I’ve waited all year to try the Altra Lone Peak 9s. I have a pair of the Lone Peak 7s, and they’ve been my best pair of trail running shoes for the last couple years.
However, their retirement is long overdue. I’ve ran at least 400 miles in them, and they look like it.
Coming from those, the last month with the Lone Peak 9+ has been incredible! These things are practically perfect in every way!
9 VS 9+
Road, gravel, sand, or stupidly sharp volcanic rock, Altra’s Lone Peak 9+ shoes can handle it all. The Vibram outsole of the 9+, the only difference between the original 9s, is seriously strong.
If you’re choosing between the 9s and the 9+’s, there’s only two scenarios where you should choose the 9+’s. First, you’re a dedicated trail runner that consistently runs hundreds of miles on trails in 6-12 months. Second, you strategically use one pair of shoes for road running, and another pair for trails, so each of them can last two years or more.
S-Tier Performance
Putting the 9+ shoes on the first time, and every time after that, my feet have a moment of bliss because of the amount of room they have inside the shoes. I can’t say this enough about Altra’s, but their wide toe box design is legendary!
Any time I run in shoes that are closer to your typical trainers, like the Brooks Launch 11s, that’s the first thing I miss.
It doesn’t stop there though, after you tie the 9+’s and stand up, you have a shockingly clear connection to the ground. With the thin, 0 mm heel drop mid sole, your feet can still pick up details about the ground.
Compare this to most running shoes, that have a thick foam midsole, these leave your feet numb to the environment. Meanwhile, the 9+’s allow your feet to pick up the texture, shape, and grip of the ground.
(It’s not as good as the Altra Escalante Racer 2s, but that’s because of the lugs on the 9+’s.)
And when you actually start running in these, those characteristics become foundational to your experience. It’s this unique coupling of strength and sensitivity that I still don’t understand how Altra does it.
70+ Miles
Don’t get me wrong, running is hard; especially when you’re really pushing to grow and develop your speed and/or endurance every time you go out. But for me, these shoes really do make it easier.
Not because the Lone Peak 9+ shoes have superpowers that make me float above the ground. It’s because of the amount of control and flexibility these have.
Honestly, you can run on nearly any surface with them. From an indoor track to the Sleeping Giant Hike in Hawaii. And for me, I have yet to trip, slip, or fall.
These quite simply feel custom made to me. Even after 70+ miles, my ankles, knees, hips, and lower back have yet to build up any pain over the last few weeks.
Nit-Picks
I really feel like Altra shouldn’t change much on the 9+ shoes, but no shoe is perfect. (At least not yet.)
My only nit-pick is if you run on gravel that has smaller, pea-sized rocks, then those tend to flip up. Most of the time nothing happens, but at least once each run a rock lands in the crease between my ankle and the shoe collar.
You can get a pair of running gaiters to prevent this, but I’d rather Altra experiment with different collar designs to keep rock and debris from doing that.
(The same goes for slightly wet and dry sand. Small clumps get caught around your ankles and the shoes.)
The Recap
This isn’t a super long article, especially for such an amazing pair of shoes. That’s because the Lone Peak 9+ shoes are literally the best trail shoes I’ve ran in yet.
When someone asks me what trail shoes to get, I’ll point straight to the Lone Peak 9s or the 9+’s.
The mix of control, feel, and durability is zero to none!