Customer Reviews Altra Paradigm 4.5

These are my first paradigms. I have only been really training for a year and this has been my third "running" shoe. That being said these paradigms have been the most comfortable. I went a size up from my normal 13 to 14 to give my toes lots of extra space for my long runs. I'm 6'1 220 pounds and these shoes have supported me well. I have put nearly 600 miles on them.

I love these shoes. The wide toe box gives plenty of room for my toes and has relieved the pain from my toes being pushed together. The cushioning is excellent. I am now walking with no pain. Best shoes I've ever owned.

I've been a runner for 50 years-yes, that's right-five decades. I've purchased 100's of shoes over the years but my paradigm 3.5's are the best shoes I've owned. I have two pair and will soon purchase another so I can rotate them daily. I'm also a race walker and they have proven to be a great race walking shoe.

Decided to start running 3 yrs ago to get in shape for retirement. My first Paradigm was the 1.5 that literally felt like slippers they were so comfortable. After 600 miles, I tried other shoes but nothing had comfort, stability and helped correct my running form like Altra so went with the 4.0. When a couple of the top eyelets began to pull thru, Morgan in customer service was so awesome she got me back running in days with a new pair of the 4.5 to help recover from cardiac bypass surgery. A perfect testimony as to why our whole family uses Altra now.

This is my 3rd pair of Paradigms and I'm on my 2nd pair of Cayds. On these models the toe box will fit a EE width if you order a half-size up. I'm a 10.5 EE and the 11 fits great. Also I am in rough terrain and the thick sole of the Paradigms is excellent. I tried both the Escalante and the Supalante and they are too narrow even at a half-size larger.

Simply put this shoe is fantastic! It has superb cushioning and the stabilipods make for steady and balanced walking. I'll be ordering another pair or two before they change the shoe. I've tried a gazillion pair of shoes and these are the very best!! I gladly recommend these to people that need great cushioning with a steady walk. Terrific shoes. These Paradigm 4.5's are without a doubt a keeper!!

Super comfortable shoe that offer support and stability. These are my new favorite shoes to wear as I no longer have foot pain!

Ever since discovering Altra, with their wide toe box and zero drop, my feet and knees have been very happy. My toes are no longer cramped and painful, and zero drop removes the forward pitch that put pressure on my knees. But it's been a challenge to find the right combination of support and cushioning; the Provisions came close, with excellent support, but they lacked cushioning and shock absorption to get through eight hours on my feet. Even after swapping out the insoles, they are still excellent walking shoes but not so good for extended standing. The Paradigm 4.5 is the shoe I've been looking for. It has both good support as well as guidance against overpronation, and it is well cushioned and shock absorbent. I still have normal fatigue at the end of the evening, but I am not in pain. These are a keeper, Altra! I just ordered two more pairs to have on hand when the time comes to swap out old pairs. They are that good! And, bonus for people who need black shoes for work, the black is ALL black, save for the tiny reflective strip on each heel.

I am 66, my running had slowly declined over the last few years with lots of calf and ankle problems along with metatarsal fractures. Podiatrist recommenced stop running or find softer shoes (ASICS gel nimbus). I started with Hoka one but too narrow. Went to the paradigm 3? problems disappeared. I am now on my forth pair, not because I run so much (30 miles a week) but because they wear quick, the layer that meets the blacktop is thin and wears quickly ( I weigh 160). No matter, I can run and keep my health up so a small cost for a big gain. I think 6-800 miles on blacktop is all your going to get then on to a new pair, longer on a treadmill. They are the most comfortable running shoes I have owned, just don't expect them to last as long as an ASICS.

I use for walking and love the fit of the blue/green knit upper version. I really wanted to get another pair in a different color, but none of the other colors fit as roomy as these! I'm really disappointed! These blue/green ones fit my feet absolutely perfectly! I tried the all black and the gray version at my local retailer and neither color fit like these! Only reason for 4 stars instead of five is the outsole thickness which from signs of wear after only a month, I have to question the sole durability.

The left show is squeezing my little toe and upper metatarsal over the small little toe so I have to wear Sholls blister/bunion protection. I walked and jogged about 30 miles on them and I still have to put the protection. First time without protection it scratched my skin and blistered. There is something with the shoe that is either not wide enough as some other customers pointed out, so to speak, or there is some deformation of the shoe on the left side or poor craftsmanship or finish. Otherwise the shoe is comfortable with that caveat. I always buy the same size and it worked for me in the past, included Paradigm. Never happened to me on an Altra before and I had at least 7-8 pairs. That prompts me to write the review. I wish Altra all the best since they did change my life for the better since I started wearing them (less pain between toes, etc), but a tight or malformed shoe for the top of the line product, the most expensive Altra, should not be happening. Maybe I just was not lucky with this one pair.

I have been purchasing 11.5 size in Altra shoes. These were too big. Going to purchase one size smaller and see how that size fits

I just got these, and I am wearing a man's 10.5 for walking. After the end of the day I feel pressure across my heel where the arch begins...I notice my heels sink into the middle of the heel of the shoe and then it slopes up putting pressure across that area of my foot. I am feeling it out this week, and if it does not go away I may return them for an exchange. Front of shoe is plenty wide, I had to get a size half bigger because my left toes were too close to the top edge of the shoe as it slants down. I kind of feel like a duck. I am more concerned about heel strain here because of that pressure I talked about sinking feeling, but if one is running, you might not notice this. I do, because I use them to walk all day in. Mmmmmmm otherwise, a wonderful kind of soft cushion feeling which are really comfortable for the rest of your sore feet.

Sizing - I wear a Brannock 10EE and with these I needed a 10.5. The width is pretty normal in the heel and midfoot, and then obviously wider in the toes. Most people will probably be TTS or a half size up. Comfort - I pronate when I run and these helped align my stride and kept me running longer. The cushion is incredible and by far the most comfortable shoe I've owned. The footbox makes my toes so comfy, like they can spread out and enjoy themselves while I'm running. Also, zero drop and the stability control are amazing and make a big difference in comfort. Stability - If you pronate when you run, this is probably one of their best shoes. Durability - This is actually my only complaint. I've certainly ran less than 300 miles (entirely outdoors) and the soles are starting to show a good amount of wear. I could already imagine losing traction and sliding if the ground is wet. Maybe they'll last longer if you're running indoors. Looks - Not bad for a running shoe honestly. I have the blue/green and I like them. I might try black for walking around indoors at work. Price - They're certainly overpriced, but wow they're comfortable and I'm not in pain.... So it's worth it. Overall- I'd still recommend them because they're so comfortable and I love the zero drop. I bought a pair of Lone Peak 4.5, I'll be reviewing those next.

Pros: the cushion is fantastic and just firm enough that pushing the pace feels surprisingly good in this shoe. Never been into stability shoes but had a little pronation injury from soccer.... these have done the trick and don't ever feel like they are altering my form in any unnecessary way. Cons: the upper isn't terribly comfortable, I don't really notice this on runs but when just wearing the shoes around it becomes noticeable

I purchased the Paradigm 4.5 in September after I bled through a similar brand of ultra shoe with high cushioning for the past 15 miles of a 50 mile race. I have a wide foot and during ultra races, my pinky toes blisters over (sometimes multiple times) and becomes extremely painful. I use these to compliment the Torin 4s for longer distances and while the don't have the feel/cushioning of the competitor shoe, it is still very good. I will take slightly less cushioning and no blisters vs max cushioning and raw toes. I use these for my recovery runs and used them for the last 24 miles of the Tunnel Hill 100 in 2019. Solid shoe that I will go back to for sure.

Someone posted a comment about the raised lettering on the inside of the shoes on the StabiliPods. That is a problem as the miles wear on, I tend hit my ankle in a similar fashion as the other poster when the legs get tired and yes, those raised letters are sharp! So I second that as a major flaw. While it's really the rear pod that's the issue, I used a utility knife and shaved off both sets on the insides of both shoes. Problem solved. I did leave the outer raised lettering to torture [scrape] my competitors as I pass them by on the course! lol jk...maybe...running beware! I'm coming at you like a truck with spikes on the tires!

Just got back from my 1st run in the Paradigms. I love my Provision 3.5s, but I need extra cushioning due to numerous foot issues. I wanted the Paradigms, but they weren't available in my size a few months back, so I got the Duos. When the Duo uppers started to rip after 60 miles, I was pleased to see my size (14) was available. My local athletic shoe store happily exchanged my Dous for the Paradigms. I love the extra cushion, it's exactly what I'm looking for. Although I think the Dous were a bit softer and produced less noise when running. I am getting heal slip and miss the extra heal lock lace holes. Please add them in the next version. Thanks! Al

I love this shoe. Great stability, great cushion, great for loooong runs. I put 775 mile on a pair of the Paradigm 4.0 and pretty much loved every step in them. The 4.5 is pretty much the same. It runs really large tho so try it on in a store if you can. ***Also as mentioned in another review the raised letters on the stabilipods are sharp and will slice your ankles up*** The letters on the stabilipod on the inside heel of the shoe will slice you open if you happen to catch your ankle with your inside heel after you legs get tired and your form starts to get sloppy, it only takes one step for this to happen. I gave feedback to Altra about this on the 4.0 and they responded saying that they knew about the problem and it was being corrected on the 4.5, obviously it was not. Besides that I cant recomend this shoe enough

The upper feels true to width but the sole feels too thin. The lateral toe box is lacking what previous models have had with a wider sole or border. After a few runs I feel like my foot was sliding off the lateral side of the shoe. Now after hundreds of miles the upper is hanging over the lateral sole in the toebox/forefoot area.