Customer Reviews Altra Escalante Racer

I'm no runner - but in a recent quest for a good hiking shoe - I found Altra's Lone Peak 5. Love them. I wanted a more casual trainer/workout shoe. I looked around for a pair to try on in any retail location and found nothing. I took a chance and ordered these - loved everything about them - looks - description - reviews... I'm 6'3" - 210 - active. These are amazing out of the box. No discomfort issues. Been wearing them all day. Just in time for the summer, too. Glad I took a chance on these. I'll be exploring more Altra going forward.

Nice and responsive for a fast run. Also, been working well on distance runs. I think this shoe will hold up well under wet weather conditions. Appears to be capable of drying quickly.

Love the closer feel to the ground with the slimmer sole. Ran 6 miles and feet felt great.

These are the best running shoes I have found. They are not for everyone since they have a wide forefoot and are very lightweight. I use them for my everyday runs on a paved greenway. I enjoy the push-off and the cushioned ride. They are also great on trails as they shed water due to the mesh upper. I am a 63 year old FEMALE. I buy the men's version because I can no longer find the women's version in my size. I certainly hope these don't go out of style. However, I have bought about 20 pairs so I think I may be covered.

Very comfortable with no break in period needed. The mesh design is very breathable but does feel weird if not wearing socks.

I bought these because I have narrow feet. They fit exactly how I wanted them to. I have been wearing Altras for 6 years now, and they never cease to amaze me with how comfortable they are. Thanks!!

Great lightweight and breathable road shoe with a responsive level of cushioning. A good racing shoe has enough cushioning to provide you with ease of movement on the road but not so much you lose responsiveness or add extra weight. I think Altra hits the nail on the head here. I actually like these more than the regular Escalantes as a daily trainer because the regular Escalanate's cushioning is a bit too soft for me. The upper mesh on the racer is extremely breathable AND durable, the tread is pretty durable too. I actually wish Altra would take this concept and make a replica for their trail shoe line up. While it's nice to have super beefy trail shoe options, I think a lightweight and thinner trail racer shoe would be a hit for so many people (currently no Altra trail shoe has this much breathability in the upper). The Escalante Racer is perfect for me in daily training as well as racing 5ks to a road marathon. If they had a trail version of this shoe, I'd wear it for all of my trail races, including the Leadville 100.

The best support for either walking or running.

This shoe captured my heart. After 900 miles, they just started to allow moisture in through the soles. Bought another pair, ready for the next 900!

I bought my size 91/2 and it was difficult to get my feet in them without a shoehorn. Once I did it's like a custom fit as in -- fits like a glove. My left foot didn't like these for a week but it seems to have gotten used to them now and I got say -- these are great, superlight speed demons.

So far so good, I enjoy the width of these compared to others, no complaints from me.

they feel great

These are exactly what I wanted. I've tried minimalist shoes but I wanted something that looked better and had a bit of cushion but still had zero drop. They're very light, very comfortable, and pretty sick looking. They have pretty much the perfect amount of cushioning. I have relatively narrow feet so I did get half size down but they fit perfectly. My only thing is there should be a picture to show how meshy they are because that took me by surprise a bit.

Hi. Just switched back to Altra after acquiring some unshakeable minor injuries over the years. Running almost pain free now immediately. This Escalante Racer is my dream shoe come true: - Lightweight with minimal structure - No gimmicks - Soft and firm in all the right ways Please never change this shoe and never stop making it. Please and thank you! Seriously please don't change it and never stop making it.

This is my favorite running shoe by far. I've used it training and racing for both 5k's and marathons. It is lightweight with a firm/responsive feel. Provides cushioning while still letting you feel the ground underfoot. Very breathable in warm weather but I've also trained through the winter without cold feet - I live in PA and ran a November marathon with no issues. I hope Altra keeps it in the lineup without changes.

Hitting new records on simple zone 2 runs pretty much immediately after purchasing. Excited to wear these during my next race!!!

I have been using the Escalate for a year now, and I bought the Racer in the beginning of marathon training a couple months ago. Amazing shoe, great response, excellent fit. I'm buying it again.

The zero drop has been key to returning my gait to what I remember it many decades ago when shoes were not so padded. As I got older people said to get more padded shoes but no one discussed the drop and its implications depending on how your legs are proportioned. Getting back to zero drop allows my longer Achilles to fully stretch and in turn allow my hips and other joints to also again do their job without pain. Just ease into the mileage.

This is undoubtedly the best running shoe I've ever owned. Excellent ground feel but with just enough cushion and perfect amount of toe box space. Please never quit making this shoe.

My Altra Escalante racers get between five and six hundred miles before I feel I need give them up for training. I have two pairs in circulation at any given time. I use them for all my road running, track and a lot of trails too. I'm on my 5th and 6th pair; it's safe to say I'm a fan. After I decommission a pair of shoes, they are still perfectly usable for less strenuous activities. I keep a pair around as sneakers until the next one wears out. The Escalante Racer's former city theme was great... I qualified for the Boston Marathon running in Bostons. I'm sure they gave me an edge when thought of my destination emblazoned on my ankles. Covid got in the way of the event, but the qualification stands! I switched to Altras after having been very happy running in Mizuno Hitogamis for my first few years as a runner. I would have continued with the Mizunos but they were discontinued and I cast about for a new shoe before finding Altra Torin and then these lovelies. The Mizunos were great shoes. But when I tried out the Altras I found that they had been lacking in a few ways. Since switching to Altras I've had not a single blister or corn. I had no idea what "foot shaped" meant until I realized there's a shoe that just doesn't squeeze or chafe or rub, it's just there making your run feel great. Compared to my previous shoes, the Escalante Racers are very light on the foot, cool and pleasant to slip on and off. They have little in the way of cushioning. If you like a cushy ride, Altra has other shoes for you; I'm after the feel of the road and the feeling of flight, and the Escalante Racers deliver. The airy cool upper combines with the light soles for perfect all weather running in Cali. I've got Altra trail shoes for more rugged terrain or inclement conditions, but for everyday training and racing I don't feel I need to look any further than the Escalante Racer.

I use these shoes for most of my miles, and they are holding up great. They are both more minimal and softer than the Torin 4 and the Torin 4.5 plush, and they have a much better upper than the Escalante 2.5. Please never stop making this shoe exactly how it is. I race and do tempo work in high drop super shoes, but I run most of my miles at all sorts of paces in these shoes, and I never ever want to stop.