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The specs:
Weight: 272g (mens 9US)
Stack height: 30mm (heel), 24mm (forefoot)
Heel to toe drop: 6mm
Sizing: Fit true to size, only come in standard (D) width
Midsole: Proprietary midsole ‘Future Foam V2’
The Goshawk V2 works well as an entry for those wanting to transition down to a zero drop and can also be great for those looking for a different experience from their traditional shoes as the Goshawk v2 sits on a 6mm drop.
This shoe has been designed as a high mileage training shoe, which is also light enough to feel comfortable on shorter, faster runs.
The price point of these shoes is amazing considering how the shoes feels and rides. They sit in a really nice price bracket compared to similar shoes on the market.
Fit:
The of Tarkine Goshawk V2 features a sock-like knit upper which is said to be comfortable enough to walk around in all day. For me it’s not a feature that I personally like in my running shoes. I found that the upper was quite a snug fit over the top of the foot but didn’t hug as close around my ankle as I would prefer. The laces that are present are useful to get a secure fit across the foot, but with no upper eyelet and the lacing being fitted from within the sock-like upper, the ability to alter the lacing to accommodate different foot types is more difficult than a traditional upper.
I was however pleasantly surprised when I first put them on to run in, where I did not experience any slippage at the heel and actually felt really secure in the shoe.
Toe box:
The toe box of the Goshawk V2 is generous compared to traditional shoes but has less room than brands such as Altra and Topo Athletic. This may also be due to the sock-like upper which creates a more compressive feel and as such reduces the splay available in the forefoot.
Sizing:
The Goshawk fits true to size, I had no issues with sizing and purchasing online and was happy with the fit. This shoe is available in D (standard men’s) width.
Durability:
So far, I’ve put about 80km in this shoe, with a mixture of shorter speed sessions, and some longer slower sessions. So far it is holding up well and has no excessive wear or breakdown after faster and longer slower runs. This shoe has been designed to be used for a range of different distances.
Feel (performance):
I have done a mix of intervals, 5km and 10km runs in the Goshawk v2 and have had no issues with the shoe regarding hot spots or blistering. They are quite responsive at shorter faster efforts and don’t lose their responsiveness over a longer run.
Running at pace for Parkrun and speed sessions the Goshawk v2 has felt great. The midsole has a moderate firmness that does not change throughout the run. I personally found that due to my midfoot/forefoot strike pattern, I tend to place more weight to the outside of the foot, which has resulted in increased pressure around my cuboid (outer aspect of the middle foot). This tends to settle 2kms into the run on longer efforts or after the first 2-3 intervals of speed session. I don’t feel this is a fault with the shoe and more just a finding based on my running style and the stiffness of the midsole.
Playing with the shoes on some of the longer runs, I found that when adopting a more heel strike pattern (not my natural pattern), the shoe has quite a responsive springiness to the midsole which allowed for a rather poppy propulsive phase. However, as I run more midfoot strike, I was less able to access this feeling when running in my natural pattern or when running at faster speeds. So, if you naturally strike more rearfoot you will be able to access more of the spring these shoes have to offer.
Final thoughts:
Overall, I quite enjoyed this shoe out of the box. It has gone well on speed sets and with the sock like upper is great when you are short of time and need to throw the shoes on and run out the door.
My personal preference is towards running shoes that have a more traditional upper with upper shoelace eyelets, compared to a sock-like uppers. The majority of my running shoes are 0-4mm offset, so it is quite nice to have the option of a 6mm drop shoe in my rotation, and for me this shoe will be handy to use as a recovery tool after some harder sessions and back-to-back days of running to take some pressure off my feet, calves and hamstrings.
The shoe is a great shoe for someone who is a heel striker to make the most of the rebound that this shoe has to offer. It is also suitable for those wanting to explore shoes that have a more ‘foot shaped’ toe box, or for those looking to transition to a more barefoot running shoe, before going to a completely zero drop shoe.