Customer Reviews Altra Rivera 3

I receive a free sample of these shoes to try and they have exerted my expectations for comfort! They are very light with nice cushion to keep your feet feeling great after and walk or run. I got the dark blue version, which visually are ok, but I think I like some of the other color way options better.

My first thought on these shoes were on how much freedom my toes have to move! The shoes fit snug but I'm not cramped. They feel great and look good too.

Altra kindly sent me a pair of Rivera 3's for free so that I could review them. I was familiar with the brand but I had never tried their shoes and I was pleasantly surprised! I usually run 4 miles 3-4 times per week in the summer months and I'm used to running in neutral shoes that are slightly heavier, with an 8mm heel drop. Given that the Rivera 3's were also described as having a slim footshape, I wasn't sure how these shoes would compare to what I was used to, but there wasn't much of a noticeable difference other than the Rivera 3's being a little lighter than my typical shoe. My runs were very comfortable! I ran with these shoes on roads/sidewalks (both flat and inclined) and on light trails, where they performed well. I did not try these shoes on rockier trails because I was wary of the lightweight design and wanted to avoid any potential injury. My only real complaint with the shoe was that the flat laces are more prone to untying than the typical lace design that I'm used to. Even after double knotting, I noticed the knots loosen up a couple times and laces even became untied once while I was running. This has almost never happened with other shoes I run in. From a style standpoint, I like the color pattern and materials of the shoe, but while the toebox is spacious, the shape looks wider than I'm used to, which I thought looked odd. I wouldn't wear these as a lifestyle shoe, but they are great for runs on relatively smooth terrain!

Extremely comfortable and light running or casual sneaker. As of late I've tried the Ascics noosa and brooks running shoes. This is right up there I'm competition. Would definitely buy again.

So Im a pretty avid boots wearer, which has left me with some relatively flat feet and soreness in my knees and ankles after long days standing and walking around. I got the Rivera 3 and was skeptical seeing all the foam on the bottoms. But I do have to say after three days straight of wearing them my feet feel better and my joints are happier. It is important to note that they are fairly narrow shoes (coincidentally my first pair of narrow shoes) and the actual fitment this gave me was phenomenal. I didn't get the usual blisters or cramping that usually comes from your normal running shoe. All in all I definitely think I will be wearing these till they die and finding another pair!

These shoes are amazing, I've run two 5Ks in these the 1st was a little rough due to the break-in period. The 2nd 5k was great no foot pain and great support. The only note I'd like a little more support on the top of the shoe, but that is just something I like. These shoes are great, are definitey buy another pair.

These shoes are perfect for running. They support my arch just right and don't irritate my ankle which I have a problem with

I received these free in exchange for a review. Comfortable to wear all day. These are zero drop, so they do take some getting used to in that different muscles gets used compared to highly supportive shoes. Takes time to adjust so don't over do it when starting out running.

This shoe is so comfortable! The second I put it on I knew it was a perfect fit and would be great for my training. The foam sole feels like clouds on my feet as i'm running, but not too much cushion that it feels like i'm too high in the shoe. I've worn them running and out running errands and it is very comfortable.

I like this pair of Altra Rivera 3 running shoes. It's very lightweight but gives great support when you walk or run. It is very breathable but still warm enough to wear in early Spring. The design looks great with both running gears and everyday casual wear.

These MEN'S RIVERA 3 shoes are very light, super comfortable and fit me feet just right. I am very surprised at how light these are when I am wearing them and during my daily jogs. It really feels like I have on only socks and these MEN'S RIVERA 3 cushion my feet and helps in my stride. I like the clean, simple design of these MEN'S RIVERA 3 and how breathable my feet are when wearing them. These MEN'S RIVERA 3 shoes have far exceeded my expectation and I will purchase another pair to wear daily to work. Having the extra cushioning and being extremely light, when I'm done with jogging, my feet no longer hurt nor do I have blisters. Overall, these MEN'S RIVERA 3 shoes are a great choice and I am now a fan of Altra.

Really like the slim fit. Feels more performance oriented while still keeping toes straight. This shoe is solid, sturdy and runs really well. Smooth, with a little snap. Love the white!

I'm just now getting back into running after taking several months off. I figured this would be a good time to transition to a zero drop shoe. I've only been running in them for a couple of weeks, and taking it pretty easy, but so far they are great! The cushion level is spot on! I don't have a wide foot, but I wanted more room for my toes, and the width of this shoe is perfect for me. I can't wait to try these in my next 5K race.

So I have been a long time Altra show buyer since the Escalante 1.0 Racer, and the Solstice 1.0. Best shoes ever. Hated that they changed what wasn't broken. My latest pair were the Turin 4.0 which I probably put about 600 miles on. I have bought multiple pairs of Kokiri's for my kids as well (before they got discontinued.... WTF ALtra!!! Zero drop shoes for kids... you had the market cornered). So in researching a new shoe I was so disappointed to see that after being bought, Altra, as expected, changed their philosophy about the "Original" toe box (which as a minimalist and barefoot runner, was their Unique Market Niche) and started offering a "Slim" and a "standard". I felt betrayed and left without an option. To a certain extent, I still feel like Altra has "sold out", because if I want an Original Toe box shoe, I have to go to an extremely cushioned shoe (Olympus) that is obviously trying to complete with Hoka (33mm of cushion.... come on, who needs that??? That defeats the purpose of a Zero drop shoe). Like, stay in your lane. Nobody competes with Altra in the eyes of true distance runners. Off my soapbox... I wish Altra would bring back the Original Toe box to ALL of their shoe offerings. Now, I have put on about 25 miles on these Rivera's. I wanted to hate them. I was skeptical about the "Slim" Toe box and how my "toe splay" would feel, especially coming from a set of Turin 4.0's that had the Original toe box. So far, I am more than impressed on the overall sole and upper feel, as well as the energy return of the sole. Despite this being a higher sole than I am accustomed to, the road response is very clear: I feel everything. The energy return is astounding. My pace has improved about 15% or so, at the same cadence, and am running longer with less fatigue. I have been able to remain in POSE (my running method / style) for far longer which is bringing back a lot of joy to my runs. My toes do not feel restricted and am very comfortable with the heel-lock mechanism. The heel is unique in the padding that does anchor the shoe to your Achilles, so if you don't use the heel-lock method of tying the laces, the slip is minimal. I did buy another pair of 3.5's as the 4.0 is slightly heavier and the upper mesh looks more restrictive on the toes than that of the 3.5's. The same error they made with the Solstice 1.5 to the Solstice 2.0 upgrade. At any rate, I so far love this shoe. Despite its many flaws. Altra, please go back to offering Original Toe box on all your styles, and stop putting Max cushion on all your shoes. Racer's shouldn't be the only ones who enjoy a more minimal cushion.

I received this today and I was just going for walk but ended running in the road, sidewalk too and the fact of having space for my toes to feel free motivated me to run more. Great feeling I wish they have more colors variety.

I wanna start by saying that I'm an absolutely massive fan of the Rivera 2, which I personally think is the greatest road runner ever created. I recently upgraded to the 3 knowing that there were a few differences here and there, but I didn't think it would be as drastic as it actually is. In terms of fit, the interior is almost identical, but unfortunately, there is a bit of heel slip. Because of this, lace-locking is an absolute must. Even though the R3 midsole has a higher stack height than the R1 and R2, it feels WAY stiffer at first. It's not really a cushy ride until they've been broken in with around 20 miles. On my first couple of runs it was almost too stiff and I was considering returning the shoes. BUT, on my third run, the shoes finally gave way a bit and I started to notice a much comfier feel. So keep in mind that there is definitely a breaking-in period. I also recently did a 5000m track race in the R3 and I PR'd my time, so I was pretty happy about that. They performed admirably on the track. Bottom line: if you're a hardcore fan of R1 and R2, get another pair of those before they disappear for good. The R3 is an interesting "upgrade," but it may disappoint in a few areas. 3.5 stars, but rounding up to 4.

I run an average of 5 miles a day and have narrow feet. Also, I have been with the Rivera from model one. Though this iteration is obviously beefed up from the R2, I have enjoyed it thus far. However, flexibility is down from the R2, which should be expected, given the increase of cushioning/stack height and the redesign of the outsole. The breathability has decreased significantly, in my opinion. I ran in them today sock-free and noticed little to no air flow. This was quite surprising considering the appearance of the upper. It seems to be a comfortable shoe to do sock-free, otherwise. I have had no heel movement, so lockdown is perfection. I have never double-tied the laces and they have never come undone. I've read other reviews noting lace loosening as an issue, but I reverse loop my knot and snap down the tie, which seems to do well for me. Lastly, I so love the design of the lacing base - as upper bunching has been my number one issue with Altra shoes in the past and this has been remedied with the butterfly stitching....so thank you Altra for finally doing something about this. I typically enjoy a lighter shoe with more flexibility - which is why I am downgrading from a 5 to 4 star. Otherwise, a great shoe in every other way.

The firs time I put these sneakers on I felt like I was walking on a cloud. They are super soft and very cushiony. You do need to break them in a little bit as I felt like I was a little off balance the first few times I wore them. But overall they are very comfortable and a great fit. The size was true and that is important.

When I first received these from the company, my first thought was how the toes looked a little funny. Once I got them on my feet, I I didn't care how they looked. Soo comfy! After having put 35 miles on these shoes, I have to say I they are like running in pillows. I don't get any foot fatigue from running on the road. I hope they hold up for the long term. On the trail, they cushion every rock. The tread lacks a little aggressiveness for steep climbs.

These running shoe feel to be high end. They are super breathable, wide enough for my feet and have plenty of cushion! They make me want to run further and longer. The only down fall is the shoe laces seem to untie if you don't double knot them.

I like the wider toebox which feels more natural and fits my wider feet more comfortably. The lightness of the shoe and mesh is also of good quality, and I especially like the padding in the ankle area which I've never seen in a running shoe before.

These have a semi rigid, internal cover on the toe of the shoe. After a few runs this cover has creases and it constantly interferes with my toes. First pair of Altras I've been disappointed in.