HOKA Trail Code GTX Review: My Long-Term GORE-TEX Boot Test

I bought the HOKA Trail Code GORE-TEX because I wanted a lighter walking boot for the Welsh mountains when my heavy Scarpa B2 boots would have been excessive. Over the following months, the Trail Codes carried me through long endurance challenges, steep muddy slopes, roads, rocky Norwegian trails and everyday mountain walks.

This is not a review written after wearing them around the house. It is my honest long-term assessment after using them hard enough to wear them out, covering comfort, grip, waterproofing, durability, sizing and the one irritating problem I found.

HOKA Trail Code GTX review: the quick verdict

HOKA Trail Code GTX pros and cons

Why I bought the HOKA Trail Code

Walking in Wales during winter can mean deep mud, slippery rocks, strong wind and heavy rain arriving without much warning. For the worst conditions or snow, I have a pair of Scarpa B2 boots. They are excellent for that job, but they are heavy and can be more boot than I need on better days.

I wanted something lighter without giving up the grip, support and weather protection needed in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons). I bought the HOKA Trail Code GORE-TEX in March 2024, and they were soon thrown into conditions that would reveal whether they were genuinely suitable.

Comfort and sizing

Comfort was the feature that impressed me first and remained one of the main reasons I liked these boots. The cushioned feel helped me keep moving during days involving nine, ten or more hours on my feet. They felt bouncy without making me feel disconnected from the trail.

Based on my experience, I would choose a size larger than my usual size. Feet can swell during long walks, and a little extra room can also help accommodate walking socks. Foot shape varies, though, so try them on with the socks you intend to wear rather than relying on size alone.

Their first serious test: the Black Dragon Challenge

Breaking boots in properly before a major event is sensible advice—and advice I did not follow. I had worn the Trail Codes only once before taking on the Black Dragon 2024 Endurance Challenge.

They then carried me through roughly 11 hours of climbing and descending in the Black Mountains. That was a far sterner examination than an ordinary first walk, and their comfort was never the reason I wanted to stop.

Grip on steep mud and grass

In April, the Welsh mountains can still be muddy—especially on paths shared by large numbers of walkers, sheep, wild horses and mountain bikes. The challenge involved repeated steep climbs and descents, and the soles gripped the slopes extremely well. I may have slipped once or twice, as anybody can in those conditions, but I felt far more secure than I had in my previous lightweight boots.

From grass to tarmac

The route was mainly on grass and mountain paths, with sections along roads and lanes. The Trail Codes coped with the changes in surface without causing me any problems. After nine or ten hours, the cushioning and comfort mattered just as much as outright grip.

Pen y Fan: another endurance test

Two months later, I wore the same boots while attempting to walk up and down Pen y Fan ten times in 24 hours. I removed them around halfway, changed my socks and rested, then put the same pair back on to finish. That was another demanding test of both their grip and all-day comfort.

Grip on Norwegian rock and boulders

I later took the Trail Codes to Norway for hikes around the Lysefjord. This was very different terrain: steep rock faces, large boulders and places where chains help walkers climb.

The most difficult and rockiest walk was the hike to Kjerag and Kjeragbolten. The boots gripped the rock so convincingly that I joked I felt like Spider-Man. That confidence was particularly valuable on descents, when uncertain footing can quickly slow you down.

Waterproofing and wet-weather use

The GORE-TEX construction was one of the reasons the Trail Code suited my walking in Wales. They dealt well with wet grass, muddy paths and changeable mountain weather during my ownership. No waterproof boot makes deep water disappear, and water can still enter over the cuff, but they provided the type of protection I wanted for ordinary wet trail conditions.

How durable were they?

They took a battering. I used them through endurance challenges, mountain routes and rocky overseas hikes until I had simply worn them out and they were no longer good enough to continue using. That is important context: I did not move away from the Trail Code because it had failed to impress me. I replaced it because I had reached the end of my pair’s useful life.

Durability will always depend on mileage, terrain, gait, care and storage. My experience cannot predict exactly how long another person’s pair will last, but these were not boots that spent their life saved for easy Sunday walks.

The lace-hook problem

I had one recurring complaint. Behind the final lace hook at the top of the boot was a small metal plate that could become painful when I tightened the laces. I sometimes placed a small plaster over the area, which helped. It did not undo everything I liked about the boots, but it is a detail I would check carefully when trying on any similar pair.

What I use now

For summer walking, I now use the HOKA Anacapa 2 Low GORE-TEX. Choosing another HOKA after wearing out the Trail Code probably says more than a score could: the comfort and trail performance made me want to remain with the brand.

If you specifically want a current higher-cut waterproof HOKA boot, you can also view the HOKA Kaha 3 GORE-TEX here. I have not tested it myself, and it should not be read as my personal recommendation or as a confirmed direct successor to the Trail Code.

Final verdict

I loved the HOKA Trail Code GORE-TEX. It combined the light, cushioned comfort I wanted with grip that gave me confidence on steep Welsh slopes and large Norwegian rocks. I would size up, and the top lace-hook plate was genuinely annoying, but neither point changes the overall story: I used the boots hard, wore them out and stayed with HOKA afterward.

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