I’ve been on the hunt for some new trail running shoes and Altra have turned my head because of the roomy toe box. But I’m unsure about the zero drop aspect, plus they don’t seem as supportive as others. However, I think their approach is to make you run as intended, ie let the foot perform almost as if bare.

Anyway, any experience of them?

I use barefoot shoes for normal daily use but I’m still in a transition shoe for running. I use the Altra Superior. My feet have been a lot happier than when I used to run in overly supportive new balance and use daily shoes that were shaped by fashion rather than feet.

Haven’t a clue about all the barefoot stuff, and I don’t really care. I bought a pair of Altra Lone Peak purely for the roomy toe box. Jaysus, after a lifetime of bunion pain, they’ve been a revelation. I haven’t noticed much of a difference with the drop – maybe a little if I have to negotiate tarmac
to get to a trail – but once I’m on the trail, I don’t notice. But at the end of the run, not having my feet screaming at me has been lovely. 😀

I’ve been using a pair recently – worried they would be clumpy, but the soft midsole seems to ‘aborb’ the trail! Getting mega heel blisters, but that is mostly my heel spurs – dig holes in heel cups of everything 🙁
They also seem to dry quicker than my Inov8s after a soaking.

If the Radavist was about running, these and Hokas are what all the thread commentators would wear.

I love my pair, I got really wide feet and the altras fit me without having to be 2 sizes to long.
The other week I was looking for them and could not find them untill I realised I was wearing them, that’s how comfy and light they are lol.

I know someone who got through a pair 2/3’s of the way around the 3 Peaks race, the upper just fell apart. he was top 10 at the time and not best pleased ( after gently braking them in)

Altra sent him another pair, which he got about 100 miles out of. He wouldn’t buy them again, but he did say they were comfy if not badly made.

Hoka do wide fitting too.

In opposition to the above, I’ve got a couple of pairs of lone peaks which have had fairly rough useage but are still going.. Very comfy, decent grip for a trail shoe and generally a good thing.

Based on them, I’ve also bought a couple of other pairs of Altras from sports pursuit, but they are still in the wardrobe waiting to be used.

None but I understand that zero drop is less of an issue on trails given the variation in gradient etc vs road. Have tried zero drop on road, not quite used to it, but happy with 4mm for now. Don’t live near to trails.

I found them dead comfy but didn’t last. I got about 200 miles( mostly summer) out of them.

I have no idea what you’re on about with drop and barefoot.

My Brooks Cascadia have lovely wide toe box. I mistakenly tried a set of Innov8, and I’m going straight back to Brooks for a shoe that actually fits by broadening, nearly 50 year old feet.

I’m about 20 miles into a pair of their road shoes, bought for the width/shape rather than any drop/barefoot reasons. Lots of shoes talk about wide fit, but these are properly foot shaped, and don’t pinch my mid foot (most shoes kill me in the bottom 3rd of the laces).

Seem very light and well cushioned, will probably move to their trail shoes once my wife fit NBs wear out.

Another fan here. Have a pair of Olympus trail shoes which are still fine (save for a bit of darning over the big toe nail) after 6-700km.

I still find it quite astounding that ‘foot shaped’ can be a USP for a footwear manufacturer!

‘Zero drop’ is less noticeable, but if I concentrate I can tell that heel-strike is lower. Which is good for my dicky knees. And I’ve never understood why shoes have raised heels, when the human foot has evolved to be flat to the ground over 100s of thousands of years. 🙂

I still find it quite astounding that ‘foot shaped’ can be a USP for a footwear manufacturer!

…why shoes have raised heels, when the human foot has evolved to be flat to the ground over 100s of thousands of years.

Agree, I think the shape is a “fashion” or at least simple appearance thing and raised heels probably just enable poor / lazy running technique.

Re the comments on durability – they do seem a bit flimsy, but I put that down to letting the foot be natural and not over-supported. They do look / feel a bit like market stall pumps!

Inov8 Terraultra (G)260 are worth a look. 0 drop and big toe box.

Inov8 Terraultra (G)260

Recently switched from Brooks* to these. Very pleased so far.

*Still happy with Ravenna for summer, but just couldn’t get on with the Cascadia GTX I bought. Something about the fit makes the fabric in the toe box on my right foot “thud” as it moves. Sizing is spot on, just that bit makes them too annoying to use! Relegated to gardening shoes!

I am also a fan.

For zero drop, I really think you have to go zero drop for most of your shoes for it to make a difference, for me doing so has cured some long term niggling pains from my posterior chain and lower back, that years of stretching and physio visits failed to, it did take 6-12 months though. Same is probably true for foot shaped shoes, if you spend 30-40 years crushing your toes into a fashionable pointy shoe, it isn’t going to make noticeable difference wearing a correctly shaped shoe for two hours a week while you go running.

I have some Lone Peak, I don’t think you will regret buying them. They are really comfortable and my favourite shoe for walking in and occasional jog off road.

just couldn’t get on with the Cascadia GTX

Sort-of snap! My last pair of Cascadias are some of the comfiest shoes ever. I bought a pair of the GTX ones and they just don’t feel right. I was looking forward to dry feet in wet grass but they feel weird. I think it’s a combo of the Goretex fabric siting differently (seam sealing tape in it?) and feeling stiffer (oo-err), should’ve just put up with wet feet!

Good to hear it isn’t just me!

I had some Lone Peaks, lasted at least 800km including a couple of ultras. I replaced them before another ultra that was going to be muddy – I don’t think that’s their forte. I might get some more at some point. And yeah, the wide toe box is lovely.

ive tried so many shoes from Hoka to five fingers and even spent time running proper bare foot in the woods. my favorite and the ones i run in now are Altra Torin 4.5 Plush, easily the most comfortable running shoes ive ever worn. i also really liked the Innov-8 X-Talon 212 but prefer the zero drop shoes.

Another on Altras here; Superior & Lone Peak, both several hundred miles in so far this year on each pair and no obvious wear visible on either. 100% trail use, mostly hard going too; can’t understand the random failures referred to above.
found it easy to adapt to the zero drop but as a telemark skier, no surprise that I’ve mobile/flexible ankles and calf muscles. Key feature for me is comfort; that extra space at the front is great, coming from Saucony. I also found that I prefer the Superiors without the optional stoneguard plate in them, so tending towards minimalist. But I tend to use these for distances below 15 miles and keep the Lone Peaks for longer days & ultras.

Roomy toebox’s suit me too, Have 5 different pairs of Asics on the go at present, FF2, Gel pulse 11, Fujitrabuco 8, Fujitrabuco 8 GTX and a pair of DynaFlyte 2.

I size up a full size over what I usually am, they’re brilliant.

Tried inov8 and Salomon for the hill running, was like running on a narrow platform sole, like an ice skate.

Never tried Altra, sorry!

Asics have been my go-to for years. I ordered up some Fujitrabuco and one other – could barely squeeze my foot in let alone imagine running a few miles in them. Odd – they’ve been bang on ’til then.

I did have a pair of Inov8 shoes, never wore them for a proper run but they were very comfy. Then thought I’d probably not trail run ever again so sold them on here. Big mistake. HUGE.

I’ve only tried one pair that were odd fitting, canny mind what they were, sent em back. It actually felt as if they’d been wrongly labelled.

I wear the Fuji’s for longer runs, ultra’s and hillwalking, I’m a size 10 but can take a 11.5 or even a 12 in them.

I much prefer room, and it works for me, never get blisters or foot problems, so I’m sticking to it.

I have been wearing nothing but Altra’s for the last 12 months and love them.
I have a fused big toe and was getting loads of pain previously, which has almost gone completely now.

I have the Kayenta for summer/dry days, the Grafton for general wear and the Smith Boot for everything else.
https://www.justrunlyss.org/altra-smith-boot-23521-p.asp

Totally love the boots, although I think they have discontinued them 🙁

Note to anyone trying out Altras- the Timp2, which is one of their shoes that has a quite thick, padded sole but not massively grippy; this shoe sizes quite a bit smaller than most of their others. I’ve a pair coming via santa and they are fine +1 size. This is likely to be my summer ultra shoe next year unless it’s very wet, in which case I’d be on the Lone Peaks.

I ONLY WEAR ALTRA, in caps!

Running, day to day and outdoors. Some are not very supportive at all whereas some are. The woven one I have is flimsily but the others are solid.

I can’t walk with normal men’s heels now, so to speak.

anyone tried the Altra Wahweap ? thinking of getting a pair as i usually struggle to find shoes that will fit me, so figured i could get them in same size as my other Altras.

I tried the Altra but not quite right, now in Topos Mtn Racer which has 5mm drop (I came off Salmons and was wary about zero drop). Topos have even bigger toe box but closer heel area. I was concerned they would be too airy at the front, too light but a few months later and my running is quite different, no more ankle issues, and best grip on the trail I’ve ever had.
I only run 500m of road to the trail, so don’t know how long they would last on there.
These ones really suit me.

People swear by them and they’ll almost certainly be my next trail runner (for hiking) purchase.

The lone peak ones are their most notable model but they do two others with more cushioning like the timp.

I had a disappointing time with the Superior 2.0, but haven’t tried newer ones. I liked the wide toe box, but the wide heel and flared out sole made it more likely to clip an edge on rough ground and roll an ankle. I’m not sure if newer ones have fixed the heel issue. The outsole rubber was also too hard a compund, so grip on damp limestone or roots is very poor.

I consider Altra to be a religion now. I have about 7 pairs.

I bought a pair of Altra trail shoes when they were on offer from SP.
Big toe box is lovely, zero-drop took a bit to get to used to, stretching muscles differently, but its all good now. Love them.
The only downside is that the sqaure “spikes” have worn down after 6 months of wearing ( I run mnaybe once a week) compared to my previous Adidas Kanadia which lasted 6 years (uppers fell apart before the sole gave up)

I ended up sending the altras back – want convinced at the price.  Got a great deal on a pair of Topo Mtn Racer which seem like a good combination of toe box, drop and cushioning.

However,  Altra are back on SP today so might pick up a pair of King MTs for the current filth.

anyone ride in them though?
I’ve been barefoot running for a few years on and off and get frustrated that there isn’t a similar wide flat shoe for MTB

Thinking about the altura Gore tex boots?

I mean Altra boots btw……..doh