HOKA Challenger ATR 7 Shoe Review

Upper

David: "The upper blends a breathable engineered mesh with a soft, padded tongue and heel collar. The upper was comfortable from heel to toe, except for the insole, which put unwanted pressure on the outside of my slightly wider foot. This was not an issue on my 4- to 5-mile runs, but it became an issue when running over 6 miles."

Grace: "The upper fits comfortably, holds my foot in place, and is true to size. The tongue has some padding, which I prefer from a HOKA shoe. It just seems like whenever HOKA adds a thin tongue, it causes me issues, so I appreciated the level of padding in the Challenger ATR 7. Anyways, the new engineered mesh upper is light and breathable, and it was fairly spacious, which I liked throughout testing. I can wear thin or thick socks and have plenty of room with both."

Midsole

David: "The midsole feels soft and protective, with a rockered geometry that adds smoothness to every stride. There is a lot of cushioning underfoot, offering a tremendous amount of protection without feeling sluggish. The Challenger's midsole is at its best on light trails and performed surprisingly well on the roads."

Grace: "The HOKA Challenger ATR 7 has a noticeably softer midsole than previous iterations of the shoe, as well as an increased stack height that gives me more protection for high-impact, high-mileage efforts. I liked using this shoe for long-distance and recovery runs, and I thoroughly appreciated the consistent and protective underfoot feel for road-to-trail runs. This shoe is not meant for speedy efforts, as it does not have a highly responsive midsole or a snappy carbon plate, but the rockered geometry of the midsole helped propel me forward on my testing runs."

Outsole

David: "Designed as a do-it-all, road-to-trail shoe, the Challenger's outsole is protective and grippy without being overly aggressive or too heavy. There is plenty of traction, even on more technical trails, but the Challenger felt the best on fire roads and light trails. In other words, this is a trail cruiser and best for easier daily runs."

Grace: "The Durabrasion rubber outsole is durable and provides excellent traction on the roads and the trails. The lug design and pattern are aggressive enough to deliver consistent performance on trails while not being too aggressive for comfortable road runs. Overall, I have been very impressed with this update." 

Comparable Shoes

David: "This trail cruiser compares closest with the HOKA Speedgoat and the Altra Olympus. The ride and rocker are less aggressive than the Speedgoat, so it will work better for the trail runner who wants a mellow run at their own pace.

As for the Olympus, even though I prefer its soft yet responsive cushioning, the Challenger is 2 or 3 ounces lighter, which is quite significant for long days on your feet. The Challenger sets itself apart from the other shoes by providing a high level of comfort and excellent versatility for both the road and the trail. The Challenger 7 also has an impressive weight-to-cushioning ratio."

Grace: "I would compare the HOKA Challenger ATR 7 to the Nike Pegasus Trail 3 and the HOKA Speedgoat 5. The new HOKA Challenger looks very similar to the Speedgoat 5, but the former feels softer and lighter, albeit less responsive, with a more comfortable all-around fit. I have always been a Speedgoat fan (with the Speedgoat 2 and Evo Speedgoat being my absolute favorite trail shoes of all time), but I am surprised to say that I prefer the updated Challenger. 

The Challenger 7's midsole feels similar to the Nike Peg Trail 3 underfoot, as both midsoles are very soft, and both outsole designs are very versatile for road and trail runs. The Challenger's outsole grips slightly better (especially on wet surfaces) and feels lighter on foot than the Peg 3. I love both shoes, but I slightly prefer the Challenger because of how lightweight it feels while still being super protective and secure."