Customer Reviews Altra Solstice

Bought this shoe not knowing what to expect. At first it thought it was going to be too stiff without enough cushion. I was wrong! After breaking them in they turned out to be one of the best shoes I've owned for road running. Have about 400 miles on them with distances up to about 20 miles. Love them. If you are looking for a soft shoe, look at the Escalante or Kayenta. If you are looking for a light weight zero drop firm feel for long distance, these are on the money,

I bought a discounted pair of these shoes at a half marathon expo and ran the half marathon in them the next day. Wonderful shoes! The snug lacing keeps my foot in place but the toe box is not cramped - I had no blackened toenails or soreness. Felt like I was running barefoot on a mossy trail. Best shoes I've run in in years - including another pair of Altras and many many Hokas.

So... these shoes immediately feel like home. Fast, light, flexible and comfortable as h***. They are genuinely the best running shoes I've ever had (I've owned many, many types, brands and styles). So.. what's the catch? In my eyes, there's only one. Durability of the outsole. Just based on the materials, you won't get the durablity to be running 400-500 miles in them. For me, I'd rather LOVE a shoe for fewer miles than tolerate a shoe for 500 miles.

I've been wearing zero-drop and minimalist shoes for over 10 years. I've tried to stick to minimalist shoes. (For those not "in the know", Altra shoes are zero drop, but far from minimalist. With a minimalist shoe, you want very little padding to stimulate proprioception.) After about 10 years of running in more minimalist shoes, I started to get pain in my ankles. I have since greatly backed off my running because of the ankle pain. I'm not saying that the minimalist shoes did or did not cause the ankle pain, but I thought I'd give Altra another try to see if a little extra cushioning would help. So I switched from my Merrell Trail Gloves, which fit beautifully and very comfortably, to these. I took the insoles out to get a little lower stack height but still get an extra 5mm of cushioning over the MTGs. So far, running in these is like running on clouds, but you know, firm clouds. Cuz I wanted to stay low and firm. They're lovely. I also took the awesome spongey 5mm insoles out and threw them in my daily casual shoes, Xero's, which were too firm and uncomfortable. (The Xero's are somehow actually MORE firm than walking barefoot. Don't ask how, I have no idea.) The insoles were great for a week, but after a week the insoles became compressed. Now they offer minimal additional padding. I can't blame them too much, that's not really what they're meant for, but they definitely didn't last. My only real qualm with these is the "foot shape". They're really curved. Maybe I'm weird, but my feet are mostly straight. These are curved around the arch. My MTGs seem to be made more for straighter feet, while New Balance Minimus tend to have foot curvature similar to these but more extreme. NB Minimus compress and rub on my pinky and "ring" toes. These shoes have a similar but less severe curvature. I can wear them. They're super comfy, and don't rub, but I have tons of room by the big toe. Other than this small not-so-foot shaped issue, I love these shoes, think they're grea

Great shoe, I wear these daily for both running and casual use

I use the shoe in the gym 3x weekly and for short runs < 5 mi. It's very lite weight and comfortable. The minimal cushion works well for my style of training. Lace length is perfect and always stay tied. Using a runners lacing system at the top, keeps my foot from sliding forward. Excellent shoe!

With a wide foot, due genetic bunions, it's problematic to find a great fit; after 4+ decades with NB and others, I discovered Solstice via Charleston's Fleet Feet. The Solstice shoe probably isn't what you want if you're a high-miler, but for day over day gym-work, biking and short runs - it punches above it's weight class (pun intended) and price point, and gives good feedback as you wear it. Light, fits like a slipper, Fit it to YOUR size, and try it.

I went up a half size from my usual size. I tend to do this for Altras. Fits comfortable enough to wear all day and feels great during a workout. Not sure what the other reviews are complaining about with the seams...? These are very lightweight, but seem very durable as well - I've had them for over a month at this point.

Fits great. No significant design concerns. As long as they hold up for some decent miles, then I'd buy them again.

Have used these for casual wear, sped walking, weight lifting - still look and feel great after more than year

I got this shoe for my track days/cross training days. Now I am sure the HIIT is going to be better for lifting, but this shoe is light and fast. Honestly, I have been spending more time in them just kickin' around town because they're comfortable and I think they look pretty slick.

Awesome shoe. It's on the minimal side of the spectrum, but if you enjoyed the old Altra One's, these are a great comparison. The fit feels like a handmade moccasin, the heel cup is super supportive, and the ride is responsive. These are great for training and racing

Light,great fit,just the right amount of bounce. Slow recovery runs to speed work, all good.

These are my favorite Altra's of all time. Please never stop making them!

I agree with the other reviewers. This is the best Altra shoe ever. My feet feel so good in them. They are not as rigid as the other Altra shoes, which gives more of a natural feel to them. The toe box is nice and large, and if you are conditioned to run in zero-drop shoes, will not experience the problems of plantar fasciitis in them. I know because I have dealt with this in the past, but not in these shoes. Only complaints I have is that the insoles can slip up my ankles during hard workouts (especially during sprints), which just means you have to glue them down, and the tread is also not good on wet trails, but they handle dry trails just fine.

Super lightweight and perfect for wide feet. Tons of room for the toes to move around freely. Great if you want to go for a quick run. I ran a 10k in these and they did good but I don't recommend running farther than that in these because there isnt enough cushion and support to run long distances. They were made for short distance running so keep that in mind. If you just like running here and there a few days a week for a few miles, these shoes are for you.

I love the fit of these shoes, locked down through the heel and arch, plenty of room in the toe box. Almost like the merrell trail glove in that category. A lot firmer cushion than the ONE or escalante, which I have appreciated while integrating more speed work into my training. When I'm not sinking into the cushioning of the shoe, I can have a lot quicker turnover. Road feel is reminiscent of some bygone minimal shoes (original NB minimums road) but still enough protection that I can rotate it into my daily mileage runs. I can feel the seam that some reviewers are talking about, but it doesn't bother me when I get running. Hopefully altra addresses that without changing the fit.

the best shoes for my flat feet that had problems wearing all kind of shoes like Saucaony, Asics, Nike ... This shoe is also one for all .. Running, Lifting and Walking ... Without socks they feel like barefoot and i haven't had such a comfort for a while... good job Altra ....