Altra Escalante 3 Running Shoes - AW23

Product Information

DPT/Footwear Science: A (A great job of implementing natural feeling shoe and minimalist footwear for running and beyond) With that said, the philosophy behind Altra shoes is that their minimalist design allows your body to activate and develop its own stability mechanisms. By designing shoes that allow the foot to move naturally, runners are (in theory) able to find their correct path of motion and develop the foot muscles that will help prevent injuries caused by pronation. Sizing The one downside that some runners note is that the knit upper feels a bit oppressive. It may not leave the foot feeling as airy and fresh as some more lightly stitched engineered mesh products. Cushioning And even though the exterior of the midsole looks very different, underfoot, it still feels pretty similar.

The ride, as you can probably guess, is a natural one. On brand with other models, the toe splay is some of the widest in the business, and the ride is somewhat firm. I did notice after a few runs, however, that the flexibility increased, and the shoe became more enjoyable with a ride more worthy of the floral and feral printed upper. If you want to learn more about barefoot/minimal training. You can read all about it in my blog post, “The Case For Barefoot Running.” If you tend to overpronate (around 70% of people), you’ll want a more stable and, in this case, firmer midsole.

REFRESH YOUR RUN

All Altra shoes are Zero Drop. This means that they are the same height at the heel as they are in the forefoot. This is to encourage a more midfoot landing, which loads the foot better. The broad rounded toe box aka FootShape gives the foot the room to spread on impact, stabilising you. The foot then recoils and springs you into your next stride. If you aren’t used to shoes that allow your feet to function, then it’s a good idea to gradually increase the time you spend in the shoes, alternating with your current shoes. This way your feet and ankles will get used to the increased movement without getting overloaded. However, staying true to the minimalist nature of Altra products, there is not a lot of fancy technology that runs the risk of breaking down at an expedited rate. Looking at our durometer measurements, the Escalante 3 scored 23.8 HA which is exactly the same as the average of our lab-tested road running shoes. This is what natural feels like

Runners have always felt like Altra shoes score high for durability, and the Escalante 3 is no exception. Some runners prefer the narrower toe boxes of shoes like Reebok’s Forever Floatride Energy. Lakota Gambill A Natural Take on Tech

Personal: B (Solid fitting shoe with good comfort. Versatility does extend into casual wear. Running is smooth and fun, though my calves can get a little sore. Can't run too fast in them.) Conversely, you’ll sink into the squishiness with a softer foam, and normal pronation will not occur as much. The Altra Escalante 3 is a decent daily option for medium to short runs for zero-drop newcomers. Efficient and experienced natural runners might enjoy it for longer runs and even a half marathon race or two. Those with a wider forefoot will have their needs met, while those on the narrower side will find more comfort in the Rivera. Speedsters will obviously want the Vanish Carbon for its natural feeling and super shoe tooling. It perfectly balances the lines between “just enough” and “not too much.” There is enough EGO foam in the midsole to provide sufficient cushioning as the miles add up, as well as strategically placed outsole rubber to keep the shoe from getting destroyed by sharp objects. Founded on a philosophy of promoting natural movement, Altra running shoes are distinct for what they don’t have–a lot of fancy features and technology promising to cure all of your running problems.

The Escalante 3 is not a stability shoe. There are no GuideRails or any other built-in features that help prevent pronation.There’s very little difference between the two versions of the Escalante. You’d generally expect it when one is just an update of the other shoe. Striving for versatility, especially in running shoes, can be risky. Achieve your goal, and you have a shoe that performs at a high level for all runners. Come up short, and you end up with a shoe that isn’t right for any specific group. I am very impressed by the improvement in upper stability. There was no medial-lateral translation of my foot in the shoe, even when taking tight turns or running on grass. The outsole has almost full-coverage rubber and I had excellent traction, even on wet roads and grass. I have 40 miles on my pair and the outsole looks nearly new. I would expect greater than average durability out of these shoes. Thanks to the shoe's wide midfoot and forefoot base, we never had to worry about losing our footing. In the past, Altra used to boast about their innerflex technology. These little cutouts ran horizontally across the ball of the foot and toes.