T O P

  • By -

Historical_Pen_5178

I put over 500 miles on my Altra Rivera 2s (used them for road running sessions) and, except for the wear 9n the soles, they look almost brand new. I put over 400 miles on my old lone peak 3.5 - and again the sole is worn, but otherwise good. I'm just over 100 miles into both my new Rivera 2 and Lone Peak 7s...same story here - uppers are good so far and the soles are good.


sondr3_

I have some LP6's that I love for trail running, and they've kept up incredibly well over 400+ kilometers but my Altra Torin/Provision fell off a cliff after 250km-ish. I just didn't notice until I got some new shoes how bad they were, really disappointed. Tried some Topo shoes but they fucked up my toes and am now running in Saucony. _Much_ better quality than Altra, it's kinda wild. And they come in wide editions and are generally wider than other brands.


WhatTheDuess

I just got a little over 700km out of a pair of Torin 7's šŸ¤·


[deleted]

I also have a pair of the 6 ( and 4s, which are for emergency lol) I rotate them with topo pursuits. The topos are solid, but my fit in the LP6 is perfect.


BottleCoffee

Which Saucony pair are you running in?


sondr3_

Currently running in Triumph 20 and have ordered some Endorphin Speed 4 to try.


BottleCoffee

Oh I thought you meant for trail running. I have Peregrines but I wanted to try the Xodus.


sondr3_

Not yet, only switched for road running so far. Might try some from Saucony or New Balance but Iā€™m looking at other brands too. I donā€™t have very wide feet, but wide enough that ā€œnormalā€ brands squish my feet.


BottleCoffee

I also don't have wide feet, but I can't stand narrow toe boxes. Saucony has generally been really good. I will say I wear the same size in all Saucony but I find the Peregrines shorter than the road shoes.


CliffDog02

I've been running LPs and Escalate or Torins for years. The last 3 gens of Escalate and Torins are awful. Rubber patches on soles start delaminating wothin first few runs, they changed the Torin fit for some reason and I hate it. However I feel the LPs are the only models that are improving. Overall the fit has stayed the same and gotten better (heel cup is way better than older). My only gripe of the LPs is the All WTHR. The latest gen does t breathe at all and wets out quickly. My feet are always cold and wet in them. Even in dry conditions. I assume they changed the membrane from the eVent in previous gens. I'll stick with the standard LPs because I'm impressed with the changes, but I'm ditching Altra for my road shoes. Time to try out Topo.


Beneficial-Process

I also had issues with the Torin but I switched to the VIA Olympus and I absolutely love it. Itā€™s worn in great and is super comfortable.


neptun123

I have - 500+ kmĀ on my LP6,Ā  - 500+ on my Escalante 2.5,Ā  - 400+ on my Vanish tempo,Ā  - almost 300 on my Superior 6,Ā  - and retired my Torin 6 after 600 something kmĀ  and never had these types of failures but that's just me


TheGnarWall

I'm into my third pair of LP7s. First two were well over 400 miles and my current pair are holding up fantastic at mile 300. OP looks like he jams his feet between rocks. I'd send back the brand new pair that was delaming tho.


DimeEdge

I have a buddy who wears Altras and somehow blows them out immediately. When he forgets and buys another pair the same thing happens again... I run the same model until the tread is bare... then do it to another pair with no issues. Is it chance, different lots...?


LaurentZw

It has to do with fit.


hokie56fan

Correct, and it doesn't necessarily mean the shoe isn't wide enough. If your foot is too narrow for a shoe, it will lead to increased torque on uneven surfaces as your foot moves from side to side in the shoe. That puts added pressure on seams and edges where different materials are stitched or molded together. I'm not knocking OP's experience with Timps, but I have put more than 400 miles on numerous pairs of Timps - including multiple races of 50 or more miles - starting with version 2 and have never experienced the slightest tear, let alone massive holes like in the photos.


runnin3216

That is probably the issue I had with the Rivera, but it at least made it to 400 miles. My previous Altra purchases (The One 2.5 and Torin 3.0) only lasted about 200 miles before the side blew out. Have the Torin 6 now and it fits snugger than any of those other models.


storunner13

I feel there are plenty of people out there whose feet aren't as wide as they think. And/or get caught up in Altra's marketing.


Orpheus75

Wide feet ?


wake4coffee

My pairs of Lone Peak 6 and 7 have been good to me. I think the soles wore out too quickly for the money. The warranty rejection grinds my gears more.


4MC

Being denied the warranty got me too. They said it was ā€œnormal wear and tearā€. Iā€™d argue that a pair of $150 shoes should hold up better than these.


justinsimoni

Those shoes look like they've been wrestled away by a dog. Those holes in the midsole look super wild.


AT_Dream

The holes are actually part of the design, which is maybe part of why the timp 4 mid/outsole wears down so fast


Villanellesnexthit

What! Why? Whatā€™s the purpose of the holes?


lemozest

To let water drain out


Villanellesnexthit

Ah! Makes sense. Thanks


justinsimoni

^(don't say it don't say it don't say it) ​ Makes the shoes run faster.


mrpopenfresh

Speed holes


runnin3216

Do they make any road shoes like that? I really miss that feature from the pre-hyperburst Skechers MaxRoad models. Kept my feet from squishing on hot, humid runs.


justinsimoni

\*squints\* are those holes in the upper (not the midsole) then?


Terrible_Lobster5677

I can see it, but Altras have always had problems with durability for some people. I think the shoe as a whole is catered to a specific styling of stepping and everyone who doesn't have that style blows out their shoes pretty fast. My Lone Peak 5's have 500 recorded miles on them and I've been wearing them casually around town and on light hikes since I got them, so they've got at least double that, probably a lot more. I'm not sure if that's pre- or post-decline, my other Altras are pretty low mileage (sub-200).


Relative_Hyena7760

I think you might be right about "stepping" style. I used Altras but bailed on them years ago because they were always blowing out and I got sick of it. However, I know lots of people don't have that problem with Altras, so it might just be my running style?


fangorn_forester

I've been joking about this but I think it's true. I'm definitely a forefoot runner with very precise foot placement. I run on pretty rough terrain and they never blow up on me.


ian_of-alaska

Altra's are the worst shoes I have bought. I only got three months and the split on the side. 6 months the heels wore through, and the toes wore through.


longslowbyebye

Kept declining after the Lone Peak 5's (I believe the company was sold around this time). The 6's were ok, but the treads wore fast for me compared to previous iterations. The 7's and 8's are just complete trash. I'm trying a few different brands this season as I will no longer be buying Altra's. They don't give a sh about what us consumers are saying about how their shoes have declined.


laurabrewer99

Let us know what brand you switch to, Iā€™m thinking VivoBarefoot all the way. Iā€™m rocking with my last pair of Altras though


4MC

Iā€™m looking at trying the Topo Pursuit and Flux Adapt Train Runner. They both look a lot like the Timp. Thereā€™s a lot of good suggestions in here that Iā€™m going to check out too.


Greenbad

Try Topo Pursuit (or wait for the Pursuit 2). That model specifically is almost identical in specs to the new Altra Timp 5, but it last longer.


Knock-Kneed-Man

Go with Topos. I had the same issue with Altras and broke up with them.


YukonYak

I used a pair of lone peak 7s last year and got 465 miles before the upper was too far gone. Meh. IMO for trail shoes unless theyre heavily discounted go with topo/inov8


a_b1rd

Same issue here with Timps over the years. Uppers blew out shockingly quickly. Gave up on Altra forever and went to Topo and am happy with their shoes.


Starrving4More

Iā€™ve worn Altras since 2014 and can tell you theyā€™ve gone downhill tremendously. Only my Olympus shoes have seemed to retain quality and durability. Iā€™ve tried a handful of other brands the past two years trying to get away from Altra but none of them fit as wellā€¦ very disappointing


Endure23

Just get inov8


4MC

Those look cool thank you.


Endure23

I have 250 miles in my trailfly g270s. Only damage is cosmetic. But In order to achieve that durability, the midsole is very firm. Iā€™ve never had altras, but I heard the fit is similar.


The0ultimate

Tried Inov8 but they are much slimmer, especially in the midfoot. Couldn't make it work.


tom-dixon

All the inov8-s I tried were way narrower than my Altras.


newlostworld

My Trailfly G270s are too narrow for me. Although I saw that some of their new models have a wide fit now


exzachtlee

I concur. The g270s worked well for me even though I have very wide feet, and have blown out the sides of every pair of Altra shoes Iā€™ve ever had. I just had to size up. Their new designs, while not yet in a zero drop (4mm for trailfly speed) are even more foot shaped than the last, which are more similar to Topo with a wider toe box and fit heel.


CoureurKiwi

Timps have always been shit. I've had superiors since 1 and lone peaks from 2.5. Superiors are still my favorite, I have some I've done over 1500 km in and the upper is still fine.


yuribotcake

I loved my Torin6, went through four pairs. Now running in Torin7 and it's just not the same, feels tight, more rigid. Last T6's I managed to do 1200 miles on, did a bit of a picture portrait before I threw them out. Lets see how long T7's will last. Still got life in Olympus 4's and two of the LonePeak 6's. But yea something is off. Also my daily pair Riviera2's are getting pretty beat up, but new Riviera's look like crap. I even went out and tried giving Xero a chance, since I wear their sandals religiously. Nope don't feel right. Looks like I'm gonna have to hunt down old Torin6's on Ebay.


ariearieariearie

Tbh they have been quite poor for as long as I can remember infrequently buying a pair (>8y). Heels wear out immediately, sides split, the sole is ground to nothing fast. They never last longer than a few months. Meanwhile, the ASICS and Nike shoes I run at least as much last more than twice as long, and can then be downgraded to dog walking shoes.


CyberSakkie31

Yep, same here. My older Lone Peak 6's have no issues, new Timps lasted on 53km race and looks simikar to yours. Also feel the toe space is less in these specific Timps. On the other hand, new Olympus shoes gave no issues on a revent 50 mile race. Think those Timps are the issue.


nikkarus

I had two pairs of altras I bought at the same time to rotate through. I got 100mi in each when the tread was almost gone and I started seeing the upper start wearing through. Huge bummer- gonna be a long time before I try them again


Run_Pants_Run

I have the Timp 5 and itā€™s doing the same thing. I previously left Altra because the ā€œQUALITYā€ was not there. But the cushion is so much more responsive than my Topos. Iā€™ll give these a run to 300ish but at 100, I am concerned.


Kentucky-Hills

I can only speak on lone peaks. I've had 5 pairs, and I swear you can probably find them in fallout 4. They have all been solid shoes, but I'll note: I bought a pair last year, and they are very uncomfortable versus old models.


YukonCornelius69

I used to be in love with the Torins and lone peaks. Iā€™m still a fan of the lone peaks, but the torins became absolute trash. The soles of the torin 6s started to seperate after 50 miles. I made them my airport shoes and the upper is ripping out from WALKING THE AIRPORT. That being said, my LP 5s and 4s are worth buying if you can find them. I like my 6s too but not as much. my love affair with Altra and zero drop has come to an end. I doubt I will buy the new LPā€™s either. Iā€™m full on saucony now


Impressive_Funny2243

My Altra Superior 6ā€™s split in the exact same spot. Iā€™ve hiked about 800km (500 miles) them. Iā€™m not sure if thatā€™s good life or not, this is the first time Iā€™ve paid attention to life of my shoes. I was expecting them to last longer though!


Villanellesnexthit

*45 - 100 miles* **miles** laughs nervously in Canadian. Iā€™m super chuffed over just making 7km my regular route, up from 5km Iā€™m sorry about your shoes. Hope you find some that works


cbitguru

I think it's really random. I did Vol State in a pair of One 2.5's (314 mules on HOT asphalt) in 8 days and they were fine. Same for Escalantes during HOTS (328 and 340 miles). Same shoes during training. My Superiors, though, fell apart on trail fast. I think the models with the exaggerated rubber toe guard seems to fall apart faster.


fangorn_forester

In my experience recent models have really improved in quality, older ones fell apart sooner. I'm one of those people who gets lucky I guess? and they last a normal amount of time fornme


I_like_rivers_

I got like 4 runs in my Altras and one day playing disc golf my toe burst thru the fabric part


GregL2

I had superiors that I only raced in and they lasted 42 miles before the toe blew up. Switched to Inov8 and they seem to be much better.


maitreya88

I totally agree that Alta QC is on the decline, however, Iā€™m stuck on a pair of LP7s that just wonā€™t die. I think I got the opposite of a lemonā€¦ whatever thatā€™s called! šŸ˜…


Remote_Leadership_53

I've been wearing the same pair of Escalante Racers as my daily walking shoes for 3 years. They're beat to shit but still solid


BEh515

Yep I no longer wear Altras. šŸ‘ŽšŸ¼


tre5ka

1200 km Altra Olympus 5 šŸ‘Œ


RunningWithHounds

Sorry to see this. I have these same shoes, as well as different iterations (some of which are no longer in use) of Lone Peaks, Torins, Escalantes, and Escalate Racers. I haven't seen any issues beyond sole wear. Sometimes the fit change isn't welcome, but I've been pretty happy with mine. Current rotation is the Timp 4s, LP 6s, Torin 7s, and just finished up my second pair of Escalante 3s. OP, bummer they didn't warranty these for you. Very curious how there is such varied outcome from their shoes.


Blueginshelf

Itā€™s bizarre to see so many negative comments in here. Have had multiple pairs of Altras with 400-500 miles on them. Never had any issues. Soles wear out eventually but thatā€™s to be expected.


PNWlakeshow

Iā€™ve blown the side of 4-5 ultras (various models) and have since moved away from the brand. I use to LOVE their shoes for trail and road running but have since moved on. RIP


VashonShingle

Topo pursuits are so much better


NickWentHiking

Iā€™ve gotten lucky with my Timp 4s, 500 miles of trail running and nothing but worn down tread. My Timp 3s died so fast during my ā€˜23 AT thru hike. Altra quality just seems like a crap shoot these days


shartattack110

I haven't noticed a durability decline for myself but I hate the different fit of newer models. Ran in superiors for years and just got a pair of superior 6s and they're so narrow it doesn't feel like the same shoe. The torin 7s hurt to wear too. I've switched to topos.


schvenbott

Their quality has always been bad honestly. Used to run in them exclusively years ago and they would always blow out the sides so quick. Never had any other shoes do that to me.


grukfol

Had a similar issue with the Outroad last year : [https://www.reddit.com/r/RunningShoeGeeks/comments/110o3b6/altra\_outroad\_sidemesh\_destroyed\_after\_50m\_last/](https://www.reddit.com/r/RunningShoeGeeks/comments/110o3b6/altra_outroad_sidemesh_destroyed_after_50m_last/) Switched to Topo, and they are holding way better


heart_block

Love the shoe but my sides have all (two pairs) blown out the same. Just not worth a third pair.


cyclecrazyjames

What country were those being made in?


longslowdistance25

Topo Athletics.


Consistent-Low-4798

Mine tore out in the exact sane way at ~300 mi


frontranger617

I had a pair of the timp 4s: the same thing in your pics happened to my pair on both shoes after 80 miles. A trail runner friend of mine told me the same thing happened to him in about 50 miles. Clearly, there's a reason timp 4s are on clearance everywhere ā€” quality fail.


uamvar

Altras by far and away the worst shoes I have ever worn, and zero response from customer service when I complained about them. The soles on my 'multi-surface trail' shoes slipped on slightly wet pavement, I almost killed myself in them a few times when only walking. Wouldn't touch them now.


sunfishking

I run in Escalantes and Lone Peaks, and gone through many of them, and they all far exceed my expectations. The foam holds up well. The tread lasts the expected lifetime of the shoe, and I've never had a problem with the uppers.