Hoka Challenger 7 Black/Lettuce

Recipe one, trail: black shorts or tights with a dark technical top, and the Lettuce accent as the only colour, which also helps on shared paths. Recipe two, street: black cargo trousers or dark denim with a black jacket, where the green picks up any bright detail elsewhere in the fit. Use it for gravel, park trails, muddy commutes, travel and dog walks in bad weather. Fit true to size and pull the midfoot lacing snug before descents. Knock grit out of the lugs after off road use, clean the green panels before they dull, and let the pair dry fully before wearing it again.

The Challenger family is also where Hoka's fashion partners have looked when they wanted something with real trail capability. Satisfy Running built a trail ready Clifton LS with the brand, working from the same instinct that a running shoe should look as good off the run as on it, and the wider collaboration list includes Brain Dead on the slip on Hopara, BEAMS on the Tor Ultra and Bodega. Black with a single acid accent is the colourway that speaks to that audience directly. It is a genuine trail shoe styled so it can be worn all week by someone who runs on the weekend.

An all terrain build has to hold loose ground without punishing you on tarmac, which is why the tread and the midsole are designed as one compromise rather than two features. Hoka's house geometry, a low heel to toe drop under a rounded sole, keeps momentum going forward through terrain that constantly changes your rhythm. The heel is cradled inside the midsole walls rather than sitting on top, giving steadiness without stiffness. Black is the most forgiving finish for a shoe that will see mud, though the green accents will dull if grit is left on them. Rinse the outsole while mud is soft, brush the upper, and dry in shade rather than near heat.