5 Emerging Running Trends for 2026
Here is a quick look at five key running trends that will emerge in 2026 based on what we saw at The Running Event trade show.
The Challenger 8 is the consummate road-to-trail shoe with plenty of comfort, cushion, and versatility.
Trail running has been growing for years, but it’s been booming since the Covid-19 pandemic temporarily shut the world down. It seems like forever ago now, but that’s when a lot of avid road runners began hitting the trails with more regularity, and it’s also a time when lapsed runners and new runners took to the dirt, too.
No matter how you’ve taken to the trails, it should be clear that running on softer surfaces and routes that take you away from the traffic and stress of running on roads can be good for the body and good for the soul. While some trail runners wind up going deep and getting into ultra-distance running, most trail runners are road runners who tend to run once or twice a week on trails or blend multiple surfaces into their regular runs.
No matter how you approach the trails, just about every runner can benefit by having a road-to-trail shoe like the Hoka Challenger 8 in their quiver. Some might call it a gravel running shoe, some might call it a hybrid shoe for mild to moderate trails. I just call it a versatile trail shoe for a lot of different types of terrain. And that’s precisely why I’ve run so many miles in the maximally cushioned Challenger model through the years—including more than 100 miles in this year’s slightly updated and improved eighth edition.
What’s New: The Challenger 8 is designed around a new, slightly more accommodating last (interior shape) and improved fit in the forefoot and instep. The outsole traction has been enhanced with an updated multi-directional lug design, and it has a slightly increased heel-toe drop (from 5mm to 8mm). But it’s still very similar to the previous edition of the shoe, with a compression molded EVA midsole, an engineered mesh upper made from 100 percent recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a 3D screen-printed toe cap for added protection, and reflective highlights.
Fit/Feel/Ride: The Hoka Challenger 8 fits true to size with a slightly roomier, medium-volume interior and a moderate amount of room in the forefoot for toes to wiggle. (It is now available in two widths in both men’s and women’s sizes, and there is plenty of room in each for an after-market insole.) It’s easy to put on and lace up, and the step-in feel is soft and cozy, thanks to a medium-thick tongue, soft sockliner and padding around the flared heel collar.
The ride is soft and buttery smooth and, due to its slightly rockered shape, the Challenger 8 seems to easily roll from heel to toe on soft dirt trails and gravel roads. It feels a lot like an easy-flexing road running shoe with a trail-specific outsole.
Price: $155
Approximate Weights: 8.4 oz (women’s 8); 9.7 oz. (men’s 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 8mm; 42mm (heel), 34mm (forefoot)
Why It’s Great: The Hoka Challenger 8 is great because it’s versatile. It can handle mild to moderately technical trails, gravel roads, and feels good enough on short sections of concrete paths and paved roads if that’s where your running routes take you. Although this shoe isn’t my first choice for rockier trails or craggy ridgeline trails because of its relative lack of protection, the enhanced traction will help you maneuver through those sections as you encounter them.
Why You’ll Love It: Because it is soft, comfortable, and marginally responsive, Challenger 8 is a great shoe for long runs on mellow terrain. It can be a workhouse of a high-mileage training shoe for a wide range of runners, including road runners who dabble in trails, runners who are new to trail running, and even advanced ultrarunners. This is my go-to shoe for one of my standard trail loops in my hometown of Boulder, Colorado, which is about 14 miles with a mix of singletrack dirt trails and gravel roads and several paved road crossings.
Why You Might Not Like It: The lug depth and outsole material, while OK for moderate trail conditions, don’t quite match shoes built for rugged trails
Pro: Despite being heavier than many road shoes, it feels light and agile enough for its intended purpose on the trails, thanks to the balanced cushioning and overall design.
Plus: The Challenger 8 is available in seven colors for women and seven colors for men.
Con: The midsole foam does a good job of absorbing the shock of impact, but it lacks significant responsiveness and doesn’t offer much stability. It doesn’t feel dead or wobbly, but it also doesn’t provide an energetic pop in every stride and nor does it offer much inherent structure.
About the Author
Senior editor Brian Metzler has wear-tested more than 2,000 running shoes and is the author of “Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture and Cool of Running Shoes” (2019) and “Trail Running Illustrated” (2021). He has raced just about every distance from 100 meters to 100 miles, but he’s most eager to share stories about his experiences pack burro racing in Colorado.
RELATED: 4 Dynamic Trail Running Shoes for Summer and Fall Off-Road Rambling
RELATED: Mount to Coast’s H1 is a Versatile Gravel Running Shoe
RELATED: Hit the Dirt: 8 Great Trail Running Shoes for Summer 2025
RELATED: The Best Marathon Racing Super Shoes for Fall 2025
RELATED: Rotating Your Running Shoes Can Help You Prevent Injuries and Run Stronger
RELATED: Salomon’s Aero Glide 3 GRVL Could be the Trail Shoe You Actually Need
