Trail-Running Shoes Buying Guide

Cushioned and built for fast, all-day running, the women's Altra Timp 5 trail-running shoes offer grippy Vibram® outsoles for rugged trails and a fit that lets you move the way you were designed to.
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View the Altra Timp Product LineView all Altra Women's Trail-Running ShoesBest Use | Trail Running |
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Trail-Running Shoe Type | Rugged-Trail |
Running Shoe Cushioning | Maximum Cushion |
Heel-to-Toe Drop (mm) | 0 |
Heel Stack Height (mm) | 29 |
Forefoot Stack Height (mm) | 29 |
Footwear Height | Ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Upper | Engineered mesh |
Midsole | Altra EGO MAX foam |
Outsole | Vibram Megagrip rubber |
Rock Plate | No |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb 1.1 oz. |
Gender | Women's |
5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | |
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U.S. Women's | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11..5 | 12 |
UK | 3.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 |
EU | 36 | 37 | 37.5 | 38 | 38.5 | 39 | 40 | 40.5 | 41 | 42 | 42.5 | 43 | 44 | 44.5 |
Foot Length (in.) | 8.7 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 10 | 10.2 | 10.4 | 10.6 | 10.8 | 11 | 11.2 |
Altra’s unique FootShape™ toe box and zero to low shoes are built to place your foot in a natural position, with a stable and confident foundation to run on. When fitting, be sure to allow a full thumb’s width in front of your toes. If your feet are used to cramped toe boxes, Altra shoes may feel a little big at first. Give your toes some time to get used to the newfound wiggle room.
Altra offers a range of FootShape fits:
Original Fit: The fit that started it all, Original is the roomiest of the 3 options from Altra.
Standard Fit: The most common fit from Altra is right in the middle of Original and Slim.
Slim Fit: The slimmest-fitting Altra option still allows room for your toes to spread out naturally.
IS THIS SHOE TRUE TO SIZE? The product Features above will provide a suggestion if Altra advises you to size up or down in this particular shoe. If no such note exists, please order your regular size.
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Look at these beauties! When I glance at my trail runners, my eyes gravitate towards this pair. I took these trail runners out on trails in Chicago and Tampa. I really like this color (Green/Forest) that pops without being too much. Functionally, the first thing I like about these shoes is that they are lightweight. That’s a must for me. These trail runners have excellent traction. The fit is great as in, they mold around the feet perfectly. I’d recommend going half a size bigger. They are comfortable yet sturdy. When I get tired, I get sloppy with lifting my feet. My toes didn’t get hurt when that happened, and I hit rocks and roots. I felt protected in these trail runners. Get yourself one of these. You won’t regret it!
These trail running shoes are super light weight and medium on the cushion amount. The photos make them seem like a thick cushion, but there wasn’t as much as I’d expected. It took me about 3 runs to break them in, but once my feet had settled they were really comfortable. They have really sold tread and I had no issue on the rocky hills on my route. Although they really need to be laced up time I order to get enough support. Lastly, these are the cutest trail running shoes I’ve ever seen! I got several compliments.
All around best trail runners I’ve owned and tested so far! Toe box is perfect, the width of the shoe gives just enough support without being too snug, lugs are grippy in all terrain including snow. Added outer provides extra protection from water but still leaves enough for feet to breath & sweat. I’ve gone thru 2 other top trail running brands and many shoe models and these are the best for me! I love the colorway too which of course makes all the difference!
I decided to take these bad boys out for a test run on a steep, slippery, muddy, rocky trail. These are some seriously good looking shoes that also check all the boxes for performance. The wide toe box is as advertised, no squishing of my toes which is something I’ve always loved about Altra. I had zero hot spots or rubbing on any part of my foot. And since I took extra care to lace the shoes to prevent forward slippage on the steep downhills, the tips of my toes had plenty of room and my foot remained in securely in place. On the wet rocks, I found them to be very grippy with no slipping or sliding. These shoes are plush as far as cushioning, but still had good rebound. Straight out of the box I went for a 15 mile run and had zero issues and every step was comfortable. Sizing is standard. Arch support is adequate, but if you need more, these shoes accommodate custom insoles. This shoe will go the distance for ultra racing/training. They are zero drop, which I like, but if you aren't used to that, you should ease into them, building up your mileage. They have the ability to secure a gator as well, but I didn't use that function on my test run, but it is a nice option. Definitely recommend.
First off can I tell you how much I love the color of these shoes! I was hesitant when they were ordered but as soon as I received I loved. How do they fit? The wide toe box is a Godsend. I have a slightly wide toe box and these needed no break in time on the sides. There is a seam at the top of the shoe by the tongue that rubs my foot. I’m hoping with some wear the seam won’t be as bad. I also realized Altra runs VERY small. My normal size is a 7.5, for athletic and hiking shoes, I’m an 8. I should have went up to an 8.5. I have no wiggle room at the front of the shoe. My dog and I took these out for a 4 mile test run/walk around our local hiking trail. The ground was wet from the recent rain and I was super impressed on how well these shoes grip. I had no issues slipping, traction is amazing. I wish they were a little more waterproof for these wet mornings. I loved the zero drop, definitely felt more stable running in this type of shoe. Overall I would get these again, just have to remember to size up!
The first thing I noticed on these shoes was the soles — they are grippy! Definitely helped me feel more sure-footed on the trails. The second thing I noticed unfortunately was some uncomfortable stitching on the inner edge of the tongue. Luckily it hasn’t bothered me too much when hiking, but when running I really start to feel it on the downhills. I tried different tying options (looser/tighter, runners knot, etc.), but couldn’t get it to go away. Not sure if it’s just my foot shape or what, but I probably won’t wear these on longer runs with lots of downhills as the rubbing started to get to me the longer I went. The last thing that really stood out to me: the size of the toe box is great! Lots of room and comfort. I’m typically an 8/8.5 for running shoes, sized up to a 9 on these and glad I did as they fit well. I may have been able to get away with an 8.5 as well, but I tend to wear thicker socks for trail runs so 9s were the better option for me. There had been a lot of rain here, so the trails I’ve used these on so far have been very muddy where the sun doesn’t shine, and packed hard into rutted bumps where the sun does. Some rocks and gravel thrown in there too. The shoes felt pretty good all around. Again, I probably won’t take these out on anything super long, but for shorter daily hikes/trail runs, these have been a great option!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I received an incentive from #BzzAgent and #Altra Women's Timp 5 sampling in exchange for my honest product review. I've tried Sketchers and Nike and these Altra are by far the best-fitting and most comfortable. I have wide feet and my index toe is longer than the big toe so these shoes feel like they are made for my feet. It had thick cushion that I have good sensation and control. The sole of the shoe has many spikes and thick so it is easy to walk without fear of slipping. It is incredibly comfortable, wide toe base, and is durable. I would love to purchase for myself and my husband also because he has a big wide feet too. Definitely recommend this shoes.
I was so excited about these shoes when I saw them and when I put them on, but using them was an extremely poor experience. I took these walking, hiking, and trail running and my feet have never hurt so badly. The cushioning is comfortable and thick and felt nice with each step. The color scheme is really cute and fun. I wore my normal size (and do not regularly buy wide sized trail runners or hiking boots) and had plenty of room in the toe box, but there’s something very weird that the upper mid portion that is small/tight. I tried loosening the laces and this still didn’t help. The part of the upper just past the laces feels too solid and inflexible and is where my feet felt crunched. I really wanted to like these but wouldn’t recommend them to anyone who have wide feet or prefer wiggle room in the distal mid foot area.
I really wanted to love these shoes as I've been eyeing them for a long time but they did not work well for me. I am usually an 8.5/9 in most sneakers/trailrunners and tried these in an 8.5 but they felt way too small. I'd suggest ordering a half size up from your usual size to check the fit. The other concern is the way the stitching on the tongue sits on the top of the foot. It was super uncomfortable for the first few times I wore them. Eventually I didn't notice it anymore but I also could not fully lace the shoes as they felt too tight if I did. Perhaps if I had ordered a larger size, this would not have been an issue but it's something to consider. The positives are that the colors are SO cute and look good with everything. The tread on the soles is excellent for trails near me. I felt secure on gravel and rocky terrain while walking and running. The soles are pretty bouncy/cushy but not over the top.The insole support was good for me (higher arches) and the shoes themselves are pretty light for how sturdy they are. I would definitely recommend these for trail hiking and running but would suggest trying them on before purchasing to make sure you grab the right size.
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Super comfortable and great support! I love these shoes and how great they feel! Nice on the cement and tread. Very happy with my purchase! Highly recommend!