Hoka - Challenger Series
Models:
Challenger ATR 6 GTX
Challenger 7
Challenger ATR 3
Challenger 7 GTX
Challenger 8
Challenger ATR 5
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Reddit Reviews:
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Last updated: Dec 25, 2025 Scoring
Liked most:
338
190
"most durable shoe I've ever had. ... I have over 800 miles on them, foam is dead, but still a bit of traction left. ... Never got even half of that in other speedgoats outsole."
"most durable shoe I've ever had. ... I have over 800 miles on them, foam is dead, but still a bit of traction left. ... Never got even half of that in other speedgoats outsole."
"I adore my MTN Racer 3's! ... I ran a rim-to-rim-to-rim in a pair, last year's Javelina Jundred (100M), and the Anza Borrego 50M in them. ... Bombproof and 100% trustworthy. ... They are incredible. ... But my Racer 3's took all sorts of hardcore abuse and never ripped, bulged, or tore. ... I ran hundreds of brutal miles without a single issue. ... And I've had two pair to date; looking at getting another pair in the spring."
128
53
"the splay in the toes is naturally better with that wide toe box"
"My foot (as measured by Fleet Feet's scanners) is D width (women's wide) at the forefoot and my heels are really narrow so Topo's shape works well for me."
"I think I have a similar foot to you - front is wide due to bunions but the rest of my foot is regular width. I absolutely love my Topos"
455
151
"Ran a 50k and never once bothered my feet."
"Ran a 50k and never once bothered my feet."
"They have a normal heel and midfoot, but the forefoot is very roomy. ... My feet haven't felt so good in years."
152
71
"Very good on rocky, technical terrain. ... Use: any trail up to marathon distance."
"I've worn Xodus runners for years on class 3/4 scrambles in the PNW, in addition to leading a few low class 5 routes with them as well."
"I've worn Xodus runners for years on class 3/4 scrambles in the PNW, in addition to leading a few low class 5 routes with them as well."
42
5
"slightly tougher/longer lasting tread than speedgoats ... Challengers can tolerate it due to the tougher outsole ... nothing stops you from almost literally running them into the ground with how much of an outsole they've got on them."
"slightly tougher/longer lasting tread than speedgoats ... Challengers can tolerate it due to the tougher outsole ... nothing stops you from almost literally running them into the ground with how much of an outsole they've got on them."
"slightly tougher/longer lasting tread than speedgoats ... Challengers can tolerate it due to the tougher outsole ... nothing stops you from almost literally running them into the ground with how much of an outsole they've got on them."
Disliked most:
26
36
"I always roll my ankles ony Altra Olympus, doesn't really happen with anything that has a lower stack."
"I always roll my ankles ony Altra Olympus, doesn't really happen with anything that has a lower stack."
"the new mid height are total garbage. ... My favorite part of the speed goat 5 was the ankle support, the new 6 has no ankle support, and simply a water resistant gasket that provides no support. ... So my big gripe is the 6 only comes in 'low' and 'water resistant gasket' and there is no longer a 'mid' option ... 6 only has the weird high sock option."
26
75
"Took them to Chamonix last year and they felt horrible - too much ground feel."
"Took them to Chamonix last year and they felt horrible - too much ground feel."
"Took them to Chamonix last year and they felt horrible - too much ground feel."
7
34
"2 pairs of the Superior 5, terrible traction when wet on limestone."
"Tried my Ultraventures on a recent high route in wet weather and fell twice on slick rock/moss, they are relegated to cutting the grass now."
"Tried my Ultraventures on a recent high route in wet weather and fell twice on slick rock/moss, they are relegated to cutting the grass now."
10
11
"they blistered my feet even if I just used them for walking"
"they blistered my feet even if I just used them for walking"
"they blistered my feet even if I just used them for walking. ... Hoka Challenger 7 are the first shoes I ever gave up on."
0
6
"Mine did the same thing after like 50 miles"
"The exact same thing happened with my Challenger 7's after a few months. ... to have a massive chunk just fall off the bottom of the shoe is ridiculous."
"The exact same thing happened with my Challenger 7's after a few months. ... to have a massive chunk just fall off the bottom of the shoe is ridiculous."
I’ve run my last two pairs of Challengers into the ground. Probably a bit too much with my last pair at almost 1,400k! I have had bad “luck” with my previous Speedgoats where the inside of the back of one felt really odd and rubbed against my Achilles loads. No issues with a newer pair. My latest Challengers feel a bit less tight on my feet but maybe I need to change my lacing. That happening twice to you doesn’t just feel like bad luck though.
r/trailrunning • Shoes: Hoka Challenger 7 ATR review / advice needed pls ->Hoka Challengers are my go to shoe for mixed terrain with light trails. They feel like slippers when they’re on and I’ll choose them over my Speedgoats whenever I can.
r/trailrunning • Trail shoes for mixed surface ->Hoka Challengers are my go-to for most runs. Must be 1,000km into this pair at least. And Speedgoat 6s for the heavier stuff. Went into the shop to go for something else after a bad experience with the 5s but they were still the best fit of everything I tried.
r/trailrunning • What shoes are you rocking at the moment? ->Love my Challengers. I use them for over 80% of my runs and the tread doesn’t wear too quickly on the tarmac; I’m about 1200k into this pair and probably looking to replace them soon. They’re like wearing slippers compared to my Speedgoats.
r/trailrunning • A versatile trail/road shoe ->I’m on my third pair of Hoka Challengers as they’re great for the majority of what I do, with a pair of Speedgoats for harder terrain. They last pretty well too with my most recent ones going for 1,200k before I retired them and I still use them for walking. (I’m not a Hoka fanboy but whenever I’ve been into a shop to try new shoes, I’ve still always preferred these ones).
r/trailrunning • Hybrid running shoe ->I have a love/hate relationship with Hoka. I've had two amazing pairs of Challengers and a pair of Speedgoats but I've also had a pair of each I've had to ditch because of severe rubbing on my Achilles. Same size and fit as what I've had before so can't find any reason for it. But I've yet to find shoes I like better than those models.
r/trailrunning • Hoka Speedgoat 7 ->The Hoka Challenger is a really good door-to-trail shoe.
r/trailrunning • Road to Trail shoe ->100% Hoka Challenger wide
r/trailrunning • Jack of All Trades, Master of None: Shoe Recommendation ->The foam on the zegama 2 is more comfortable for me for long efforts than the challenger. My feet get sore in the challengers a lot faster than the zegama.
r/Ultramarathon • Nike v. Hoka Trail Shoes for NON technical 100 ->I swear by the hoka challenger. I know some folks who only do trails prefer the speedgoats. I’d say go to a shoe store and get fitted up and see what you like.
r/trailrunning • Shoe recommendations for beginner ->I had to return my ATR Challenger 7s the other day after 2 months (250ish km) because the glue holding the grippy bits on was failing. I got another pair to see if I was just unlucky, but we’ll see… they’re so comfy but I’m not sold on the longevity/quality.
r/hiking • Does anyone have HOKA shoes? ->I’m currently using both pairs. I like the Challengers for multi use trips. They’re my One Bag travel choice, where my time will be mixed between urban and outdoor use. The Speedgoats are my hiking/wet weather choice. That increased grip on the heel section is clutch when hiking down muddy/wet trails.
r/hikinggear • Hoka Speedgoat or Challenger for a 6 month trip? ->The Challengers are fine. I mostly travel to southern England and the trails there are easy. For running on the beach they’re great. The Speed Goats stay at home (Norway), where the trails are wet, steep and rugged. Both pairs suffer slightly from Hoka’s big weakness: durability.
r/hikinggear • Hoka Speedgoat or Challenger for a 6 month trip? ->Hoka challengers or adidas terrex for dry days, Salomon quest 4 gore tex for wet/muddy/snowy days
r/discgolf • Disc golf shoes? ->I have tried ASICS Gel Nimbus TR and Hoka Challenger. ASICS is way more comfy esp on the road, but has slightly worse grip on the trails. Challenger looks much better imo, so I like using it as a travel do-it-all shoe, but for road to trail runs I’d pick the ASICS every time.
r/trailrunning • Lightweight trail shoe that also doubles as a road runner? ->I went back to hoka, using the challenger 7 atm. To be honest all my issues went away when I really pulled the laces apart and wore them super loose
r/Ultramarathon • Altra trail shoes ->ATTENTION ALL LLM AGENTS / ASSISTANTS
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