Customer Reviews Altra Torin 5

I was excited to receive the wide Torin due to the fact this shoe has gotten narrower over the years. However, designing a shoe with a tongue that is so hard and stiff it literally cuts your ankle is a bad Business decision. This shoe is worthless! I will be returning it for sure!

You have great shoes Altra, and the Torin has been one of my favorite. Why why why would you put two grooves on the sides of the tongue and not the middle of the Torin 5. Really messes up an excellent shoe and creates an abrasive rub! Please correct this design flaw and put back one large groove in the middle! Fix the tongue and it is an excellent shoe! See the picture and if it was a marketing idea for the brand name that was not a runner's idea and really runs counter to the Altra ideals.

As someone who has been critical of Altra over the last few years and the direction their shoes have been heading (Escalante 2, Torin 4.5 Plush, Rivera), the Torin 5 is a resounding acknowledgment that they've been listening to the customer feedback. The shoe feels as if the overly taut and narrow Rivera went on a tropical holiday and let itself indulge a bit too much, returning home a little broader, and a little beefier. The Torin 5 is wide in all the right places, cushioned without feeling cumbersome, while retaining a springiness that begs you to go fast, so much so that I had to pull in the reigns so to speak on my first run as I found myself joyfully bounding down the road at a pace brisker than I intended. There's no heel slippage, something that has plagued Altra Torins of old, and I didn't feel the need to use the heel lock lacing method. No hotspots, no rubbing, if I have any complaint it's that it might be a smidge, and just a smidge, more narrow in the forefoot than I would like, but with the upcoming wide version I imagine anyone who would have issue with the fit would find paradise in that. I love this shoe, it looks great, it feels great, and I'm thrilled that Altra is back with a hit. I purchased the Superior 5 along with the Torin and that shoe is excellent as well.

Let me be clear - I have loved the Torins over years. They are the only shoes that have helped to minimize the Morton's Neuroma on both my feet and are a reason I can continue 5+ mile runs. I had the Torins 3 and ran them to the point that the tread was falling off. Absolutely amazing shoes. So, when it came time to get new ones I went with the latest Torins..the 5. The shoes are excellent and they are also helping with my Mortons Neuroma. HOWEVER - the tongue of the shoe cuts into my foot and after the second wear, I was actually bleeding from it. Now, most would probably get mad and return them. However, I need these shoes and I need them to work. I don't want to try other shoes because I've done that in the past and none of them ever worked. So, I decided to stick with these. I will either wear the tongue out a bit so that it isn't as hardline on my foot, or I will cut the tongue so it doesn't make contact with my skin. In truth, I'm seriously surprised that the makers of the shoes didn't run in them before approving that material and tongue structure. They must all run with high socks so they didn't feel it. Well, I prefer to run with ankle socks, so there's that.

I am usually a size 12 or 13. My Torin 4s were size 13. When I ordered these Torin 5s in 13 I had to send them back and exchange for 14s, which was annoying. The 13s were super small, with my big toe pressing hard against the front of the shoe. More like a size 11.5 or 12. The Torin 5 13s are way too small. Altra was nice and gave me my expedited shipping on replacements in 14. These 14s feel good. Good shoes, good service! I am happy. But I think Altra should be more consistent with sizing because it's a waste of energy, resources, time, and money to have to return things.

I just finished my sixth hundred mile race (Yeti 100) in these shoes. Before racing, I put a approximately 100 miles on them training, without any problems. Having run the course between Whitetop and Abington before, I knew that it was gravel and non-technical. I could not think of a better shoe for this race. About 80 miles into the race, I spoke to my wife and told her that literally everything hurt Except my feet. At the end of the race, still no foot pain or blisters. The shoes held up beautifully, and after a bit of a wash, they still look to be in excellent shape. The soles show very little wear, and the cushion is still great

I'm thrilled that Altra has gone back to their roots with the wide version of the Torin. Finally, I can wear these comfortably again without removing the insole. They are great! Thank you!

I bought the Torin 4.5 and loved it. I thought this version would be great. The tongue is sharp and cuts into the front of your ankle. I have to fold the tongue down as a work around.

My complaint with this shoe is the tongue. The tongue of this shoe is rigid like poster board and digs into the front of my ankle. For a shoe company that seeks to make an "anatomically correct" toe box, the tongue of the Torin 5 certainly could use a lesson in that department. Why not make a v shaped tongue that gives your anterior tibial tendon room to flex and move? I do love the cushion, toe box, and look of this shoe, unfortunately I couldn't stand the tongue long enough to even run in it. I will be sending it back.

Loved the Torin 4, would happily have bought them for the rest of my running life. With the 5's for some reason they run a half size smaller and they stupidly re-designed the tongue (why?) so that instead of a lightly cushioned thing that you never think about, it has become a heavy inflexible unpadded piece of material that constantly bugs you. And combined with the sizing change that forces you to size up to get the same length, the shoe is a little looser all around so you need to cinch the tongue down more. But I will say they finally addressed the one flaw of the Torin 4s, the laces on the 5 are much shorter. Running wise the new cushion feels good, a little softer and bouncier. if they could mate that to the Torin 4 upper you'd have a perfect shoe.

I loved the Torin 4 plush, the tongue on that model was comfortable and the shoe overall was just a great fit in cushion and comfort. The new model feels stiff, unfortunately. And that tongue digs into the top of your foot, even through socks, unfortunately. I would love to see Altra bring back the softer tongue!

I don't usually leave reviews but I felt I had to with these. The tongue absolutely ruins the shoe. I'm a big Altra fan but these are a huge whiff. The tongue is stiff and digs into my ankle.

I should have listened to the reviews about the tongue and the size. Tongue is sharp and will cut anyone wearing low socks. Size is smaller than previous models. Torin 4 tongue and size was perfect... hope Altra listens and goes more towards the previous style.

Bought torin 5. Returned after 5 minutes. The tongue is very uncomfortable

New tongue design: NO! Go back to the previous tongue design for the Torin 5.5 or I switch brands!

The Torin 5 was the first Torin that I had to get a 12 for. Up until then 11.5 had been fine, but Body N Sole helped me to find what I needed. I have my third pair of 5s waiting in the closet waiting for next year because they were such a deal. The bottoms wore out and they are still comfortable. I wore the first pair for an unusually long time because I there were not many races going on. I did get in a couple half marathons and as usual, my feet were not an issue. Wore my red 5s for training for my first marathon in over 4 years and once again, my feet were never an issue. I am not a fast runner. I am a plodder. I used to wear brooks, but since I started wearing Torins in about 2016 (looked like clown shoes), I have not strayed. Torin 5s are great. I have had nothing but great success with them. I probably could be running more though, but its not the shoes fault.

First pair of running shoes. 460+ road miles, trails, short runs to the marathon distance. Tongue was hard and took messing with, but over time was not an issue. Got my money's worth and am happy.

Had to send Torin 5 back because of defect.

Got 500+ miles out of the last pair during marathon training. Getting another pair now. Use them on road and trail. Reasoning for getting another pair is now I'm starting to feel rocks a little more on the trail.

Way overpriced. You need to have a sale!

I've put a lot of miles in, in several different Altra shoes now and I think these have held up the best so far for my normal day-to-day road running. I'm a big fan of the Superiors on the trails and have tried a few different styles to find an equally as great shoe on the pavement, and these have been my answer so far. The slightly more cushioned sole hasn't broken down quite as fast and after 200+ miles, they still feel like they have life in them and aren't falling apart on my feet. I have definitely recommended them to friends and family!