Discontinued · road · Race day · $120
Altra's minimalist road racing flat — nearly nothing between you and the road.
Built for race day, at a target pace of 4:45–7:00 /mi on road.
This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Altra Vanish Carbon 3.
Altra tuned this midsole very firm (1/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is above average: the midsole rebounds well without feeling unstable. 18 mm of heel stack keeps you low and connected, with more ground feel than most current trainers. Combined, the ride reads as snappy at 4/5 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 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. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It runs small; most runners size up a half. Expect roughly 200 miles from the outsole, about $0.60 per mile at $120.
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
165 g / 5.8 oz
110 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
18 mm
18 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
0 mm
6 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$120
40 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
1 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~200 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 Golden Spike
155 g / 5.5 oz · 15 mm · 0 mm drop · — · $100
Zero-drop track spike for middle- and long-distance racing.
Topo Athletic ST-6
190 g / 6.7 oz · 18 mm · 0 mm drop · — · $125
Zero-drop, low-stack speed shoe for strides, track and gym work.
Altra Vanish XC
150 g / 5.3 oz · 15 mm · 0 mm drop · — · $90
Minimal zero-drop cross-country racer for soft courses.
Adidas Adizero RC 5
210 g / 7.4 oz · 28 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $90
Lightweight, firm budget racer for track work and 5Ks.