Customer Reviews Hoka Challenger Mid GORE-TEX®

I have heel spurs. My doctor has recommended for the time being to hold off on surgery to remove, as he said it will be a painful and extensive recovery. Ouch! So I have to deal with them and with the wrong shoes, it was becoming increasingly difficult to do so and becoming more and more painful. I had to give up my trail walks, which literally broke my heart & spirit. I bought countless types and brands of shoes, tried every insert out there, all to no avail. Then someone online recommended the HOKA brand to me. I chose this shoe to see if I could back out on the trails with them. As soon as I put them on, I knew they were different! And they were! ZERO pain when walking! ZERO pain after walking, as was usually the case. ZERO pain the next day! I am BEYOND thrilled!! Thank you so very much for creating such a wonderful brand. Now to pick out my next pair... :)

I bought these boots, because they were recommended by the American Podiatric Medical Association. I love to hike with my husband and our dog, but I have foot problems that limit my hiking trips. Well, my Hoka Challenger Mid Gore-Tex boots have changed that! They're super supportive and comfy, and they have all the qualities needed in a good hiking boot - they're waterproof, warm, and able to tackle a variety of terrains. They also look good. Who'd have thought a shoe designed to support your feet could also look stylish and youthful - not like old school orthopedic shoes/boots. I love 'em! If you need a great pair of hiking boots - get a pair of these Hoka's!!

I feel like they are too long for 10s. I did however get the wides. Not sure if this is what the difference is. I have worn them 4 times. Maybe Ill wear thicker socks? Id trade em, but already traded a pair of trail Zinals for these. Out of the two these feel the best on the back of your knees. Hokas seem to make my legs feel hyper-exstending backwards. Not sure if this will help anyone. Gotta try them first to see.

With my newest shoe/boot purchase, I did have a short 'break in' period, but I love the boots and how they fit now.

It took a few days to wear in but now they are so comfy and walking all day on cement is so much better because of them. I have narrow feet and flat arches and these shoes are amazing.

Best shoes I have ever owned! So comfortable and supportive I can go all day with no pain.

I'm just recovering from foot surgery and needed a hiking boot. I chose this one as it comes in wide. So comfortable! Provided the needed stability as well as adequate cushion!

I am grateful for stumbling across someone's Hoka review on Instagram! I love hiking, but have struggled to find a pair of hiking shoes that are comfortable for me--I have wide feet, high arches, some bone structure issues, the list goes on.. Previously I'd be able to hike 2, maybe 3 miles until the nerve pain would start. My first hike in my Hoka Challengers, I went 5+ miles without a break-in period. I just got home from my 2nd hike in them, and am so happy to be keeping them. A note on lacing them up, since a few people have commented on this: I have not found them difficult to lace up, but I did have the laces slip out of the top rungs during a hike. I can see how this could be difficult to work through during a very cold hike, for example, and having to take off gloves to adjust. But overall, I love these hiking shoes. Thank you!

I love the way these look and feel. My foot is a little wide so putting these on is a little struggle. However, these are comfortable all day long and easy to clean up.

LOVE these boots and would definitely purchase them again in the future. I ordered 1/2 a size up like I do with all hiking boots (allows extra toe room and extra space since feet swell while hiking and with elevation) and they were a perfect fit with my thick wool hiking socks. The first time I wore them was on a 6 mile strenuous hike in Mt Rainier National Park with lots of loose rock and elevation gain, these shoes performed beautifully! Completely comfortable, zero break-in time, lightweight, and after putting them on at the beginning I never had to think about them again. The only con is that the laces are a little difficult when first putting them on, but that's a small price to pay for these. Once mine get worn out I'm hoping these are still being made so that I can replace them with an identical pair!

These boots are wonderful. Well cushioned but very stable and with excellent grip. I haven't tried them in wet weather yet, so I can't testify how waterproof they are but I have my trust in hoka. I wore them in very hot weather with hiking socks and liners and my feet felt very comfortable, not overheated at all.

I do frequent, strenuous hiking. I thought that I might have to scale back after I developed searing bunion pain in my big toes. I thought that I would have to quit, my toes hurt so much in my old reliable LL Bean hiking boots. But my podiatrist recommended these to me (in Wide) and these hiking boots absolutely changed my life and will allow me to hike for years to come. I am so thankful for the Hoka line and I only wear these and my Bondi 7 wides and I am pain free -- no surgery or injections or anything. Thank you Hoka!!!

I hike every morning with my dog in fields of tall wet grasses. I always end up with soaking wet socks, shoes and feet. No more!! I put these hiking boots on and headed out for a totally different experience! My feet and socks stayed dry and the boots were so comfortable! Definitely a home run all of the way around! I wear regular Hokas at work on brutal hospital floors and they have saved my feet! Looks like the boots are going to do similar magic for my hikes! My one caveat is the look of the boot. I have a wide foot and was delighted to find a wide size hiking boot. I just wish that it came in some other less Gorky colors or designs. Homs has such cool designs to go with their outstanding functionality. I hope that the challenger can get a makeover in the future!

I have tried everything, every brand, done looking

I tried a half dozen shoes before settling on the Challenger. I am already a Hoka fan, but some models fit me better than others. I was looking for a water proof, mid ankle boot with excellent traction, cushioning and support, plus room for my orthotics. We have a winner. I spent a month hiking Iceland, rocky terrain, wet sand, mountain streams, lava flows....and these boots were up to the task. This does run a little bigger them my other Hokas, FYI.

Bought them for a recent vacation to Montana and loved how they felt on my feet. Have worn another brand for years because of foot pain issues. Had no problem with these.