Customer Reviews Altra Timp 4

Altra, if you're reading this, please please please bring back the Timp 1.5 or something very similar. They were close to being my holy grail running shoes. This latest version just feels like Altra's trying to kill this series. I've been trying the other Timp versions and none have been as good as the 1.5. This one feels too narrow and clunky. Just glad they don't have the weird flapper in the back.

Have not even used them to run, and blew out a hole on the left inside - feels like it may even be a manufacturing defect.

Love design and olive color. Had less than 6 months and one eye socket tore on both shoes along with tearing in right shoe. Build a tougher shoe and stick to this olive color next time please

I took these out for the first time and did a quick 20 miles in the trails around my home. I was loving the feel of these and assumed when I finished that run that I had found my new favorite shoes. Sadly, when I was home and was removing my shoes the first signs of serious wear were showing. I couldn't believe it. I ran a couple more times in them before the mesh completely tore away and my foot was visible through the side of the shoe. Oddly as I boxed them up for return to the store I purchased them at I noticed the rubber was very worn after the 90ish miles I put on them. I have heard so much about this brand from other runners and even the founder's daughter who I was at university with. What I experienced was not what in was expecting after all the hype. I am very sad because the toe box in these shoes is the most amazing innovation in running shoes in a decade.

If you plan on leaving the house do not buy these shoes. They begin to self destruct immediately. Mesh netting over sides of soles peels off first use. Really bad idea. Mesh sidewalks are a thin, weak material that punctures easily. Soles began to delaminate on 2nd hike. Fortunately Altra is warrantying so I can get another pair of disposable shoes.

Altra makes great fitting shoes that just don't last. Unfortunately this is my last pair. So sad about it. So many poor reviews saying they don't last hopefully they get there act together and make some reliable shoes in the future.

As others have stated, this is a very comfortable shoe. However, after light use the side walls start to blow out! Completely unacceptable at this price level!

I liked these shoes until the traction at the ball of the foot came off entirely after less than 100 miles. Altra told me this was normal wear and tear and not covered under warranty

Altra got the fit right on this one. Foot sinks right in; cushioning, height, and shoe box width make this model fit like a glove. Better than Lone Peaks, and certainly better than the Timp 3.0. But despite these shoes having 150 pretty easy miles on 'em, the sidewalls are blowing out. I thought it was just me until I saw others in the review section with the same issue in the same location on this model. Looks like a materials failure to me. Hopefully Altra developers will take notice for future versions. Don't change the architecture of the shoe: just the material. Thanks. See ya down the trail.

I have been wearing Timps and Lone Peaks for many years now. They are very comfortable but the durability is unacceptable. I am wearing these shoes for hiking and backpacking. Time and time again these shoes blow out after around 100 miles. I understand trail runners aren't going to last forever when used for backpacking. I could accept 300 - 500 miles of wear but failing after 100 miles is unacceptable. To be clear, I'm not hiking off-trail or on talus or scree. I'm hiking typical trails that should not destroy well-built shoes. I contacted Altra, after my most recent pair of Timps developed holes where the mesh meets the toe guard. Rather than standing by their shoes they told me this is considered "normal wear and tear". I'm done.

These new Timps are awesome for wearing around the house. But expensive to take putdoors. Finishing the PCT (Yosemite to Mexico) got about 350 miles from each pair. Outside edge tore out, Bottom came loose and was a trip hazard. The sizing felt good, cushion was great (better than L Peak, less stack than Olympus), and the fabric is breathable, But the material lets in fine sand, the heel rubs, and the shoe just disintegrates quickly. So, my experience is that I got about two mile per dollar spent.

First of all let me say that when I first got this shoe it was very comfortable and everything I was looking for in a shoe. The toe box was nice and wide and had adequate cushion for longer runs and walks. However in less than 100 miles in the shoe they started to fall apart. First thing that happened was the stitching around the top part of the shoe just started to tear at the seams. Second the heel and mesh around the toe box started to get holes in them. I reached out to support to see if they would honor the warranty as it seemed to be a manufacturing issue as I had less than 100 miles on these shoes. I never heard back from them regarding a potential solution to this issue. As much as I loved the Timp 3's don't waste your money on the 4's as they are poorly manufactured and fall apart quick.

I love the comfort of the shoe. Also, the roomy toe box. Durability is the issue. In less than 4 months of simply walking on pavement and trails once a week, a hole appeared in the side of the shoe. I submitted a warranty request and was told it was "normal wear and tear". This is impossible given it's a warranted for 100's of miles of running. I would expect better durability and customer service from such an expensive shoe. As I read through other reviews, it's clear THERE ARE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING FLAWS with this shoe as reported by countless other reviewers. Needless to say, I have had a very negative customer experience with Altra not honoring the warranty and at this point cannot recommend the shoe or the company.

My old Timp 2's have been through the ringer. They have honored many miles with incredible comfort. I still wear them to the gym but I have exhausted their running days to a pulp. I will always love them and for comfort and durability reasons. This lead me to seek out new timps. The market is cornered to where practical all that's left are the new 4's. I went to my local dealer to purchase. I tried them on. I am saddened that Altra has almost betrayed me it feels. These shoes are horribly uncomfortable. I tried all different sizes to no avail. Why do you do this Altra? I understand the need to put out new and innovative products to keep consumers enticed, but you designed the absolute perfect shoe in the 2. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Nothing was broken and you are trying to fix things. I beg of you on all things trail and sacred, bring back whatever you did with the timp 2

After submitting a review below about my shoes falling apart after 250 miles. Altra left a comment they would look at my warranty claim again. I was again told this is normal "wear and tear". Trail shoes should not fall apart after 250 miles. If I were you, I would not buy these shoes.

It's an outright shame that durability is so poor, because comfort, fit, and performance is really good. Many of the same issues others have commented about (holes in the heel cup lining and padding, mesh fraying and tearing, and tread delaminating). After only 180 miles over 8 days of thru-hiking I was told this is normal wear and tearAltra should be embarrassed!

By far the best shoe I've ran in, to bad it didn't last more than 2 1/2 months with way less than 300 miles warrantied. Warranty denied due to normal wear and tear. Don't buy this shoes

While the Timp is very comfortable, I'm extremely disappointed in its durability. I had the same issue that Corey outlined in his review below. I bought these in June of this year and with roughly 250 hiking miles on them the sides of the uppers are disintegrating. And the lugs on the front bottom of the shoe are completely worn out. Altra says they have a 300-500 mile warranty. But after sending a warranty claim to Altra I was told this is "normal wear and tear". If this is normal wear and tear then there is a serious quality issue with this shoe. In Corey's review below, Altra says they looking forward to "helping him out". Altra didn't help me out. Maybe Corey will have better luck.

I loved the feel of the shoe. Toe started to fall apart after 4 wears

Long time buyer of the Timp, have worn them for years. They have ruined this shoe. It is more narrow and the heal is shorter. They have tried to streamline this shoe, fixing things that were not broken. Very disappointed. Shoe now fees a half size too small, but even if you size up the shoe is too low on the heel.

Very disappointed in the quality and performance of this shoe. I ran approximately 40 miles when the tread started tearing (yesterday in middle of 15 miler) from the sole. I think this is the minimum expectation that a shoe can provide. Additionally there is very little lateral support nor traction on technical terrain.

I really wanted to like these. Rode out my TIMP 2s to the point of no return. Sadly, the TIMP 4 doesnt offer the same foot shape experience or snug heel lock. First ordered in my size (10.5) and found they were too big. Foot was literally slipping out. Move down to a 10 and the issue seems better, but as soon as I hit the trail I will discover it was not totally solved. The heel cup from the 2 seems you have been replaced by a more plush material. My favorite part about running in Altra's is the foot shape toe box and the zero drop experience. Really love the way my knees and ankles respond to running in zero drops. I feel like the TIMP 4 fails in both of these regards... Honestly the forefoot feels too narrow to be able to spread your toes and have a comfortable forefoot strike. In regards to the heel counter, it feels like the heel sits too high without wrapping over your the back of your foot. Overall the shoes feels more like a cast than a plush zero drop cruiser, which is what I'm trying to avoid. I've been shopping for a new pair of Altras since my TIMP 2s went splat. Have tried on the Mont Blanc, Olympus 4, and lp6. Couldn't get a heel lock in any besides the Lone Peaks. And even then, I was really only trying them for a comparisons sake. The minimal cushioning just isn't enough for my main training distance (15-20k on hilly dirt single path). Really hope Altra's trail line improves next year, apart from the lp6. I realize these issues may be specific to my foot shape. If you love the TIMP 4s, rock on. But for me they don't work.

After blowing out several pairs of lone peaks and wanting something with more cushion I decided to give these a try. The cushion is the only thing I like about them, and unfortunately it makes them sit too high for the narrow soles making these a rolled ankle factory. I'm lucky that I'm just hiking and not trail running in them as I'd probably have broken a bone by now. The soles seem like they're fastened better that the ones on the lone peaks, but they're slippery on wet surfaces. I've climbed damp landslide paths in my lone peaks, I wouldn't risk it in these.