If you’ve been following along for a descent amount of time you know that I love my Altra’s! If you’ve met me in person, I was probably wearing them. Some may call it a slight addiction, but I say when you’ve found a great thing, stick with it! I love their story. If you aren’t familiar with it, here’s a little excerpt from the founder, Golden Harper:

“For decades, virtually every running shoe has featured pointy toe boxes and heels that were twice as thick and heavy as the forefoot. While shoe companies claimed this design would protect your body from running injuries, the scientific research did not agree.

After unsuccessfully lobbying shoe companies for years to change their design, I decided to modify shoes into something that could encourage low impact running technique and prevent injury.

Using the research as my guide, I went to work with my trusty toaster oven to try and solve my customers’ injury problems. I melted outsoles off of traditional running shoes and removed the excess heel elevation. It was ugly, but it worked! I coined the term "Zero Drop™" to describe how the level cushioning no longer dropped from the heel down to the forefoot. We enlisted our local shoe cobbler to modify our customers’ current running shoes to Zero Drop™. This worked so well at reducing injuries that we had nearly 1,000 customers buy and modify their shoes that first year!” You can read the rest of the companies story here.

My love for Altra’s started about 3 years ago. It was pretty much love at first run. What’s there to love about them? Well if you’re asking this question you most likely have never tried them on, so I’ll fill you in with the inside scoop, then go get your feet in some and discover for yourself! 

The amazing thing with Altra’s is their signature design. The foot shaped toe box and the zero drop platform. What does this mean? Well first of all, the foot shaped toe box allows your toes to splay into a natural position, allowing your big toe to give your arch more support and releasing pressure from bunions and other foot issues. Seems like all shoes should be made in the shape of your feet right? duh! Second of all, the term “ZERO DROP™” was coined to describe the level cushioning and perfect weight balance from heel to forefoot. This natural balance aligns the feet, back, and body posture for less impact. It also strengthens the Achilles and lower calf muscles that have been weakened over a lifetime of running on elevated heels. If you’re coming from a traditional shoe with a heel to toe drop, you will want to transition into the Zero Drop. I will say I experienced some lower calf soreness for a couple months while transitioning into Altra’s, but it does go away, and its worth the process in the long run. Read what Altra suggests here for transitioning.

You get this natural fit, barefoot feel, but with the benefits of cushion! What I love about altra’s line up is there’s something for everyone and all terrain. When I saw the new Escalante coming out I knew I had to get my hands on them. I’ll admit, Altra’s design & look hasn’t been the best in years past, but with this shoe I feel like they’ve come a LONG WAY. I’ve already had so many compliments on them, and I’ve only had them for about a week (we all know we want our shoes to look good as well right!) So after a couple of runs in them and a workout in the gym, here are my thoughts. THEY’RE AMAZING! And I’m not just saying that. 

  • First of all I love the look. I have the black and grey ones and I love the neutral colors. I don’t have any Altra’s this color and I love the change from the pinks and bright blues. They go with everything. 
  • I love the feel. They have a sock like fit. The upper material is stretchy and moldable, and the sole is soft, but not too soft, super light weight, flexible, and just the right amount of cushion. 
  • I love the run. These shoes are equipped with Altra’s latest and greatest EGO midsole. Altra EGO offers the holy grail of running shoe cushioning, comfortable and soft, yet lively and resilient. With increased responsiveness and thinner cushioning, Altra EGO combines a closer to ground feel with the comfort of a plush ride. 

So there you have it, a little more about Altra, the brand, and why I love them! If you haven’t tried them, now is a great time to jump on the wagon with this brand new shoe, the Escalante. If you don't have a retailer close to you, no worries. When you order from their website you get free shipping both ways! That means if you don't like them or have the wrong size, or whatever the issue might be, you can return them within 30 days of purchase, full refund, and they even send you a shipping label to send them back! Pretty cool. Here’s a direct link to check them out

Let me know how it goes and if you have any other questions about the product! 

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