Which should you buy?
Choose the Velocity Nitro Trail if you want a lighter, cheaper shoe for mixed routes.
Choose the Challenger 8 if you want maximum cushioning, a proven track record or a wide fit.
The Velocity Nitro Trail is 14 g lighter than the Challenger 8. It has 6 mm less foam under the heel. It costs £20 less at full price.
Side by side
| Spec | Velocity Nitro TrailPUMA | Challenger 8HOKA |
|---|---|---|
| Review score | Not enough reviews yet | 85/100 (2 reviews) |
| Type | Road to trail | Road to trail |
| Weight (men's UK 8.5) | 255 g | 269 g |
| Heel stack | 36 mm | 42 mm |
| Drop | 8 mm | 8 mm |
| Cushioning | Balanced | Soft |
| Bounce | Lively | Lively |
| Plate | No plate | No plate |
| Support | Neutral | Neutral |
| Fit | True to size | True to size |
| Widths | standard | standard, wide |
| Waterproof version | No | HOKA Challenger 8 GTX |
| UK RRP | £110 | £130 |
Weights are for a men's US 9 / UK 8.5. Prices are UK RRPs; shops often sell for less.
What the critics say
The reviews comparedIndependent reviews of the PUMA Velocity Nitro Trail aren't out yet, so only the HOKA Challenger 8 has published verdicts. RunRepeat's Carlos Sánchez and Road Trail Run's Ben David and Renee Krusemark liked its plentiful cushioning, roomier fit and grippier lugs on gravel. Sánchez found the foam dated, while Road Trail Run's Reed Breuer felt it mushy and less secure on trails.
Velocity Nitro Trail
Challenger 8
- Plenty of cushioning and shock absorption
- Roomier, less tapered fit
- Redesigned lugs grip better on gravel
- Slightly heavier and pricier than v7
- Dated CMEVA foam with modest rebound
Scores from RunRepeat, Road Trail Run.
Paraphrased from published reviews.
What's new in each
HOKA Challenger 8: Much taller stack with the drop rising from 5 to 8 mm, a roomier toe box, more aggressive lugs and slightly softer CMEVA; a little heavier and £10 dearer.
About each shoe
About the Velocity Nitro Trail
PUMA's Velocity Nitro Trail takes the brand's everyday road trainer off-road, and the brand pitches it at runners who want to "make the switch from pavement to path". It is the gentle entry point to PUMA's off-road range: the Voyage Nitro 4 is its other road-to-trail model, and the Deviate Nitro Elite Trail is the faster, racier choice, while the road Velocity Nitro 5 is its closest sibling.
The midsole is NITROFOAM, a nitrogen-injected foam that PUMA describes as offering lightweight responsiveness, with medium cushioning and no plate. A full rubber outsole covers the base, and PUMA says the protective mesh upper helps shield the foot; at least 30% of the upper is recycled material. The geometry follows the road shoe, with an 8 mm drop and a 36 mm heel, in line with a road-to-trail shoe for mixed routes. It comes in a standard width.
Specs and features from eu.puma.com and our own spec data. A factual overview, not a review.
About the Challenger 8
Designed to move between pavements and easy trails, the Challenger 8 is effectively a trail adaptation of the Clifton, built on the same compression-moulded EVA used in the Clifton 10. Compared with the Clifton 11 it adds lugs, and it is lighter and less heavily built than the hybrid Stinson 8, making it the nimbler of HOKA's two road-to-trail shoes.
This version is much taller than the Challenger 7, with a 42 mm heel stack, and the drop rises to 8 mm. The rocker is more pronounced than before and the lugs more aggressive, with Durabrasion rubber applied to the lugs themselves while much of the foam stays exposed. A jacquard mesh upper made from recycled PET and twin tongue loops complete the build, and the toe box is roomier than on the previous version. Wide fittings and a waterproof Challenger 8 GTX are both offered.
Specs and features from runrepeat.com and our own spec data. A factual overview, not a review.
Velocity Nitro Trail vs Challenger 8
In short
Two road-to-trail shoes with an 8 mm drop. The Velocity Nitro Trail is £20 cheaper, 14 g lighter and much lower at 36 mm against 42 mm; independent reviews of it weren't out at the time of writing. Reviewers found the Challenger 8 well cushioned and roomy with improved grip on gravel, though its foam has modest rebound; it also comes in a wide fit.
- LighterVelocity Nitro Trail
- CheaperVelocity Nitro Trail
- More foamChallenger 8
- More widthsChallenger 8
Get the full story
PUMAEverything on the Velocity Nitro TrailFit and sizing advice, full specs and today's prices.Explore the Velocity Nitro Trail
HOKAEverything on the Challenger 83 video reviews, scores from 2 published reviews, what critics loved and didn't, fit and sizing advice, full specs and today's prices.Explore the Challenger 8More comparisons
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