’s Link: Click Here
Women’s Link: Click Here
Men’s Weight: 8.7 oz
Women’s Weight: 7.5 oz
Drop: 5mm
Stack Height: 31 mm / 26 mm
Stability: Neutral
Cushioning: Minimal/Responsive
Lug Size; 4 mm Multi Directional Lugs
Spring: Not Listed
Volume: Lot Listed
Hoka Speedgoat 5
MSRP Price: $155
Men’s Link: Click Here
Women’s Link: Click Here
Weight: 10.3oz
Drop: 4mm
Stability: Neutral
Cushioning: Balanced
5mm Lugs
Spring: 35x21mm
Volume: 651cm3
Performance Summary
Let’s get to the most important part of Hoka Torrent vs Speedgoat, their performance. I’ve had a chance to run in both of these shoes and can say that they are both incredible. You can not go wrong with either choice for your typical trail run. Both are perfectly capable of running 5-50 miles on the trail without an issue. That said I do have my preference on when I would wear each.
The Speedgoats are your perfect high mile training and ultra race shoes. The added cushioning is perfect for all the miles you rack up week after week. And is much needed for longer races especially if they have a lot of downhill running. I’d also prefer these on a long hiking/fast packing trip and will probably end up wearing the Speedgoats when I do the Tour Du Mont Blanc in 2023.
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the Hoka Torrent. You can read my original review from 2019 here. For me the Torrents are the perfect shoe for shorter/faster trail runs and will continue to be my go to for OCR. They also offer a slightly upgraded level of traction so I use the Torrents when mountaineering or any place I feel I may need extra traction.
Hoka Torrent Profile
Hoke Speedgoat Profile
Torrent Back View
Speedgoat Back View
Torrent Top View
Speedgoat Top View
Hoka Torrent Soles
Hoka Speedgoat Soles
Conclusion
You can’t go wrong with either of these shoes. If I was going to be running shorter, faster, OCR, or more technical courses I’m probably taking my Torrents. If I’m logging big miles training or in a race 20k plus, I’m probably wearing my Speedgoats. That said, both could work for all applications and will be a good fit in any runners rotation.
