HOKA  Challenger 7 Trail-Running Shoes - Men's

Bought these in February 2025. Up until June 2026 I had only put 60 miles on them on mostly dirt trails, not rough at all. Some use on paved roads, maybe 10mi. Took them for a proper 6mi trail run in Hawaii -- road, sand, dirt, rocks -- and the tread at the outside of the toe had come unglued. Looking further now that I'm home, there are actually multiple similar failures with the tread on both shoes. Maybe for the better since I had taken them to hike the Kalalau trail. I repaired the tread with Shoe Goo, but ultimately decided to replace them entirely all as to avoid issues while on the trail itself, and I'm sure glad I did since the trail was quite rugged. The Merrell Moab Speed 2 I got in their place we're perfect, despite being just a 12 narrow instead of 12 wide since the store from where I got them in Princeville doesn't stock wide sizes. The new Challenger 8 does appear to have improved lugs/sole than this model, but clearly that doesn't mean the glue is any better. I would consider trying a dedicated Hoka trail runner in the future, but def not the Challengers. AnywayI'm quite happy with how the Merrells worked out.

First, this is an awesomely comfortable shoe. I got mine for every day use. No issues with the tread (barely looked used) but the fabric at the heal and the ball of each foot was frayed within three months of use.

I've owned 2 pairs of the challenge 6s and loved them, each pair lasted ~1 year over many trails. I purchased a pair of the challenge 7s ~1 month ago and used them on 3 trails (less than 15 miles total). The shoe is very comfortable, but the outsole began wearing considerably after the first use and continued after next 2 uses. The outsole durability appears far less durable (maybe adhesive is weak) than the challenger 6 generation. Shout out REI for their customer support.

I have owned the challenger 7 for a few months now and I'm not impressed in the slightest the tread doesn't grip any surface well I'm not sure why it's labeled a trail shoe it's already starting to fall apart I regret my purchase 100%

I struggled on rating this product. The shoes are very comfortable and I love the color combination, but they are not suitable for off-road use. In the span of three weeks, the bottoms of the shoes started falling apart. I understand wear and tear, but I’ve never seen such drastic deterioration in such a short span of time. If you plan on using these for paved walking or recreational use, they’re great, but I don’t recommend them for off-road running or hiking.

Most comfortable shoe I’ve ever worn on trail. With less than 200 miles on the shoe, the sole started to delaminate. I don’t do a whole lot of backpacking or hiking, and it was six months past the 12 month warranty that Hoka issues.

Inside ripped. Tried to return but was told this is normal wear and tear. Tread has less than 50 miles on the trails.

These shoes are better suited for a track. I used these on a few hikes over the course of two months and the treads have completely disintegrated. I needed to trim hanging portions of the treads off to prevent further damage of the shoe. I could not imagine people actually trail running with this shoe as I only hiked with these. Look for a more durable shoe with perhaps a vibram rubber sole.

Since college Iv owned and ran through 7 pairs of road Hokas. All have been absolutely amazing with no issues. When I needed a new pair of hiking/trail shoes I figured that I would buy from one of my preferred brands, and now I wish I hadn’t. The interior of the shoe and soles were my biggest issues. The toe box was underwhelming small and left zero comfort 2.5 miles into there maiden 8 mile hike. The whole heel cup pinched the bottom of my heel whenever my foot was under force. The soles, while rugged looking with deep lugs provided zero grip in dry conditions. Tall grass, short grass, lose gravel, rock scrambles, didn’t matter as there was no grip.

First time customer of HOKA. I purchased the HOKA Challenge 7 at REI on 7/13/2024 and the lugs and tread on these shoes did not last two weeks of wear on and off trail walking. Truly disappointing since the shoe is very comfortable.