This edition has been replaced. Read the current HOKA trail lineup.

1. 1

   Door-to-trail

   Challenger 8

   275g · 8mm drop

   

   Challenger is the shoe for runs that start on pavement and finish on dirt: a shallow, closely spaced outsole that does not clatter on road, on a 275g, 8mm-drop daily-trainer platform at $155. It gives up real grip — on wet rock or mud it is the wrong shoe, and that is what the Speedgoat is for.

   Choose it if

   • Your runs mix road and smooth trail in the same hour
   • You want one shoe for gravel, park paths and fire road

   Skip it if

   • You run technical or wet ground
   • You need underfoot protection from rock

   Also consider Torrent 5 and Stinson 8.

   Overlap · Challenger 8 and Torrent 5 both cover easy trail. Challenger is the one that also runs well on road; Torrent is 25g lighter, $25 cheaper, and grips better once the ground turns.

2. 2

   Daily trail trainer

   Torrent 5

   275g · 5mm drop

   

   Torrent is the light, agile trail trainer of the range: 275g, 5mm drop, $130 — the cheapest shoe here and the one that feels most connected to the ground. It is the everyday trail shoe for runners who like to feel the terrain. It gives up stack and protection, so long rocky days leave your feet tired.

   Choose it if

   • You want a nimble trail shoe for daily running
   • You want the lowest-priced shoe in HOKA's trail range

   Skip it if

   • You want maximum cushioning underfoot
   • Your long runs go past three hours on rocky ground

   Also consider Zinal 3 and Challenger 8.

   Overlap · Torrent 5 and Zinal 3 are both light and low. Torrent is $20 cheaper and built for daily mileage; Zinal is 22g lighter and built for short races.

3. 3

   Cushioned long trail

   Mafate 5

   332g · 8mm drop · 45mm stack

   

   Mafate 5 is the long-day training shoe: 45mm of heel stack, 8mm drop, no plate, $185. It carries the cushioning of a race shoe without the carbon or the race-shoe price, which is what you want for a five-hour training day. It gives up agility — at 332g it is the heaviest shoe in the range.

   Choose it if

   • Your long trail runs go past three hours
   • You want ultra-level cushioning for training rather than racing

   Skip it if

   • You want a light or agile shoe
   • Most of your running is under an hour

   Also consider Mafate X and Stinson 8.

   Overlap · Mafate 5 and Mafate X are the same amount of shoe at two prices. Mafate 5 is $40 cheaper and unplated for training; Mafate X adds carbon for race day.

4. 4

   Technical trail

   Speedgoat 7

   275g · 5mm drop · 37mm stack

   

   Speedgoat is the shoe the rest of the trail market compares itself to on rough ground: deep lugs, 37mm of stack, 275g, 5mm drop, $165, and a GTX sibling for winter. It is the one HOKA to own if your ground is steep, wet or loose. It gives up road manners — the lugs are wasted and noisy on pavement.

   Choose it if

   • You run technical, steep or wet trail
   • You want one trail shoe and your ground is genuinely rough

   Skip it if

   • Your runs include real stretches of road
   • You want the lightest possible shoe

   Also consider Mafate Speed 2.

   Overlap · Speedgoat 7 and Mafate Speed 2 both target technical ground. Speedgoat is 54g lighter and the versatile choice; Mafate Speed carries more stack for runners who want protection over feel.

5. 5

   Short trail race

   Rocket X Trail

   268g · 6mm drop · 42mm stack

   

   Rocket X Trail is HOKA's fastest trail shoe: carbon-plated, 268g, 42mm stack, $250, built for races short enough to run hard the whole way. It gives up price and versatility — at $250 it is a race-day shoe, and the plate makes it stiff for everyday running.

   Choose it if

   • You race trail distances you can run hard from start to finish
   • You want carbon propulsion on runnable terrain

   Skip it if

   • You want a shoe you can also train in
   • Your races are on technical ground where a stiff plate fights you

   Also consider Zinal 3 and Tecton X 3.

   Overlap · Rocket X Trail and Zinal 3 both race short. Rocket X Trail adds a carbon plate and 14g for $100 more; Zinal 3 is the unplated, affordable race shoe.

6. 6

   Ultra race

   Mafate X

   343g · 7mm drop · 49mm stack

   

   Mafate X is the 100-mile shoe: 49mm of stack, a carbon plate, 343g, $225. Late in an ultra the question stops being propulsion and becomes how much is left between you and the ground, and this is HOKA's answer. It gives up 54g against the Tecton X 3, which is the better shoe for a fast 50k.

   Choose it if

   • You are racing 100k or 100 miles and want maximum protection late
   • You want a plated ultra shoe under $250

   Skip it if

   • Your ultras are 50k and you want to run them fast
   • You dislike a tall platform on uneven ground

   Also consider Tecton X 3 and Mafate 5.

   Overlap · Mafate X and Tecton X 3 are both carbon ultra racers. Mafate X is 54g heavier, 9mm taller and $50 cheaper, for the distances where protection beats speed; Tecton X 3 is the 50k shoe.

specs as published by the brand · editorial judgement, dated 2026 edition