Customer Reviews Altra Escalante Racer

I'm absolutely bummed there are no road shoes with Original footshape. Wide Width LP6s are the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned, and I can't find an Altra road shoe that will fit on my foot even remotely well. I was hopeful that the Escalante Racers 1/2 size up would be serviceable, but no dice. The midfoot was still too narrow, length was too long, and the heel of the shoe destroyed the skin of my heel after only a few miles. I'm also not a fan at all of the mesh upper-- scratchy with huge holes, it doesn't look or perform well. I do, however, love this exact amount of cushioning. Please please please, put the exact Lone Peak 6 design on a road outsole. I will buy enough pairs to last me a lifetime.

The good: Escalante racers are a dream to run in of you like zero-drop shoes. The toe box is roomy. The bad: Unlike the other Altra shoes with grippier and thicker soles, Escalante racers have thin strips of rubber glued to the bottom. Mine started to come off and in less than 2 months. When asking about the 300 mile warranty, all emails go unanswered. If I can't replace them, in the trash they go. Do not buy this model until the defects in production are fixed. I still love the other 3 pairs of Altras I have, so it's not a problem with the whole lineup. But beware that the advertised warranty is not a guarantee that you will be taken care of.

I purchased the Grey Escalante Racer in size 12, a little too big. So I then purchased the grey in size 11.5 and they are perfect. So naturally I purchased 2 pair of the black seeing how they are either out of stock or receive the dreaded "Update." Code for ruin the shoe. Believe it or not the Black Racer runs at full half size small. I would recommend if you can get the correct size. Good shoe otherwise.

These do not replace the discontinued vanish xc. No where close, don't like the color on these either. Bring back the vanish.

Have two pairs of Racers (2018 and 2019) that were perfect, unfortunately the new models are much narrower and tighter fit. Very disappointed. Hoping they return to original specs.

They narrowed these compared to older versions. Can't wear them where the older ones were easily the most comfortable running shoes ever. I'm very sad they changed these. New Lone Peak 5's width is great still

Not sure why this pair get's all 5's? The 2.5 blows it away! These are too narrow and not supportive enough!

I have been using the first edition of the Escalante, so when I purchased the racer 2019 4th of July edition, I was expecting to find something quite similar. I worked in a running store for quite sometimes, so I am not a novice in terms of running shoes, and I do not understand why the mesh on top of the foot is so tight. The eyelet close to the toes was so tight to block the circulation on my toes, which happened after less than thirty minute wearing inside the house. I had to send them back the day after. I do not think it is a sizing problem, because width and length were just perfect, and I have been using Escalante, Torin, and the Vali (which are awesome), so why making this shoes so uncomfortable?

The stiffer sole and pronounced arch of the Escalante 2 make it a substantially different shoe from the old Racer. Part of the old Racer's popularity was due to the light, flexible, minimal midsole, which recruited the musculature surrounding the foot, ankle, and lower leg to work harder. That work paid off in the form of gains in functional strength and balance and reduced risk of injury. The new Escalante 2 revokes those advantages. Bad move, Altra. Please bring back the old version!

Geez, I really want these shoes, but I don't think I can deal with any of these colors. I'm a dude. My wife doesn't approve of these. I gotta have approval and these are literally the only shoes that I can wear that she approves of and these are the only colors you can come up with?

Bought to replace a pair of Escalante Racers from 2018. Substantial downgrade. The laces are not long enough to tie and it is just tighter all around. Very disappointed as I loved the original. What a way to ruin a brand.

I didn't think it was possible - but the colorways somehow continue to get worse with each new release.

Terrible experience with blisters from this version of the Racer.

The company needs to offer a simple black version of this shoe, the current color offerings (too loud, too easily show dirt and stains) are stopping me from buying again.

I guess Altra does not realize it has male customers and has chosen not to offer any masculine color schemes. Switching to a new brand since Altra clearly does not value its male clients.

Put my feet in them, slid them right off and shipped them back, they were narrow and uncomfortable.

I have had many different styles of Altra's, this is the first time purchasing the Escalante Racer. I was really hopeful this shoe would be a good replacement for the Escalante 2.5's I have had a few pairs of. The shoe is very comfortable, but unfortunately after around 50 miles of walking on sidewalks, the shoes have begun to show extreme signs of wear I have never seen from Altra's. The outsole from the ball of the foot to the toes is already stripped away. I reached out to Altra and hopefully will get my money back even though it is 32 days past purchase.

running shoe. absolutely flat just a thin sole and an upper. No insole no arch

I like the wide toe box but these shoes wear out and are trash for durability. Don't buy.

Shoe has some design highlights worthy of mention: 1. The woven upper is durable and has great airflow. 2. The zero-drop footbed molds perfectly to my feet. 3. No hotspots in the footbed that cause any blistering from day one. However, there are some oversights and problems with the design - and UNFORTUNATELYAltra doesn't have the management talent or resources to support customer feedback and improve their products. Customer support will ignore your emails or just hang up on you - don't bother being polite, they won't be shy in relating how little they care. One shoe developed a loud rubbery squeaking sound about 150 miles in. The cause is the middle forefoot tread poorly designed and too soft given the structure - so it is slipping while the forefoot is bending on any smooth or semi-rough surface including concrete and asphalt. Nothing is visually identifiable as wrong, but a rudimentary understanding of physics should make the problem obvious to any designer. Now add this problem to the poor lacing system wherein laces need to be tightened row by row instead of pulling through together, which combined with the floppy tongue, crumples the upper in strange ways such that you NEVER get the same snugness on each foot or even run to run! The frustration this shoe has created for me is enough to immediately knock 2 or 3 stars off. Combine this malfunction and dissatisfaction with absolutely apathetic customer service - 1 star. No question. I've been a runner for 25 years and purchased my first Altras on the recommendation of other runners. I won't be recommending Altra to anyone else. I'm on to the next brand.

Update: placed a warranty claim with Altra. They said the rubber sole coming off the toe area and a bald midsole with less then 100 miles is considered normal. BEWARE I love the fit and feel of this shoe. BEWARE, the rubber doesn't last. I have 77 miles on these according to the Nike running app. The rubber at the front toebox edge is gone, and the midfoot rubber is already smooth.

If you have the potential to have plantar fasciitis don't buy this shoe. I haven't had issues for years with plantar fasciitis and as soon as I started to train in these I have bilateral pain. I have worn other Altria's (Solstice) with no issues.