HOKA Zinal 3 vs Speedgoat 7

Zinal 3 or Speedgoat 7? Here’s how they compare on feel, fit, brand specs and price, from the fitting team at The Run House.

The short answer

Want a light, fast trail shoe for shorter races? Get the Zinal 3.

Want cushion and grip for any trail? Get the Speedgoat 7.

Get the Zinal 3 if

• You want something for race day
• You’ll use it for tempo runs and workouts
• You want the lighter shoe, by about 0.8 oz
• You’d rather spend $15 less

Get the Speedgoat 7 if

• You want more foam underfoot (7mm more at the heel)
• Long runs are your thing
• It’s mostly for easy days
• You need a wide width

On the run

Zinal 3: The light, fast trail shoe. Light, low and quick, for speed-focused trail runs and races up to about a half marathon. Aggressive multidirectional 5mm lugs.

Speedgoat 7: The trail all-rounder. Plenty of cushion for downhills and a slightly livelier new foam. It stays stable on technical ground, and the Vibram Megagrip outsole sticks to almost anything.

The Zinal 3 hasn’t been lab tested by RunRepeat yet, so its feel ratings are estimated from the Zinal 2 lab test (RunRepeat) plus Running Warehouse’s description of the 3.

Specs side by side

Stack, drop and weight come from each brand’s own website. Numbers marked * aren’t published by the brand and come from other published specs. Weights are for the size each brand quotes. Expected life is our estimate.

Fit

Zinal 3. Runs slightly short (like the Zinal 2), so consider a half size up.

Speedgoat 7. Runs about a half size short, so most runners go up a half. Narrower than most HOKA trail shoes, and the toebox can press the big toe on long descents. Wide available.

Try them on

Come try on both at The Run House in Walpole, Needham or Falmouth. Gait analysis is always free.

Shop the Zinal 3 · Shop the Speedgoat 7 · Compare other running shoes