Customer Reviews Altra Paradigm 6

I read the reviews and many of them said to order a . 5 size up. I am glad I did. Something about the tongue of the shoe, it shifts and feels a little too tight at the top.

I bought these as all-around warm weather shoes to replace older Paradigms that I have loved. Unfortunately, the new version has a shallow toe box that is also reinforced, so that my big toe is constrained. Very bad for my toe joint. These run quite large, as the older version did. My normal shoe size is 8, and a 9 usually works for me in Altras. But the 9 was too short. Going up to a 9 1/2 gave enough length but still not enough height in the toe box. I expect the guide rail system is still as good as before, so they are worth a try for that if you don't need height in the front of the shoe. I bought the Torin 5 instead and am happy with them.

The fit of the body of the shoe feels comfortable but once again the severe cut of the ankle collar gouges my ankle bone. I know that straight line cut to the ankle is signature but I wish you would rethink it. Ankle bones are not straight lines. When I've kept an Altra shoe I've had to reshape that stiff collar with a pair of scissors. Not the best remedy but does relief the friction...

I am a little bummed. These shoes are my favorite for work, but they changed a lot with the new version. They added cushion and in return lost some support. I don't care for the new changes.

Years ago I bought the Paradigm 2 which, even though my daughter said that it looked like I had Ronald McDonald shoes on, felt great! My toes had lots of room to spread out. Recently my podiatrist said that I needed to wear sneakers all day in order to help with my pronating. I went to Fleet Feet for another pair of Paradigm sneakers even though some reviewers wrote about a smaller toe box. I ended up having to order the shoes and, once they arrived, I found that the toe box was, indeed, tighter all around. If you look closely at the web page description of the shoe it shows an image of this toe box being the "standard" toe box, not the "original" toe box. After all these years since I bought my first Paradigm 2's I have no idea which toe box they had. But now I ended up returning the Paradigm 6"s and, instead, bought the Via Olympus which, happily, has the "original" toe box and lots of cushioning plus great support that my doctor wanted for me.

These are my 4th pair of Altra Paradigms. I have owned 2 pairs of Paradigm 4's, 1 pair of 5's, and 1 pair of the 6's. The 4 and 5's had so much cushion and felt like I was walking on a cloud all through my 300-400 miles. I still use my old Altra's as my walking shoes because they still have so much comfort. I swore by these shoes. I thought that it would be the same as the 6's which I received as a birthday present, but unfortunately, it has not been. As a consistent runner, these are my main running shoes right now and I feel every single hit when I take a step or stride. I am really frustrated with it because I expected the same quality in the 4 and 5. I really enjoyed the feature in Paradigms 4 and 5's that corrected my feet going inward with the heel support. I will not be buying the paradigm 6 again but will be trying to find the 4 or 5 on other websites if possible or may check out other running shoe brands.

i have been buying the Paradigm for a few years now ..i have the paradigm 5 which I really love. I have severe arthritis in my toes and midfoot so i needed a stability no offset shoe with a wide toe box. Paradigm 5 fit the bill. I am really more than annoyed and disappointed by the narrow toe box which has put this shoe out of reach for me...WHY WHY WHY do you have to change things that obvously work just as they are???? Altra paradigm stands for large roomy toe box and no offset....For whom has a pinching toebox and narrow last become popular?..Altra 5 stood for comfort and support and a good last with room. How does slimming down the last and toe box fit in with the Altra philosophy? This is obviously an attempt to provide a more pedestrian shoe that would appeal to more people and in so doing sacrificing the clientele that really needed what this shoe originally offered With the crunchig toe box I no longer have any choices from Altra that I am interested in purchasing.. .

After going through Chemotherapy the Chemo left my feet with neuropathy (some numbness and nerve pain) that would flare up from just walking around a grocery store. I tried on several brands of shoes to find something comfortable and supportive. These shoes were my last hope and despite the price I gave them a try because they were the only ones that were comfortable and supportive with my neuropathy. As I started wearing them out of the house to my radiation appointments and physical therapy appointments several of the nurses and physical therapists noticed my Altra shoes right away and commented on them! They wanted to know which model they were and how I liked them. I had no idea they were so popular with the more physically fit crowd. I bought mine at an outdoor store. These shoes made it possible for me to walk normally and be on my feet when I needed to be to live a normal life. I just hope the Paradigm 7 is as comfortable. My shoes lasted well over a year of normal activity and have not come apart at all. I did not use them for running and I alternate these with summer shoes in hot weather. They do squeak a little when I walk so if it's quiet you can hear them, but it's probably happening more now that they've loosened up from being worn for 18 mo's.

These are by far the best shoes for Achilles and Knee issues. Please don't stop making the Parisian 6. The new paradigm 7 caused pronation and is uncomfortable! Why did Altra ruin a good shoe

Favorite shoes, I may or may not have 6 altras in rotation due to how much I love them. I will forever run in altras and also wear them as work shoes. Thank you for making the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned.

Love these! Especially the unique shape - takes all the pressure off the sides of the feet. Great that right out of the box the are comfortable!

Love the wide toe box, zero drop, cushioning, and the SUPPORT! Perfect for my 63yo, high-arched, hammer-toed, pronating size 10 feet! They were awesome at work, and I can't wait to run in them

I know a lot of the men have said they don't care for this much cushion but at 51 and a woman the cushion this shoe provides for me is PERFECT on my joints and I have a few times had them on all day (yes, I know it's a no no) and my feet NEVER hurt! The wide toe box is amazing and the support is just right. I am SO DISAPPOINTED that the new 7 shoe is only High cushion! Please go back to the MAX cushion on the 8! It took me years to find the right shoe! I am now scouring the internet for my size and will buy as many as I can unfortunately I have to buy the women's as the men's are sold out in my size. I purchased the men's because the ladies colors were ugly...I loved the neutral beige color of the men's. Please go back to the MAX cushion on the 8!

I bought this shoe for half marathon training because my Hokas were causing me pain and my vivos didn't have enough cushion. Problem solved! My runs are so comfortable now I LOVE these shoes.

We do a lot of hiking and Altra shoes are hands down the best, all around!

I love my new pair of Women's paradigm 6. I mostly walk with some light jogging and they are the perfect shoes for my level of activity. The shock absorption is perfect, they fit exactly the way they should, and they just feel great! 10/10 recommend and I will be buying them again when I next need new shoes.

Those shoes help me alot at work cuz of walk a lot.. thank you!

I ran in Altra Provisioness for years. I had Richelson's Feet First help me with a foot bed and lacing pattern, and they were perfect. So perfect that I didn't even unlace them.....kept that lacing pattern intact for years. They wore out and I tried to find new ones. Nothing worked. I kept using them and did my last "race" in them at their 10-year age point. Nothing left to the shoe but they were comfortable. I decided to return to Richelson's and see if they could recommend a replacement. They came up with this one and I'm happily running (at 75 not as much, but still) happily. LOVE these.

I've never felt this way about a shoe before... I just love the way these feel. I've been using these for work (i'm on my feet all day) and I feel all of the support and cushion. They're amazing!

Use these training for my half marathon and way prefer them over the brooks that I had been training with. So comfortable. Love the science behind the shoe to facilitate proper gait pattern and running form to prevent injuries.

I have been wearing Altra for a decade. What's not to like the best trainers on the market if you have bunions and dodgy hips, knees and ankles. Cheers

I use my paradigm 6 shoes for walking. Love the comfy wide toe box and the orthotic comfort that come with this shoe. Very comfortable. I can walk all day in these shoes.