Customer Reviews Altra Escalante Racer

The Altra Escalante is the best race shoe ever; just got another personal best in my 5K yesterday, under 24 minutes! Perfect amount of cushion and ground feel! I don't race in anything else.

With all the changes to the original Escalante, I was concerned to order these, not knowing if they were morphed into a racer that was nothing like the first. But these are my fifth pair of racers and they are still the same great shoe! I find them about a half a size smaller than the previous racers, making them true to size, in my estimation. I really like them. I wasn't sure about the color of the Altra emblem on the side of the shoe, but it turns out it reflects as a gray color, which is what I was hoping for from the picture. I am so happy to still have a shoe to purchase that remains crafted in the same fashion of the original racers. Thank you Altra for not changing the Escalante Racers while continuing to sell this most excellent shoe!! =)

The fit on this shoe is perfect. I love the wide toe box and zero drop. It's very light and thin so my feet can breathe on a long run. Only criticism is it would not be great on a wet run.

I bough Altra Escalante last year and they were good, so when I needed another running shoe, looked for the same one again. Found this one that is mesh. I did 6 miles today and I absolutely love it. I hope when I need another pair, Altra still has the same model.

I bought the Tokyo 19 racers about 6 months ago and do 8-9 mile runs on them 2-3 times a week and they're still going strong. Some of the tread is starting to naturally wear on the bottom, less than expected actually. I love the big mesh holes for ventilation. No holes or rips to the upper part of the shoe like I usually have at this point with other shoes. I'm very pleased with how well they're holding up. I would buy these again.

First of all, I am a 6'2" 180lb man with little girl ballerina feet, so I proudly wear women's shoes. I probably put more stress on these than most women, so I thought I'd add my thoughts after three weeks. - Run perfectly to size - They do require a little break-in- especially for a mid-foot striker - which would be expected from any running shoe - After 12 runs, I can confidently say these are my favorite road shoes ever. I was breaking them in with my old pair, and I just threw the other pair out . Not just a matter of cushioning, but they feel more efficient. My pacing for easy runs and hard intervals have both increased (according to gps watch) without any increase in perceived effort. I love the lacing system and tighten them just a bit more for faster intervals. They feel super stable across the length of the foot while maintaining good road and hard-pack feel. I am primarily a trail runner, but these make me feel much better about running on the roads

I sure hope Altra makes this shoe a part of their permanent lineup-the shoes are incredible-light,responsive, comfortable. They have the perfect cushion-not too firm, not too soft- can feel the road in a good way. They mold to my feet without being at all too tight, I wear them sockless with no hotspots or rubbing. Also not too much plushness on inner of shoe (like the original Escalante) but they are so so comfortable. I have the NY version and they are super stylish-earlier Altra shoes I'd call my "baby shoes"; these babies have grown up! I'd love these exact shoes in a trail version too-just add a bit of grip to the outsole and they'd be great. Thanks Altra!

I have been a "racer" fan which started with the first Boston shoe and I just bought a 4th of July pair. These are the best shoes for me as a I am fan of a minimalist shoe and love feeling connected to the road beneath me. Can't wait for the next marathon design to be announced.

I just received my Escalante Racer '19 in black/gold. They fit like a glove! I have had a pair of Escalante for several months and the Racer is just as comfortable, maybe even better! I usually wear a 10 in sport shoes and these fit true to size. I often use Correct Toes and have them on now with the Racer, trying them out in the house. They are so comfortable and look terrific. My only concern is the integrity of the mesh by my big toes. That was a problem with my Lems (which I also love.) Just hoping a hole doesn't develop. Can't wait to try this Racer on long walks! I'm not a runner but think these will be great for everyday wear, workouts, etc.

I love this shoe. Low profile but still enough cushion. It's a road shoe & I sometimes go off road & it still works. My feet or calves don't hurt, ever, with them. Only wish they made it in berry/gray ... guess I'll try red/blue for summer. Easy on, easy off. Well vented. Dries quickly. Doubt it would be warm in the summer but that's not why I bought it

I am not an athlete. I have painful foot problems and after years of searching for shoes I can wear, someone referred me to Altra (I struggle with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - or CRPS - along with structural problems). Altra shoes are the only shoes I am able to wear pain free and without insoles or any other form of intervention. Because of Altra shoes, I am free! I put them on and I do not worry IF I walk, how LONG I walk, how FAR I walk... I just walk throughout my day and don't even think about my feet - ever! The Boston Escalante Racers are my fourth pair of Altra shoes and I am in love with them, right out of the box. They are a perfect, comfortable, light fit. The colors are true to the advertisement photo and I like the ventilation mesh. The laces fit as they should, with no gaps, as another customer mentioned. The number "19" on the inside of the shoe is something I wasn't looking forward to wearing, but the picture is much more pronounced than the actual shoe. Due to the mesh/ventilated part of the inner side of the shoe, the number is broken up enough that I can wear them without really thinking about it. As has been said for the original Escalante's, they feel like I am wearing slippers - very comfortable. I look forward to adding these to my wardrobe as I plan on purchasing the black Escalante Racers, next. Thank you, Altra. I am a happy customer, again!! =)

I've been a fan of the Altra Escalante since I found them - zero-drop, pain-free wear for those of us who have (invisible but painful) bunion issues ... the only problem was that they just got too squishy too quickly for walking and crosstraining, which is what I mostly do. This shoe is firmer, less "sloppy" and I LOOOOVE the mesh, since I get warm feet quickly and it slows me down. Extra points for a beautiful black shoe - other colors look dirty too quickly when you wear them as much as I do! More like this, pleeeeease!

I have a high arch and supinate with my right foot. My left foot seems to be neutral. Previously, I wore a size 8 in Brooks Pure Connect, size 8 in Nike Free 7.0 (2009), size 8 in Nike Free 5.0 (2014), and size 8 in 2016 Nike RN Flyknit. The Brooks Pure Connect was super comfy but my right pinky toe was livin' on the edge; I'm not sure how I didn't roll my ankle. Some inner fabric around that toe was annoying, as well. The Nike 7.0 Free was great for running but I was also cross training at the time, so it was great as a multi purpose shoe. The Nike Free 5.0 had some problematic material around the Achilles, where the material would bunch up under my heel and my ankle wanted to slide up out of that shoe. The Nike RN Flyknit was suffocating and the labels on the inside drove me nuts. Upon researching my newest running shoe, I wanted something breathable, minimal drop, and wide toe box. After much debate (and considering gel cumulus, gel nimbus, floatride, infinite, Kinvara, Pegasus, boost) I went with the Escalante Racer, size 8. I ordered it on a Monday and it came on Wednesday (no extra shipping services) and I live in the middle of nowhere. Upon pulling them out of the box, I was shocked at their light weight. The design is incredible. No annoying labels or seams. Excellent toe box, where I can actually feel and move each toe experientially inside the shoe while running. I did feel like there was more room than necessary between my toes and the upper fabric when walking, but that thought did not cross my mind when running. The laces are shorter than I'm accustomed to, but that can be cheaply solved. If anything, it may run 1/4 size bigger than my other shoes. I don't wear socks and I don't think the sizing difference is a big deal, especially for running. They are plenty breathable and (drumroll) not annoying, so I guess now I have no excuses not to run!

The Tokyo model is the best ever! I adore the Escalante Racer, and this is my third pair. I was just wishing that Altra had a shoe in black with gold trim, when lo and behold, this beauty appeared online! It feels great, super light, and it's stylish enough to wear anywhere. The only quibble I have, and this goes for all Altras, is that the sole is thick and stiff. I really wish you guys would make a shoe with a thin flexible sole. I must have the foot shape, but I'd love a properly minimalist option as well. That would be perfection.

Awesome quality shoe. The cushion is perfect. The fit is amazing. This is best shoe I've ever worn. So light, so flexible, so much ground feel, yet so responsive. Got the shoe in 3 days.