Famed for disrupting the running and hiking boot market in the 2010s with its innovative and cutting-edge designs, Altra is a brand with a distinct philosophy. It is all about two things: a zero-drop platform and a spacious foot-shaped toe box.
The former means the shoe has the same height in the heel and the forefoot, a minimalist style designed to give a balanced stride and a level platform for each step. The latter enables the toes to relax, splay and move in a natural way, without being compressed or restricted, as is the case with many footwear.
Such an approach is polarising, particularly the zero-drop construction, and Altras are definitely not for everyone. But, undoubtedly, the brand is a runaway success story of recent years – it has amassed a massive fan base of loyal customers in just a decade or so, including a cult following amongst thru-hikers taking on big mileage adventures such as the Pacific Crest Trail. They've even won a top spot on our best ultra trail running shoes list.
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Pros
- Lightweight
- Superb comfort
- Innovative design
Cons
- Durability and waterproofing concerns
- Zero-drop style will polarise opinion
These devotees claim Altra’s wide toebox delivers superb comfort for months on the trail, while the zero-drop platform helps rekindle your body’s natural biomechanics (rather than being put off-kilter by excessive cushioning and support). Critics, however, say the toebox is too roomy and imprecise for technical ground, while the zero drop style risks lower leg injuries. Will you love or hate them?
It’s worth noting, however, that Altra’s zero-drop only philosophy has softened ever so slightly over the past year, shifting from exclusively zero-drop to low-drop and zero-drop offerings. The brand recently released a road shoe with a 4mm drop, for example, and further low-drop products are expected to be unveiled in the future. It is hoped these new lines will cater for consumers who believe in the wide foot-shaped toebox, but struggle to get along fully with a zero-drop platform.
Much of Altras success in the hiking market has been based on non-waterproof trainers such as the Lone Peak, now in its seventh generation. But here we put a high-ankled, waterproof version – the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid 2 – to the test.
Upper
The upper of the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid 2 is light, flexible and soft. It is super comfortable – basically a running trainer with an additional bit of ankle support in the form of a mid-top design. The ankle cuff and tongue are lightly padded, with loads of give and flex, and internally you get a waterproof bootie construction. In our eyes, this approach puts 95% of the focus on comfort and lightness, and only 5% on protection and stability.
Weighing just 385g per boot, comfort levels are excellent straight from the off, and we definitely felt light and nimble in the Lone Peaks. But there is precious little stability or rigidity here, if that’s what you’re after. The ultralight, synthetic upper construction also means that long-term durability is likely to be compromised compared to burlier pairs.
Midsole
While Altra’s zero-drop philosophy has similarities to the barefoot ‘minimalist shoe’ movement – stripped-back footwear designed to allow your feet to move more naturally, almost as if they were barefoot – the brand’s shoes are not truly minimalist. Unlike rival brands such as Vivobarefoot, Altra’s shoes and boots still feature underfoot cushioning. Indeed, Altra don’t really use the term zero-drop in their marketing and instead refer to it as “balanced cushioning”.
In the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid 2, you get a 25mm stack height of Altra EGO foam in the midsole, with a “responsive yet soft feel for increased energy return”, according to the brand. We found this adds a touch of cushion and recoil to each step, but we’d describe the all-round cushioning as moderate at best.
This boot is nowhere near as bouncy or responsive as boots with a ‘maximalist’ approach to cushioning, such as the plush midsoles of Hokas or the Inov-8 RocFly G 390 GTX, for example. Instead the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid 2 has a closer feel underfoot that’s more attuned to the trail.
If you need more cushion but want to stick to Altra, the brand does have options with higher level of cushioning - the Olympus 5 Hike has a tall 33mm stack, for example.
Outsole
The Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid 2 features a grippy DuraTread outsole unit, with a complex pattern of chevron, diamond and triangular shaped cleats. These are quite shallow (3mm by our measurements), but they are sharp and angular with good bite. We found the traction to be pretty solid across mixed terrain, but performance is far better on hiking trails rather than technical ridges or rocky scrambling.
The all-round construction is incredibly light and flexible, with virtually no rigidity whatsoever (you can almost bend the entire shoe in half). This is partly why it’s so comfortable to wear for mile after mile, but if you prefer a bit of firmness and protection in a hiking boot, you’ll find the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid 2 lacking.
Features
The standout feature is, of course, the zero-drop platform – what Altra calls its “balanced cushioning” platform, which positions your heel and forefoot at an equal distance from the ground to “encourage better alignment, better form and low impact landing”.
For those who have never worn barefoot or zero-drop boots before, it can take some time to re-adjust to such footwear. We found the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid 2s comfy straight from the box, and enjoyed wearing them. Were we a zero-drop convert? Our tester wasn't quite sold. He loves mega-cushioned footwear, and is more likely to be ‘team maximalism’ than ‘team minimalism’. But we absolutely understand the appeal.
Price and competition
At £155 the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid 2 is fairly priced in the marketplace, undercutting some comptitors like Vivobarefoot hiking boots.
In terms of performance, this boot will polarise opinion. Some will love it, others will despise it – and that’s fine, because Altra has been a Marmite-y brand since its conception. Our conclusion? Comfort levels are high and the wide toebox is superb for anyone who has suffered from crushed toes in the tapered designs of mainstream footwear.
But, inevitably, the levels of support, durability and rigidity you get are sacrificed in favour of lightness and comfort. Is this boot for you? If you fancy transitioning to the zero-drop style for a big thru-hike, it might just be the one. If you’re more traditional in your tastes, steer well clear.
Verdict
A niche boot with a distinctive design including a zero-drop platform and very wide toebox – but the design will polarise opinion.
How we tested
These hiking boots were tested by one of our top reviewers, James Forrest. James is well known in the outdoor world for undertaking huge challenges, such is climbing all 1,001 mountains across the UK and Ireland. He can be unfailingly relied upon to give his gear a proper thrashing.
James is based in the Lake District and put the Altra Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid 2 to work on the rocky crags and muddy fells of his wild home.