Altra has come up with a new sole material that I like better than what they use in their Paradigm shoe, and better then what's used in the Hoka Clifton, Adidas Boost, NB Fresh Foam or Brooks Pure.... and I've liked all of those shoes.
https://www.altrarunning.com/ego
I was most recently in the NB Fresh Foam 1080v6 which had a nice wide forefoot, but I felt there was a tad too much weight in the heel and the forefoot could have been a tad more cushioned... for a heavy 10+ oz shoe.
The Altra Paradigm required I wear a half size up. I didn't like the way the heel fit in that larger size. My correct size, though, fit well all around, but it rubbed my morton toe causing toenail issues when running at higher speeds.
The Hokas, newer Brookes Pure, and Adidas are all too narrow in the forefoot for me.
So, these Altra Escalante's are OK in the half size up and they use a stretchy knit upper which allows me to tighten down the laces with no issues with hotspots from the laces or from sides of the shoe, so I have a nice fit - though a my true size with a tad more of a point in the toes would be ideal; more on that below. But what I'm liking is the sole material. It's a 25mm sole from forefoot to heel. I've liked Altra's even cushioning throughout their shoe since their inception; I believe I started wearing their first model back in 2010. Though, heel strikers do not fair well in Altras due to sheering off the heel in a mere 100 miles or so.
This 25mm sole on the Escalante, though, feels like 30+mm of cushioning, but without riding high above the ground - they feel low. I'm loving how the forefoot feels: plush but dense with a lot of responsive spring. I'd describe the sole as feeling similar to what's found in the OOFOS clog but it feels a tad thicker and also denser, so less compression, and a more responsive spring. And, they're 8.2oz, which for a 25mm shoe with a full carbon rubber bottom, is pretty light. (note: the top runners in Hawaii are typically in 7.6 - 8.0 oz shoes)
What I'm hoping for next: I'd like to see their One 2.5 shoe made with this new sole material. The current One 2.5 is 23mm, but compared to the Escalante's 25mm, it feels like 10mm. So, it seems they could make the One model with ~15mm of the new cushioning with the minimal carbon rubber bottom that the current One employs, the same glued upper construction and material as the One (the Escalante's woven material may not be great for super hot and humid conditions, but I have not tested that hypothesis, yet), and maintain the sub 6.7oz weight while providing the best compression and responsiveness of any road flat available - They'd have a winner aimed at marathoners and ironman athletes.
The Escalante does appear to have a slightly more pointed toe area to allow for morton toe, but I still need the half size up. If they could just extend that point a tad more, I could wear my true size and have a better fitting shoe overall. Yes, that would spoil the foot shaped aesthetic which Altra pushes, but I'm not suggesting making any part of the shoe narrower .... just a bit more of a point for that morton toe. Last, The tongue is made of the thin woven material that the rest of the shoe is made of, so it doesn't hold it's shape well while you slide your foot into the shoe, but it's great once the foot is in. This presents a problem if you intend to use these shoes for triathlon with regard to quick transitions. But, with my previous stated desire for an updated One racing flat model, I'd go with that updated flat for racing if it gets made.
wovebike.com | Wove on instagram
https://www.altrarunning.com/ego
I was most recently in the NB Fresh Foam 1080v6 which had a nice wide forefoot, but I felt there was a tad too much weight in the heel and the forefoot could have been a tad more cushioned... for a heavy 10+ oz shoe.
The Altra Paradigm required I wear a half size up. I didn't like the way the heel fit in that larger size. My correct size, though, fit well all around, but it rubbed my morton toe causing toenail issues when running at higher speeds.
The Hokas, newer Brookes Pure, and Adidas are all too narrow in the forefoot for me.
So, these Altra Escalante's are OK in the half size up and they use a stretchy knit upper which allows me to tighten down the laces with no issues with hotspots from the laces or from sides of the shoe, so I have a nice fit - though a my true size with a tad more of a point in the toes would be ideal; more on that below. But what I'm liking is the sole material. It's a 25mm sole from forefoot to heel. I've liked Altra's even cushioning throughout their shoe since their inception; I believe I started wearing their first model back in 2010. Though, heel strikers do not fair well in Altras due to sheering off the heel in a mere 100 miles or so.
This 25mm sole on the Escalante, though, feels like 30+mm of cushioning, but without riding high above the ground - they feel low. I'm loving how the forefoot feels: plush but dense with a lot of responsive spring. I'd describe the sole as feeling similar to what's found in the OOFOS clog but it feels a tad thicker and also denser, so less compression, and a more responsive spring. And, they're 8.2oz, which for a 25mm shoe with a full carbon rubber bottom, is pretty light. (note: the top runners in Hawaii are typically in 7.6 - 8.0 oz shoes)
What I'm hoping for next: I'd like to see their One 2.5 shoe made with this new sole material. The current One 2.5 is 23mm, but compared to the Escalante's 25mm, it feels like 10mm. So, it seems they could make the One model with ~15mm of the new cushioning with the minimal carbon rubber bottom that the current One employs, the same glued upper construction and material as the One (the Escalante's woven material may not be great for super hot and humid conditions, but I have not tested that hypothesis, yet), and maintain the sub 6.7oz weight while providing the best compression and responsiveness of any road flat available - They'd have a winner aimed at marathoners and ironman athletes.
The Escalante does appear to have a slightly more pointed toe area to allow for morton toe, but I still need the half size up. If they could just extend that point a tad more, I could wear my true size and have a better fitting shoe overall. Yes, that would spoil the foot shaped aesthetic which Altra pushes, but I'm not suggesting making any part of the shoe narrower .... just a bit more of a point for that morton toe. Last, The tongue is made of the thin woven material that the rest of the shoe is made of, so it doesn't hold it's shape well while you slide your foot into the shoe, but it's great once the foot is in. This presents a problem if you intend to use these shoes for triathlon with regard to quick transitions. But, with my previous stated desire for an updated One racing flat model, I'd go with that updated flat for racing if it gets made.
wovebike.com | Wove on instagram
Last edited by:
milesthedog: Mar 3, 17 7:36
