The North Face Altamesa 500 v2 vs HOKA Challenger 8

Everyday versatility on mixed road-to-trail routes is the brief The North Face gives the Altamesa 500 v2, listing training and recovery as its best uses. It is the brand's road-to-trail option, aimed at gentler ground than the Vectiv Enduris 4, which the brand positions for gravel to rocky trail and builds around a TPU plate.

This version gets a new engineered mesh upper, a revised DREAM foam midsole and grippier rubber with sharper 4 mm lugs. There is no plate. Instead, a forefoot rocker shapes the cushioned midsole, which reaches a 36 mm heel with a 6 mm drop. An Altamesa 500 V2 GORE-TEX version adds a waterproof membrane for wet-weather running, and the shoe comes in a standard width only.

Specs and features from thenorthface.com and our own spec data. A factual overview, not a review.

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.