Gear Review: Hoka One One Challenger ATR 3 Trail Shoe

Disclosure: the following product was donated for the purpose of review.

Hoka One One Challenger ATR 3 Trail Shoes

Basic Specs

Weight: 1 lb 3 oz (pair of U.S. size 9)
Heel-Toe Drop: 5 mm
Cushion: Well-cushioned compared with other trail running brands
Upper: Breathable synthetic mesh
Lower: Oversized EVA midsole, rubber outsole, foam liner
Available Sizes (U.S. Mens): 8-14

Price: $130

Hoka One One leads the way in the world of cushioned footwear. I am an avid fan of trail runners for hiking, but I admit I was a Hoka One One newbie before this review. By appearance, the shoe’s sole is much thicker than other shoes.

Circumstance of Review

First off: my pair is still going strong at 250 miles. I found a few people online saying their shoes had begun to fall apart after 200 miles. This was a major point I wanted to test. General consensus on long trails is that you should expect a trail shoe to last around 500 hiking miles, bonus if more.

I wore them in hot, dry Canyonlands desert and then in slushy snow in high altitude. I wore them through woodsy packed mud and then on pavement and packed dirt. I got them soaked in water and then hiked on, although my conditions were not as wet as the AT.

Pros

Cushion/Thick Sole

Hoka One One is known for having cushioned soles, and the Challenger ATR 3’s fit right into that category. It feels like a cloud as soon as you try a pair of these on. This is an alternative to the minimalist footwear movement.

Toe Protection

These shoes have saved my toes from sticks and rocks many times. The mesh on these is robust. There is also a thick, durable fabric around the entire toe box. Some hikers like an ultra-wide toe box, but I never felt cramped in these myself.

You can see where a stick tried and failed to jam into my toe

Elasticized Laces

This is the first time I’ve felt totally comfortable not double-knotting my shoe laces. The elasticity creates a firm knot that doesn’t come undone by itself.

Wide Rubber Outsole

The thicker cushioning comes with a higher center of gravity, but the higher center of gravity is offset by a wider platform. One one hand, this gave me confidence while going down steep, smooth rocks slabs. On the other hand, foot placement can be a bit more limited compared with shoes having narrower platforms.

Outsole still well-attached, no major damage to mid foam section (after ~250 miles)

Fit

My foot width is somewhere between regular and narrow, and I personally always felt secure in these. The elastic laces and heel cup did a good job.

Multi-Purpose

These shoes are durable enough to be a good hiking shoe, and also light enough to be a good running shoe. I’ve gone on many runs with these on pavement, and the lighter weight is great for quick strides.

Cons

Absorbent Insoles

The Challengers have good upper ventilation, but took longer than expected to dry while walking. I eventually realized the thicker insoles were absorbing water, took them out, and wrung them out as easily as a pair of wet socks.

Flexibility

As may be expected with a durable midsole and great cushioning, the shoes are a bit stiff. On one hand, you have excellent protection against whatever you may be walking or running over. On the other hand, sometimes you want your shoes to bend and adapt to the trickier terrain for a better grip.

Overall

If you haven’t experienced the world of cushioning, do yourself a favor and try the Challengers on next time you’re at a store that carries Hoka One One. Walking on a cloud inspires a more “natural-to-you” foot stride. Since receiving these shoes for the purposes of review, I have not felt a need to return to my standard hiking shoe. I believe the combination of sturdy foot protection along with being ridiculously lightweight would serve a long distance hiker very well.

Shop the Hoka One One Challenger ATR 3 Here

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Comments 5

  • Mike : Jul 15th

    Good review James. James, I’m looking to replace some Teva Churns, it’s like a super breathable sneaker. Been very happy with those. But they stopped making them. You mention rock slabs, did you find these Hokas good and grippy on that kind of rock surface? You feel like the Hokas breathe/have good ventilation?

    Reply
    • James Cape : Jul 15th

      Thanks Mike! Hoka has an unorthodox outsole design where the rubber lugs around the outside surround an inner void of rubber and is just foam. This keeps it lightweight, but the lugs on the outside do provide good stability in general. While going down a slippery slab, I feel like the slightly wider platform provided me with good grip as long as I distributed the weight evenly on each step. The ventilation is definitely good. A lot of my test hikes were on hot days and they performed well.

      Reply
  • Mary Beth Skylis : Jul 15th

    Yay <3 <3 These Hokas seem to be making some ripples

    Reply
    • James Cape : Jul 15th

      I agree! I had a few conversations on the trail with people that were also out wearing them.

      Reply
  • Phoebe Anderson : Aug 1st

    Woohoo! The HOKA Speedgoat II is what I plan on wearing for my AT thru hike next year. Thanks for doing this review!

    Reply

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