A Jane Runner from United States, CO Public Profile

There's a lot to love with the Speedgoat 5s - if you can wear them. The new traction (lugs on lugs concept) is phenomenal. The cushioning is lively responsive. The shoes are super stable. The colors are fun. But after people spent years of asking Hoka to widen the toe box for the Speedgoat 4s, the company has gone and narrowed it again. I read countless reviews of the 5s before purchasing (I don't have a local running store so I have to buy online) and only one mentioned the slightly "redesigned" shape that allegedly accommodates more foot types. It does not accommodate mine. Hoka took the plastic overlays off the shoe and replaced them with an allegedly stretchy mesh upper, while making the actual toe box narrower. The mesh is supposed to stretch and give more room for your toes. It's more like a girdle that squeezes everything in. My toes went numb after 1.75 miles and the pinky and second toe on each foot were blistered by the end of my 10 mile run. The shoe was so tight it actually pushed my outer toe on top of my second toe by the time I finished. If you have narrow feet, this is probably a great option for you. But I have regular feet - with a narrow heel - and find these utterly unwearable. Hoka should be mentioning it in marketing materials and product descriptions. Since they aren't, I am.

The Karacal has fast become my #1 choice for trail running - particularly on technical terrain. The tread is amazing - probably the best grip out of any trail shoe I run in. The cushioning is plush without being too squishy and the shoe has a really nice structure. The shoe offers a of support, particularly through the arch, even after long miles. And the toe box is nice and wide. As a matter of fact, the shoe is pretty roomy and is my choice for the second half of races or any time I think I'll experience foot swelling. On an odd note - I have tibialis anterior tendinitis and need a shoe with a padded tongue to prevent lace pressure. While many shoes are trying to cut weight with skimpy tongues, the Karacal remains padded and the tongue actually stays in place instead of sliding everywhere. Only con: these suckers are heavy when you get them wet. They don't seem to drain as quickly as other shoes, but they are still perfectly runnable. I've gone up to 50 miles in one stretch and my feet held up nicely. Size note: I'm typically a US 7.5 or a Euro 38. These tend to run short and I buy the 7.5+/39.