HOKA Challenger 7

Description

The HOKA Challenger 7 s are an exceptionally comfortable, versatile, and efficient running shoe, perfectly optimized for crushing high mileage trail days. Read more in our comprehensive HOKA Challenger 7 Review . Price : $145 M’s Weight : 8.9 oz | W’s Weight : 7.3 oz Heel-Forefoot-Drop: M’s 31-26-4 | W’s 29-24-4 Lugs: 4 mm | Rockplate : No Width: Average | Overall Fit: True to size Wide Sizes Available: Yes On Trail/Off trail? On Trail Pros: Lightweight. Nicely cushioned. Widened toe box. Comfy out of the box. Energy efficient. Sufficient traction for nearly all trails. Highly breathable. Long lasting tread. Cons: Modest traction not suitable for extremely steep terrain. Construction & Features Like all HOKAs, the Challenger 7s enjoy a thicker than average CMEVA midsole with a ~30mm stack height. Enough cushion to keep you comfy, but still lightweight and thin enough to feel in-touch with the trail. Its mesh uppers are highly breathable, quick drying, and have no additional toe bumper. The lack of a protective rand slightly decreases durability, but improves ventilation and water egress. The tongue is pleasantly cushioned, and we’ve always been fans of HOKA’s flat laces, which never seem to come untied. Challengers are designed with gravel-bike-inspired outsoles featuring proprietary, long lasting Durabrasion rubber tread. In our experience the boxy 4mm lugs last about 50% longer than the sharper edged Vibram Megagrip rubber found on HOKA Speedgoats. But what really sets this shoe apart is the un-treaded flat foam outsole surface below the midfoot. This augmentation creates a more energy efficient rebound when striding on flat, level surfaces, and drastically increases their versatility as a road-gravel-trail crossover running or hiking shoe. The end result of these unique outsoles is that they’re more effective when traveling on flat or moderate terrain, but less grippy on steeps. And just to be clear, their traction is adequate nearly all of the time, including any section of the PCT, for example. That said, we wouldn’t choose them for an alpine high route or going cross country in Alaska. Verdict The Challenger 7 is as comfy as it is versatile, and our current default trail running shoe for hiking and running on trails.