Hoka Challenger 8 Review
The Hoka Challenger 8 is a trail running shoe designed for hard-packed tracks and trails, and it also performs well on road-to-trail routes. With a balance of cushioning and traction, it’s a solid all-terrain option. Like the Hoka Arahi 8 and Clifton 10, the Challenger 8 features increased stack height and heel-to-forefoot drop, delivering a much softer ride. In many ways, it feels like the trail version of Hoka’s neutral road shoe, the Clifton 10. Stack heights are high for a trail shoe—38mm in the heel and 30mm in the forefoot for women, and 42mm/34mm for men. Yet despite these numbers, the shoe doesn’t feel unstable or overly high off the ground.
The thick midsole removes almost all ground feel, so you won’t feel every bump or contour underfoot. As with previous Challenger models, the midsole is designed to work like a mountain bike tyre—soft enough to absorb surface irregularities and contour to the trail. The Challenger 8 improves on this concept with more flexibility in the midfoot and a softer foam, allowing it to adapt to the ground more easily. The result is a smoother ride that lets the shoe do the work while you focus on moving forward.
As with all Hoka shoes, the foot sits within the midsole rather than on top of it, providing inherent stability. The rocker-shaped geometry helps reduce heel strike and encourages a rolling motion that supports quicker turnover and a more upright posture. This can help runners feel lighter on their feet, especially over uneven terrain.
The updated midsole compound is softer than the previous version, offering a more cushioned and smoother ride. With an 8mm heel-to-forefoot drop, the shoe engages the ground a touch earlier, helping to guide the foot through the gait cycle. I noticed a slightly higher knee lift and more upright posture compared to earlier models—similar to my experience in the Clifton 10. That said, the ride isn’t identical. The Challenger 8 feels a bit firmer and more stable, likely due to the more robust outsole.
The outsole has been upgraded to offer better traction on slippery trails. Lugs remain at 4mm, but they’re slightly more aggressive in shape. The outsole rubber is still tacky, offering good grip in both wet and dry conditions. I tested the shoes during a mix of heatwaves and thunderstorms in the UK, and they performed well on hard-packed trails with no traction issues. While the 4mm lugs aren’t designed for deep mud, they do provide decent grip on slick sections.
The last has also been revised. The Challenger 8 has a noticeably roomier fit and a less pointed toe box, which feels far more comfortable—especially on longer runs. Lockdown in the heel and midfoot is also improved. Padding in the heel collar and cup is just right—comfortable without being overly plush. The Achilles tab curves away to prevent irritation and improve fit. The tongue isn’t gusseted, which is fine for the type of trails this shoe is made for, and it stays in place thanks to two lace loops. It has a light but soft cushioning that feels good on the foot. An extra eyelet is available for a more secure heel lock or butterfly lacing. The upper is made from a light engineered mesh that feels soft and breathable, adding to the overall comfort. A thick overlay at the front offers decent toe protection.
Despite the added foam, the Challenger 8 remains a lightweight trail shoe: 247g for a women’s UK 5 and 275g for a men’s UK 8.
I’ve found previous Challenger models a bit stiff through the midfoot and too narrow in the toe box. They almost forced my legs to follow the curve of the rocker. I had no such issues with the Challenger 8. They felt easy to run in right out of the box—so much so that I could forget they were on my feet. The midsole has softened slightly over the first 100 miles, and although I generally don’t prefer soft shoes, the added flexibility has improved the ride. They contour better to the ground, offering improved traction on turns and a more comfortable feel on hills and descents.
Although the 8mm drop could have made the rocker feel more controlling, it doesn’t. Instead, the shoe offers a plush, easygoing ride. I can cruise comfortably and just enjoy the run. The Challenger 8 is best suited to easy and long runs. I find the cushioning too soft to comfortably pick up the pace, so it’s not ideal for fartlek sessions or hill reps.
Hoka sizing is similar in length to New Balance, Inov-8, Karhu, and La Sportiva. If you’re used to Brooks, Saucony, Altra, 361, or Topo, you may want to go up half a UK size—for example, a Brooks UK 11 is roughly equivalent to a Hoka UK 11.5. The Hoka Challenger 8 is available in two widths for both men and women.
In summary, the Hoka Challenger 8 is a softly cushioned trail shoe ideal for road-to-trail use, hard-packed paths, and mixed-terrain runs. While the 4mm lugs won’t be your best bet in deep mud, the shoe performs smoothly and comfortably on dry or wet tarmac and compact trails.
Other Considerations
Brooks Cascadia 19: A slightly firmer and bouncier feel to the ride. The traction is a bit better on soft trail but, not exceptionally so as the lugs are still quite short. Available in two width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/brooks-cascadia-19-review/
New Balance Hierro v9: A similar high stack height shoe with a soft ride and a rocker. The grip level is similar. The rocker is a different shape and for that reason has a different feel to the ride. Available in three width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/new-balance-fresh-foam-x-hierro-v9-review/
361 Futura 2: A thinner midsole that is soft and flexible allows the Futura to take up the curvature of the terrain a bit better than the Challenger. The slightly longer lugs are more pointed and spaced out and give better traction on soft terrain. They don’t have the same cruise a long feel to the ride that the Challenger does. Available in two width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/361-futura-2-review/
Topo Ultraventure 4: A flat shaped lug on the outsole makes the Topo Ultraventure 4 a road to trail shoe option in the UK. They have a similar level of cushioning but, the zip foam midsole is firmer and more responsive designed to stimulate the feet so they can function inside the shoes. The toe box is broad and rounded to give the feet the space to spread and function inside the shoes. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/topo-athletic-ultraventure-4-review/
Inov-8 TrailFly: A broad rounded toe box gives the feet the room to spread and function inside the shoes. The midsole allows a good level of ground feel so you can be nimble on the trails. The traction is good in the wet and dry and versatile enough for some soft trail coupled with the flexibility and feel for the ground. Available in two width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/inov-8-trailfly-review/
Altra Experience Wild: A rounded toe box gives the feet the space to spread and function in the shoes. 4mm heel to forefoot with a rocker gives a bit of added propulsion and helps the runs maintain a quick cadence. A more connected feel than the Challenger but, a very similar feel. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-experience-wild-review/
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