Customer Reviews Altra Lone Peak 4.5

I really wanted the Lone Peak 4.5s to work for me. I bought one size larger to account for swelling and clearance for my toes on down-hills, the large toe-box is great for "E" size feet but I just couldn't make the Instep Height work for me. My instep is Medium/High and even with the laces completely loose, the area by the last two lace holes was very snug on the top of my foot, which would not have allowed any room for swelling after a few trail miles. I tried them with Darn Tough medium and Injinji mid-weight & thin-weight socks but my instep just was too high. Sorry Altra, I've been trying to find a light tough trail shoe but these just won't work for me. I would still recommend them as long as your instep height is normal, if there is such a foot.

I have worn Altra since 2012. I am writing this as a fair review to hopefully help others. I used to run mostly road (in FL where I grew up). I have been in the PNW for almost 4 years, with great trails. Today, I ran 8.25 miles with nearly 1500 ft of gain, largely on MTB trails on Tiger Mountain just outside Seattle. While I am used to the wide toe box, I truly feel the overall fit is just too loose. I'm sad to say I currently prefer my Salomon Ultra Pro (probably my most overall favorite trail shoe), or my Arc'teryx Norvan LD. I LOVE the zero drop of Altras, and can even tell when on trails. The issue, I feel my foot slides too much. I also feel I have to really cinch the laces in order for the shoe to not feel even more loose. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the laces are SO long (again, just like many models of Altra), I was able to double knot them, which helped. I wanted to buy the new Time 2.0 but good Lord the fit is garbage. TOO tight on the lateral side of the toe box. And the height of the toe box feels smushed. Altra I don't want to give up on you, but the extreme inconsistency the past few years is killing me (I haven't bought torin's since 2017 NYC edition).

Finally an altra that locks down my low volume foot! But that heel collar is no good. I never get blisters but after one run this shoe tore my heel up.

Just wanted to reiterate the points made by others - the top part of the heel on this shoe rubs right against my achilles. For my first walk in them, I got two blisters on my achilles. Not sure I can even wear them.

In comparison to the LP v4, these seem much more narrow. I have the laces as loose as possible and they are still uncomfortably tight just behind the ball of my foot, over the arch, almost as bad as the pair of vali's I tried on.. The issue with the heel appears to be gone from the v4. The LPv4s fit me almost perfectly. Superior 4s are a tiny bit tight across the ball but loosened up with a bit of wear. I'll give these a chance, but am pretty skeptical they will ever be comfortable. For a company that markets themselves as good for feet, etc, it surprises me how narrow so many of their offerings are. I guess extra wide feet don't count.

This is only my second pair of Altras but somethings isn't quite right with these shoes. The right shoe fits differently and more specifically the heel is much tighter. It rubs against my achilles and made a nice blister. The right tongue will not stay straight, despite the laces holding it multiple times over. I think the shoes is defective and will return and get a new pair.

I regularly run trail, about 20-35 miles per week. For the past 7 weeks I have done a Saturday long of about 9-12 miles in the Lone Peak 3.5's. My week day shorter training runs were in LP3.5, Escalante's, LP4, Supperior 3.5, Olympus 3.5. Each of these runs has resulted in not a single blister. Trying on the LP 4.5 in the store I could tell something was a little different in the upper. a little more constricted in the forefoot, and what felt like a high spot in the forefoot at the widest part of my foot. All of which I thought I could live with. As I have done with most of my Altra purchases I took this shoe out for a long run on day one with no worry in my mind. (Mistake) About a mile in I could tell I was getting a hot spot on my heel, by the end of my 10 miles a large hole in my left heel and a good blister in my right heel. Both in the same spot. Its been a week and a half and my blister has mostly healed and is comfortable in my other running shoes, and my work dress shoes. I just put the LP4.5's on and ouch couldn't wear them in a chair still something defiantly in exactly the place of my mostly healed blister. Many other reviews have a similar problem in the heel, sounds like a seam has been sewn in for the heel loop (which I don't use and don't need) Disappointed after 10 miles, I need to take these back which I hate to do to my local running store, but Altra missed the mark on this shoe and I am unable to wear it. I hope this helps others. My recommendation if you want to try this shoe, get on your stores treadmill and walk strongly or run for 5 minutes to see if it begins rubbing on your foot too. I'll continue to buy Altra and love their products but this one is not for me.

It's too bad I have to keep skipping every to every other "upgrade" of this model. I've been a lone peak fan since the 2.5 iteration but have had to skip the 3, 3.5 and now the 4.5 versions. Really happy with the fit of version 4 (seriously happy). Bought the 4.5 only to find that the fit has again been changed with the mods to the uppers, returned to merchant. Similar to another review, the right foot feels weird, not surprised since the first pair of version 4 I received weren't even symmetrical (quality control?). Overall, the 4 hit the spot for me and conformed to my foot shape but the 4.5 feel like they got narrow again with no contours. Waiting for the next version wouldn't be that bad if I had confidence that my 4s will hold together, but there seems to be a glue issue as my sole is starting to separate from the upper, hope they last with crazy glue to gamble when the lone peak 5 comes out.

Overall good quality, the shoe feels solid. For myself as others have stated the instep is really tight, especially the right foot. The rest of the shoe, toe box and heel, feels great.

This is an update to my previous review. For the first use took the shoe out on a 3 mile hike. Got a blister/cut from the stitching of the heel loop. Exact situation as the review from " RJ From New Zealand". Loop stitching has created a spur/ pointy portion behind the foam that rubbed on the Achilles. Bruised my right Achilles enough to bleed.I own a good number of Altra shoes (picture show some I own) and this is unfortunate and sad. Hopefully Altra will update the model to prevent this from happening. May not happen to everybody. YMMV.

Hoping the mid-top version of the 4.5s will for better better in the mid-foot area, and in the toe box... I tried on a pair in 10.5, and in 12, and neither fit (I usually wear shoes in 10.5).

Just got the 4.5 and also a 4.0 to add to the existing 4.0. Still feels like a solid shoe from just trying it on for a few minutes but as the review from "Jay Bee" mentioned, the loop to pull the heel up is almost useless now. Compared to 4.0 toe box feels tighter/narrower. Same goes for the fit around the instep. Feels a bit restricted. May be it will loosen up after a run. Also, the stitching under the tongue does rub on the instep compared to Lone Peak 4.0. Overall a little bit of a downer for now. The new Olive/Willow is a nice color. Pictures show 4.0 and 4.5 for comparison. As it is, 3.5 out of 5. (I've been wearing Altra since the first Instinct)

First off: I love most Altras I had before. Especially the Lone Peak 4.0. The 4.5 feel pretty much exactly the same, so no problem there. Brilliant shoe. BUT. One design tweak irritates me -- literally -- which is the way the heel loop is finished at the top. The problem is: that strip of fabric continues to just a wee bit into the inner fabric of the heel top and now it protrudes that tiny bit that gave me blisters on my heel after only 2k of running already! I'm very disappointed with that design tweak. Especially because it is totally unnecessary to attach the heel loop like that, and serves no purpose at all. Why would you finish any bit that could protrude all the way to the inner fabric where it can lead to chafing/pitching? I wish I had bought 5 pairs of 4.0s to last me a few years. That model was simply p.e.r.f.e.c.t. for me. Come on Altra, you can do better!

I like the wide Toe Box , but the center of the foot needs to be more snug so there is no lateral shift. Zero Drop helps to reduce my Plantar Fasciitis problems for me. I just bought new shoes but they are not Altras and ALTRA IF YOU ARE LISTENING, you are going away from Vibram, and that new harder sole you are using is slippery when dry and worse when wet. If your shoes don't hold me to rocks then I break ribs or bones coming down off steep mountain trails. I assume you chose this new sole material because it's cheap and they may wear longer, but I will not buy a shoe that risk killing me. You made a choice going this direction, and it is not going serve your loyal past customers. People buy 4-5 pairs of shoes on Thru Hikes a year. I had a pair of Saucony's and I hated them using the same material you just been switching to, because they were too dangerous on slopes and stream crossings. My older pair of Altra Lone Peak stuck me like glue, I could trust them. Please drop the new sole contract and go back to a trusted Vibram that has been around for 40+ years. I will be back if you do, but I won't buy what your using now.

Altra advertises that their shoes give your foot plenty of room. That is not true for the new Lone Peak RSM. They are really narrow. They hurt my feet the instant I put them on.

I recently ordered two pairs of Lone Peak 4.5 shoes to check the sizing, a 9.5 and 10. While the 10 was a good fit, as expected since that's my usual size, that pair had two significant defects: 1. The insole of the left shoe was folded under at the toe by about 1 inch. After unfolding it, I could see that the insole was completely incorrectly sized for the shoe, it was too long - with it unfolded, the insole extended up into the toe box and the upper. It seemed as though an assembler may have done this on purpose, folding over the extra portion, to avoid pulling out the glued-on insole and installing a new one. 2. The left shoe seems noticeably more cushioned than the right shoe. It's not obvious why, but this is clearly noticeable when walking in the shoes. I understand that almost every running shoe is made in China, but better quality control than this is expected from a premium running shoe brand - especially one whose parent company is The North Face. In my case, the shoes have a 50% defect rate; since one out of the two pairs is defective. Aside from these specific quality issues, I found these shoes to have a good combination of cushioning, sole stiffness, and grip, with good room in the toe box, although not as much as other Altra designs.

i bought a pair of lone peak 4.5 and after the 10th time i used it the shoe ripped aparte.

I have worn the PL 4 for two years over winter. I really liked the feel and fit worn on snow and trail. The 4.5 do not fit! I size up for room for winter socks and the newer style will not even fit with thin socks. They feel long at the toe and narrow in the mid foot. I like altras. I wear them constantly and find the brand is going in a direction that does not work for me. The "wide" "natural" fitting shoe is going narrow and plush like every other manufacture out there. This 5 year relationship is about ready to come to a close if things don't change.

I wanted to love these shoes, I put them on and instantly fell in love. The comfort was unmatched, but that's about as far as it went. 2 days after purchasing them and maybe just maybe 5 miles on some easy hiking 3 of the 5 lugs were just gone on my left shoe. After further investigation there are more that are falling off give it about another half a mile and I'm sure they will be gone as well. I don't know if I just got a bad shoe or what but these will be going back soon.

Had two pairs, first pair started falling apart after two days and 20-30 miles of hiking. Got a second pair through the warranty. Put only 80 miles on these and they are falling apart. Numerous holes and tears, such that I can see my socks through the shoe now. The rubber sole is also coming loose in places, mostly the front, and the inside of the foot. Also do not handle wet conditions well, which is not great for the Northeast. Honestly feels like a complete waste of money. If you are looking for something that will last, look elsewhere.

Similar to the mythical Achilles, these shoes seem perfect in every way except for the heel. Something about the back of the shoe digs into the upper heel/ ankle area and after a while can cause a lot of bruising/ blistering. Were it not for that problem, these would likely be my favorite shoe ever, but alas, it is not to be.

These shoes breakdown way to fast. Under 30 .iles and terrible separation from the sole causing my foot to roll and the sole to dig into your arch. My buddies shoes are breaking down in a similar fashion in under even less mileage. His original lone peaks have over 200 miles and look in far better shape then 4.5 after one hike. Not good.

Being using the Lone Peaks for years. I'm done. Altra is incapable of making a shoe that lasts more than a few hundred miles. At one point there were few alternatives. There are lots now.