When I was first introduced to Altra, there were 3 distinct points made to me about their shoes:
- Zero-drop design
- Wide toe box
- Minimal sole
Because of these 3 things, Altras are supposed to be more comfortable, better for your feet, and support your running form. With all the factors that go into finding the running shoes for you, the Escalantes illustrate what Altra’s shoes are capable of and how they’re different from other brands. (If you want the next level of this though, check out their Escalante Racers.)
The Zero-Drop Design
Altra designed their shoes to have a “zero-drop” across your foot, aka a flat platform, compared to traditional shoes that either have a slight increase or decrease to make running “easier”. This can lead to a bit of a shift in how you run since it changes what muscles are activated, and how much your muscles work throughout a run.
For me, this change was hugely positive. The improvement I had with feet pain after 4-6 miles was miraculous. However, it did work my feet and calves more than I expected. Thankfully, as I ran in them more, my body got used to that change after 2-3 weeks of running.
Please do not try to run in these the first time in a race or long-distance run, it’s hard to say how your body will react.
The Wide Toe Box
I had heard of some brands, like Nike and Brooks, offer wider shoes for some of their models. But I figured those were for people with naturally wider feet, until my friend told me that’s what Altra uses for all their shoes.
Come to find out, this was also a super nice feature to have standard on all shoes; especially on a pair of running shoes, since most brands seem to have an endless inventory of different shoes. (Making it hard to know which ones will and won’t cause problems with consistent running.) Supposedly the larger toe box enables a runner to have better form, stronger feet, and overall long-term health.
I’ve only been running in Altras for the last 2 years, but I can honestly say that my feet and legs are stronger, my form is more consistent, and I haven’t had foot pain on 4-6+ mile runs. As for the improvement in longevity, hopefully that’s the case but only time will tell.
The Minimal Sole
I had a buddy in high school, a crazy athlete that repeatedly broke records in Track and Field and Cross Country. I won’t ever forget what he would wear most days either; those super minimal toe rubber shoes (FiveFingers). I’m not sure which brand they were, but he swore by them.
Altras are by no means that intense or minimal. The amount of foam cushioning in the Escalantes sole is noticeably slimmer than other standard running shoes, but this isn’t standard on every pair of Altras. You can find shoes that have minimal cushion, and others that have an extreme amount.
Personally, I prefer the smaller amount of foam because I can better feel the ground and improve the micro adjustments of where I put more weight and push off. However, this is not standard on all of Altra’s shoes; you can find a number of other pairs that offer a larger sole/amount of cushion.
I have many miles ahead and I can’t say what amount of foam I’ll prefer in a decade or more. (My family historically has had knee problem, but so far, no signs of any of that. I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t run regularly.)
The Recap
With that being said, I would recommend getting a pair, trying them out for 3-5 weeks, and see how they work for you. Altra as a company genuinely wants that by offering a fantastic 30-day return policy that you can check-out here.
If a pair of Escalantes aren’t your cup of tea with the minimal cushion, they have plenty of others to choose from. At the end of the day, you won’t know what shoes to run in unless you go out and put some miles on different pairs.
If you choose to try out the Escalantes, these are a great option to experience those 3 different characteristics that set Altra’s shoes apart from the rest.
*The new Escalante 4s are out, which I haven’t tried yet but are comparable to the 3s. If you choose to keep your Altras though, you’ll likely find better deals on the 3s.