In production · trail · Race day · $90
Minimal zero-drop cross-country racer for soft courses.
Built for race day, at a target pace of 4:30–6:30 /mi on trail.
Altra tuned this midsole very firm (1/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is above average: the midsole rebounds well without feeling unstable. 15 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. 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 runs small; most runners size up a half. Expect roughly 150 miles from the outsole, about $0.60 per mile at $90.
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
150 g / 5.3 oz
125 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
15 mm
21 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
0 mm
6 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$90
70 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
~150 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.
Merrell Trail Glove 8
190 g / 6.7 oz · 14 mm · 0 mm drop · — · $130
Zero-drop barefoot trail shoe: pure ground feel, minimal stack.
Hoka Evo Jawz 2
210 g / 7.4 oz · 22 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $150
Sticky, aggressive short-course trail racer with huge grip.
New Balance MT10
204 g / 7.2 oz · 14 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $120
New Balance MT10: 14 mm heel stack, 4 mm drop, 200 g — specs from independent lab testing.