Customer Reviews Altra Paradigm 6

Very happy with the shoes, but I had to replace the original insoles. They had a very sharp edge at midfoot that cut me up pretty bad. Used insoles from a pair of Provision 4s that I had. Worked great

I was critical of a few things in my first review that I would like to revisit now that I'm on my second pair. I ran in the Hoka Arahi 6s just to see what the scuttle butt was all about, so I will say this about the Paradigm 6: I now think Altra does a much better job than others with heel slippage. The upper could be better but its fine, maybe better construction. The Arahi seemed stiffer in a good way, more supportive I guess. The Paradigm 6s breath just fine. The only negative I have for the Paradigm is the Innovarch. It doesn't work and at worst is abrasive. I'm switching back because I need my feet to splay, I love the zero drop, and the guiderail is brilliant. The Paradigm 6s relieve pain in my hips, arches, and plantar fascia. 2 things I think need to drastically change Change for Altra in general. I have run in Escalantes/Racers, Lone Peaks, Torins, and Riveras. The cushion. It's no good. The stuff blows out after 100-150 miles. The other is the color schemes. They are just awful. Always the same black, gray, blue with probably one good color choice. The trail shoes have an ok color choice, but the road shoes seem to be going for a much older audience.

I really love the PARADIGM 6 shoe for the 1st hour of a run. After an hour the cushion seems to run out some on the outer edges of the ball of the foot. My feet start to get sore and uncomfortable after that. If your runs are under 75mins this is a great shoe in my opinion.

Short or long distance trading shoe

I been with ALTRA since the original Instinct,I've seen the first TORIN and the first Paradigm,all have been getting more narrow over the years,ecspecially in the midfoot,Altra needs to offer wides for every shoe,midfoot also not just the toebox.the Paradigm 6 is close to perfect,cushioning much better than HOKA.For a stability shoe though,it needs to accomodate flat,wide feet better,more space in the midfoot and toebox.Glad there's no medial post,the upper is combfortable.Shoe is not too stiff or too flexible,good shoe overall,needs more width overall for flat,wide feet.Most people requiering stability have flat,wide feet and are injury prone

Great fitting and comfortable shoe. Outsole shows some wear at 50 miles. Altra needs a 40mm stack shoe with Pebax foam.

I like this shoe a lot for it's cushioning and wide toe box. I have narrow feet and with proper lacing they fit good. I did develop blisters in the right arch like others that have reviewed this shoe and solved the issue by making sure the insole was properly installed and I tightened the laces slightly more than I would otherwise. It was annoying and I can say that I have purchased in excess of 100 pairs of running shoes in my life from probably 8+ companies and never had that issue before. The positives, however, outweigh the negatives and I'll likely buy again soon.

I have slightly high volume feet, not necessarily wide width, but my foot is thick if that makes sense, but just the left one and my right foot is totally normal. The way these lace gives me plenty of flexibility to make sure both feet are comfy. There was some hot spots for the first 10 miles and then they broke in nicely. I put 50 miles on them and then ran a half marathon in them and they felt great the whole way through. You can also throw some Currex insoles in there and these are a dream shoe. The wide toe box has been a game changer and I feel like my feet are healthier and my toes spread out more. Give these a shot!

I run miles weekly in these bad boys and they serve their purpose! I've read reviews saying that Altra narrowed the width dude. It's not that drastic. I have a wide foot and these fit me perfectly with room for my toesies to spread out. Paradigm? MORE LIKE ParAYEABOYYYY!!!

I have ridiculously flat feet, it is impossible to find shoes that don't leave my feet hanging over both sides of the midsole. I literally dread having to put shoes on, I much prefer being barefoot, until I found the Paradigm. They actually fit under my entire foot and for the first time in my life I have a pair of shoes that I can honestly say are comfortable. Stability is decent, primarily because there is actually midsole under the lack of arch in my feet, but the cushioning is too soft. How about a trail version built on the same last with a firmer midsole? Would definitely give that 5 stars

I use on walks on cement. Cushioning is unique. Feels plush. I've yet to try running. Let's see how that goes

I've been wearing Altras for approx 3 years. I've owned several pairs of Timp 1.5s and every version of the Timp since as well as the Torin 4, 4.5 plush and I recently recently purchased the Torin 5 Luxe. For me the Timp 1.5 was their best shoe as far as cushion goes. The cushion of the Paradigm 6 has come the closest to the Timp 1.5s. The only thing that I wish that these shoes had was elastic on each side of the tongue connecting it to the sole to hold it centered in the shoe. If I don't tie the shoes relatively tight the tongue will slide to the side throughout the day.

Long time user of altra shoes but first time using stability shoes. I wanted something with more cushion to save my feet on long runs specially because I'm 6'1 230lbs. It definitely takes some time to get used to 33mm of cushion specially since my racer shoe is only 20mm. The shoe is kinda loud on the road but not really an issue just a small annoyance.

Great shoes. I use them for work at the hospital. I might have to buy another pair due to mine squeaking with every step. It's continuing to get worse and it drives me nuts. Got them about 5 months ago..

The shoes are good though I have limited mileage on them. My concern is that the laces are too short so I'm not able to lace them to the top eyelet. The result I can get them as snug as I'd like.

Cushion just wasn't soft enough for 40 year old knees. Nice enough for walking.

Love my Paradigm 6's, but the soles came unglued. I reached out to Altra and they said I could return for a full refund. I thought I'd try to use super glue and repair the soles. Worked for a week, but now both shoes soles are falling apart. I think I just got a dud, but never had something like this happen on running shoes. Again, super comfortable. Fit perfect. Love the wider shoe base and the zero drop shoe design. Will buy more Altras in future. Just my 1-off experience!

Loved these shoes unit sole started to delaminate after 2 months of ownership. I've been managing a neuroma in my right foot, so the shoes haven't seen a lot of miles and appear generally brand new except for the outsole separating. I have multiple pairs of Brooks Beasts that are still holding after years of wear. It's too bad because I need this footshape (and support) in my runners and I was totally convinced I had found my forever shoe. From reading reviews this seems to be a problem across the board for Altra and it's unfortunate because it seems like they're losing a devoted and willing audience/market. Bottom line, if they could make a durable shoe I'd be a buyer. Last thoughts-- fabric feels like it could use reinforcement where it wraps the forefoot. And Altra should really consider making a golf shoe.

Definitely more stability than its counterpart, the provision. I think the toe box is too narrow. Unless it's a performance shoe they really should stick to the width that is supposed to accompany the natural foot shape they're going for. Also I think they're using too much cushion. I know it's the trend these days to maximize cushion, but it dilutes the stability aspects and takes away the feedback you get from the ground, which I think is more important for stability shoe users to have compared to neutral shoe users, as it helps us use our body's natural stability. I think if they'd be able to fix the toe box width, cut the stack height in half while making the cushion slightly stiffer, and possibly make the forefoot of the shoe slightly more flexible, they'd have a really amazing shoe. Oh and designing the upper to lock the ankle down better instead of the mid foot. You don't want to pull down the mid foot with laces and wraps when that's the part of the foot that needs to be able to pop back up. Plus with the zero drop from heel to toe, you want to make sure the ankle is locked into place to prevent slipping out of, and sliding around in the shoe. I also think that you guys are missing out on the market of people who don't like this maximum cushion and stack height trend. Creating low stack height shoes with and without stability could increase your sales in my opinion.

This is an update to an earlier review. At first this shoe feels super cushy and comfortable. But after wearing it for a run, or even a few hours, and then removing it, the world feels like a cement floor. That suggests it's letting the muscles of my feet off the hook perhaps too much. It felt like it was so cushy that it encouraged overstriding and too heavy a heel strike when I ran, pushing extra impact on my knees. It felt good while running but my knees were MORE sore afterward than when I wore my old, less cushioned Riveras. It works well for running straight ahead, but it's unstable when trying to cut or move laterally. So beware: it probably is the right shoe for certain people, but not everyone.

I bought two pair of ALTRA' S because I'm so toolbox being so comfortable and they seem to offer a lot of support. At first I loved them, but within four months, the soles flattened out in the heel area. I weigh 135 and walk/jog 5 miles a day and never had this issues with shoes previously.