Customer Reviews Altra Viho

Use these for work...stepped up to the Plush for a bit more comfort

Have been running for 50 years and have relatively narrow foot. Have been using Nike free for last few years, and was quite attached to them. They are no longer made and local running store suggested these. For me, toe box is wide compared to Nike, and more comfortable. Cushioning is firm. I usually do a 5k loop at 9 min pace. No more marathons. I liked the non flashy colors. So far so good

Out of the box, I agree with most that these shoes were tight at the top of the foot. I was worried I would have to return them, but after using them solely for walking the insoles and cushioning contoured and now feel comfortable during runs. My previous Altras were the Kenyatas which felt softer on foot falls but were less durable. This is a nice step up in durability. For reference, I mainly go for shorter runs about 6-10 miles.

My story- I have long*er toes, high arches, narrow heels and thin ankles. My forefoot is the widest of my feet to thinnest of my feet would be my heel. I have what you would call "unshod"-esque feet, meaning I am virtually better barefoot than wearing shoes because I run on my toes and no other shoe company really promotes feet like mine except for Altra. It's like, I can finally feel natural when moving and still look stylish. I'm personally not a big fan of wearing flimsy slippers that look like trash and pay over $100 for it, I'm better off just wearing socks at that point. That's where Altra comes in handy. Natural foot-shape with conventional style. Though I am not a big runner, I only run short distances and I focus more on speed. I prefer H.I.I.T., or cycling for endurance. I just don't have the physique for endurance running. Too short and bulky. However, when I do run I will always choose Altra. :)

Most Altra shoes have nice wide soles (bottom) that keep their width from toe to heel. Not the VIHO. It may look sexier but the sleeker design replaces some practical functionality. The VIHO is well made and the upper is great, a really solid feeling shoe. I know the VIHO is not a stability shoe, so I use orthotics when I wear neutral platforms. The upper was fine but the VIHO sole was so narrow under the arch that my orthotic was noticeably pushing out from inside of the shoe. My arch and ankle hurt a lot after just a 2.7 mile run. Needless to say, I returned them. I would recommend them to a friend but only if they had the right feet for the shoe. I ordered the Provision 4 instead.

I wear size 9.5 in most shoe brands but don't mind a snug fit for running shoes, especially for trails. The size 9.0 in the Lone Peak is a perfect fit for me due to the wide toe box. The Viho size 9 was way too tight and I had to return. I then found the Duo on sale at REI and got a 9.5 but it is similar to the Lone Peak and is a bit big... but I'm not as concerned about a loose fit for road running. My 2 cents.

I like Altra shoes a lot. Altra and Lems are all I buy these days. This particular shoe is a little narrower in the toe. I actually like that because they look less like clown shoes than other Altras, and they are still wider than other running shoes. I returned mine because the foam is very hard. My other Altras (Escalante and Lone Peak) did not have this issue. To be fair, it may have softened with wear, but I didn't want to assume that so I returned them.

I really had a lot of hope for this shoe. I was looking for a trainer, more durable and thinner soled than Torins without sacrificing the nice ride of the Torins. These felt great slipping them on, walking around. First break-in runs were 4-6 miles on dirt path so they felt great! Light and comfy. But there seemed to be a total change in the feel of the road. Every time I wore these, my calves were so sore from runs on asphalt and sidewalk. Just to test, I would switch up shoes, back to Torins or Boosts, and confirmed my theory, that these Vihos just have a harder ride. Which I expected because I wanted a trainer that would last longer than Torins. But I just couldn't get used to the tiredness my feet felt beyond 6-8 miles and the soreness after. A good shoe for that 5-8 mile range, for me, but I will be going back to Torins for the delicious ride on longer runs.

What happened to Altra shoes? This pair, and others I tried on, have shifted to a narrow build. There's no more of the roomy toe box and wide open feel. How about offering a WIDE option if you are going to abandon what you built your business on? These are shoes for a "narrow-normative" market bias. I recommend them if you have narrow feet. They'll be great for you.

I've been an Altra fan for a while. Running in Torin, Escalante, One, Instinct and Escalante Racer. The Racer is by far the best! These were bought because when I needed some new kicks this was about all they had except the cushy Torins... So, gave em a shot. They are heavy and felt slow and the the typical toe splay! They did better for me as a 60/40 road/dry groomed trail shoe. Plenty of cushion but eventually my knees told me I needed something different. Typical Altra construction and wear. Probably a good trainer for someone out there... just not a favorite of mine.

More narrow toe box..MADE IN CHINA..shame on you

The shoe was way too tight on the top of my foot toward my toes. I could not get them to loosen up so I had to return them. Customer service was great and I got a full refund.

I don't recommend for running.

What I do is jogging, because it can't be called running anymore. This shoe just did not have good cushioning. Felt like there was a 2x4 rectangle of firm rubber in the middle of the foot. Just a short walk convinced me these were not a shoe for these old feet, walking or jogging. On the positive side, they did look good.

I think I have relatively flat feet and the moment I slipped these on, the top of my forefoot felt like it was being pressed down so I loosened the laces and that didn't help. Had to return. So sad.

Made it 30 minutes and couldn't wait to get these off my feet. I think Altra is seriously struggling with making esthetically pleasing shoes for people with actual human feet. Somehow this was worse than the hitt xt. The cushioning was really good. I'll say that. Problem is, there is so much in the insert that there isn't any room for you foot. Took the insert out, and it was bearable, but then there is the lack of cushioning. My foot was jammed up into the upper at the mid foot causing hot spots. They might break in and be somewhat comfortable, but I'm not willing to continue to wear them to find out. I wanted these to work. They look great. Too bad.

I really wish I can love this pair of shoes. I loved the Escalante Racer. Love love loved it still my most favorite shoes for everything. Thought I'd give the new Viho a try. No matter what I did, Olsen the shoe laces up, still felt extremely narrow around the ball of the foot. In fact my feet would start hurting after 30 minutes. Tried them on 3 times hoping it would eventually expand out, didn't happen. Very disappointed. Altra I really hope you'll listen to this review and many others. Please stick to your original design principles. Please please please.

I've had a pair of Viho's for about 2 months now and do my daily walks/ runs in them anywhere from between 3-8 miles depending on the day. The bottom of the shows are already wearing out badly which really disappoints me at the price point. My 50 dollar Adidas at least lasted 6 months or so before showing wear

I've worn Instincts since V1 in 2012. This is the successor and does a great job for me in all aspects except: -Not as responsive as in the past but only marginally so. -The toe box is too narrow. You may think this isn't possible on an Altra shoe but the Viho is missing one of the signatures of the Altra line and 50% of the reason that I buy them; the wide toe box. I can't believe this product made it to market. Bring back the wide toe box!!!

I bought these to replace an older pair of Escalantes, but they are uncomfortably tight across the top of my foot. The length was fine and it really didn't feel narrow at the sides. I tried it without the insert and that was more comfortable, but not a good solution. I have slightly wide feet with a high arch.