Customer Reviews Altra King MT 2

The king v1 are the first shoe ever that I was able to put on brand new and run 16 kms in the trails with. They are wide enough to allow full foot movement. The 1.5 came with some added toughness but also some draw backs like stiffer heel and slightly narrower mid foot. I have ran an ultra in king 1.5 and had no issues with my feet at all. I have ran, hiked, and walked thousands of kms in these shoes. Up and down the Rockies mountain on many many trips without problems. They do not have high cushioning and are not over controlling with stability. In fact they allow you to run instead of the shoe running you. I have been extremely happy with them. If any5ing I would like less padding. There has been issues with peeling rubber on toe box and people complaining about toe box tearing. Only has one pair tear because I kicked a sharp rock. Overall these shoes last a long time. The grip is amazing on everything from wet loose rocks to deep mud. No complaints about the grip compound. I am very sad to hear they are being discontinued. I own 12 pairs of Altra shoes from road to trail and really like them. The latest trend of making them narrow in mid foot and longer toe box with less foot height room has been pushing me away from the brand.

I walk/run 5 miles on trail everyday, 2 creek crossings, the shoes drain immediately and dry quickly. The tread sticks on wet rock, great traction all the way around. Love the quick strap for support. This is my for pair of Alta's and wont be my last!

Oh boy, these shoes feel like the reason I fell in love with Altra. There is room up front and they haven't succumbed to the tight mid foot with ill fitting insoles Altra has adopted for Lone Peaks and Timps. I took a break from running (thanks to skis and motorcycles, or how I'm not good at them) and started up with Altra again, after a year and a half off. The Timps were narrow and the Lone Peaks were right in line with them. I got both shoes to work, barely, cutting up insoles and using weird lacing techniques. They were not at all in line with Altra's original concept. I trained and raced hundreds in Lone Peaks and raced shorter distances in Superiors. No complaints. I started complaining and was told to try the King MT. I was skeptical because the lugs were so paced that I thought they were just for muddy terrain. I was wrong. The footbed reminds me of older Altas. There is room and they don't soak up you arch, causing blisters. I perceived the strap on top to be a gimmick, and was surprised with how useful it was. You can lace the shoes comfortably and adjust the strap to bomb downhills The heel cup has this crazy grip material that holds your heel in place. It reminds me of old school lint brushes, and it works. The weight seems fine to me. When I crossed a stream, they drained better than any shoe I've ever had. Don't think this is an "Altra or Die" review. This is for those who loved them in the past and are giving them another chance. Almost forgot. If you run Lone Peaks, size up a half a size. If you are looking at your normal shoe size, size up one full size I wear a 10 in everything else, needed an 11 with the King MT.

I just ran the Pikes Peak Marathon in these. The Vibram Megagrip was bomber. I'm no elite runner, but I felt perfectly secure in these shoes running some of the downhill at a 6:30/mi pace. I was in Utah and did a night run up Mt Nebo a couple of weeks ago in the King MT 1.5. The velcro strap on the 2.0 is better. One quick adjustment at the Pikes Peak turnaround today and they were perfectly snug all the way down. I've run in almost every trail shoe and version Altra has made, and these are the best so far in my opinion. Size and width are also true in my opinion. Looking forward to running a couple of ultras this year in these, and I'll buy a couple more pairs just in case they stop making this version. FWIW, my favorite training shoe is the Lone Peak 4.5. The Olympus 4 is growing on me because the Vibram MegaGrip outsole is really nice, but nothing Altra makes has better overall grip than the King MT.

Been wearing these for the past 6 months for everything other than work (I need boots for digging). I took these up mountainous terrain multiple times in West Texas and they are honestly amazing. They don't slip on smooth rocks, I'm talking about retaining grip with a 200lb man running/walking up 45 degree+ rock slopes. I was worried about them falling apart but they surprisingly have shown no rippage yet. This is almost worrisome because once Altra finds out how durable the shoes are they are probably going to downgrade on their materials like they've done in the past. I guess long lasting shoes is bad business. I had Instinct 1.5's for nearly a DECADE before they fell apart. Other versions after the 1.5 wouldn't even last 3 months so I stopped buying them. The short shoe laces I hated at first, but after breaking them in, I've come to appreciate the short laces and the velcro band. I was even worried about the shoe coming apart after sloppy running past some sharp rocks, rocks so sharp it cut my foot but somehow but didn't rip the shoe. My only complaint is that the velcro is starting to wear out, and that the black color looks purplish (even when it was new). I also fear, that this may be one of those shoes that are too good, and Altra will radically change their next model making these one of those shoes that you have to reverse engineer/repair because no other shoe like it will come about for a while.

Me either but the King MT 2 is the closest I've ever felt. Lots of varied trails here in Alaska and these can handle it all. Coming from the Superior I was worried I'd need to size up when I first put them on but that is not the case. They are made to be locked onto your foot while still giving your toes some wiggle room. The strap remains loose most of the time until I need it. Then it completely changes the shoe into a precision mountain machine. Did I mention the grip? The superiors were comfortable to easy trail stuff but didn't give me a lot of confidence on the gnarly bits. The Vibram rubber on these is nothing short of amazing. Buy and enjoy.

I've used the King MT 1.0, 1.5, and now the 2.0. I didn't notice much of a difference in performance and feel from the 1.0 to the 1.5. The 2.0 is a different story. When I first put it on I was worried I'd need to go up a size, as it fits slightly more snug front to back. However, 100yds into my first run they felt perfect! The new tread pattern grips much better on the dirt and even on the pure rock areas I run on. And having the laces in a more consistent pattern vs the big gap of previous versions means much less foot movement in the shoe without having to make the strap as tight as possible...and much more foot comfort. All in all the best King MT yet...by far!

I absolutely love this shoe. At first, I was a little irritated that it was about a half size too small and then I decided to try running without socks and OMG, the shoe fits my foot perfectly. I completed a 6-mile run the other day without socks and I didn't even get hot spots. I love the way the heel cup hugs my foot into place. I absolutely love this shoe. The Vibram rubber has an amazing amount of grip and I love how fast the shoe drains and dries. I am curious as too which another shoe has sam fit

My Review of the KING MT 2 SPARTAN. As my current OCR shoes were ripping out in the toe box again. I had the chance to try out a pair King MT's at the Virginia Spartan Sprint. I fell in love with them right away. I have since purchased a pair to use for my Spartan and other OCR races. Some things that I have noticed are as follows. The toe box is spacious and doesn't make my toes rub each other raw, which with the other shoes I would get blisters on the inside of my toes. Then heel keeps my heel in tight and doesn't let my foot move around. The traction on this shoe is unparalleled to any other shoe I have worn for the past several years. The grip coming out of rolling mud, climbing mud hills or any other grip intensive obstacle these shoes will not let you down. Speaking of rolling mud, these shoes drain well, it felt like within a few miles they were dry (it could be because we were in Florida) but they did dry out quickly. Even with the great grip I could feel all the rocks, root and everything on the ground. With that said it wasn't so bad that it hurt but just enough to feel what was on the ground. This is my first 0 drop shoe, so far I have really liked it and will continue to run with 0 drop shoes. This shoe is far lighter than most and feels light when you have them on. As I have only ran one race with them I am very satisfied. I will update the review after a few more races.

I began wearing the Altra King MT 2's while training for a sky race last month. These shoes are killer for rocky climbs and descents! They stick like glue to the steep pitches and sharp rocks around the Phoenix Mountains Preserve. I've put a little over 45,000 ft of climbing and about 260 miles on them so far, and couldn't be happier. I suffered a severe ankle injury early in the year (wearing Hoka's), but have never felt the tendency to roll my ankle with the Altra King MT's. I was also worried about longer distances in these shoes, but wore them last weekend for a 50K and had zero issues. This is a great shoe for anyone looking to run or hike tough terrain, or confidently bomb down rocky trails!

This shoe does it all! I run in Sedona where the trails are on steroids. From extreme jagged rocks, dry loose soil, sand and slick off camber running, this shoe far surpasses any other shoe I've ran in out here. I'm nearing 400 miles on my first pair. Super grippy and great foot to earth feel.

Only had them a few weeks. Bought them for my sport but my other Altra's collapsed on the outside giving me knee pain after about 2 months of use, so I've been wearing my King MT's for a few days and the knee pain is gone. The laces are every so slightly too short for my liking, but the velcro strap means I can just single-knot them and not worry about them coming untied, so I guess it works. Feel good, and the lack of cushion compared to my Olympus has had zero effect on comfort. Hopefully they'll last, but I don't plan on wearing them every day like I have been either.

I cannot stress enough how much better these are than the KingMT 1.5. I put a good amount of miles into the 1.5s on snow and on trail, but my midfoot never quite felt great in them. They were a little to stiff, a little too heavy, and the velcro strap pulled too tightly in the wrong places. None of these problems exist for the KingMT 2. I followed the advice of previous reviewers and bought a half size up and that seemed to be a great choice. The Vibram outsole flat out RULES. The "Trail Claw" design seems to be a little better this time around too, since I haven't been sliding as much on the downhills. Nice and sticky. The drainage is much improved on this version, too. Like I mentioned - this is an all out improvement. Could easily see this being my more consistent winter running shoe over the Superior. Home run.

I ordered these two weeks ago and finally got them this week. I logged about 14 or so miles in them, and they're true to how it's advertised. The grip, traction, design - all tremendous. However, the sizing runs a half-size too small; my toes were touching the toe box and causing pain in my toes. I just sent them back and ordered the new size.

I own the 1.5 and will purchase the 2 when needed. I was in Peru for 17 days in September. I did a lot of trekking and running. And I mean a lot..This is a real shoe, my feet are made for this. I was used to a zero drop before buying them so no problems with calfs... top top

Altras alleviate my knee arthritis. I am a 68 year old who's been an avid hiker and skier for the last 30 years. I have arthritis in both my knees. I usually wear typical hiking shoes, with the aggressive heal traction design, and sharp heel strike. And, I have also worn Altra trail shoes off and on since the early Altra Lone Peak shoes. Years ago, I noticed that my knees felt better after long hikes, when i was wearing Altras. So, lately i decided to exclusively wear Altras. My arthritis knee pain is gone. Note, i have been cycling too, which also helps. I have two pairs of King Mountains and a pair of Lone Peak mids. I really like hiking in these King Mountain for my hikes. And, the Lone Peak mid is a great shoe too, very comfortable upper, light, low impact stride, good protection for going off trail

So I owned the King MT 1.5 and used them for trail running and OCR races. I loved the traction and foot shape, but I was very disappointed when I got one race and less than a hundred miles out of them before they started to really fall apart with holes in several places. I contacted Altra customer service and discussed and ultimately I decided to try the 2.0 which had just come out. I am soooo glad that I did. ***As a side note, Altra customer service is great. They are friendly, very responsive, and I felt valued as a customer. The King MT 2.0s are much more durable (show no wear after 30+ miles trail running and 1 OCR Beast at Killington) and fit great. The one exception I will say to the fit is that they run about a 1/2 size smaller than the 1.5s did as other have pointed out. They are a little tighter in the heal, which I think is good as it "grips" the foot better, no "sloppy" feeling on downhills and angled terrain like I felt with the 1.5s. Also, the mid strap being moved up to near the top of the foot instead of mid way provides for much more stabilization in my opinion. They drain great (as I said, wore them for Killington Beast, which has a swim, this year in the first 2 miles) and felt like the water was completely gone in minutes. Don't get me wrong, they were still damp, but they did not hold onto the water and make the shoe heavy or anything. the race itself was over 14 miles of pretty rough terrain and I never felt like the shoe was slipping or sliding due to being wet or loose. The traction on the 2.0 is stellar as well. Sheds mud quickly, grips on wet slick surfaces, and leaves you feeling as much like a mountain goat as I feel a trail running shoe can. I will update even more as time goes on, but I can clearly feel and see the improvements in the shoe. I wanted to love the 1.5 but just couldn't due to the quick wear and tear. So far, I love the 2.0 and they still look fresh out of the box wear and tear wise, get them..

As in prior review, I had to size up a 1/2 size, warning to all. However, after 15 miles in these, I can say I love them! I am usually running in Luna Origen 2.0 sandals which are not tall, but are very hard (literally a cut tire for the outer sole). These MT2s come very close to that feel, but with better foot hold. This is due to the great Altra upper, foot shape shoe and the top strap. The nice hard and short stack gives great foot feel on landing. As usual Altra does a great job of a very flat platform. Many other (topo, inov8) design their zero drop shoes with curvy/molded foot soles and after a lot of miles they hurt by disabling ground feet. Not these MT2s! Great ground feel in a short hard stack with a great upper fit. LOVE THEM.

I had to try the King out since it made a reappearance. It's a sick shoe if you are in and around water and mud. It's extra secure, from the velcro strap to the material used in the heel, drains really well, and doesn't absorb water. Its low stack and evenly distributed lugs help on wet surfaces as well. That said, I will still be reaching for my lone peaks 95% of the time. The lack of cushion is a little harsh (manageable if you have strong feet and ankles) and I do prefer the trail claw lug layout. The newer Lone Peaks soak up water and are terrible at dying/ draining though, so these will always be on hand for a rainy day.

Solid shoe, exactly what i was looking for

9/10 will continue to buy, Wish it had a wider toe box and look forward to updates

Love Altra shoes had two pairs in the past. I order this pair of shoes half size larger as web site suggested and they were still too small. I wear a 12 normally ordered 12.5, should have ordered 13. Now I have to wait for my exchange.

These fit true to size, and although "wide" they aren't nearly as wide as the older models (Superior 1's and 4's). I wish I had gone up a 1/2 size to compensate, but the tread is superb. Super tacky.

Pros: Rock protection + ground feel = winwin, non-sloppy fit, perfect for CO Front Range Cons: Stupid drain holes on the bottom, hook&loop strap location

I really like the feel of the shoe. The tread is awesome and it's a light, fast trail shoe. While the width was fine, the volume of the shoe was a bit small for my feet. So that was a negative, but maybe it's my hobbit feet...I was psyched to try it out and will probably use it on days I need more tread than my Lone Peaks.