Customer Reviews Altra Superior 4

Went 9 miles the first time with these. Love the big toe box but didn't slide around in them laterally like my Escalantes. Definitely recommend using the rock guard. You can still feel rocks through the sole though. No ankle rolling risk for me due to the low profile sole. Sooooo comfortable right out of the box.

I LOVE THIS SHOE! Its light, its fast, and it helps me feel connected to the ground. Overall it is an amazing update over the 3.5 but the best part for me is the new midsole. The cushion is just enough to let me go the distance but still be responsive and light. 11 out of 10.

I run in it. It feels like a shoe.

In the Midwest, you're talking mostly grass, dirt, sand and small rocks over flat terrain. These are perfect for all of that. The stoneguard is great for smaller stones. I wouldn't run without them in these shoes. I can't speak to running boulders, deep water, etc in these. Have used these in dry conditions on small rocks. My feet are somewhat wide and width is comfortable.

All of my shoes are too narrow and have been starting to hurt my feet. My small toe would break its way out of most of my shoes eventually. I needed a good all-around trainer/trail runner/daily summer shoe that was wide enough for my feet. These are just what I was looking for. I like low profile shoes and some Altra models seem fairly bulky. These look and feel great. They do make my feet run a bit warmer than other shoes but I can get past that. The fabric these are made from seems durable and attractive.

I have been running in Superior shoes for a while and the 4 has several enhancements that I like: the reinforcement on the inside of the arch, the wraparound instead of a big padded tongue (the one on the 3.5 was almost comical), the absence of the weird "fin" on the back (that mostly kicked up sand when I ran in and across riverbeds), and the more durable Quantic sole. While I really like the MegaGrip on the King MT, those shoes seem narrower than the Superiors and KILL my feet after a few miles. This new sole is a step in the right direction: it has been durable enough so far to handle the 3-5 miles I run on roads to get to and from the trails, which is really nice. I was burning through the soles on my 3.0 and 3.5's pretty fast and was considering using a different pair and swapping at the trailhead -- with these, I think I don't need to do that. They're as comfortable as anything else I have, so they've got a winner for me: I picked up another pair to keep in reserve.

Purchased the Superior 4 in gray/lime. This is a wonderful athletic shoe and I own the Torin's and older version of the Lone Peak. If you need significant cushioning for rocky trails, I suggest going with the Timp 1.5 Trail or the new Lone Peaks. My forefoot can feel the rocks and/or pavement with these Superiors but I will lean towards using them for walking the dog, travelling or wearing to the office. If you live in the Eastern U.S. with cushy soil on the trails rather than rock, you'll be fine. Kudos to Altra for making a good looking shoe! It's streamlined and sporty, fits my normal shoe size at 10.5 perfectly.

Okay, this is the first "zero drop" shoe I've ever owned, and the first "trail running" shoe I've ever owned. I literally just got back from my first morning jog wearing them, and I'm COMPLETELY stoked on them! My "min per mile time" already went down a little, and they just felt so much easier to run in than my Asics. Here's the deal: Yes, the toe box is wide, and I love it. They're not meant to "scrunch" the front of your foot, and yet they still feel nice and supportive up in the lacing area. These are incredibly light, and it was SO nice to go for a run without feeling like I had weights attached to my feet. It's definitely a "step" toward feeling like you're running barefoot (< --- pun intended). Now look, you can't make an incredibly light shoe that's also incredibly durable, it doesn't take a scientist to figure that out. But I will say, I also checked out the Merrell Trail Glove 4's, and these Altra's definitely seem more "robust". These also have a removable insole, which the Trail Glove 4's do not, in case you wanna swap them out at any point. If you haven't figured out yet, these are made for dirt. Hiking, trail running, etc. So don't buy these and then go running on a wet road and slip and fall and then leave a 1-star review :) Lastly, yes, the laces are too long. Oh well. If you're like me, you can find the creativity to mitigate that minor issue. It's a small hiccup in an otherwise brilliantly designed shoe, and I'm not sweating it. I don't know enough about the benefits of "zero drop" to really into it, but I do believe it's good for your bones, back, and overall body. All I know is, these shoes are SUPER COMFY. I highly HIGHLY recommend them.

I bought these shoes for an obstacle race. Truth is I loved them so much I made them my every day shoe. I cannot take them to race day because I don't want to destroy them. I will be replacing most of my shoes with Altras this year. Cannot wait. This is why I love them: 1. Toe box 2. Supper light 3. Low to the ground, more stable 4. Option for Gaiters 5. Awesome design

First off, I'm a diehard Altra fan, so read into that what you will. But I've also tested quite a few of their models over the years to varying degrees of success. Over the summer and fall, I was perfectly content with switching off between my Escalantes and Soltices, depending on trail or road. But once the snow and ice came, I was slipping all over the place, so I needed a little more traction in my life. I had purchased the King MT 1.5s last year to use on the snow, but they were a little too stiff in the cold and they squeezed my arches too much. The 4s are the first Superiors I've tried, and I absolutely love them. Coming from someone who wears light shoes (like the Solstice and Kayenta) for 9 months out of the year, I'm very happy with the lightweight, yet cushioned feel of the Superiors. They have enough traction to give you a little boost in packed or unpacked snow, but not too much to where it feels like you're lifted off the ground and balancing on the traction areas. The upper knit is comfortable and breathable (yet doesn't let your feet get soaked when running through deep snow). I've never used the Stone Guards that came with them, but I also don't feel I've missed them. Two things that could be improved: 1) The laces are too dang long. A common complaint rallied against Altra, I know, but c'mon guys. These ones are almost comically long. 2) The new TrailClaw works really well on standard trails and dirt when going up or down hills, but when the dirt is very compacted or compacted and a little wet, the way the "hook" structure of the grip is can make going downhill a bit treacherous. I've had a few slips when going downhill on wet, compact dirt that make me wish the front grip section wasn't as angled as it is. Overall, these are a great pair of shoes for the trail, snow, or grass - especially for those who like a lighter ride and don't want to sign up for the high cushioned thrill ride of the Lone Peaks.

Feet as a fresh after my walk as they were before.

Been running in the Superiors for awhile, and usually rotate with the Lone Peaks on trails. This shoe has an improved upper, really fits my foot well, and has excellent traction. When I put on the shoe I feel fast, comfortable, and confident. I love the lightness, but still feel like I have protection from tough surfaces if need be. Altra's trail lineup is excellent, and this is my favorite one of the group. I love how Altra is always working on improving already awesome shoes, and with every new model it seems they work hard to fix small things from the older models that have caused trouble (ie the seams on the upper in this model). Fantastic shoe!

After putting in a a few solid runs in this shoe I am super thrilled with the v.4. This is an amazing update to an already amazing shoe. The new upper material is stretchy yet durable and breathes well. The new tongue wrap gives it a nice and secure fit. The quantic midsole is amazing, soft yet responsive. I am also a big fan of the Maxtrac outsole and the amazing grip it provides.

Hands down, the most straight-out-of-the-box comfortable athletic shoes I've ever worn! I went from taking them out of the box directly to a two-hour training session and couldn't have been happier with the fit, feel, and performance. They are super light, have great traction, and felt like they had been broken in for weeks already. I am so glad I added the Superior 4s to my arsenal of Altras!

Hands down, the most straight-of-the-box comfortable athletic shoes I've ever worn! I went from taking them out of the box directly to a two-hour training session and couldn't have been happier with the fit, feel, and performance. They are super light, have great traction, and felt like they had been broken in for weeks already. I am so glad I added the Superior 4s to my arsenal of Altras!

Been a fan of this shoe since the 3.0! If you're looking for a lighter, springier version of the superior with better lockdown, this is your shoe! I got two because it is so great!

Light, comfortable, responsive, durable. The best version of an already amazing lineup.

I have been a Superior fan since the 1.0! The only one I did not buy was the 3.5 and tried the KingMT/1.5 hoping to find a shoe closer to the Superior 2/2.5. They were a little less than I needed for long distance (100K-100M) so hoping this would fit the gap. HANDS DOWN this is the best version yet. It is soft (pliable over rough terrain), responsive and LIGHT! Really it makes you want to run faster, what's wrong with that? The only question is, which color to I get next?!

I love the fit of the Superior 4 - much more so than the 3.5, which was hard for me to get a secure fit through the rearfoot and went into early retirement as my painting/yardwork shoe. One note: I am a female who wears men's running shoes due to a wider foot and a mixed bag of MTP joint problems on one foot managed well with Altras. Pros: - The upper is softer for the S4, with better lockdown on the laces. The most proximal loops for extra security are a little useless, which will hopefully be fixed in the next iteration. - Very light, very flexible, even with the little rock guard in there. - They dry quickly - don't expect to keep your feet dry but know that the upper dries pretty darn quickly. Cons - Slippery when wet on rocks/logs (probably pavement as some have mentioned). The grip isn't terrible by any means, but upgrading the sole would be fantastic - The sole doesn't offer enough protection for rocky/rooted terrain. Lots of jabs into the foot on rough terrain so better reserved for terrain where you'd require less foot protection - The laces just don't stay tied... even tucked back in. And again.. super long laces, as has been the case with many Altras over the last couple of years. In spite of the few minor cons, I LOVE these shoes. They're on my feet for day to day, road runs, gravel runs, some trail runs (depending on terrain underfoot). These are likely to be in heavy rotation for my longer road runs this year because they are that lightweight and comfortable for my foot type.

I love this shoe! I've been trying out every shoe I can get my hands on from Altra and so far this one takes the cake as far as trail shoes go. My only negative comment is I have only 150 miles into the shoe and it is not looking like I will be able to get another 100 miles out of the sole. Great shoe, drys quick. Super lightweight :) Going to try the Kings for my next race (Moab Red Hot 55k)