Customer Reviews Altra Escalante Racer

I'm having a bit of an anxiety attack. I became a runner in 2018 out of necessity for mental health and physical health. At a ride & tie race, I talked with a runner prior to my running journey. He highly recommended Altra and to follow training instructions for zero drop shoes. I went to Fleet Feet Sacramento to be fitted. NONE of the 2 dozen running shoes with zero drop, or near zero, were a comfortable fit, including the regular Escalante and other Altra models. Then salesman Kale gave me the first edition Escalante Racer, the '18 Boston. Cinderella! I've NEVER bought any other running shoe for training or races. Fast forward to Dec 2023 and I suffered an injury. I finally landed a good physical therapist in June 2024. I resumed running November 23, 2024. I've been wearing my last pair of Escalante racers and so I am shoe hunting as I'm progressing in the return to run program. I am struggling to grasp the concept that you have stopped production of the Escalante Racer. Reviews here say "Racer 2" is a bad fit and the Escalante Racer was perfect for them. I'm devastated. Please bring back the Escalante Racer. Please. I want to stay brand loyal, but above all, my feet and joints MUST be safe and comfortable for the long haul. Hoka did not feel right when I tested their trail shoe. Fear same for their road shoes. Please help.

Echoing the many other comments. I too have tried a different escalate style (due to out-of-stock OG Racer) and I ended up returning them. No minimalist running shoe compares to this model :(

These were my favorite running/walking shoes. They are so comfortable and look good. I'm so sad they aren't' selling them anymore. I tried the Escalante Racer 2's and they don't even compare.

These were my favorite shoes. They had the right amount of cushioning. They had an amazing fit, perfect ankle lockdown and were snug enough through the midfoot that they never moved on my feet, despite the enormous (in a great way) toebox. My first pair was the Chicago 2018. It had the best colorway of any of the 4 pairs I owned, and the best laces. I got lots of compliments on the red-on-blue foot design of the outsole. After that, I owned solid gray on blue, which was fine, but the laces became and stayed worse. Then solid gray on red and black soles, with (very cool) bright green details. Now I'm on what I assume is my last pair of these, the Bolder Boulder. These shoes are plain ugly. But I still wear them because nothing else fits and runs as well. I don't know why Altra discontinued these shoes. Maybe it's because there were about 20 of us who were buying these on repeat and they were otherwise unpopular and so unprofitable. Obviously, I would have preferred if they had just raised the price, but it's not up to me. 5/5, best running shoes ever

This shoe hits the sweet spot for me - stack height, toebox height and width, narrower midfoot and heel, and responsiveness. My heart leapt the first time I put these on and went running. I felt light and fast and sure-footed; I had sooo much fun running. I have notoriously difficult feet to fit. They are extra wide in the forefoot (a true 7.5 extra wide, but I usually make do in 8 wide/feeling a little clumsy). Narrow in the midfoot and heel. These magically fit me in a size 8 (even with correct toes on!), and don't slide around in the heel. Most minimalist shoes have inadequate vertical height in the toe box that presses down on my big toe toenail (ESCALANTEs included), but these have amazing vertical height. Really regret not stocking up on these b/c reviews say the 2s have a stiffer sole (I hate stiff soles) :/

I happened to stumble across these when searching wide toe box shoes. These were my favorite shoes I've worn. I'm an RN and love the comfort and light weight. Please bring these shoes back.

I wore these for a few hundred miles this summer. I love them. I would like to give 5-stars but the mesh makes them impossible for cold weather. I wish they had a cold weather version.

These shoes are my only go-to for running and walking. Plenty of toe room and good feel of the ground. Airy, light, comfy. Please never discontinue!

Love the fit and feel of these shoes! Just enough cushion that my knees and shins don't hurt, but not too much that I feel unstable. I do have one gripe though... the laces are so short I can barely tie them. Will definitely have to get some different laces.

My feet are very particular about shoes. These feel great! Light and comfortable and supportive.

I've been looking for running shoes that would help my foot pain when I run because I have bunions and these shoes are AMAZING! I've had no pain running, they are light and running is enjoyable again! Absolutely would buy again!!

By far the most comfortable sneakers I have ever worn. I used my first pair while training for a half marathon and probably got about 500 miles out of them. The wide toe box and zero drop also makes them perfect for weightlifting and cross training. My only grievances are the large holes in the top fabric (water and small gravel will get through) and the dang shoelaces are long and come untied all the time- but nothing a double knot can't fix! Also bought a pair for the husband and he loves them as much as I do. Would love to see Altra make them in some more muted colors- color choices are a little "loud" for my taste.

Appreciate the wide toe box so that my toes aren't restricted during weightlifting. Trainers also advise to wear shoes with zero drop. I have two pairs now and don't want to go back to another brand I've been wearing for years. Love the light weight and attractive design.

Whether it's a metcon or leg day...it's perfect for a variety of workouts. Being able to feel the ground with jump lunges or squats, makes the flexibility of this shoe crucial. So many compliments.

These are exactly what I needed: wide toe box and zero drop (I have a Morton's Neuroma), and enough padding in the sole to be comfy to walk on concrete for extended periods of time. Also, they look very normal when you're wearing them (aside from when you look at them from directly above)... when viewing them from the front and side view there's an optical illusion of normal-shaped running shoes, which I really appreciate. I tried another brand (starts with "T") before this and had to return them because the arch support was really really weird and uncomfortable. So I'm very grateful that I found these Altra shoes... now the only question in my mind is how long will they last? Reviews online are iffy in that regard...

I LOVE these shoes!!!! PLEASE bring back white and light gray for women!!! I will purchase several pairs of each of those colors!! PLEASE! I Love the wide toebox, the mesh and light weight and arch support! I do not like the dark colors and will not purchase them!

I'm on the Altra site to get my second pair of the Escalante's because they truly are such a perfect pair of lightweight low profile running shoes. Like a fitted sweater, each foot is wrapped, yes wrapped atop a zero drop base for speed. My current pair is about a year old, and while they still feel fresh, it's not a bad idea to switch them out.with the identical model. Because I love them.

I love these shoes! They are great for running, but also work great for my training workouts that include other exercises with my running. They are super comfortable, provide plenty of room in the toe box and have just been all around great so far. The only con is that I wish there were more color options.

These are my FAVORITE shoes ever. I got them a year ago when I wanted to transition to zero drop. I was using hokas before, so there was definitely a transition period when my calves were getting used to the new muscles being used. After that, I quickly noticed way less pain in my ankles and hips after running. I've tried to convince all my runner friends to transition to zero drop after these shoes. They've lasted me many miles and I don't think they'll go anytime soon :)

My favorite shoes

This is the 1st pair of these shoes that I've got, and have been using them for over 5 months now. Compared to other shoes these one doesn't allow my back to hurt after a long period of walking/exercising. In the near future I plan to get a 2nd pair, because these are my favorite pair of shoes.

I LOVE these running shoes!!!! I have 4 now.. 2 light gray 2 new dark gray! Please oh Please bring back white and the light gray again!!!! I will purchase stock up on them for sure! I have problems with both knees and my feet and I can have these on all day for hours and hours and I feel wonderful!!!! Please make more light colors! I have so many people asking me daily what kind they are and how to find them!

I will complain that the shoe laces being a mile long and the escalante 3 having lack of. I may have ordered a half size too large but I honestly don't remember. I just know I need to get at least a mile warm up in them and retie the laces so they're on properly. I'm on my second pair and have over 200 miles in them already. I've done several speed work and a few races in these and felt pretty light on my feet. I do like the mesh bc way back in the day i would compete without socks on since i would get really overheated racing, still havent gotten a blister if any of you run with no socks. I've tried the topo version of the racer for comparison and they just had zero cushion nor response and felt cheap. I switched to zero drop years ago due to recurrent injuries in my ankles and planter fasciitis.

The mesh top makes my toes feel happy/able to move. The sole has held up to jumping, lifting, and HIiT workouts. Eagerly waiting for better colors. Loved the white/green/blue and the Gray/burgundy.

I love this shoe and had it in gray. It is so comfortable for walking. The current color choices are awful. Please bring back the gray or add some more neutral colors.