Customer Reviews Altra Escalante Racer

I have wide feet and bunions so I ordered the men's 8 instead of women's 10. I love the mesh on the toe box for these and just find them perfect. Training for a marathon soon and so glad I found altras

My favorite shoe ever. The upper is perfect, comfy/airy but secure enough to make quick maneuvers. The shape is wide in the FOREFOOT and not in the heel. The midsole is thin, and super responsive. The insoles are removable, which is important for minimalist runners And the whole shoe is very very light. Sadly the colors totally suck through every generation. Altra pleeease offer these with toned down colors!!! The retro gray, teal and orange combo on the escalante 3s is so nice.

Introduced to altra zero drop wide toe box by running coach. Escalante Racer comfortable and light.

My absolute favorite shoe to run in. I have gone through around 5 pairs of these shoes and the still are my favorite. I have tried other Altra models that were okay but left me missing these shoes. Please for the love of running, don't get rid of this model.

Altra, please keep making this shoe for those of us who don't want to run in the moon shoes that have become so popular. Responsive, wide without being too roomy, sock-like fit.

Super comfy, breathable, zero drop and a wide anatomical shaped toe box. Zero break in period needed and were awesome during a half marathon.

I've been in Altra's for some time now. After running in the in Boulder Boulder Escalante I fell in love with them. They are comfortable, light and FAST! HIGHLY recommend

I wasn't sure about these @ the start, but i have grown to love them. Currently, my go to speed/ work-out shoe. Love the lock-down vs the regular Esc. Hoping that new colors means this shoe will last.

I typically wear minimalist/ barefoot shoes for casual wear and training. However, for running, I found I wanted a little more cushion. I was glad to find the Altra Escalante 2.5 a few years back. These had all the features of a barefoot shoe (foot-shaped, zero drop) but with a little padding. I haven't tried other road running shoes from Altra, but their cushion stacks look thicker than I'd want. I also have the Lone Peak 6 for hiking and trail running. Anyway, I loved running in my Escalante 2.5s but over time, they wore down. When it was time for a new pair, I was deterred by the negative reviews on the Escalante 3s. So I waited and eventually decided to try the Escalante Racer. I really like them. Took them out of the box for a 5-mile run today and they felt great. They are similar to the 2.5s, however, the upper feels a little more snug. I think this is a good thing, it could feel a little sloppy sometimes running in the 2.5s, especially during any lateral movement where it felt like the edges of my feet could roll off the footbed. The Racer upper feels tight, with no lateral movement, but still comfortable with room in the toebox. I've seen other reviews complain about the colorways, and in general, I agree. I actually held out on the Racers until a second color was released. I went with the Dark Grey and like it. The grey is conservative, but neon accents pop and give the shoe some style. I do have two nits to pick about the Racer compared to the 2.5. 1 - the laces on the Racer are short, especially compared to the 2.5s. If I were to use the final two eyelets near my ankle, I might not be able to tie the shoe. 2 - the lateral space between the eyelets, over the tongue is very open. I feel like there is not enough material in the upper to more fully wrap the shoes around my foot, especially at t the bottom near the toebox. See pics for a side-by-side comparison with the Escalante 2.5s. Even with these two minor issues, this is still the best running shoe I've found for my feet. Not sure why foot-shaped shoes are the exception rather than the rule. Or how so many people can wear Hokas or Nikes to run. Is it a status or style thing? Nevertheless, I am glad Altra makes foot-shaped shoes, and glad I found them.

Still the best shoe in the Altra line up. Just ordered the new color. Please keep making this shoe! This is what the die hard Altra fans want! Remember your following!

I have been through about seven pairs of these 'escalante racers'. It's what I use exclusively for training and racing ultra-triathlon. < 500 miles a pair. Thank you altra for continuing to sell this!

I have loved this shoe so far. Super light, snug fit around the heel unlike some experiences I have had with the standard escalantes. Good ground feel but very responsive.

My 2nd pair of Escalante Racers & I love them. Hope Altra stays true to them with future models & doesn't mess them up. I'm clearly bitter about my Torin 6 (loved the Torin 5 except for the tongue)

These are only running shoes my son can wear for running that will not hurt his feet. Please do not discontinue and add more colors. The black one with the size we bought a whole bag was tighter than the blue one.

Recently switched to ER and never been happier. Wide toe box is amazing and low stack height leaves a great responsive feel. Never buying any other running shoes. Please don't change a thing!!!!!

Vibrams (5 Fingers) fan, but been looking for a step up in cushion for a long time and can't find the qualities I'm looking for. Got first pair of Racers a month ago and I'm sold for life.

My shoes made my feet cramped and it has taken a toll as I age.Came across these in 2022 and they are so lightweight/comfortable.The wide toe box is a game changer. Just restocked sizes 14/15 today!

I'm on my 2nd pair, had over 500 miles on my first pair. My favorite shoe of all time. My entire body feels better when I run in this shoe vs others. I'm doing to buy a 3rd pair now because I'm not sure if it's still in production. If it's discontinued I'll buy a 3rd and 4th pair and then just be disappointed once those wear out. Please Altra continue this shoe!!!

This is by far my favorite shoe for any distance runs. I use them for quick park runs all the way up to 50 mile ultras. I hope this shoe sticks around for a really long time.

I wear size 15. Please make more of this size and more colors please. Please do not alter this shoe. Have 3 pairs.

Perfect shoe and I own 3 pair. Went to an Altra dealer today and was given the bad news they are no longer making the Escalante Racer. Say it's not so!! I'm a 14 which means I'm out of luck and could not find my size anywhere. Say it's not so!!

I have four pairs of the Escalante Racer and each one has over 2,000 miles in them and still going. I wear them running, walking, and as my everyday shoes. They've been through it all, no matter the weather conditions or the environment. A daily walk, hiking or a marathon. The more I wear them the more comfortable they get. Other than the natural wear to the soles the only wear and tear is where the nail of my big toes has worn through the mesh upper, but that is to be expected for what I've put these through. Also, I'm in agreement with many others commenting... do not stop making this shoe (model) and do not change a thing. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!

It's a low profile shoe with a responsive midsole, a very minimal and breathable upper, and fits like a glove. Despite the wider toebox, the upper and lacing system really let you dial in the fit. Ive never had an issue with sloppy fit on unstable terrain, the way I did with the superior 4 for example. I originally thought it wouldn't be great for longer runs but the cushioning does a great job actually and the shoe is just so comfortable, I've gone up to 10mi in workouts and was glad to have these on my feet, excited to try some long runs in it soon. An awesome road shoe, but it fills a special niche for me - it's incredible for dirt or gravel roads, cinder, grass, and dry trails. It's hands down the best shoe for speed work on unstable terrain since it's so low profile, compared to other bouncy shoes I have like the new balance rebel v2 that I like but just feel dangerous on anything but pavement. I don't really know of any other shoes like this one, and don't know what I could replace it with if it were discontinued. Out of the 20+ shoes I've had in all different styles I think this is my favorite ever. Track workouts, running on pavement to get to trails, races on pavement, grass, trail and gravel, it does everything

I run a marathon style training cycle typically, in Houston. There aren't many days I couldn't choose these shoes for any type of training run. It just gets the job done and let's my foot be a foot!

These are hands down my favorite road running shoe. It has that awesome low to the ground feel for great responsiveness and that perfect blend of cushioning. I feel like my form really dials in perfectly in this shoe. The perfect natural feel with protection for your feet. I wear a size 11 in the Escalante Racer as well as a size 11 in the Altra Superior(Another Great Shoe). Altra please dont stop making this shoe or change anything.