Customer Reviews Altra Escalante Racer

The Tokyo color is great really love the shoe why are they going to manufactured again? How can I recommend when you do not them?

I was hesitant trying a zero drop shoe. Enter the Escalante Racer... By and far the most comfortable shoe I have run in to date. Have now purchased different models of Altra shoes and consider myself a fan boy of thier product and image as a company. Thank you Altra!

I've been running in the Escalante 1.5 and really like the shoe overall. The downside to that shoe is, as some have mentioned, is how the shoe doesn't lend much support on turns. This shoe resolves that issue. It feels a bit firmer than the Escalante 1.5, but not to the point at which it compromises comfort. I would definitely buy this shoe again. I bought the Fourth of July version of this shoe, and I love it. I really hope they come out with another Fourth of July shoe next year.

I bought this shoe to try for a marathon. After 49 miles on them, I put them to the marathon test. This is no doubt the best shoe I have run in hands down. It felt light but yet had the cushion. I continued to run in these over my Hokas and Kinvaras. I have two brand new pairs of Hokas sitting in the box still, they might not make it out. As you can see from the pics; I have about 250 miles on this shoe and it is finally starting to show some wear on the tread. The shoe has held up in all conditions, feels so natural, and I use for both long and short runs.

I got these after having the original Escalante's, and I have run about 100 miles in these. They have less cushion and more support than the original's, and for me this feels great. So far the only durability issues I've had is rubber on the bottom wearing down. The one design flaw in the 4th of July color is that the right tongue is stiffer, which might cause irritation. Other than that this is a great shoe that I would recommend as a racer or daily trainer.

I'm 6' 5" and was 280lbs when I got back into running with the Chicago racers; because they were on sale. I used to run in Newton's but I found that I injured my calves frequently. These Altra Escalante Racers are the real deal. I've been running with them for 3 months now; injury free. I run between 15 and 20 miles per week. I'm 267lbs now and the shoes are just perfect for a natural running style. I want a red, white, and blue 4th of July pair but 15's are sold out.

I've been wearing altra for 3 years now. I've had 6-7 different styles and these are the most amazing shoes I've ever worn. Please keep this design forever. It will be the only shoes I buy. USA USA USA

In April this year I ran a half marathon in a pair of NB's that i had been training in for a few months. During this time of the race and training I had been dealing with a knee problem that was actually causing me to wear a brace on my opposite knee due to overcompensating I assume. After my race I ordered a pair of these escalantes and tried them out. I ended up having to send back my first pair because they were a half size to big which Altra was super helpful with and had no problems doing so. Since receiving these i have logged 80 miles on the road and am super happy with them. I have not ran with a knee brace since. I have not had to. My initial knee injury is still lingering (pretty sure I need to go to the doctor) but i have not had any other soreness since switching to these shoes. They are my go to road shoe. I highly reccomend. On July 4th I ran a 10k and was more than happy with my results these shoes rock and I will be buying more zero drop shoes soon! Cheers from Eugene, Oregon!

Awesome version of the Escalante. I love the more breathable design and firm cushion. I wear them for and distance race and my daily trainers. Product pictures don't do justice.

Despite the racer name, this is a great do-it-all shoe for me! pros -much improved fit and foothold over the original Escalante - just right degree of softness and flexibility -weight -grip cons -different from original Escalante, the tongue is not attached and can slip around when putting the shoe on (holds tight once in place) neutral -knit is very open and breathable in the toe area; limits versatility in cold weather and on dusty/dirt roads Bottom line: close to perfect shoe for me. Definitely also try the racer version before buying the Original Escalante.

Light, springy and feely. This shoe is FAST. Love me the escalante 1.5, but this shoe is MUCH more my style. Just enough structure in the upper to feel 100% confident throughout an entire tun, while remaining comfortable.

I own a pair of the Escalante 1.5s and purchases the Racer edition to have another pair of shoes in the rotation. The Racers are the perfect amount of cushion, ground feel, and responsiveness for mid to long distance training runs. The tops allow the winds to flow through and are stable for tight turns. I have not experienced any pressure points while running and have only had to make minor adjustments to the lacing to counter feet swelling. I hope this model becomes a permanent addition to the Altra lineup. I wear the NYC model in men's 11.5, regular width. In comparison to the Escalante 1.5s, the shape of the midsole fits a wider foot better.

I'm a beach runner and was a little concerned about sand getting in the holes. NO PROBLEM at all. They're wonderfully cool in the heat too. Of the 10 pair of altras I've owned, these are my favorite.

First pair I ordered were about a half size to big. I normally wear an 11 in an athletic shoe which is normally a snug fit. I ended up returning the original order and went a half size down (10.5). The feel of the shoe while running is great. I'm just a normal dude who runs a few miles a couple times a week, nothing crazy. These seem to be perfect for me.

The best shaped and built quality shoe of altra's, i have an "egyptian" shape of foot and the escalante fit just perfect, even better than other altras models, better curve to the inside axe of the foot. The Ego sole is brillant too, hope will be present in more models. Thank you for making this genius products

Best racing shoe from Altra and any other brand! The venting, cushion, responsiveness and fit are perfect! The graphics are subtle enough so if you didn't run Boston, Chicago it NYC you're totally good to go in wearing them! They 100% rock!

The Escalante was the best shoe I had run in UNTIL I ran in this shoe. AND I absolutely LOVE saving the racer for race day - getting 100% the full effect. You cannot beat the responsive lightweight feel of this shoe. You can try, and you will fail. You ever just lace up excellence on your feet? Not if you haven't put on the Escalante Racer and that is the truth.

These fix just about everything wrong with the original Escalante. They're light. They're responsive. They cushion well without feeling like pillows. They corner well. They breath well. They have a secure-but-unrestrictive fit. They flex well. I mean if it wasn't for the fact that the Boston's colors look distinctly little-boy-ish and the Chicago's are just kinda bland looking, not to mention feeling like a NASCAR driver with that giant number 18 on the side, they'd be all but perfect. Only note I've got besides the colors is that they are extremely open-aired, to the point where you can see your toes through the upper if you look for them. If it's really cold outside, I could see these being too uninsulated to be comfortable. Other than that, though, they're good for just about every other occasion.

I love the Escalante. Referred to it by my chiropractor two years after breaking up with Adidas when they transitioned to their supposed boost sole. I ended up with shin splits/calf pain. Tried about $1,000 in different shoes and kinda went with Brooks launch, but it was not a perfect fit. I am a marathoner- low end 30 miles week/peak training 55-60. I have been running for 32 years, former track converted to athlete. Since I grew up running bare feet in the Caribbean, I hate running with socks and despise lots of sole. The Escalantes were a perfect fit out of the box, but I hated the knitted upper. Too hot during humid/hot days of Boston summer. Even though I was not running Boston this year, I tried the racer and YES!!! I have found MY SHOE!!! I am on my 3rd pair and would ask that you seriously consider making this a permanent version of your line in different colours. I am happy to represent my city (BOSTON!), but am a pink and purple girl. Thank you so very much for making my feet happy again. Running is renewed!

First, let me be perfectly honest - I'm not a Marathon runner...in fact, I'm not even a big runner...I walk most of the time, but do jog in intervals. I tend to have a goal of about 25 miles a week on the road. I purchased my first pair of Escalante Racers at the end of May, and I've put on about 225 miles since. Yes, they're worn and I'll be lucky to get much more than another week or two out of them, but I moved from a 6mm drop in NB 1080's to a zero-drop Altra - and have been pleasantly surprised at how much better I feel. I generally have flat feet, so I was concerned that the zero-drop would be a problem, but it's been the opposite. I've honestly not put on my NB shoes since I purchased these, and I'm about to order another pair! Altra - two things - please continue to make these iconic shoes (LOVE THIS COLOR COMBINATION)...and I'd love to have a little more sole in them so I could easily get 300+ miles out of them. For anyone reading this - try them out - I'm pretty sure you will never go back to the old, mass produced, off the shelf brands you are accustomed to. Well worth the investment. Happy running (or walking if that is your preference).

It's phenomenal to me how such obvious sophistication in design creates a shoe that feels so pure and simple. The entire design is like a piece of art, not because of how they look (though I do like the look) but because of how they feel and perform. They really are a step above the standard escalante for all the reasons outlined in the description, and they're well worth the price difference. The only reason I could possibly recommend the escalante over the escalante racer is if you prefer a cushier ride (but you will sacrifice some control for it). For a minimalist feel with superior control, a supremely supportive hug in the upper, and ample cushion for comfortable running on asphalt, look no further. I normally wear vivobarefoot shoes casually but prefer some cushion while running. This is a perfect, extremely comfortable, truly elegant shoe.

I've only ran in these a few times but the improvements over the original escalante are definitely noticeable! * Improved lateral stability! * Improved ground feel! * Extremely improved breathability!!! * Improved fit around heal by greatly reducing the excessive padding around the heal!!! * Improved lace eyelet width to accommodate those of us with low volume feet! (Originals are synched as tight as they can go and still not tight enough for my feet.) * Improved laces! * Lighter weight! * Better looking upper! They keep the EGO midsole so they still have more cushioning than any other shoe in the minimalist category. They are still extremely flexible for freedom to move as necessary and to help build foot strength. Thank you Altra for all of the improvements! Now, please make this shoe part of the standard lineup instead of being reserved for special edition!

My doctor recommended this shoe- Thank you Dr. E!! Wow what a nice shoe. Perfect in all ways. I didn't have to down or up size. Light weight, nice colors , breathable, comfortable. I could go on and on. Could you pretty please make more of these in a variety of colors? I think I found my perfect pair.