In production · road · Daily / Long run · $180
Altra FWD VIA 2: 37 mm heel stack, 4 mm drop, 272 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Built for daily, long run, at a target pace of 7:30–10:00 /mi on road.
The midsole is EGO, tuned balanced (3/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 37 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. It is a neutral platform with no built-in correction.
The toe-box is unusually roomy — foot-shaped rather than tapered, which suits splayed or bunion-prone feet. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.45 per mile at $180.
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
274 g / 9.7 oz
1 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
37 mm
1 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
4 mm
2 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$180
20 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
3 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~400 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.
Adidas Duramo Speed 2
270 g / 9.5 oz · 35 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $90
Adidas Duramo Speed 2: 33 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 258 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Asics GT 1000 15
278 g / 9.8 oz · 36 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $130
Asics GT 1000 15: 36 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 278 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Adidas Adistar 4
272 g / 9.6 oz · 40 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $140
Adidas Adistar 4: 40 mm heel stack, 5 mm drop, 275 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Asics GT-2000 13(2024)
266 g / 9.4 oz · 36 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $140
Lightweight support with mild guidance — stability without the bulk.