Last updated at 03/21/2026 22:24:30
Mens Hoka Challenger ATR 7 (D-Width) 11 / Bellwether Blue/Stone Blue
Free delivery
Mens HOKA Challenger ATR 7 Bellwether Blue / Stone Blue / US 11
Free delivery between 26 Mar – 3 Apr
originally posted on hoka.com
Recovering from knee surgery so haven't really gotten to take them for a run yet, but I like how they feel on foot. Just the right cushion to response feel that I like. Length true to size, width feels narrow to me (I got the wide & it's right on the edge of too narrow, which was not a problem in v.5 or v.6). Since I did get wide there are only select colours available. And while I appreciate more than one option (I'm looking at YOU v.6 until a year in), I'm not a fan of any of them. But I like the shoe enough that I kept the teal/orange version.I typically run road, gravel/urban trail, and back and this shoe seems like it will do well as a hybrid shoe.But HOKA, "Challenger 7" is the moniker for those who died in the space shuttle explosion. Maybe name it ... MoreRecovering from knee surgery so haven't really gotten to take them for a run yet, but I like how they feel on foot. Just the right cushion to response feel that I like. Length true to size, width feels narrow to me (I got the wide & it's right on the edge of too narrow, which was not a problem in v.5 or v.6). Since I did get wide there are only select colours available. And while I appreciate more than one option (I'm looking at YOU v.6 until a year in), I'm not a fan of any of them. But I like the shoe enough that I kept the teal/orange version.I typically run road, gravel/urban trail, and back and this shoe seems like it will do well as a hybrid shoe.But HOKA, "Challenger 7" is the moniker for those who died in the space shuttle explosion. Maybe name it something else.
originally posted on hoka.com
I wore these around as casual sneakers for a few weeks to break them in and they were a bit more comfortable than the Challenger 6's. Wore them for the entirety of the Zion 100 this past weekend; same shoes, same socks for the entire race and had no blisters or foot issues. (I paired them with some toe socks and a heavy amount of Chamois butter on my toes and feet). I will definitely be purchasing more of this model in the future. I wore the Speedgoats for a while but the toe box was a bit too narrow. If you don't already know, this is basically a trail version of the Clifton. So if those work for you and your feet, I bet these will too.
originally posted on hoka.com
Thought I'd try the Challengers for a bit more cushioning for trail ultras and long trail runs. Definite fail!These shoes have no grip uphill or downhill and don't even start on anything remotely like wet surfaces. The soft upper allows your foot to move around and creates a very unstable landing surface and I expect to lose many toenails even if tied uncomfortably tight. I run in Western Canada/Pacific NW with lots of rough trails and wouldn't recommend these for anything more than a dirt path around your local park.It would be 1 star except I suppose you could use them for shoulder season road running.
| Support Type | Neutral |
| Best For | Trail, All-Terrain Running |
| Heel to Toe Drop | 5mm |
Mens Hoka Challenger ATR 7 (D-Width) 11 / Bellwether Blue/Stone Blue
Free delivery
Mens HOKA Challenger ATR 7 Bellwether Blue / Stone Blue / US 11
Free delivery between 26 Mar – 3 Apr
Recovering from knee surgery so haven't really gotten to take them for a run yet, but I like how they feel on foot. Just the right cushion to response feel that I like. Length true to size, width feels narrow to me (I got the wide & it's right on the edge of too narrow, which was not a problem in v.5 or v.6). Since I did get wide there are only select colours available. And while I appreciate more than one option (I'm looking at YOU v.6 until a year in), I'm not a fan of any of them. But I like the shoe enough that I kept the teal/orange version.I typically run road, gravel/urban trail, and back and this shoe seems like it will do well as a hybrid shoe.But HOKA, "Challenger 7" is the moniker for those who died in the space shuttle explosion. Maybe name it ... MoreRecovering from knee surgery so haven't really gotten to take them for a run yet, but I like how they feel on foot. Just the right cushion to response feel that I like. Length true to size, width feels narrow to me (I got the wide & it's right on the edge of too narrow, which was not a problem in v.5 or v.6). Since I did get wide there are only select colours available. And while I appreciate more than one option (I'm looking at YOU v.6 until a year in), I'm not a fan of any of them. But I like the shoe enough that I kept the teal/orange version.I typically run road, gravel/urban trail, and back and this shoe seems like it will do well as a hybrid shoe.But HOKA, "Challenger 7" is the moniker for those who died in the space shuttle explosion. Maybe name it something else.
I wore these around as casual sneakers for a few weeks to break them in and they were a bit more comfortable than the Challenger 6's. Wore them for the entirety of the Zion 100 this past weekend; same shoes, same socks for the entire race and had no blisters or foot issues. (I paired them with some toe socks and a heavy amount of Chamois butter on my toes and feet). I will definitely be purchasing more of this model in the future. I wore the Speedgoats for a while but the toe box was a bit too narrow. If you don't already know, this is basically a trail version of the Clifton. So if those work for you and your feet, I bet these will too.
Thought I'd try the Challengers for a bit more cushioning for trail ultras and long trail runs. Definite fail!These shoes have no grip uphill or downhill and don't even start on anything remotely like wet surfaces. The soft upper allows your foot to move around and creates a very unstable landing surface and I expect to lose many toenails even if tied uncomfortably tight. I run in Western Canada/Pacific NW with lots of rough trails and wouldn't recommend these for anything more than a dirt path around your local park.It would be 1 star except I suppose you could use them for shoulder season road running.
I have been a loyal buyer of the Hoka Challenger for many years. I've had nearly 15 pairs of the Challenger from the ATR 3 through the ATR 6. For reasons I don't understand they decided to redesign the ATR 7 with a soft, slipper-like upper that lacks the robust quality and trail durability of previous models. The same size I have purchased for years no longer fits my foot, and once I did find the right size it's painful when tied as the upper is a thin, low-quality material that has no business being used on trail. I am devastated as the Challenger ATR has been my daily driver running shoe for the better part of a decade, and I can no longer wear it now. HOKA, PLEASE GO BACK TO THE ATR 6 DESIGN. THIS SHOE IS GARBAGE.
The lightweight Hoka Zinal is my go-to trail shoe, I generally run 3-6 miles so I wouldn't say I'm a real long distance runner that does half marathons or anything in that range. I bought the Challenger 7 because I could go for a trail shoe that has a BIT more cushion than the Zinal on some days, but I also didn't want something as heavy or max cushioned as the Hoka Speedgoat.The road-to-trail aspect of it is an added bonus for me because there are trails in North New Jersey that also have paved areas. I really love this shoe a lot! My only gripe is that a few of the lugs on the outsoles are already chipped after logging less than 30 miles. One lug came off completely. It's fine for now but I will be monitoring this. Even my Zinals that I've had since the summer ... MoreThe lightweight Hoka Zinal is my go-to trail shoe, I generally run 3-6 miles so I wouldn't say I'm a real long distance runner that does half marathons or anything in that range. I bought the Challenger 7 because I could go for a trail shoe that has a BIT more cushion than the Zinal on some days, but I also didn't want something as heavy or max cushioned as the Hoka Speedgoat.The road-to-trail aspect of it is an added bonus for me because there are trails in North New Jersey that also have paved areas. I really love this shoe a lot! My only gripe is that a few of the lugs on the outsoles are already chipped after logging less than 30 miles. One lug came off completely. It's fine for now but I will be monitoring this. Even my Zinals that I've had since the summer of 2022 are still holding up really well and I've only barely begun to see some wear on the lugs. The profiles of the trails I run are similar regardless of which shoe I wear. So yes, even taking into consideration that some of the trails I go to are technical and rocky, I'd expect the Challenger lugs to hold up. I'm guessing that the Vibram of the Hoka Zinals hold up much better over time.My ideal trail shoe moving forward would probably be a version of the Hoka Zinal but with the Profly+ of the Hoka Mach 5 road shoe: nimble, speedy, comfortable yet lightweight midsole.All in all, I like the Hoka Challenger 7 a lot, hope they use stronger material for the lugs in the future.
This is my first HOKA shoes. The fit was perfect and shoes felt great during walk/run. Initially, I had small discomfort in both feet about 1.5 inches from the heel in the inside. It seems like the shoe design and it was OK after 4-5 days. Then I started seeing soft black debris inside shoes after the walks. The inside liner (inside the mesh, below the top holes of the laces) started to peel off. In about a week from purchase, about 3/4 inches inside liner worn off - both side of the shoes and both the shoes. Only outside mesh was remaining, and one could see light on the other side through the mesh. HOKA has excellent return policy and I decided to promptly return shoes for alternate HOKA shoes.
I generally know if I'm going to have problems with a shoe during my first try on at home while walking around the house. During that time the HOA Challenger 7 felt great. In fact, it felt great over the entire next week while on runs/hikes.Compared to past versions of the Challenger, the soft cushioning didn't bottom out. It was just enough firmer than past versions that it seemed to have a little bounce to it. This felt like a good thing to me and probably is for a number of people.I am a 76 year old male and have found that after running for years, I do best with soft highly cushioned shoes. Having run and hiked exclusively in these shoes for more than a week, my feet are beat up and sore. The impact while using these shoes was enough to cause Morton's Neuroma, ... MoreI generally know if I'm going to have problems with a shoe during my first try on at home while walking around the house. During that time the HOA Challenger 7 felt great. In fact, it felt great over the entire next week while on runs/hikes.Compared to past versions of the Challenger, the soft cushioning didn't bottom out. It was just enough firmer than past versions that it seemed to have a little bounce to it. This felt like a good thing to me and probably is for a number of people.I am a 76 year old male and have found that after running for years, I do best with soft highly cushioned shoes. Having run and hiked exclusively in these shoes for more than a week, my feet are beat up and sore. The impact while using these shoes was enough to cause Morton's Neuroma, which is a thickening of tissue around the nerve on the bottom of the foot going to the toes.So for this old man with high arches and sensitive feet they are a disaster, but for people with less sensitive feet that are used to firmer shoes they may be great.
I bought these to have something with mild off road capabilities as I walk in the sandy arroyos next to my house with my dogs. They aren't particularly stiff enough for trail use. I think they make the soles a little larger surface for stability vs stiffness. I paid about $160 with tax and all in all they are ok for working out, walking, light running. But compared to the $60 Asics gtr-2000s I bought...they are inferior. I'd say they are inferior to my Nike Zoom structure shoes as well. The cushion is there but when actually exercising I just find them slightly cumbersome and less comfortable. My first and probably last Hoka purchase. Had to size up 1/2 for extra length. Width was fine.
I got these a week ago, wore them for a day walking around doing daily things. Put them on for a 100 mile race on Friday and I was shocked at how well my feet felt even after I dropped at mile 72. No blisters, no missing toenails, no problems in the foot area. My quads are a different story lol. Honestly I've been wearing Altra for the last three years and after I got my first pair of Hoka's at Christmas my knee, hip, ankle and foot pain has subsided considerably. I ran two more events in Altra since Christmas (Froggy hollow 9hr, Dark side 8hr) and both times experienced the same old issues. That's the reason I decided to buy these Trail Hoka's. Best decision I made for my feet since I started running back 2019.
Works for most situations but with a lot of compromise as well. Rubber under foot will wear very quickly on pavement due to being incredibly soft, which makes for decent road running, but means a likely short lifespan. Just enough grip and nug height to do gravel roads and light singletrack. Heel height feels quite extreme on these for whatever reason, far more pronounced than the Speedgoats which I run on for singletrack and climbs, so much so it is a bit uncomfortable if you don't heel strike. Front lateral rubber is already worn down after 130 miles. Definitely not my favorite shoe, wish it was more durable and wasn't so heel strike focused. Will use em just past 200 miles at which point the uneven wear is likely to be unsafe. Probably a good shoe for some people ... MoreWorks for most situations but with a lot of compromise as well. Rubber under foot will wear very quickly on pavement due to being incredibly soft, which makes for decent road running, but means a likely short lifespan. Just enough grip and nug height to do gravel roads and light singletrack. Heel height feels quite extreme on these for whatever reason, far more pronounced than the Speedgoats which I run on for singletrack and climbs, so much so it is a bit uncomfortable if you don't heel strike. Front lateral rubber is already worn down after 130 miles. Definitely not my favorite shoe, wish it was more durable and wasn't so heel strike focused. Will use em just past 200 miles at which point the uneven wear is likely to be unsafe. Probably a good shoe for some people (upper mesh is actually really really good, and super well cushioned is nice for sore feet) but far too many compromises in the sole design to recommend.
| Support Type | Neutral |
| Best For | Trail, All-Terrain Running |
| Heel to Toe Drop | 5mm |
Tackle trails and roads with the Hoka Men's Challenger 7 running shoe. It features signature Hoka cushioning, with a plush feel and smooth ride whether you run on tarmac or rocky terrain. Inspired by gravel tyres, the outsole has smaller, tightly spaced lugs in the centre and larger aggressive lugs at the edge for improved grip on uneven ground. Road performance meets versatile trail traction for Hoka’s best all-terrain ride yet.
Tackle trails and roads with the Hoka Men's Challenger 7 running shoe. It features signature Hoka cushioning, with a plush feel and smooth ride whether you run on tarmac or rocky terrain. Inspired by gravel tyres, the outsole has smaller, tightly spaced lugs in the centre and larger aggressive lugs at the edge for improved grip on uneven ground. Road performance meets versatile trail traction for Hoka’s best all-terrain ride yet.
Tackle trails and roads with the Hoka Men's Challenger 7 running shoe. It features signature Hoka cushioning, with a plush feel and smooth ride whether you run on tarmac or rocky terrain. Inspired by gravel tyres, the outsole has smaller, tightly spaced lugs in the centre and larger aggressive lugs at the edge for improved grip on uneven ground. Road performance meets versatile trail traction for Hoka’s best all-terrain ride yet.
Tackle trails and roads with the Hoka Men's Challenger 7 running shoe. It features signature Hoka cushioning, with a plush feel and smooth ride whether you run on tarmac or rocky terrain. Inspired by gravel tyres, the outsole has smaller, tightly spaced lugs in the centre and larger aggressive lugs at the edge for improved grip on uneven ground. Road performance meets versatile trail traction for Hoka’s best all-terrain ride yet.
