Discontinued · trail · Trail / Daily · $150
Earlier generation of the Hoka Challenger Low GTX line, kept for replacement lookups.
Built for trail, daily, at a target pace of 9:30–12:30 /mi on trail.
This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Hoka Challenger 8 Low GTX.
Hoka tuned this midsole soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 33 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as calm at 2/5 responsiveness.
There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.
A low 5 mm drop encourages a midfoot landing and keeps the ankle working through a fuller range. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.33 per mile at $150.
For the foams and plates Hoka uses across its line, read the Hoka brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
296 g / 10.4 oz
21 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
33 mm
3 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
5 mm
1 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$150
10 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
4 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~450 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Hoka line it is heavier than the brand's median (275 g / 9.7 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (38 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Adidas Terrex Agravic 4(2026)
290 g / 10.2 oz · 32 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $140
Everyday trail trainer on the new, softer Lightstrike 3.
Hoka Challenger 8 Low GTX
285 g / 10.1 oz · 36 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $170
Gore-Tex road-to-trail all-rounder for shoulder-season miles.
Salomon Genesis 2
290 g / 10.2 oz · 34 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $150
Comfortable, stable trail trainer for long technical days.
Nike ACG Pegasus Trail GORE-TEX(2026)
300 g / 10.6 oz · 35 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $175
Waterproof road-to-trail Peg for winter and mud.