I’ve been using the Altra Experience Wild 2s for the past couple months. And the question I’ve thought about on nearly every run is, “Who should buy these shoes?”
Altra makes a better trail running shoe, the Lone Peak 9, that’s the same price. They also make a road running shoe that’s the same price, the Escalante Racer 2.
Heck, Altra even makes a shoe that’s fantastic on trails and roads that’s $20 less, the Superior 7s.
In an effort to answer my question, I might’ve pushed them a little too hard.
On the Road
I like to run 50+ miles in every pair of shoes before writing about them. (I occasionally make exceptions when the shoes are straight up terrible.)
I’ve put nearly 70 miles on the Experience Wild 2s, most of which have been on the road. Simply put, they let me do what I need to do without any annoyances.
The thicker midsole makes it harder to feel the ground. But, if you’re like my brother-in-law and prefer “chunkier and softer” shoes, then these hit the sweet spot. They’re more cloud-like, without being ridiculously poofy and potentially unsettling like the Brooks Glycerin Maxs.
The lugs are pretty soft and not too thick, so they don’t annoy me or cause discomfort when on road either.
Although, I don’t like that Altra’s using a fabric material for the upper and a thick tongue. I can’t deny how soft and comfortable traditional fabric feels, but shoes like this are less durable the more you’re off road.
On Gravel
Depending on where you live, you might be like me and have arguably more gravel roads than concrete ones.
Every time I run in the Experience Wilds on a gravel road, I love their blend of comfort and traction. They expectedly do much better than road-designed shoes, because the grip is so much better.
Plus, they’re designed so well that you don’t sacrifice comfort when running on pavement either.
The only potential con of these those, is the fabric upper. They store dirt too much, worsen air flow, and easily catch burrs. (Which pull on threads and ruin the shoes over time.)
These are so good though that I still reach for them when running on a dirt road because the wide toe box and small 4 mm heel-to-toe-drop makes them super comfortable.
Hiking
Not all hikes are created equal. Some are overly established (sometimes paved), and you always have a strong phone signal. Others are stupidly technical and steep that you feel like you’re in a mountaineering documentary.
To really see what the Experience Wild 2s can do, I took them on two wildly difficult hikes.
First, a few weeks ago in northern Idaho and Montana I climbed up a mountain peak by the place my family and I were staying. There wasn’t an actual trail. The closest I got to a “trail” were thin lines made by deer and elk.
Add in that it was a straight up incline the whole way, and I had my work cut out for me.
The hike was about four miles of dense forest. I constantly walked through branches, bushes, and spiderwebs. The ground was shockingly loose due to build up of dead leaves, sticks, and bark.
Any shoe would’ve struggled with traction, but the Experience Wild 2s eventually hit their limit on the descent. I slipped, fell hard on my butt, and slid my shins into broken tree limbs multiple times.
It was a rough hike; one I probably won’t do again. And it left me wishing the shoes had better lugs.
For the second hike, my wife and I attempted to summit Mt Adams in a day. Due to elevation sickness, we didn’t make it to the top. But the 4.5 miles up and down was technical, steep, and covered a mix of conditions; sand, rock, snow, and ice.
The Experience Wild 2s did a superb job most of the time. But once again I had quite a few slips that made me wish that the lugs were stronger on the way down.
Hitting the limits of these shoes on the trail, became apparent when one small misstep led to the fabric uppers tearing a little bit.
The Recap
Altra made the Experience Wild 2s for someone who prioritizes comfort, capability, and flexibility equally. Someone who needs a solid pair of shoes that can pleasantly handle road and trail settings.
The shoes have their limits though. They tend to struggle on steep declines, where trail specific shoes masterfully cope.
But if you’re constantly between pavement, gravel, and trails on your training or race days, then you can’t go wrong with a pair of these!