In production · trail · Trail / Tempo · $130
Low, light and agile trail shoe for fast, technical singletrack.
Built for trail, tempo, at a target pace of 8:00–11:00 /mi on trail.
Altra tuned this midsole firm (2/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 21 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.
A rock plate sits between the foam and the outsole to spread the load of sharp stones and roots. It is protection, not propulsion — it does not add pop, but it keeps the underfoot bruising out of long days on technical ground.
A 0 mm drop is close to level. That loads the calf and Achilles more than most runners are used to, so ease into it. 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 unusually roomy — foot-shaped rather than tapered, which suits splayed or bunion-prone feet. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 350 miles from the outsole, about $0.37 per mile at $130.
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
263 g / 9.3 oz
12 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
21 mm
15 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
0 mm
6 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$130
30 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
2 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 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 lower than its median stack (30 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Altra King MT 2
260 g / 9.2 oz · 21 mm · 0 mm drop · Rock · $140
Aggressive-lug fell-running shoe for steep, muddy mountains.
Altra Grafton
320 g / 11.3 oz · 22 mm · 0 mm drop · Rock · $140
Casual-leaning trail hiker with a durable suede upper.
Altra Lone Peak 10(2025)
300 g / 10.6 oz · 29 mm · 0 mm drop · Rock · $150
Thru-hiker and ultra favorite: wide, flat, grippy, ground-connected.
Altra Lone Peak 9(2024)
295 g / 10.4 oz · 25 mm · 0 mm drop · Rock · $150
The thru-hiker and ultra classic: wide, flat, grippy and unfussy.