Shoes may be one of the WORST inventions made! Well…traditional shoes, but you get where we are going. Our patients come to us with various problems such as; knee pain after their recent 5k, excruciating pain while getting out of bed in the morning, and previous injuries they do not feel have healed properly. Natural foot alignment is the answer to combating all the above, and the shoe recommendations we provide are another added piece of the puzzle. Our promise to our patients is to do everything we can to help relieve the pain. So today, we are going to help our runners and focus on the best Altra shoes for running. Before we get started, let's remind ourselves of our shoe feature checklist. We need to compare and observe the good qualities of the shoes versus the poor qualities that cause these problems in the first place. Checklist: Because we are observing running shoes specifically. We are going to apply the metrics from the Minimalist Index Rating (This index was created by experts at Université Laval and uses concrete metrics to determine a shoes minimalistic rating and the metrics measured are: WEIGHT, HEEL-TO-TOE DROP, FLEXIBILITY, SUPPORT & STABILITY DEVICES, STACK HEIGHT). Take into consideration, Altra does not advertise as a minimalist brand, and you should not expect their shoes to be perfect or any shoes for that matter. Now let's dive into the best Altra shoes for running!

3 Best Altra Shoes for Running and How They Can Improve Your Runs

Altra Escalante Racers 2

Ready to get started with some road running? The Escalante Racer 2’s appear large but feel light. Yes, you read that right, they may look big on your feet, but once you put them on, imagine gliding across the road. The best part is they are zero-drop with a foot shaped toe box! In addition to the design of the shoe, it is composed of a flexible mesh material that is not constricting allowing your foot to breathe.

• Weight - 218g
• Stack height - 21.7mm
• Heel to toe drop - 0mm
• Mobility devices - 0 Devices
• Flexibility
  • Torsional - 1.0/5
  • Longitudinal - 1.0/5

The Escalante Racer 2 is only one of many options available to you. Let us take a deeper look at the best Altra shoes for running.

Altra Escalante 4

What few know about the Escalante 4 is, Altra extracted some of the best qualities from their original Escalante 1.5s, piecing together one of their best running shoes to date. These shoes were built with the customer in mind, and how their running journey can be impacted. Of the modern running shoes today, look at each one and examine the heel alone. There is close to zero sensory feel to the ground. Picture the old saying, The bigger they are the harder they fall. Yes, this applies to shoes too. Those large chunky soles, with all of the extra padding, only adds further strain and wear on the feet. So every time you take a step in traditional footwear, you are causing more damage.

• Weight - 212g
• Stack height - 26mm
• Heel to toe drop - 0mm
• Mobility devices - 1 device
• Flexibility
  • Torsional - 1.0/5
  • Longitudinal - 1.5/5

The Altra Escalante 4’s are also one of the best Altra shoes for running. We currently do not offer these on our retail site, but if you are curious be sure to find them on the Altra Running page <Altra Running - Escalante>.

Altra Solstice XT 3

Last, we have the Altra Solstice XT 3. It has an upgraded mesh material for breathability, foot-shaped toe box for the needed room, lightweight material to allow flexibility and mobility, what more could you ask for? Well, let's find out.

• Weight - 260g
• Stack height - 26mm
• Heel to toe drop - 0mm
• Mobility devices - 0 devices
• Flexibility
  • Torsional - 1.0/5
  • Longitudinal - 1.5/5

As we mentioned, the metrics may not accurately depict what is outlined on the Altra running website. Our measurements come from a size 9 Men's shoes and Altra Running may use a different shoe size for their measurements. You will find this can affect the score of the shoe measurement.

Key Takeaways

Traditional shoes hinder your natural movement. Modern running injuries can be traced back to the structure of conventional shoes, which often prioritize style over function. Choose shoes that align with the foot's natural anatomy. The Minimalist Index is a helpful tool to determine what shoes fit that mold. When evaluating shoes, considering metrics like zero-drop, stack height, sole flexibility, mobility devices, weight and foot-shaped toe boxes helps assess their suitability. So, what are the best Altra running shoes:

• Escalante Racer 2: Lightweight with breathable mesh, perfect for road running.
• Escalante 4: Improved design based on user feedback for better ground connection.
• Solstice XT 3: A versatile, breathable option for both running and other activities.

NO SHOE IS PERFECT! While Altra’s running shoes meet many important criteria, they’re not flawless. Always prioritize finding a shoe that works for your unique needs.