ALTRA Men's Escalante 4 Road Running Shoe

As my first pair of zero-drop shoes, I couldn't be happier with the ALTRA Escalante 4. Fit true to size with the widest toe box of all Altra lines. I'll admit, the transition period was... an experience. My Achilles and calves basically filed a formal complaint for the first couple of weeks, and I was pretty sure I was walking like a baby penguin. It took about a month to get fully comfortable and for my lower legs to forgive me. But wow, was it worth the patience! Now I'm comfortably cruising through 30 miles a week with no issues at all. If you're ready to get into zero-drop running and are prepared for a little bit of a "what have I done?" phase, I can't recommend these shoes enough!

This has become my everyday shoe. It's comfortable, firm-footed, and the wide toe box feels amazing for my feet. I have a very wide forefoot and a normal width heel, and Altra's shoe shape just works so well for my feet. Since this is one of Altra's more minimal running shoes, it functions as a sneaker pretty well. The sole is comfortably firm and not too bouncy, so it feels stable to stand in. Full cushion running shoes can feel a little too bouncy for everyday use for my liking. The rocker is also pretty minimal, so I don't get the feeling of rolling forward when just standing around. To be clear, the sole is not a fully minimalist design; it's thin for a running shoe but still has a good thickness to it compared to standard sneakers. Thus it's comfortable and easy to wear all day. I'm a big fan of the balance they struck here. Highly recommend this shoe!

These are the best shoes I have ever worn! They are so light that it feels like you are barefoot (back when that felt good, like at 10 years old!) with more support. I am a women's 10.5 but prefer the naturally wider fit of a men's 10. I find that I stumble less often. My chronic back and hip pain improved within a couple of weeks. These give you the best of a barefoot shoe's natural stride but also accommodate my orthotics. Glad I found you! These shoes have been life changing for me (69-year-old, active arthritic). I am happier in these than my Birks...that says a lot!

On my second pair now. Purchased these a year ago and wear them everyday. They are comfortable, plenty of room and look good. Color is more of a very dark blue not black. It does rip behind the achilles pretty easily and the sole of the foot wears down faster then most shoes.

Don’t be fooled by it looking so thin compared to most modern running shoes. These shoes are awesome. I’m not the usual “natural running” fanboy but, these have plenty of cushioning for running shoes. Some of the most comfortable I’ve ever had.

I loved the Escalante 3, in fact I bought 3 pairs. It was time to replace one pair, so I ordered the new Escalante 4. What a mistake. The thing I loved about the Escalante 3 was that putting it on felt like you were putting on another pair of socks. Especially around the heel, it has the best fit. I hate that practically all athletic shoes are very stiff around the heel. Unfortunately, the 4 has gone in the other direction. The heel area was much stiffer than the 3 and unacceptable to me. In fact, the whole top of the shoe is much stiffer. In addition, the tongue of the 4 has been stripped of all comfort and padding. It seems to be made out of 2 VERY thin pieces of cloth glued together. It feels awful. I have never had an athletic shoe that had such a thin tongue. Feels really cheap. The whole shoe feels cheaper to me. It seems like they are trying too hard to reduce their cost. I will be returning this shoe.

These are great shoes, but the new model is not exactly the same as the old one. I had bought this pair to replace another pair that I wore out after 10 months. The old ones were truly neutral and worked great for me. My experience with these was that they were a little corrective, and were not compatible with my knees.

The pics don't do these justice! They fit perfect (I wear a size 13), and are the perfect balance between comfort and style. I ordered the white/gray color pattern, which will be good for the summer. Arrived on time and brand new.

oe these run good higher sole, softer cushion than racer2. better stable than esc. 2.5

The Escalante 4 are the second pair of Altra trainers that I own and thankfully these are just as good as the first pair. The level of comfort from these shoes are a massive part of the overall reason why I like the brand. The wider fit and more natural shape to the shoe, does an excellent job of supporting the foot and avoiding cramping, especially when wearing a thicker material sport sock. Whilst these trainers do an excellent job when used for sporting activity, I use them on a daily basis for work. They look great with a pair of jeans as part of a smart/casual dress code, and their perfect for walking through town of a lunchtime, or even walking home after work. They're versatility in that regard make them an ideal shoe choice for a daily wear, as well as an activity-only sport shoe. The brand speaks for itself and the Escalante 4 are an excellent addition to their line-up. An easy one to recommend.

Such a comfortable shoe! Will definitely buy again. Lightweight and great for travelling.

I find that I have GREAT trouble in finding shoes that don't hurt. They are all too narrow but these shoes are a bit like not having shoes on. They are extremely comfortable.

Sind perfekt für meinen breiten Vorfuss , laufe sehr gut darin . Auch auf längeren asphaltierten Strecken ein super FußGefühl