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The engine's answer

Best running shoe for fitness running on gravel and forest paths, under €280

Hoka Speedgoat 6

88% match

The benchmark for eating technical trail

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Live search for the Hoka Speedgoat 6 at retailers that carry it.

Why it wins here

The Hoka Speedgoat 6 wins this question with a 88% match against all 78 shoes in the catalogue. It costs €160, weighs 278 g and stands on a 38 mm heel stack with a 4 mm drop; its cushioning scores 80/100, its grip 92/100 and its energy return 58/100. The tightest constraint is the terrain: only 19 of the 78 shoes count as trail capability, and 19 clear both the price and the terrain filter. Its biggest edge over that field is on terrain — Trail shoe, grip 92 /100, stability 72 /100; 19 of 78 shoes count as trail capability. The nearest runner-up, the Salomon Speedcross 6, finished 2 points behind.

The dimensions where it beats the rest of the field by the most, for this question specifically — with the numbers behind each one.

  • TerrainTrail shoe, grip 92 /100, stability 72 /100; 19 of 78 shoes count as trail capability
  • Goalcushioning 80 /100, durability 82 /100
  • Budget€160, €120 under the €280 ceiling — 77 of 78 shoes qualify

What's good

  • Vicegrip Vibram outsole on rock, mud and scree
  • Cushioned enough for ultra distance

What to watch

  • Overkill for smooth gravel paths
  • Snug fit through the midfoot

What the runners-up gave up

The next three in the ranking, and the measure each one lost on against the Hoka Speedgoat 6.

Questions this answer raises

Is the Hoka Speedgoat 6 within a €280 budget?
Yes. At €160 it sits €120 under the ceiling, and 77 of the 78 shoes in the catalogue come in at €280 or less.
Does the Hoka Speedgoat 6 suit gravel and forest paths?
It is a trail shoe with grip 92 /100 and stability 72 /100. The question filtered for trail capability, which 19 of the 78 shoes are; for fitness running the ranking also weighed cushioning 80 /100, durability 82 /100.
How much shoe is under foot in the Hoka Speedgoat 6?
A 38 mm heel stack with a 4 mm drop, a cushioning score of 80/100 and no plate — at 278 g on the scale.

Change an assumption

This page answers one runner's question. Yours is not that question — adjust the surface, the goal or the budget and watch the whole field re-rank.

Answer for your own running