Customer Reviews Altra King MT 2

Good foot hold. Strap isn't too stiff. Lacing is easy. Outsole is not too stiff. 13 US men's = 12.75 ish. Gotta go up a size if you don't want to lose a toenail.

So much was corrected in V2, and if you know how to use it then this is a shoe that can do things few others can. It's a race-ish shoe and snug for this reason. Size it 1/2 up for non-race trail/CC, or further for hiking with socks, or get two - one to train in and another for races. Ground feel and responsiveness is perfection if you're on serious terrain, and in the mud there is simply no other. I'm a Quantic fan but Ego foam is perfect for this use-case and I feel that those who find it too firm are missing the point. Missing some toe box width from the last one, but everything about the upper and heel structure is well aligned with the minimal game, just up to you how to fit it and snug it down. If you don't like the bottom drainage, it's easy enough to plug with shoe goo. Still a big winner for me, and the KMT2 and Superior are my dynamic duo. Hope it returns...

I am a long time Altra fan. Why can't Altra supply shoes with the proper length laces. Always too short. This should not be an issue with premium, EXPENSIVE athletic shoes. OK, I'm done ranting.

Great grip on dirt and gravel but no grip at all on slick rock. My wife was taking video as I started to walk across a stream on a large dry rock and slid off the far end of it, crashing down into the rocky streambed. These are great shoes for most mountain hiking and running, better in some ways that the Vibram Five Fingers that I'd used for the past decade. No issues with Morton's Neuroma, which plagued me with all other brands of standard trail shoes, and no black toenails on steep descents. Only gripe, besides the lack of traction on slick surfaces, is that holes quickly developed over my bunions. My older pair, from the previous year, held up much better.

I have used every single generation of the Superior until the release of the King MT. Once the first King MT was released I was shocked at how long it lasted. In fact, my gen 1 MT made it so long I never purchased the 1.5 but after patching and Shoe Gooing the sides of the MT I needed to finally upgrade. Yes, Altras blow out on the sides but it's really not surprising considering what I put them through on the trails. Why the MT is so great is the Vibram sole! When I used all the generations of Superios the sole would wear down before the upper would "blow up" but with the MT the sole just keeps going. Note - I am a pretty big guy so I destroy those softer rubbers. I could in fact use my old MTs still (sole is still good) but the Shoe Goo has given up the fight. Anyways, the MT 2.0 is still the same great fit except the darn strap is too high on the foot and too short for my higher than average instep - see image. Altra, please move the strap back down and we'll be good to go. Thanks!

The grip is exceptional, the shark skin heel is amazing. The strap is perfect for bombing downhills. Only take back is toe box feels narrow than all my other older Altras. Couldn't splay my toes at all.

These shoes are slightly smaller than the previous 1.5 King's. Yes there are holes in the bottom of the shoe and they do a great job at getting rid of water. I do not wear them as a everyday shoe but if that is your intention, than yes your feet will get wet when running on wet grass. I use these shoes for stream crossing trail runs and backpacking hiking. The grip is great, they dry super fast and keep my foot locked in. The issue is long term use. I have blown out outside and insides of both shoes in under 400 miles (see pics). These shoes are made for extremes and should take more abuse. Great shoe for the uses I have for them, wish they lasted longer.

I have mostly used this shoe for hiking, both on and off trail, both with and without a pack. This shoe has also been used for some scrambling, approach hikes, short runs, and canyoneering. This is so far my favorite Altra shoe, and I like the velcro strap, lack of seams, and vibram megagrip. I have also worn the Lone Peaks in the past, which have slightly more cushioning. The shoe has a great locked-in but lightweight feel. It had adequate cushioning for everything except for carrying heavy pack weights while backpacking (which it obviously isn't designed for, so no dings there!), but did great with lighter packs. The shoe is very breathable, and the venting on the bottom of the shoe is interesting. I liked the unpadded tongue and soft heel cup. I went half a size up from my typical sizing. While, I think I have nearly reached the end of my shoe's life and have really used these shoes, I think it's still important to show where the failure points are. I have a few holes in the fabric near my pinky toes, and the seams on the toe cap have begun to fail, even though I covered them before using them with aquaseal to prolong the stitching. It would be great if the areas on the sides of the pinky and big toes could be reinforced and if the toe cap could be welded and not stitched. The bigger failure point is on the soles, the vibram megagrip is awesomely sticky, non-marking, and fairly durable even for my rough off-trail hiking, and is by far my favorite rubber compound for shoes (Altra, make the Lone Peaks with welded seams and Megagrip!!!). The lugs are worn down as expected, but the flat areas between the lugs on my heels and big toe have worn all the way through the rubber, all the way through the composite fabric which is part of the vibram litebase, and has worn itself down to the plastic stoneguard. The stoneguard doesn't quite extend all the way to the heel, which has caused it to begin to stick out of the rubber and cause the rubber to tear more (see pictures).

Altra makes a legit shoe. I've had 7 pair over the years and rotate through a few right now. I ran the Imogene Pass in September with the King MT. These shoes grip like a mountain goat and helped me feel very confident and stable on the trail. Good cushion. Vibram soles hold up very well. I would only gripe the uppers on most of my Altras tend to wear out quicker than other brands I use.

Unfortunately I was steered to this shoe after buying the Lone Peak, but it's shorter and not as wide in fit so suggest you buy a whole size larger.

So i've owned every iteration of the King MT for enough time to give reasonable feedback. I would echo the previous reviews and state that they do in fact run a half size small. My previous two King MT's were 10.5's and these needed to be 11's. They've lighted the shoe up, made the toebox wider/taller and given the shoe better hold on the foot. The top strap was moved up the foot further so you can really get a locked down heel while still leaving the spacious toebox. I have yet to test real durability of the upper but it definitely feels softer and more airy than the ripstop used in the previous version. They added better drainage via some holes in the sole which could prove to be fantastic or a disaster. Not sure yet. Overall, I would say that these are a home run based on the previous version and they should feel right at home with my backpacking kit.

I buy Altras all the time, 10 1/2 fits everytime. But these new MT2 size 10 1/2 my toes touch the end. Weird. They do seem like great shoes. I love the top strap. They seem good for rocky trails and they will support lateral movement. But for a longer run (>10 miles) I think my feet will not be happy. So now I've ordered an 11....I'm writing this review to give people a heads up.

I recently purchased two pair, both 13R one road and one trail. The trail shoes ae too small, even though I have worn that size for decades. They are making the sizes smaller. I have not yet had time to exchange them but I will. Thanks!

First, these shoes are great. I frequently use them for trail running on the front range (Colorado). The shoes fit well and work great when paired with the trail gaiters. However, I've noticed the front of the shoes hasn't held up well. There is a softer material where the sole connects with the front of the shoe that isn't capable of standing up frequent contact with rocks. If the front-end of the shoe was made more solid with a stronger connective rubber, it would be a great improvement and worthy of 5 stars.

I wish I had read other reviews describing this shoe as running small and advising users to purchase a half to full size bigger. I've been through countless pairs of Altra shoes - Lone Peaks, Escalantes, Torins, Timps - so I have a good sense of how Altras fit me and what size suits me best. I had high hopes for these but they feel too snug and my toes starting going numb towards the end of my run.

Great for trail running. They fit a little more snug and have a more narrow toe box than Lone peak, which I usually wear, but still has the foot shape and feel great to me. Th only issue I have is it seems more dust sneaks in than other Altras.

Great shoe so far, only got to run in them a handful of times on terrain runs. Shoe could use a tad bit more ankle support but the zero drop is true to the Altra name and gets the job done.

King-MTs excelled in OCR races, with superior grip, drainage, and a perfect fit. Sadly, durability is an issue. These would be my go-to if they lasted longer.

I run a lot on grass and trails around Baltimore. I was excited to have a shoe for muddy or soggy days- we have a lot of clay here.... that said I have many altars that fit my feet- Lone Trail and Lone peak- but these do not work if u have high arches- at least not for me. Both the material and fit of the shoe are not kind to those with high arches.. I bought them online due to the pandemic and Altria's sale. I have the same problem with Keen's. I sent these back but bought the Lone Peak RSM

I really want to like this shoe. I only run in Altras and this shoe is great, but NOT DURABLE. In less than a month, both uppers have ripped. They rippednon the sides where the upper meets the sole and toe guard by the pinky toe ripped laterally along the sole. These shoes have a great sole and dry out very fast, but at this price point it is not worth it. Also the toe box is a teeny bit narrower than on other Altras ive had.

Absolutely loved my King MT 1 and 1.5! Wrecked 'em on the trails, both lasted 150ish miles. Despite some reviews saying the MT 2s were different I bought a pair. Altra you're breaking my heart! They fit much more narrow and I have WIDE flat feet (A major reason I love Altra!) so that was an immediate issue. Also, the tension strap is higher? Not sure why. And the laces are seriously short. Wanted to love them and prove the reviews incorrect. Please Altra reverse engineer the MT 2 to its previous glory!!

Good grip, little snug but o.k. I bought these after slipping numerous times in my Timps. When I broke my wrist, I knew I had to try a non-Altra sole. I like the Vibram sole much better and I haven't slipped once. The main issue now is that my feet get wet just walking in the yard. The drain holes in the bottom are a terrible idea. I am not an OCR racer and I wear these as my daily shoes. Great for reducing foot pain, but step on a drop of water and your feet are instantly wet. I will recommend these once the holes are discontinued. In the meantime, I will put tape over the holes as the shoes are too expensive to not wear. It seems that every improvement that Altra makes is countered by a bad idea.