How to Choose Running Shoes
Altra FWD VIA Road-Running Shoes - Men's
$160.00
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Looking for high cushion and luxurious comfort? The men's Altra FWD VIA road-running shoes will keep your feet happy for everything from daily training miles to fun runs with your crew.
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- Engineered mesh uppers
- With Altra Original FootShape™ fit, you get their roomiest toe boxes with plenty of room to help your toes move freely, and space through the midfoot for natural movement
- Rocker shape is designed to give the feeling of being propelled forward with each step and provides an efficient toe-off without taking away from your natural stride
- Stay comfortable and cushioned with Altra EGO™ FLO supercritical midsole foam, for a lightweight and soft underfoot feel
- Innerflex™ technology
- Altra Zero-to-Low Drop shoes are built to place your feet in a natural position, with a stable and confident foundation to run on
- This product received the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Seal of Acceptance, awarded to products found by the Association to promote good foot health
Imported.
View all Altra Men's Road-Running Shoes| Best Use | Running |
|---|---|
| Running Shoe Support | Neutral |
| Running Shoe Cushioning | Maximum Cushion |
| Heel-to-Toe Drop (mm) | 4 |
| Heel Stack Height (mm) | 37 |
| Forefoot Stack Height (mm) | 33 |
| Footwear Height | Ankle |
| Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
| Upper | Engineered mesh |
| Midsole | Altra EGO FLO supercritical foam |
| Outsole | Rubber |
| Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 3.3 oz. |
| Gender | Men's |
Altra Footwear - Men's
| 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Men's | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| UK | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| EU | 40 | 40.5 | 41 | 42 | 42.5 | 43 | 44 | 44.5 | 45 | 46 | 46.5 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51.5 |
| Foot Length (in.) | 9.8 | 10 | 10.2 | 10.4 | 10.6 | 10.8 | 11 | 11.2 | 11.4 | 11.6 | 11.8 | 12 | 12.2 | 12.6 | 13 | 13.4 |
Sizing Notes
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.
Buying Advice
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Most Helpful Favorable Review
Not as versatile but decent distance shoe
Krish8 months ago
Received free productI've put about 15 miles on these at the time of reviewing, over the course of 2 runs.
FIT:
This is not your regular zero drop Altra.
There is a 4mm drop from heel to toe.
Great - I'm more comfortable that way TBH.
And, it is easier to add these with other non-zero-drop shoes to one's rotation.
They do run wide though - the generous, wide toe box was a plus for me personally - love that.
But - It's not perfect.
I faced a problem that I've now begun to associate with this brand.
The front of the shoe puts pressure on my middle toes at times, especially when running downhill - this is likely due to the way the shoe is shaped.
Notice the top-down view, the design appears to curve inward and assumes that one's middle toes aren't much longer than one's big toe, and wouldn't extend much further.
That assumption does not hold true for me and this creates discomfort at times.
Consider sizing up if you have the same problem, as long as you are okay with the even-greater width and looser fit around the heel that that may entail.
You might find the right fit by sizing up and using thicker socks - good for winter running this way.
PERFORMANCE:
This pair is marketed as max-cushion.
That's ONLY apparent when you push harder, IMO.
Otherwise FIRM at low speeds/walking.
The LOW WEIGHT is immediately obvious though - and a welcome positive, making these shoes admittedly more appealing than many other alternatives in this segment that achieve the higher cushioning with the use of more voluminous heavy foam. Not these.
Coming back to the cushioning - these will def NOT feel max-cushioned when walking or even light jogging at low speeds.
Now, when running, especially when pushing harder, I did notice the improved cushioning compared to other Altra shoes of the past.
So the max-cushion claim is not entirely unjustifiable, just not the most obvious when you first put them on.
Given the nature of lower 'give' on the foam, I would wager these will prove durable and hold up quite well over time. It remains to be seen if they do get comfier after another 20-30 miles added on. Can't say if the break in period is longer with the foam they use.
Note: Comparing to my older Altra Torin 6, the Torins still feel more cushioned when walking around town, where these were firm.
On runs, however, particularly when adding in more effort, the extra cushioning on the FWD VIA is apparent.
CONCLUSION:
This is a good neutral shoe with higher than average stability at an appealing low weight geared towards longer runs, for more seasoned runners who may actually dislike 'too much cushioning'
This would not be my first choice for recovery runs though.
Neither would I pick these as my first option when trying to seek any PRs. I can see myself accumulating base miles in them though. A solid workhorse, if you will.
A good shoe overall, but perhaps not quite as versatile as I expected.
KrishReceived free product
Morristown, NJ
6 people found this review helpful
Most Helpful Critical Review
Great Performance, Terrible Durability
Erkki4 months ago
Love the fit and performance of Altra shoes, but this is the latest in a line of purchases that just don't have the durability that I would expect from shoes at this price point. The interior fabric has torn in both heals after minimal use. This seems to be the case with all of the Altras that I have purchased. Not related to this particular model, but my wife has also experienced the same with other models and problems with the outsoles delaminating. As much as we love the fit and function, we cannot justify spending so much on footwear that has such poor durability. We've both moved on to other brands.
Erkki
5 people found this review helpful
Customer Images
Krish
Received free product
Morristown, NJ
Not as versatile but decent distance shoe
8 months ago
I've put about 15 miles on these at the time of reviewing, over the course of 2 runs. FIT: This is not your regular zero drop Altra. There is a 4mm drop from heel to toe. Great - I'm more comfortable that way TBH. And, it is easier to add these with other non-zero-drop shoes to one's rotation. They do run wide though - the generous, wide toe box was a plus for me personally - love that. But - It's not perfect. I faced a problem that I've now begun to associate with this brand. The front of the shoe puts pressure on my middle toes at times, especially when running downhill - this is likely due to the way the shoe is shaped. Notice the top-down view, the design appears to curve inward and assumes that one's middle toes aren't much longer than one's big toe, and wouldn't extend much further. That assumption does not hold true for me and this creates discomfort at times. Consider sizing up if you have the same problem, as long as you are okay with the even-greater width and looser fit around the heel that that may entail. You might find the right fit by sizing up and using thicker socks - good for winter running this way. PERFORMANCE: This pair is marketed as max-cushion. That's ONLY apparent when you push harder, IMO. Otherwise FIRM at low speeds/walking. The LOW WEIGHT is immediately obvious though - and a welcome positive, making these shoes admittedly more appealing than many other alternatives in this segment that achieve the higher cushioning with the use of more voluminous heavy foam. Not these. Coming back to the cushioning - these will def NOT feel max-cushioned when walking or even light jogging at low speeds. Now, when running, especially when pushing harder, I did notice the improved cushioning compared to other Altra shoes of the past. So the max-cushion claim is not entirely unjustifiable, just not the most obvious when you first put them on. Given the nature of lower 'give' on the foam, I would wager these will prove durable and hold up quite well over time. It remains to be seen if they do get comfier after another 20-30 miles added on. Can't say if the break in period is longer with the foam they use. Note: Comparing to my older Altra Torin 6, the Torins still feel more cushioned when walking around town, where these were firm. On runs, however, particularly when adding in more effort, the extra cushioning on the FWD VIA is apparent. CONCLUSION: This is a good neutral shoe with higher than average stability at an appealing low weight geared towards longer runs, for more seasoned runners who may actually dislike 'too much cushioning' This would not be my first choice for recovery runs though. Neither would I pick these as my first option when trying to seek any PRs. I can see myself accumulating base miles in them though. A solid workhorse, if you will. A good shoe overall, but perhaps not quite as versatile as I expected.
Age:35–44
Weight:125–150 lbs.
Height:5'9"
Average Weekly Mileage:0–10 miles
Typical Shoe Size:Mens 10
Running Experience:Experienced
Yes , I recommend this product
beefstu
Received free product
New York
These are better for walking/standing
8 months ago
The Altra FWD VIA are a decent pair of daily running/walking shoes. I am 5’9” and around 160lbs with narrow feet. After receiving these I went for a short run (around 4 miles) and felt that they were very grippy and cushiony. The toe box is a little bit wide and there were times when my feet did not feel very stable when moving laterally, but generally performed well when propelling forward. To be fair, I don’t think these were made for agility. The upper material are well made, however, they did not breathe very well for me and I found my toes to be more sweaty than some of my other more “breathable” sneakers. According to Altra, these have a 4mm drop but I felt that they were more neutral if anything. I found this to affect my running as it did not promote a positive toe-off experience. On a positive note, the soles were very grippy and the heel cups helped keep my feet in and not cause any blisters. That being said, I did find these to be a decent pair of walking/standing sneakers. I think these would be a great pair for those who are on their feet all day. I used them on a long walk (5 miles) through my city along concrete, grass, and gravel. The thickness and the neutral drop feeling of these sneakers were great in protecting my feet from feeling all the tiny rocks and acorn seeds throughout my walk. I felt like I was walking on pillows all day. I’m sure many other cushioned sneakers will make you feel this, but the neutral drop feeling allows for more stability in every day walking and standing. If you are looking for daily trainers for running, I would look elsewhere. However, if you are on your feet all day then these might be an option for you.
Age:45–54
Weight:150–175 lbs.
Height:5'9"
Average Weekly Mileage:11–30 miles
Typical Shoe Size:Mens 10
Running Experience:Experienced
Yes , I recommend this product
GHastings
Received free product
Shelby, NC
Solid training shoe
8 months ago
Pleasantly surprised with the new Altra FWD VIA. Felt the comfort and plush feel right out of the box. While I was afraid of the larger toe box, I can honestly say that, even with a narrow foot, the toe box was “too much.” I’m curious to see how the look of these shoes holds up over time as the uppers are white, but after a few runs they still look (and feel) great. I typically wear between 8-8.5, but the 8 feels great. Take that into account when trying to find your correct size! I look forward to putting more miles on these guys.
Age:25–34
Weight:125–150 lbs.
Height:5'10"
Average Weekly Mileage:11–30 miles
Typical Shoe Size:Mens 8
Running Experience:Experienced
Yes , I recommend this product
James
Received free product
Denver, Colorado
Wide Toe Box Is Wide
8 months ago
I really like the look and feel of these shoes, but after three runs, I'm giving them 4 stars solely as a matter of personal preference because I can't get totally comfortable with the wide toe box. Maybe I will get more used to it over time, but as someone that has relatively wide feet, the shape of the shoe just feels a bit off and in turn makes it feel like they are lacking support. They are super light and the construction appears to be very solid. So if you're looking for wider running shoes with very light but chunky soles, I would definitely recommend these.
Age:35–44
Weight:150–175 lbs.
Height:5'9"
Average Weekly Mileage:11–30 miles
Typical Shoe Size:Mens 9
Running Experience:Casual
Yes , I recommend this product
tomg
Received free product
Good quality, but the design concept isn't for me
7 months ago
I used this product for a mix of road and off road walking. Normally I do a good bit of running but I had a surgery after ordering these shoes and it has kept me hiking/walking instead. I have had these out for about 10 hikes, and based on this I think the build quality if fine. The laces are a little bit slippy. This is my first pair of Altra type shoes. I can now say with confidence that this style of shoe is not for me. I don't feel stable, especially going downhill. I also fee like these shoes cause me to pronate excessively. The toe box is generous, which I like; however, the toe box curves inward. Strange design feature, which I don't understand. I feel maybe it contributes to the pronation issue. I realize these are marketed as road shoes, but I always wear road shoes when running and hiking off trail. It is off trail on steeper, looser, rockier terrain (I have mostly used these on Boise's Table Rock trails) that don't feel stable in these shoes, even when just walking.
Age:55–64
Weight:150–175 lbs.
Height:6'0"
Average Weekly Mileage:11–30 miles
Typical Shoe Size:Mens 12
Running Experience:Experienced
Yes , I recommend this product
Trudge
Received free product
Raleigh, NC
Altar FWD VIA Running Shoes are adaptable!
8 months ago
I received these Altra FWD VIA Road-Running shoes as part of the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. I’ve put 30-40 miles on these shoes on various surfaces, from asphalt roads and concrete sidewalks, to leaf & pinestraw covered trails with wooden bridges. I’ve really enjoyed these Altras. As a 50+ year old my feet tend swell on my longer 10+ mile days. While some other shoes start out feeling great, after 10 miles I usually have to stop and loosen the laces. These Altra FWD VIA seem to be able to accommodate my foot swelling better than other brands I’ve owned. The 4mm drop is absolutely perfect for me. Just a super comfortable shoe that breathes well and dries out quickly. Two things I will note, about half the time I run during twilight hours or in the dark. These Altras aren’t reflective nor do they have reflective accents. The other thing is these shoes can be quite slippery on very dry leaves and pine straw. In all fairness this is true of most running shoes but it’s something I thought worth mentioning. One last thing I feel is a SIGNIFICANT positive for these Altras is their adaptability in different environments. I didn’t just run in these Altras. I’m a hiker and backpacker with a diverse training regiment. My weekly workout schedule goes something like this (depending on the weather): Day 1 run on neighborhood streets and sidewalks. Day 2 walk with 30 pound weighted vest around the neighborhood or on a nearby dirt trail. Day 3 - go to my gym for some weightlifting and stair-climbing. Day 4 - trail running on a nearby dirt or asphalt trail. I like to have a shoe that can handle ALL of the above activities. I don’t like having specialty shoes that are only good for one activity. I find these Altras to be very adaptable and that’s my personal highest compliment I can give to any shoe.
Age:45–54
Weight:175–200 lbs.
Height:5'9"
Average Weekly Mileage:11–30 miles
Typical Shoe Size:Mens 11
Running Experience:Experienced
Yes , I recommend this product
FSJJUNKIE
Received free product
Hillsboro, VA
Skeptical about the 4mm drop, but these are great
8 months ago
These are amazingly comfortable road shoes. The 4mm drop (instead of 0mm) doesn't bother me and they provide relief for my knee pain. The white upper quickly picks up dirt, but that's the only negative.
Age:55–64
Weight:150–175 lbs.
Height:5'7"
Average Weekly Mileage:0–10 miles
Typical Shoe Size:Mens 8
Running Experience:Competitive
Yes , I recommend this product
JDzzie
Received free product
Los Angeles California
Nice surprise. The comfort is great!
8 months ago
I ran 4 miles on the treadmill and 1 mile on the streets. These Altra’s are pretty light and they felt really good. Plenty of space but they don’t feel like there isn’t support. I thought they would a bit stiff, once running they felt really good and was surprised as to how comfortable they are. Aesthetically, I think they could look a little better. But man they feel really good. I’d definitely recommend these.
Age:35–44
Weight:175–200 lbs.
Height:6'0"
Average Weekly Mileage:0–10 miles
Typical Shoe Size:Mens 10
Running Experience:Experienced
Yes , I recommend this product
Erkki
Great Performance, Terrible Durability
4 months ago
Love the fit and performance of Altra shoes, but this is the latest in a line of purchases that just don't have the durability that I would expect from shoes at this price point. The interior fabric has torn in both heals after minimal use. This seems to be the case with all of the Altras that I have purchased. Not related to this particular model, but my wife has also experienced the same with other models and problems with the outsoles delaminating. As much as we love the fit and function, we cannot justify spending so much on footwear that has such poor durability. We've both moved on to other brands.
Age:45–54
Weight:200–225 lbs.
Height:5'10"
Average Weekly Mileage:0–10 miles
Typical Shoe Size:Mens 10
Running Experience:Beginner
No, I do not recommend this product
CSR1
Received free product
Dallas, TX
When max cushioned is not max cushioned
8 months ago
The Altra FWD VIA is daily trainer touted as a max cushioned shoe with their new EGO™ FLO midsole foam. As opposed to most other Altra shoes that are zero drop shoes, this version has a 4mm (37mm/33mm) drop. I'm 5' 8", 150 lbs with a slightly narrow foot, and the size 9 I normally wear fit true to size. I took them out, first for a 6.5, and then a 13.1 mile run on concrete paths at an easy pace both times. I found the upper to be very comfortable with a nice cushioned heel collar, and breathed very well in the warm Texas fall weather. This is definitely a neutral shoe with a very stable ride due to its wide profile. Coming in at approximately 9.1oz, I also found this to be a relatively light shoe for a daily trainer. The outsole has very good grip, and the blue/neon green colorway is something I also found to my liking. However, I would not classify this shoe as a max cushioned at all and found the ride to be rather on the firm side. I was hoping during my second, longer run that the foam would "break in" and provide a little more cushion, but this never happened. There was never any bounce or springiness to this shoe, and the rocker was really a non-factor and did not improve the toe-off it was designed for. I did try pushing the pace a few times, but this shoe just did not want to go along for the fast ride. While the toe box was very roomy in the midfoot area, the rather steep curvature at the front caused pressure on my middle toes. I really wanted to like this shoe, but feel there are many better options in the daily trainer category to choose from.
Age:55–64
Weight:125–150 lbs.
Height:5'8"
Average Weekly Mileage:30+ miles
Typical Shoe Size:Mens 9
Running Experience:Experienced
No, I do not recommend this product
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