Customer Reviews Altra Superior 3.5

Excellent trail shoes. I run, er, plod along on rocky, rooty, muddy coastal trails in Maine. I am a big guy (210) and they have plenty of cushion without feeling pillowy or heavy. The included plastic insole for rocks does the job. My feet are ugly with bunions and these still fit with no hotspots, so the huge toe box works for me. These are admittedly incredibly dorky looking shoes, but I don't wear them to look cool.

I loved the Altra Superior 2.0 and this is a worthy successor. The fit and quality is still great. If you like the superior and are looking for a road shoe, I might recommend the Solstice to you.

Wore them for a 5 mile trail race right out of the box with no issues!

This being my second pair of Altra shoes, I expected the same quality and fit as the first. Was not disappointed. The broad toe box is faaantastic since my foot is that exact shape. Great for the gym, mud runs, and then clean easily enough for everyday. By lunch on the first day of a recent 4 day backpacking trip, my boots had worn two blisters on each foot. Luckily I had brought my Altras for camp shoes as they became my primary shoe for the next 3 days. They offered more comfort, better grip, and flex on the rocks and roots. From then on, they became my go to hiking shoe.

These shoes are wonderful for two main reasons. 1. The wider toe box is simply amazing as it allows for my toes to spread to a more natural position and not be confined into a point! 2. The toe box is only surpassed by the zero-drop style, meaning there is virtually no drop between the heel and the toe - a person is not forced to walk on a wedge. The result for me is a much more natural gate and has helped with some minor joint pain (knee, hips) and it simply feels wonderful! The problem - I love these shoes so much that I feel like I am turning into my father - I had the thought that I should purchase a dozen pairs just in case something happens in which these shoes (brand) are no longer available! Seriously, these shoes are wonderful!!

Ordered the current version (3.5) of this shoe based on light weight and the roomy toe box, which is a game-changing feature to this reviewer. Last version (2.0?) were retired way before the tread died, due to several tears in the very fragile upper material, which could not be described as "trail-ready," in any sense of the term. If your trail features any kind of rock, root, or thorn, don't expect much longevity. The upper on this version seems to be equally light and fragile, but will withhold judgment until more miles are accumulated. This version also features a larger toe rand than the prior version, but it too seems too lightweight for its job. Gaiter loop and hook are nice features, and useful. Tread pattern is aggressive, and offers good traction in relatively flat, dry and/or loose conditions. However, the outsole compound is a disaster in wet or moist conditions: feels like running on ice when rocks, roots or other trail features are even damp. Hence, virtually useless in wet or rainy conditions. (Literally--My Olukai slides have better wet traction than this rubber!) So I'm left wondering what the market for this shoe is. I guess if your trail running is confined to non-technical, dry terrain, these might fit the bill. How can Altra honestly market this as a general train runner, given the awful outsole compound, and the frail upper material?

TRUE: fit, size, and style... as expected.

These are a great pair of Altras; I actually like the style! The built in gaiter attachments are a nice touch. I've run through wet ground (not submerged, yet) and had no problems. These already felt broken in as soon as I got them. True to size based on my foot measurements and the provided sizing chart. Wide toe box, zero drop, standard Altra features are on point. Not much to say other than they're a quality pair of Altras!

Stoked, love the broad toe box. Cushy for a zero drop.

I haven't been able to find a truly comfortable shoe for years now and had resigned myself to the fact i could only wear asic now. Altra changed that! I am 49 very active and didn't realize that my foot had gotten wider( toe splay). i am already looking for more altra shoes to buy. I liked them so much my wife got some 6 days later! btw I am 5'11" 230 lb and the zero drop with minimal cushion(compared to asics ) feels great. very high quality shoe!

These shoes are excellent, I wear them for gym, work, trail running, and for everyday wear with jeans. Love the style love the feel. I have flat feet and these leave my feet feeling refreshed instead of stressed. I will be exploring other Altras

Felt true to size and width. Comfortable. Nice cushion in footbed.

I really like the style, the comfortable footbed, everything is great, but I returned them because I found the superior 3.0 to be more comfortable, and cheaper. On this 3.5 version the tongue is attached to the shoe with some fabric, and that fabric is noticeable to me ( I have super sensitive feet). I do recommend these shoes. They are great, but I prefer the previous model because the tongue is not attached to the side of shoe, thus does not have excess fabric on inside of shoe.

I was inspired to buy a pair of Altras after hearing multiple friends sing their praises. I like these shoes but I had some misconceptions when purchasing that I can hopefully help you avoid. These are not cushioned shoes. Not in the typical road shoe sense. They're comfortable for walking on pavement and for trail running (the tread has fantastic bite), but you're going to have a bad time running in these on any hard surface unless you're used to running on pavement in minimalist shoes. They definitely change your stride for the better. The lack of a heel gives these a fast feel, but take it slow - your legs and feet are going to be doing more work then they might be used to as they adjust to a mid/forefoot strike. These honestly don't look was bad in person at I thought they would. Altras don't have a "pretty" shape and you won't win any beauty contests in these, but they don't look bad at all. So, buy these if you want a significantly less cushy, but more natural-feeling shoe that still protects your feet and does a fantastic job on-trail.

I've run in Altras for running 5ks, 10ks, and half-marathons for the last few years. I prefer to wear a run-capable sneaker as a casual shoe (sometimes I run places spontaneously), so I gave these a shot. They're sufficient. They have much, much more padding on the top of the foot than Altra One V3 and also have a wider lace closure (the two sides of the shoe can't be laced as close), so it feels like a much snugger fit than the One V3. It feels TOO snug for me, especially when using Lock Laces. Speaking of Lock Laces, it took me about about 20 minutes to lace them up because the shoe's eyelets are so small. Overall, it's a good shoe. It's my daily walking/biking sneaker and serves me well when I want to run a quarter- or half-mile from here to there on a whim instead of moseying.

First, to be fair in this review, I am a size 11.5 or 12.0 female. Altra DOES NOT MAKE SHOES IN MY SIZE so I had to go with a men's size 11. As expected, the heel and arch area are a bit wide, designed for a man's foot, but I have to put up with the slippage. I wanted these shoes for the roomy toe box, and it is wonderful. Pure heaven, as I have 2 painful corns on each foot due to the poor design of women's shoes I have had to wear. I am very limited in choices of shoes because not many manufacturers truly design a larger size shoe for a WOMEN'S last. These men's shoes will do the trick, but I am asking Altra here, PLEASE MAKE A TRUE SIZE 11.5 AND 12.0 FOR A WOMEN'S FOOT. PLEASE! These shoes with the roomy toe box are just so great!!!! No more squished, uncomfortable, damaged toes. I wear these for farm work, running around town anything at all.