Men's Altra Instinct 1.5

Comments about Mens Altra Instinct 1.5 Running Shoe:

It is great to see Altras at Road Runner at last. I have had mine for about six months now, and have run on dirt roads, asphalt, concrete and snow/mud/ice. They are not perfect, but they are my new all time favorites.

This shoe is a little hard on the eyes. The bright orange, the giant ALTRA logo, the wide toe box and zero drop sole make this the ugly duckling of shoes. It is not sleek and form fitting like some minimalist shoes, but for me that is a mark in the "plus" column. Form fitting shoes never fit my feet, which are 4E wide, maybe a little wider on the left. The sole is thickly padded, but doesn't have a cushioned feel. This should help it absorb the shock of a foot strike on concrete, or the pointy tip of a rock, without losing the autonomous reaction to a natural foot strike.

There are two footbeds included with the shoe. One is a traditional running shoe footbed with some arch support and a little heel rise. The other is a flat pad, called the "strenghen" footbed. At first I called it the "tiring" footbed, but slowly transitioned to it anyway. Who wants to say they don't use the "strengthen" footbed? I think my feet actually look different - stronger - after months of running with no arch support.

Before the Altras I had run in shoes with heel drops of 8mm, and 4mm, but even the lower heel drop shoes didn't prepare me for the feeling of running in these shoes. The shoes feel wide, low, stable and light. My toes can wiggle around and spread out - a delightful feeling. I went up a full size so I could be sure to have plenty of toe-wiggling room and as much width as possible. The total lack of heel rise allowed me to achieve a midfoot strike without pointing my toe down or placing my foot behind me. As a result these shoes felt "right" from the first step of my trial run at the store.

Here are some random observations. I hardly ever try to turn my ankle any more, either because of the low heel or wide sole. The smooth soles don't grip on snow, and might not be too good for steep sandy trails. I wear my shoes loose, but even so I am not sure I would feel confident taking these on a technical trail. The shoes are covered with a fine mesh that seems to tear easily, especially on either side where the toe guard drops down to meet the sole. The sole is durable. The laces untie themselves. Compared to my 8mm drop shoes, I was about 1/2mph faster on the treadmill, which was the only place I made a careful speed comparison. The widest part of the shoe is not at the widest part of my foot - I wish it was a little wider there. When I put on my old traditional running shoes, I find the heel to be quite annoying now.

I transitioned carefully from 8mm drop shoes, and never had any calf pain. However, just a few weeks ago I picked up the pace and ended up with a sore achilles tendon for the first time ever, one of the common midfoot strike injuries. We probably need much more time than we think to really transition from high heeled running shoes.

Comments about Mens Altra Instinct 1.5 Running Shoe:

Had been using it for 6 miles runs, they are the most comfortable shoe up to date (4 years of 30 plus mile per week, more than 20 pair of shoes, different brands) They are everything the advertised. Waited 5 months to arrived, worth the wait.

Comments about Mens Altra Instinct 1.5 Running Shoe:

I've been running in zero-drop and minimalist shoes for months now and they did help me pick up my pace and have less problems with joints which I attribute to the flexibility. I thought I give Altra's a try because of the good reviews and awards. I do like some cushioning as I am not a waif but I'm not a Clydesdale either about the 163-167 range. I ran in these shoes twice and to say anything about cushioning in the description is just incorrect. These shoes have none. Also when I turned sharp I thought my ankle was going to cave-in with very little side support. The wide toe box sounded good to me but it was too wide for my foot. I'm sure these shoes are good for some runners who want that near barefoot experience but they were not good for me. I'm going back to Brooks Pure.

Comments about Mens Altra Instinct 1.5 Running Shoe:

Great shoe for anyone looking to move to a "minimal" shoe. Low heal promotes running more on the mid to front of the foot and not back on the heal. Seems to be more efficient for me and I feel like I have more energy on runs. I have used this shoe on runs from five miles to ten miles and have been happy with the performance at both distances.

Comments about Mens Altra Instinct 1.5 Running Shoe:

I am 6'3" and 225lbs. I run with a midfoot strike. I'm in the military. I run at least 25-30 miles a week. These Altra's are my preferred running shoe. They are perfect for those looking for a minimalist type shoe that provides a good amount of shock absorption. The wide toe box is roomy but not loose and the heel feels locked in. I am an Altra-maniac!