Customer Reviews Altra Provision 4

These are by far the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn. I am not a runner, so I cannot comment on how they function for running, but for day-to-day regular use/walking they are perfect.

I bought these to replace my Instinct 4.5's. I've put about 25miles on them so far... PRO'S: The bumps on the insole feel great on my feet and generally feels like there is more squish while still feeling properly supported. The outsole and tread have worked great in dry, wet, and slightly slushy conditions. The upper seems well ventilated - its winter and I can really feel the cold. CONS: The lacing system - I haven't figured it out yet. No lace loop in the tongue to help it stay (hasn't been an issue). Laces are extra long and a bit too elasticity.

On my second pair after switching over from the heavier Paradigm. This shoe dials things down perfectly in terms of weight, cushion and stability. Just the right amount of each for me. I don't have issues with the tongue but I do see how it could be awkward and perhaps uncomfortable for some people. Agreed that it wears somewhat quickly. I plan to buy more.

This is 6th pair of Altra Provisions. Moved away from Brooks Adrinaline a few years ago and imediately fell in love! I'm 44yrs old, 5'10" 175lbs, a mid-foot striker, mild over-pronator, and run anywhere from 10 to 50 miles a week depending on training schedule and kids' baseball/footaball/basketball/leCrox schedule. I had 20 miles on my new Provision 4s and was about to throw them in a wood chipper. My MTP joint on my right pinky-toe (joint in the ball of the foot) was KILLING me! The "medial guide rail system" was pushing my foot too far and that joint was on the edge of cushioning. Luckily, I figured out that if you loosen laces through the "medial guide rail system" and the bottom 2 laces ... problem solved! My previous 5 pairs have been size 11.5 and this pair feels like they should be 11. I will update after a couple hundred more miles on these.

I purchased the Provision 4 after realizing I needed more support than what I'd been getting from my pair of Escalante 2s. Fitment transitioning between the two shoes was spot on. The Provision has a bulkier and stiffer construction, so it "feels" tighter, but the actual fitment and width is perfect at a 10.5, with the only noticeable loss of room being in the internal height. This might be a problem for those with taller feet, but it wasn't an issue for me. However, even with the added support and materials, it's extremely lightweight. The only reason I can't give the shoe a full five stars is because there is some pressure on the inside corner of the shoe, just behind my big toe, where the tongue connects. At first, I was concerned that the discomfort would get worse when actually running, but instead it seems to go away. It's also less noticeable now that the shoe has broken in. From a performance standpoint, it cured all of the foot pain I was starting to develop in my Escalante 2s, and my running has improved greatly overall since making the switch. For me, this was exactly the shoe I needed and I've been really happy with it. Overall, I'd recommend these shoes, but I do think it's worth pointing out that the fitment, particularly in the area I pointed out, could be problematic for some.

Great shoes. Done about 50 miles on them so far. I have super flat feet and the simple design to bring your arch up works great! Wish the last was a little wider but still in love with the shoe.

Although I wouldn't rate it very high in the looks department this is a very good shoe for those of us that like high cushioning. The feel is very similar to the Torin 4 with a little better stability and arch support.

I bough two of the previous version. Loved them! The whole thing felt incredibly comfortable. I was surprised by the wide the shoe felt at the forefoot. This current version, though, it a lot narrower. The bumpy insoles are a bit uncomfortable, at the beginning, but I got used to it. Not a fan of the new lacing system. The tongue goes way to the side to the point where the inner edge points straight up. I am guessing it's the way I naturally step, but I have that indentation at the tip of the shoe. I really hate it when it happens, but, again, it might be the way I step. Feels lighter than the previous version. Overall, it's a good shoe.

While this is a nice shoe I prefer the Instinct mostly because the toe box is wider & fits my foot better. This shoe is tight across my arch but loosely tying the laces helps, also may remove some of the inner lining. Otherwise is a nice shoe. The white works for me & a half size smaller for length than normal. Would have given a 5 rating if it's toe box was wider like to Instinct. But, please - please bring back the Instinct...

Please don't forget those of us who have been loyal customers with a NEED for wide toe boxes. Through the years the new models seem to be going for a narrower, sportier look at the cost of comfort, and for me an increase in pain as I need a WIDE toebox. Why not consider 'the ugly series'. A line of the original wide, and admittedly ugly shoe with the beautiful toe box. Make them ugly color wise. Revel in their ugliness, but bring them back, pretty please.

I am 6'3, 175 lbs, avid runner up to marathon distance, high arch and moderate overpronator. I've run in Provisions and Paradigms for years and took to the Altra design concept (footshape and zero-drop) like a duck to water. I liked the old Provision for what it was- mid-cushion support with the Varus wedge. Altra dropped the Varus for this version in favor of a strap system that is less-intrusive. To me, the result is that the Provision 4 now runs like a dead, neutral shoe; I get nothing out of the new straps. Maybe folks with a lower arch fare better. I understand the goal probably is to make the Provision 4 appeal to a wider audience, but we already have other mid-cushion neutral shoes in the Altra lineup to choose from. The older Provisions filled a niche; the Provision 4 is a redundant product. Those of us who need a true support shoe now don't have one, and those of us who don't really need the support have other (better) Altra shoes to choose from. Bummer. Long live the Varus wedge!

I'm a heavily overpronating, 6'2", 200 lb amateur runner who usually runs about 4-6 miles, around 8:30 pace- not a competitor, just enjoying nature and cardio health. History of PFS. I was using the Provision 3.5 and they were like a magic bullet, baby-bear shoe. Just the right amount of support and guidance for pronation but good stability and not too much cushion or mush. Unable to buy any more of the outgoing 3.5's in my size, I caved and bought these. I'm impressed with how well the gimmicky-looking upper lacing wrap-around-fingers actually work- they're very comfortable once laced. I love the Altra toe box I love the zero drop configuration. I'm not impressed with how much additional cushioning these have versus the 3.5- it all seems to have come at the cost of stability. They are less responsive, give less road feel and seem to rebound less energy back. I should add that I'm not comparing a worn out pair of the 3.5 against the 4.0. I have a control for this since I have a pair of 3.5s in near-new condition for comparison purposes in making these statements (one of the tread blocks fell off the sole and Altra was good enough to send me a replacement pair, and I kept the original pair in a box) Hopefully a return to form is in the works already or I'll be inclined to start looking at H*kas and GT2000s

I love everything about this shoe... except the tongue. It always flops over to the side and after enough miles my foot gets irritated because it's rubbing against the strings (no tongue to help protect foot). How about just adding a loop for laces to go through?

I am a very fit 190 lbs athlete that runs races from 1/2 iron man to obstacle races. I love the zero drop and toe box. I am all for technology and innovation as long as it is vetted properly. The issue is the 4.0 vs the 3.5 is lost arch support and hence some stability. There strap / wire thingy doesn't replace structural support. It requires too much over the top of the foot connection which can be painfull. Therefore, I had to use my insoles from my old 3.5 and put them in the 4.0 to make them usable. Please go back to the 3.5 type design is this regard as this is the only zero drop stability running shoe!

Got my first pair of Provision 4's and have been putting some miles on them. I really want to love these shoes - they are 90% there but not quite doing it. I've been running in the Torin 4's and love the fit of those shoes, but the foam in the soles wears out too fast so I was looking for something with a similar upper but more stability underfoot for the long haul - hence the Provisions. My main complaint is that the lacing and heel counter don't work together as well as I would like. Basically, the heel is too wide causing my heel to lift up but the lacing with those tongue things is designed to pull your foot down but not back. So, my heel lifts when I run, but the laces pinch over the top of my foot if I try to tighten them to hold my heel down. It also means that my foot slides forward going downhill. Aside from that, they are great - they feel light and responsive and the mesh upper holds the rest of my foot well aside from the heel, and they don't feel quite as mushy underfoot as the torins.

I was excited to give these a try, read so many glowing reviews and just had to have them. Got them in a beautiful Seahawk color scheme (GO HAWKS!) and when they came in I was blown away by how good they looked. First run I was in heaven, felt nice, looked great couldnt be happier. But after 90 miles, the sole in toast, pretty much gone. So sad. Wont buy again to run in, might get them when they go on major discount just to wear around.

Loved the shoe but after 200 miles they're toast. There's literally a hole on the bottom.

This is my 2nd pair of Altra running shoes. My first pair was a MEN'S ESCALANTE RACER '19 - which was the most comfortable and well designed running shoe I have ever owned. When it came time to replace it, and since the ESCALANTE was no longer available; I chose a MEN'S PROVISION 4 instead. Although it is supposed to have a "Footshape" toebox, it is uncomfortably tight in the toe area. Maybe Altra had some complaints that the "Footshape" toebox was too wide for some people. But I have read several other reviews that agree with my assessment that the design for the toebox has become too narrow. I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all solution. I think Altra needs to start offering their shoes in regular and narrow size options. If the next Altra shoe I purchase is also too small in the toebox, then I am done purchasing Altra shoes.

This shoe isn't as wide as it's predecessor. That's a good thing for me as my feet aren't really wide at all, I just like a wide toebox. I don't pronate at all in these, that's good. But they are a little stiff so sometimes my back acts up. The lacing also kinda sucks because it doesn't connect to all the material so I end up with a weird bow on the top of the shoe, but that's mostly a cosmetic issue. But I'm certain the sole will peel with any serious lateral force.

I really like the way the shoe fits. The band attached to the tongue rubs at blister on the inside of my right heal. I so want to love this shoe but blisters suck...

After using the Provision 3 and 3.5 for years I had to wait months for the new 4.0. To be real, this is not the Provision shoe that I loved. Nothing about it is the same. It's a good shoe, but the new shoes lace thing is weird and feels kind of cheap, the sole is much thicker. It just doesn't compare to the older 3.5 which I loved. Too. bad they just couldn't add some new color schemes to an already great shoe. The Provision 4.0 just isn't a Provision. It's a new shoe line.

Loved Altra for years, from the trail shoes to road and fitness versions. Lately every pair I purchase seems to be getting narrower and the toe box isn't the same. Wish there was constancy. Got these Provision shoes as a replacement for the Instinct brand which I loved. Not nearly as good. I wish the companies would stop upgrades and changes and just stick to a good thing when they have it.

These could possibly be the worst shoes I've ever owned. I love Altra. The Paradigm is amazing. They really missed the mark on this one. I was so hoping that the these would work out for me and that maybe the poor reviews were more of a foot thing than shoe. Nope, it's definitely the shoe. In the first five minutes of wearing the heel slippage is SO bad that my socks were half way off my feet. Do you know how incredibly annoying that is? Tried different socks, no difference. I think it has to do with the design. The way the laces cause the middle to hug your feet but the heel is a just loose enough that it slips and nothing seems to prevent it. They are comfortable from about mid foot to toe, though not quite as wide as other Altras. My feet are average width and I can see the sides pushing out quite a bit when I step. I'm really hoping that after enough break-in they will stop slipping in the heel so much. Until then, I may have to wear these barefoot.

A few design updates from my pervious Provisions (which I love) caused me to return these. First the food bed was updated to a texture which I don't like on my foot. More importantly extra material was added between the upper and tongue. It is part of the lacing system and unfortunately creates extra pressure right where I don't need it. It seem over designed and had to be returned.