In production · road · Tempo / Daily · $140
Altra's low-drop (not zero) speed trainer — a gateway to natural running.
Built for tempo, daily, at a target pace of 7:00–9:30 /mi on road.
The midsole is EGO PRO, tuned balanced (3/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is above average: the midsole rebounds well without feeling unstable. 32 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as lively at 3/5 responsiveness.
There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.
A low 4 mm drop encourages a midfoot landing and keeps the ankle working through a fuller range. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. The forefoot flexes easily, so the shoe adapts to slower, shorter strides. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
The toe-box is wide, with space for the toes to spread late in long runs. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 350 miles from the outsole, about $0.40 per mile at $140.
For the foams and plates Altra uses across its line, read the Altra brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
238 g / 8.4 oz
37 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
32 mm
4 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
4 mm
2 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$140
20 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
3 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~350 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Altra line it is lighter than the brand's median (294 g / 10.4 oz) and sits taller than its median stack (30 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Asics Noosa Tri 17
215 g / 7.6 oz · 32 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $145
Loud, light triathlon-friendly speed trainer with quick-entry upload.
Altra Experience Flow ST
230 g / 8.1 oz · 32 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $145
The Experience Flow with added support — low drop with guidance.
Topo Athletic Cyclone 3
205 g / 7.2 oz · 30 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $155
Light, energetic tempo shoe that wakes up at speed.
Hoka Mach 6(2024)
235 g / 8.3 oz · 37 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $140
Snappy supercritical foam without a plate — the honest tempo shoe.