Hoka Speedgoat Vs Challenger – Running Shoes

One of the premiere brands in running, Hoka One One is known for their great shoes. But with so many model it can be hard to know which one is exactly right for you.  So let’s check out two of Hoka’s most popular models and compare the Hoka Speedgoat vs Challenger. The Hoka Speedgoats are the go to for many elite ultra runners and known for their great traction in the mountains and cushioning for extremally long runs. Many trail running world championships and FKTs have been set in these shoes. For many runners that run on more mixed surfaces like light trail and paved roads, the Speed Goats can feel like too much shoe.  Enter the Hoka Challenger. A cushioned shoe designed to run on the mixed surfaces many runners train on day to day. To find out what that means let’s take a closer look at the two. So what is the difference between the Hoka Speedgoats and Challengers?

After a bit of research and trying both first hand I thought it would put together a quick check list of the differences to help you make the right choice based on your needs.

Hoka Speedgoat vs Challenger

1. The Hoka Challengers are 1oz lighter than the Speedgoats.  The Challengers are 9.8oz vs the Speedgoats at 10.8oz.
2. Hoka Speedgoats have 1mm less drop than the Challenger. The Speedgoat’s feature a 4mm drop compared to 5mm on the Challenger.
3. The Speedgoats and the Challengers are very similar in cushioning and balance. The two shows are very similar in feel outside of the drop and tread.
4. The Challengers perform better on pavement/roads. This is where the lighter weight, tread, and drop difference pay off.
5. The Speedgoats are trail shoe first.

Performance Summary

Let’s get to the important part about the Hoka Speedgoat vs Challenger debate, their performance.  I’ve run in both of these shoes and can see what Hoka One One was going for when they made the Challenger. They were able to take what a lot of people love on the Speedgoat and create a shoe that is perfect for people run a mix of well groomed trails a roads. The increased drop makes them perfect for run without a lot of elevation and if your race has a large road section the Challengers would be a great choice. All that said if I’m running on trails I’m most likely going to be in my Speedgoats. They are my favorite for both running and hiking, especial if there is a lot of elevation change.

Conclusion

This is one of the cases where it really comes down to the what you are using them for. If I’m getting something for the trails then I’m going with my Speedgoats. If I’m running a lot of flatter well groomed trails or there is a long road run as part of it, then I might think about Challengers.