The 7 Best Altra Running Shoes for a Natural, Minimalist Ride

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A relatively young upstart in the world of running shoes, Altra was founded in 2009 by two high school running buddies, Golden Harper and Brian Beckstead, with the goal of making shoes built for the way people naturally run. After testing prototypes in grueling races like the Wasatch 100, the brand released the Instinct and Intuition, Altra’s first shoes, in 2011. These models, and all those that followed, showcased three core technologies that continue to distinguish Altra from other brands: foot-shaped soles, zero drop, and gender-specific fits across the brand’s lineup.

The Best Altra Running Shoes

• Daily Road Trainer: Altra Escalante 3

• Best for Trails: Altra Lone Peak 7

• Max Cushioning: Altra Olympus 5

• Best for Long Runs: Altra Torin 7

• Best for Technical Trails: Altra Superior 6

What to Consider

Altra’s Claims to Fame

The first of Altra’s three core technologies is FootShape, the brand’s term for its extra-roomy shoe lasts. Unbox a pair of Altras and you’ll see that the forefoot is much wider than on other shoes; the enlarged, anatomical toe box allows the foot to expand and gives the toes room to splay. Altra now has three different FootShapes: original (the widest), standard, and slim (the narrowest). If you prefer a narrow fit—some runners like the extra torsional lockdown in race scenarios—Altra may not be for you, but the slim fit is still worth trying.

The second feature is Balanced Cushioning, which refers to the shoe’s heel-to-toe drop, or lack thereof. Unlike most other brands, Altra designs almost all of its shoes with no drop, meaning your foot sits flat rather than sloping downward from heel to toe. According to Altra, this can help promote your natural stride and encourage a lower-impact landing—because the heel isn’t as beefed up, you’re less likely to land on it.

Finally, Altra’s women’s-specific Fit4Her lasts match the biomechanics of female feet. These shoes are built narrower through the heel and midfoot and better accommodate women’s generally longer arches.

Midsole Cushion

Over the past few years, shoemakers have poured resources into developing newer and better cushioning foams, and Altra is no exception. The company uses three main cushioning materials in its shoes: Ego, Ego Max, and Ego Pro. (It’s phasing out Quantic, another cushioning material the brand developed.)

Ego debuted in 2016 on the Escalante and King MT. Compared to traditional EVA, this foam provides a springier feel and more durability. Ego Max debuted in fall 2021 on the Torin 5 and the Paradigm 6. It’s made of compression-molded EVA and tuned for a softer feel than Ego, but it isn’t as responsive. Ego Pro is Altra’s top-shelf foam, and it’s made of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) formed in a supercritical fluid process. The result is Altra’s lightest and most responsive cushioning material, which debuted on the Vanish Carbon racing shoe.

Altra has also developed GuideRail, a notable innovation that gives runners more support. GuideRail has been around for years (confusingly, Brooks has also launched tech with a similar name and function), and it’s a layer of midsole foam that projects up from the footbed along the medial side of the foot. It’s designed to keep your foot aligned in the shoe, and helps counter overpronation during your stride. You’ll find it in support shoes like the Provision 7.

How We Selected

The models below represent the best Altra running shoes for both road and trail. To recommend them, we gathered feedback from our Runner’s World staff and team of more than 300 wear testers, which includes runners of all ages and speeds living across the U.S. We also analyze data from our RW Shoe Lab and mechanical tests, where we’ve checked and re-checked the energy return of Ego foam and assessed the stability of Altra’s supportive GuideRail system.

Our Full Reviews

Since its debut, the Escalante has been a sort of Goldilocks shoe. Thanks to its moderate cushioning, it’s soft enough for distance runs and daily training, yet light and bouncy enough for speedwork—our testers have worn it for everything from marathons to track workouts. The latest version comes with a narrow, “sock-like” upper with added elastic for a closer, more comfortable fit around your foot. Underneath is the same Ego cushioning, which creates a ride that balances shock absorption and energy return.

For a peppier pick, you can also try the Escalante Racer, which uses a firmer but more responsive foam to give you some extra speed. On top of that, it’s several ounces lighter—a men’s size 9 is less than 7 ounces. Just be prepared for a rougher ride. —Michael Charboneau

Buy Women’s

The Lone Peak was Altra’s first trail shoe, and it continues to be a top contender—we named it one of the best trail shoes for this year. Altra made notable changes on this shoe’s upper from previous models (especially the Lone Peak 5), including adding midfoot lacing for a more flexible feel. The big highlight is the MaxTrac rubber compound in the outsole, which delivers good grip on wet rocks and loose dirt. The midsole uses Ego foam for moderate cushioning, and a rock plate provides protection for your feet. —MC

Buy Women’s Full Review

Take one look at the burly sole on the Olympus—it has a tall 33mm stack height—and you can tell it’s built to have a plush ride. Although that might scream “clunky” to some runners, the shoe’s compression-molded EVA midsole provides cushioning and responsiveness at all paces. Altra’s trademark spacious toebox also accommodates foot swelling on longer efforts, traction is excellent thanks to the shoe’s Vibram Megagrip outsole, and its TrailClaw lugs work well on both hard-packed and loose surfaces. —MC

Buy Women’s

The Torin 7 is a highly cushioned shoe designed to excel at training and long distance runs, thanks to its high stack and secure fit that won’t let your foot shift throughout the day. The geometry of this shoe is far closer to the original iteration than some previous models, which had a tongue many runners found annoying, and our initial impressions suggest that this return was the right move. The only major difference with this version is a few extra millimeters of foam in the midsole for some added relief, but this Torin otherwise remains the stable, long-distance workhorse Altra fans wanted it to be. —Adam Schram

Buy Women’s

Don’t like a chunk of lofty shoe foam between your foot and the trail? The Superior might be just what you need. It’s about as close to barefoot trail running as you can get while still lacing something onto your feet. The Superior 6 features a thin layer of Quantic foam for lightweight, minimalist cushioning, and the midsole has grooves to help it flex with your foot and grab onto rocks more securely. A removable rock plate allows you to add protection (or shed weight) as necessary, a burrito-style tongue wraps your foot for a secure fit, and it all rides on a grippy MaxTrac outsole. —MC

Buy Women’s

Many brands are designing new racing shoes with lightweight foams and carbon fiber; the Vanish Carbon is Altra’s take on the genre. The shoe features Ego Pro foam—the brand’s lightest and most responsive cushioning material yet. It’s paired with a half-length carbon fiber plate for a snappy, propulsive feel, and the sole is rockered to promote efficient toe-offs. It’s topped with a breathable engineered mesh. Just know that the slim FootShape will likely feel a bit narrower than other Altra models.

Looking for a shoe with plenty of pop but no carbon plate? You can also check out the Rivera 3, which is Altra’s lightest and most responsive training shoe. —AS

Buy Men’s Full Review

The Provision 7 offers a less intrusive take on support than your average stability shoe. The main feature is the brand’s GuideRail design, which gently corrects overpronation without interfering too much with your stride. On the sixth iteration of the shoe, Altra streamlined the GuideRail and revamped the upper with a two-pronged medial strap for an improved fit, and this seventh version retained those upgrades.

In the shoe’s midsole, tried-and-true Ego foam delivers softness and good energy return, which makes the Provision energetic enough for speedwork. “These Altras are light enough for the track,” one tester said. “When I ran fast, I felt like my whole foot was rolling through ground contact and toe-off very naturally.”

The Provision 8 also just dropped with an updated heel collar design, but we don’t have testing information for it yet. Stay tuned—we’ll report back. —AS

Buy Women’s

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