In production · road · Daily / Long run · $150
Low-drop stability daily — Altra's on-ramp from traditional shoes.
Built for daily, long run, at a target pace of 8:30–11:30 /mi on road.
The midsole is EGO MAX, tuned soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 30 mm of heel stack keeps you low and connected, with more ground feel than most current trainers. 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 rocker is moderate — enough curve to smooth the roll-through without dictating your footstrike. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. It offers real guidance through the gait cycle — useful for runners whose form collapses when tired.
The toe-box is wide, with space for the toes to spread late in long runs. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.33 per mile at $150.
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
272 g / 9.6 oz
3 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
30 mm
6 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
4 mm
2 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$150
10 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
4 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~450 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.
Topo Athletic Ultrafly 6
272 g / 9.6 oz · 32 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $150
Lightly supportive daily trainer with a heel-wrapping medial post.
Skechers GO Run Now
265 g / 9.3 oz · 30 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $70
Soft-riding value trainer for easy days and walk-run miles.
Hoka Kawana 2
314 g / 11.1 oz · 30 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $140
Gym-to-road hybrid with a stable, versatile platform.
Saucony Guide 18(2025)
272 g / 9.6 oz · 35 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $145
Center-path stability with a soft, non-intrusive frame.