Customer Reviews Altra Escalante 3

Everything is not great. Bring back the shoes that worked. Stop fixing things that aren't broken. With great sadness/anger - AltraRefugee Who Can't Find SHOES

Not sure the folks at Altra understand that for some runners like me, their minimalist zero drop shoes are the only shoes we can wear if we want to run pain-free. Escalante 1.5 were great. Escalante 2.5 were sufficient. Escalante 3.0 is a no go. Stack height defeats the shoe's purpose. There are so many other Altra models for runners who want or need this kind of stack height. Please do not forget the runners who need a minimalist shoe.

As a marathoner, I've been a huge fan of Altra Escalante for quite some time. I especially like the 1.5. I think I have owned 4 pairs of the 1.5. The Escalante 2.5 wasn't bad either. The Escalante 3.0, unfortunately, completely missed the mark. The stack height is way too high. It has gotten so far away from the original barefoot running shoes that I have loved about Altra. As many one-star reviewers have said, please go back to your roots. The minimalist shoes of the Escalante are what makes your brand special and what us barefoot runners truly appreciate. On a side note, I have started wearing the Escalante 3.0 because I have worn through my 1.5 and 2.5 that I had in reserve. I can't say for sure that it is related but I'm experiencing pain on top of my right foot which I have never had before. I do a lot of pre-hab work to prevent injury. I'm not sure what brought this pain on. The one possible reason is that I have been wearing my new Escalante 3.0 on my easy runs while still wearing my 2.5s for harder workouts. Coincidence? Maybe. But I know for sure that I definitely like your original Escalantes and not whet 3. Please go back to your roots or at least always keep the Escalante as the truly minimalist shoe.

This is a completely different shoe than the old Escalante. It has a high, stiff arch support that I found to be uncomfortable and too far back in the shoe. And the upper is tighter than the old Escalante. This shoe really should have a different name. Altra seems to be getting away from the minimalism that people loved about their shoes. The newer models are bulky and have too much padding and support. Please don't try to improve the perfect human foot that evolution so meticulously designed. Just give us a minimalist shoe with a little bit of padding for walking/running on unnatural hard surfaces.

As a triathlete and ultra runner I had found my one and only shoe with the Escalante 2.5!!!! I was in love and there was no going back, I haven't worn another brand or model since. Now I replace my shoes every few months since the miles really pile up. This also means I usually buy multiple pairs at a time so I'm not waiting on shoes to arrive when the old ones wear out. Well my last 3 pairs of Escalante 2.5 are finally dead and have been transitioned to garden/walking shoes. I could tell from photos that the Escalante 3 was going to be a bit of a different shoe, but according to Altra's website the main difference is just the weight and midsole and of course the stated "improved upper". Upon receiving the shoes I found that the feel of the shoe is much different with how the tread was changed, the shoe not only feels narrower it also has less volume overall (I can hardly get my foot in the shoe with the laces pulled fully loose), the laces are too short, the tongue went from being a super thin single layer to a thicker half tongue. For all of these reason I can not wear the escalante 3 without causing hip and knee pain. I suppose it is time to move on to a different brand.

The Escalante 3 missed all of the marks on why we all loved the previous shoes. We loved them because they were sock-like and not bulky, and they were comfortable without a lot of cushioning. The Escalante 3 upper material is too stiff, the tongue is thick and always leaves marks on my skin even if the shoe is lightly tied, they feel much more bulky, and they have too much cushion. These shoes also started squeaking shortly after purchasing them. Even though Altra says many features of the shoe are similar to the 2.5, they are not. I put a 2.5 on one foot and a 3 on the other, and there is a significant difference. Please bring back the features Escalante is known for. The Escalante 3 is the least comfortable shoe I own. On a positive note, I do like the colors available.

Very stiff, non flexible show. The 2.5's are great. I don't know why they changed the design.

Escalante 2 was an amazing shoe like none other. The 2.5 felt like the 2 with too many miles on it. I stocked up on the 2. When I ran out a purchased the 3. This shoe is so far from what the escalante used to be. It seems to be trying to be the shoe for all uses such as trying to make it stable for the gym also. It was a stiff, slow, unresponsive shoe. I hate the outer edge of the heel and the smaller toe box. I was much slower running in this shoe. I seemed to pound the ground and the bottom of the shoe caused drag. One shoe cannot do it all. It seems in Altra trying to compete with other companies they have forgotten what made their shoes unique. I bought Altra because no other company made a shoe like them. I ended up getting the Rivera 2 as it is as close to the escalante 2 as I could find. Unfortunately version 3 is out and it is stiff and heading the same way as the escalante. Please Altra listen to your faithful customer base and do what makes your shoes like no other-zero drop-flexible-one with the ground. Please leave at least one pair this way. I will stock up on Rivera 2 for my runs and hope Altra heads in a better direction or next I will have to search out another brand.

I am so disappointed that you have decided to try to mainstream the ESCALANTE. They were such and good and unique shoe- light, flexible, responsive and fit well for a variety of foot volumes. I know they weren't for everyone but they were THE BEST shoes for the people who loved them. The new model feels stiff, sluggish, and the thick tongue combined with the additional eyelet and a stiffer (hottter, blah) upper means that they are a no go if you have a high instep. I've gone back to my 2.5a and will desperately buy as many of them as I can and hope that you "unimprove" it back to what is was for the 3.5.

This is my third pair of Escalantes. Loved the first two, but this version is unwearable. No matter how loose the laces are, the mid-foot section of the shoe is unbearably tight. Feels like the middle of my foot is being crushed. Very disappointed in the Escalante 3.

This shoe is a fake Escalamte. Too wide in the heal, too rounded in the toe, extra padding. The previous Escalate is the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn. I have two pair. When they wear out what will I do. Get busy and go back to the 2.5. Please.

The old model of foot shape was perfect. This Escalante, with the "standard" shape is simply too narrow in the toebox - it squishes the baby toes like conventional shoes. May as well get Asics.

They just keep getting worse. Stick with the old stuff that people love!

I will never purchase these shoes again. I was extremely disappointed in the feel of these shoes. They were extremely tight on the top no matter how loose I had them. They are not made for wide feet by any means. I had blisters on the top of my feet from these shoes. Don't expect to get a refund quickly either. They take their time. It will be a million years before you see that money again.... Highly disappointed!

Started out wearing Vihos, which I loved, except for the mesh on top of the toe area that always seemed to tear. Since those are no longer made, my local running store recommended the Escalante based on the way I walk and that I like less cushioning in my shoes. They started out feeling good (a little less supportive that the Vihos but comfortable.) After a few weeks, I realized they were making the outside edge of my foot hurt really bad - an area I've never had a problem with before. Had also tried the Torins on but they were uncomfortable from the beginning. So disappointing that I can't get the ones that really worked for my feet.

Everything I've loved about the Escalante over previous years has changed with the newest model. The 3 feels more rigid/firm, less room in the toe box and a more restrictive feeling. The laces are shorter than prior models, making it impossible to double knot- though that's easily fixed with a new set of laces. For a long distance runner- the Escalante 3 is not a great shoe. Stick with the prior models.

I miss the escalante 2.5. These have a very different feel/fit and are not comfortable. They don't feel like they are zero drop. I feel a curve in them below the big toe that hurts my foot. Please bring back the 2.5 version. I am hunting now for this older version to buy it some where else and I will be returning these. : (

I've run in my Esalante 3's for 3 months now. Every run my feet hurt. These shoes are narrower than the 2.5s. The reason I switched to Altra running shoes were for two reasons the zero drop and the wide toe box. The Escalante 3's feel so different. I had no issues with the 2's and the 2.5's. I'm really disappointed. I waisted my money.

Size and with were fine. The shoe itself was very uncomfortable for me. I'm a medical assistant and I'm on my feet all day. I wore these shoes once and my feet were bruised. I did return them.

I've gone through 6 pairs of Escalantes, they have historically been my favorite shoe. These feel nothing like the old shoe. They are narrow mid-foot and make poor contact with the ground, giving me a weird pain in my foot after every run. Switched back to my dead Escalante 2.5s and it went away - but those won't last much longer. Altra lost me with these and prompted me to write my 1st negative review ever :(

I have been a die hard Escalante fan since the beginning. I do not like the 3's at all...the new foot shape fit is not good. They don't feel minimalistic. I don't like the new tongue design. Contact with the ground is poor. I don't feel like they bend with my foot. I don't even like to walk the dog in them. I just put my old 2.5's on and they feel so much better. The 3's just feel clunky. I'm off to find whatever 2.5's I can find! It is almost like they tried to mimic all the other shoes on the market....when die hard Escalante's love them because they are different!

I miss the original foot shape. The toe box feels different and the middle part of the shoe is too tight. It puts a lot of pressure on the top of my foot despite loosening the shoe laces.

These shoes are so uncomfortable. They are so narrow and just feel awful. I really enjoyed the escalante 2 and 2.5, they were so comfortable and provide support for my feet. They also were wide in the tow box area, and its hard finding a good pair of wide toe shoes since most popular brands are a narrow fit. Before I get a representative commenting saying to stay with the escalante 2.5, it hard to find another pair of them since my size is sold out wherever I look for them.

I have bought Altras for years and the escalante are my go to for running, walking, working (I stand on my feet for 8+ hours a day). Unfortunately the Escalante 3 has the "standard" mid foot instead of the original and now I can't wear them without my feet feeling constrained. Very disappointing, hopefully they will offer the Escalante in the original foot shape in the future, if not off to find another shoe.

I am so disappointed that Altra has moved away from the Original Footshape shoes I loved. The wide toe box was what really made them special and now the original fit is only available in a couple Women's low-top style. I lived in the Escalantes for years. The new version is no replacement for the worn-out shoes I loved. Wish I could give zero stars. Boo