Outdoor Retailer 2018 Summer Market Recap - HOKA ONE ONE Highlights

Outdoor Retailer is North America’s largest tradeshow for the outdoor industry. Split between an annual Summer Market show and an annual Winter Market show it is the conference where exhibitors, retail buyers, and the outdoor media come together to preview upcoming products. Brands previewed a ton of upcoming new products we should generally see in the next 3-9 months. In this article we’ll focus on what caught my eye from a running shoe standpoint.

Note: any specifications cited are pre-production numbers. As brands get closer to mass production and distribution we may occasionally see slight tweaks based on final wear testing and feedback.

HOKA ONE ONE

Speedgoat 3

Weight: 10.3oz / 292g, 9.1oz / 258g

Stack Height: 32mm/28mm, 4mm drop

Available January 2019, $140

With the Speedgoat 3 we’ll see changes to the upper aimed at reducing the big toe chafing / overly tapered forefoot some folks complained about in v2. No changes to the midsole or outsole from what I saw. Additionally, a waterproof version will be available as well for $10 more.

Challenger ATR 5

Weight: 9.4oz / 266 g, 7.7oz / 218g

Stack Height: 29mm/24mm, 5mm drop

Available January 2019, $130 (including a wide version as well)

The outsole has been updated to hopefully reduce the rubber / midsole separation issues some folks experienced in earlier versions of the Challenger ATR. Larger surface area lugs should be more durable than previous versions as well.

Stinson ATR 5

The big change here will be an improved, engineered mesh upper with an A-frame style midfoot wrap from the TPU overlays.

Mach 2

Weight: TBD

Stack Height: TBD

Available February 2019, $140

The Mach 2 is probably the shoe I’m most excited about after looking back to everything I saw at Outdoor Retailer. HOKA is making some bold claims that it will be very Huaka-like. If that ends up being true I’m sold! What I did see and feel appeared to be a really sweet engineered mesh upper attached to a lightweight and cushy midsole.

Arkali

Aimed at the hiking and fastpacking crowd this new model from HOKA looks like it will be a tank!

Thank you for reading and thank you for your support!

Meet Your Shoe & Gear Editor: Ben Zuehlsdorf

I am an avid running gear junkie. When I’m not smelling new shoes I’m usually running or racing around the local trails in Marin County, California or talking shop with the San Francisco Running Company community of friends. I was once a road marathoner but now have transitioned almost exclusively to the trails and racing ultras the last few years.

Disclaimer: All words and thoughts are my own and no compensation was offered nor received.

Ben Zuehlsdorf says:

July 30, 2018 at 5:06 pm

Following

Ljiljana Lilly Tripovic says:

July 31, 2018 at 2:08 am

When we will be seeing those in Zagreb Croatia please ?

micahward says:

July 31, 2018 at 5:55 am

After running in the Hoka Bondi editions 2, 3 and 4 as well as the original Clifton, I was greatly disappointed in the Bondi 5. The plush cushioning was gone and the shoe felt stiff and clunky. I tried the latest Clifton and it too had a much harder and stiff feel. I emailed Hoka customer service and received a reply that was the standard canned response with no reference to my specific concern. What is going on at Hoka? This seems like the typical running shoe company plan of “improving” shoes until they lose the qualities that made them desirable in the first place. I rant.

Ben Zuehlsdorf says:

July 31, 2018 at 7:13 am

The days of the pillowy cushion of the Original Clifton are certainly gone.
One option you may want to demo is the Paradigm 4. It checks a lot of the boxes you are looking for from a midsole standpoint I believe.

1. micahward says:
  
  July 31, 2018 at 7:28 am
  
  Thanks Ben
  
2. Jim MinorThreat says:
  
  August 19, 2018 at 6:11 pm
  
  Try the little known Hoka Napali (only offered at Running Warehouse)… cheaper, lighter, more breathable AND old school Hoka cushioning… next best thing to Clifton 1’s cushioning 😉