The 8 Best Hoka Trail Running Shoes, According to Pro Ultramarathon Athletes

Sizes: 5–11 (W); 7–14 (M) | Colors: 2 | Features: Double carbon plate, gaiter-like ankle collar

Every one of the Hoka athletes I spoke to was a fan of the new Tecton X 3, and most wore them for race day. “You can take them out of the box and start to run—forget about blisters or discomfort,” says Swiss runner Judith Wyder, who ended up taking second place in the UTMB OCC (Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc Orsières-Champex-Chamonix). “It gives me an extra boost of speed, but still has enough cushion for long distances.”

The secret sauce in these shoes is the double parallel carbon plates under either side of the foot, which can individually respond to a rock or root you step on without throwing off your entire gait. “They rebound well; I feel like I am bounding uphill when I run in them,” adds runner Emily Schmitz from Wisconsin. At the same time, the traction on the outsole keeps your feet secure even on slippery rock faces, and the gaiter-like cuff around the ankle keeps rocks and dirt out. Before taking fifth place while wearing the Tecton in the CCC, Athlete Heather Jackson, originally from New Hampshire, told me, “They are a perfect combo of being able to trust my footing over everything and have that comfort all day long running longer distances.”

Sizes: 5–12 (W); 7–15 (M) | Colors: 6 | Features: Grippy outsole, Goretex upper

The soft Speedgoat is adored among ultra runners—it’s something many will switch into on the second half of a long race when their tired feet are screaming. (Wyder even compares it to a sofa.) However, Ingram also recommends this model to new trail runners because it’s an exceptionally versatile shoe that performs well across a variety of terrain.

Adam Peterman, who took third place in the 101-kilometer UTMB CCC (Courmayeur – Champex – Chamonix), says he personally loves it on rocky technical trails. Which isn’t surprising: Hoka claims the placement of the super grippy 5mm lugs was inspired by the hooves of mountain goats, after all. But thanks to the Speedgoat’s ample cushion and a rocker bottom that propels each step forward, it’s also just really dang comfortable. “It’s my go-to all-around shoe for training days,” Peterman says.

Sizes: 5–11 (W); 7–15 (M) | Colors: 2 | Features: 5mm lugs made with high-abrasion rubber

Whenever Californian athlete Helen Mino Faukner is headed out to run on flowy single track that isn’t very technical, she’ll reach for her Torrents. “They have a little bit less stack height compared to some of the other Hokas and less cushion so I don’t feel every rock I step on, but I get more ground feel,” she says. Although it’s still far from a barefoot-style shoe, her feet stay more connected to the terrain than in sneaks with more foam in the midsole.

Sizes: 5–11 (W); 7–14 (M) | Colors: 2 | Features: Gaiter-like collar around the ankle

Hungarian runner Eszter Csillag loves to lace up the quick Zinals for spicier runs. “They’re light and responsive,” she says, noting that they clock in at just 6.7 ounces, and have an impressively snappy ride. Mino Faukner also loves these for super technical trail runs, particularly since the short collar around the ankle is helpful for keeping out debris. “And the shoes are really grippy and do well in snow, which I like,” she says. Because they’re a little less cushioned, Mino Faukner says she saves them for “shorter” runs—by which she means anything less than 20 miles.

Sizes: 5–11 (W), 7–14 (M) | Colors: 9 | Features: Vibram Megagrip outsole with 5mm lugs

Peterman says he loves the Mafates for training in Montana winters. “It has really good traction, even in the snow,” he says. With less foam, you’re closer to the ground and get a firm ride. Csillag adds that although they can sometimes feel a little hard underfoot, the excellent grip convinces her to pull them out on any runs where she wants to be super sure of her footing.

Sizes: 5–12 (W); 7–15 (M) | Colors: 7 | Features: Waterproof Goretex upper

When Peterman’s run takes him on wintry roads, he reaches for the Challenger. It reminds him of the light, cushioned Hoka Clifton that’s a longtime favorite of many road runners. “It’s like the Clifton on top of a trail tread pattern,” he says. Despite plenty of foam to cradle each landing, this shoe clocks in at just 7.7 ounces. The best part: The Challenger is designed to be versatile enough to run on both roads and trails, with a specialized lug pattern on the outsole to handle a variety of terrain.

Sizes: 5–12 (W); 7–15 (M) | Colors: 3 | Features: Carbon plate

If a trail is smooth and buffed out enough, Peterman loves to do an easy run in the super plush Skyward X, which features a bouncy carbon plate. The one slight downside is all that cushioning makes for a lot of shoe under the feet. “Its huge stack height,” Peterman says. “It gets you way up there.” Some runners can end up not feeling connected enough to the ground on tricky terrain, but Peterman says for some chill miles, it can’t be beat.

Sizes: 5–11 (W); 7–14 (M) | Colors: 2 | Features: Pebax plate

Csillag trains mainly on gravel trails at home, so she reaches for the Mach X when she wants to push the pace, even though it’s not technically a trail shoe. “It has really good feedback from the ground, especially for faster workouts,” she says. “I do a lot of flat, speed threshold training where it helps to not have too much grip. But as soon as you go on trails, of course, you want to have grip.” Yet on gravel or packed dirt roads, the Pebax plate in the Mach X propels each step forward with a satisfying snappiness.