Hoka - Torrent 4

I have a pair of hoka torrent 4s at the moment. I like them a lot. Good on the trails with plenty of stability but decent terrain feel and they’re surprisingly comfy on the road. I have low ankle bones so the cut suits me very well.

I have some Hoka Torrent 4s. I love them, and they’ve kept my stable in the mud, ice and snow, but as others have said - you probably need to find some that fit you well. My wife has and loves some Nike Pegasus Trails 41s, which are fairly cheap in sorts directly at the moment.

First, there is nothing that wrong with using road shoes on trails. 25 years ago there was no such thing as trail running shoes and people did fine. If you do want specific shoes and like Hoka then: Hoka Challenger if they are smooth trails or mixed road trails. Hoka Torrents if they are rougher trails.

I’ve run the race a few times and it has a couple technical areas, but most of the course is packed dirt single-track that is very runnable. I think anything that gives you limited support and decent padding would work. I always used my Hoka Torrents to run it. The biggest issue you will face is temperature changes. I e run it in 90+ degrees in November and also in sub 30. If it rains, the trails become that sticky clay-like mud that TX is famous for. If it’s dry, then trails are pretty firm. Love that race.

Conversely, don’t get hamstrung over Vibram if your environment is dry for much of the year. Or if you have multiple pairs in rotation not all have to be Vibram. Said another way, this is my rationalization for my Hoka Torrents. 😃

I’m on my 3rd season of switching to trail runners over hiking boots. Everyone may have a different experience but for me, my feet have never been happier (Hooka, Speedgoat 5).

I’ve switched almost entirely to trail runners including on a lot,of rugged terrain. I did find that when I was using Hokas that I had an increased tendency to roll my ankle after about ten miles. I like the padding, but have found lower drop shoes to be better for this. Altras are good, but I destroy them in about 300 miles. Trying Topos right now. Not as padded, but low drop with a wide toe box and they seem to be holding up better.

Trail runner will be fine. I was talking to a guy recently that said the AT requires real boots. But even by his argument, trail runners will be fine. The thing with trail runners is when you are tired, it is easier to roll your ankle. I have only found this to be a concern when I was using Hoka. Altras and Topos have less to zero drop and they don’t have this occur for me. Though Altras kind of suck for durability (expect 300 miles unless they fixed things). And Topos have less padding and are not as comfortable.