Customer Reviews Altra Instinct 4.5

I put 1100 miles on these shoes, and I still run in them. I wish I knew what the successor shoe to these was as I'd definitely buy another pair.

This is a great shoe. Very comfortable. I have had the shoes for four years. They were comfortable from The first second I put them on. I have four different styles of Altra's and every one is comfortable Great shoes.

I weigh 340 and run Tabata drills every morning. In the afternoon I walk anywhere from 1 to 3 miles, depending on how hard I push myself, at anywhere between 10 to 15% incline on the treadmill. I've really put these shoes through their paces, and I love them! I also wear them for work, everywhere else. I'm going to buy another pair very soon, because this pair is getting ready for retirement.

Great shoe. Just got back from a 5 mile road run. No strain, no sore spots... just comfort and support. Nice cushion without feeling to much so. Am a barefoot runner, but love the softness that is perfecr.

300 miles on this shoe. Really enjoyed the feel. Third pair of Altra's I have purchased (Impulse and Provision 3.0). Always content with their product.

I busted my right ankle yrs ago & gave up on gym shoes because they all HURT my foot.....the design on these however works like magic...plenty of room in the toes works great. It like is a whole new life!

Really like the Instinct 4.5. Upper is very roomy and comfortable. Nice cushioned ride and stylish look. I'm encouraged that Altra is looking for ways to improve their products year after year.

My first Altra experience was the Instinct 3.0. I liked the shoe well enough. The cheap mesh/fuse upper fit well, the basic EVA/"Abound" combo felt surprisingly responsive, and it was light. I thought it would be a stellar shoe with upgraded cushioning and more durable upper/outsole. Then the Escalante came out, and it seemed like it would supplant the Instinct line as a premium shoe with moderate stack height, but my forefoot would not be contained. The Escalante 2 had a more structured upper, but the cushioning had been somewhat muted. That, and I don't run enough to justify the $130.00 MSRP. This led me back to the Instinct line. The 4.5 addresses most of my concerns with the 3.0. The outsole is full rubber; no issues with grip or durability, and the extra weight is a welcome trade-off. The engineered mesh is not noticeably heavier than the original but it feels more durable and structured than the Instinct 3.0 and original Escalante. I'd say it moves with the foot almost as well as the Escalante 2, and it's one of the best looking mesh shoes I've seen. Looks aren't critically important but the black/red combo is fire. Two issues keep me from liking the shoe. First, the heel looks and feels like the original HIIT XT: plush, doesn't slip but still never feels truly secure. The last two laces are maybe 5mm too far forward. Second, the cushioning feels like the original, but heavier and firmer than the 3.0, even with a thicker insole. The firm midsole with thick insole feels great to step into or while walking, but it feels strange to run in. I notice a bit less bounce than the original, but that could be due to the extra five years and 20 lbs I'm lugging around these days. I hope it breaks in as well as the original, which felt pretty good until the upper fell apart. In closing, it's probably the best Instinct so far but it falls just short of the Escalante 2. I may end up liking the Instinct 4.5 after all, but this may be my last Instinct purchase.

Hi I've had 2 pairs of instinct 4's and have loved them but I know theyre being phased out. Checking to see how the 4.5's compare to the 4's? Thanks.

This is my 6th pair of Instincts. I deeply enjoyed the minimalist feel of the previous ones. The 4.5's are at least a full size bigger than the mold that they used to make the shoes upon. I don't feel that the construction is as sturdy as the older versions and my front toe is coming unglued from the fabric. Some of that may simply be because the new shoe is a full size bigger than what I normally wear. This shoe is easily an inch longer than the size 9 I always wear.

What can I say? It's an average pair of shoes. It's sole is mostly symmetrical from toe to heel, the density of the sole is cushioned but not too much, and the toe box provides ample room for the toes. What I dislike about the shoe however is the sole feels a bit too soft. When you have a soft sole you have to push harder into the sole to find a stable position to push off of. For example, if you were to compare push off times between running in sand against running on asphalt. With sand, you have to push a small hole into the ground around the forefoot to be able to move forward, whereas on asphalt there is an immediate stable position to push off of (but it's just a hard surface, so not great for barefoot running). Overall, not a bad shoe.

I have run in Altras for years. Torins, Provision, Instincts as road shoes, others on the trails. The road shoes always felt grippy and stable even on wet roads. I received the new Instinct 4.5 yesterday and ran them this morning on wet roads. Slick and unstable and slippery. What has changed? A new outsole material and/or new outsole configuration? Whatever it is, these are miserable on wet roads. I am sure I will use them when dry or even on trails, but it is a big disappointment to slip and slide on the wet road this morning.

The instinct line has steered far away from what it once was back in the 2.0 line. Arguably the driving force of what used to make Altra unique to when compared to other brands. On top of deviating from their design principles, the overall quality of manufacturing has declined also. I am lucky to get 150 miles out of a pair of Altras these days.

I'm being wearing Altra shoes for a long period of time and this shoe is the first one I have tell it feels weird on your feet. Runs almost a full size larger than regular and have basically no lateral support. I'm spending more time trying to adjust my shoe laces to make them fit than running on them.

I have been wearing these shoes since the 2.5, and have loved them for both running and day to day activity. This version removed the form heel counter that all previous versions had, making it a fundamentally different shoe. With out a from heel counter this shoe is reduced to a slipper. I am a rehab professional, and often make shoe recommendations to folks. The instinct in its previous incarnations was great due to the zero drop, wide toe box, but still light cushioning and firmness to give that great happy medium between a shoe that offers some support with freedom. Without a firm heel counter, your foot is lost in a shoe. This shoe was on the list for some; but no longer. Happy to return to Altra if firm heel counters are taken back up in the future, but for now I will have to find a different shoe.

I have worn every version starting with 3.0. I am a big guy that has a hard time finding comfortable shoes. Finding the Instinct line was great. Out of the box the shoe felt great. This has all changed with version 4.5. The changes that have been made to the shoe don't work for my feet. I am sad to write this review as I have loved past versions of this shoe. Still a great company and I will recommend them any chance I get.