Altra  Escalante 5 Road-Running Shoes - Men's

I've run one 10K, two 5Ks, and five 1.5-mile runs in my new size 12.5 Escalante 5s prior to writing this review. I've worn through multiple Altra Ones and Escalante 2s in road running. I wear Lone Peaks daily. I'm a BIG proponent of the toe-box, zero-drop, and breathability. So, I'm a bit disappointed that these have a noticeably narrower toe box that jams in my little toe. I waited this long to review because I wasn't sure if the upper is just "stiff" by comparison to the Escalante 2 and needs to be broken in, but I'm not sure that the stiffness is the issue. It seems like they shaved a few millimeters off the new generation's width. I'll continue to wear them in hopes that they break in, but if I wear through my Injinji socks or feel major discomfort, I just may have to look elsewhere.

These have the wide toe box that Altra is known for. Don't cram your toes in any old shoe.

This shoe began falling apart after only a few workouts. The upper has way too much play in it. Save you money and stop spending money on Altra the company has clearly lost the plot.

Very bad heel durability - heel padding started to disintegrate within a month of use.

This is the best running shoe I've ever tried. I've put in a little over 100 miles on them so far. I mostly run trail and wear Lone Peak 9s, so I wanted something for flat gravel and road. The Escalante is great! I know they are marketed for short distance and sprint, but they feel like a perfect minimalist shoe. I want to feel the ground, and they provide the ground feel I was looking for. They also breathe much better than the Lone Peaks. They truly feel like an extension of my foot.

This was my first try at Altra shoes and might be my last unless they offer another shoe model that doesn’t have super tight tops. Everything else about the shoe feels nice, but as soon as I put them on, from the tongue down to the last adjustable lace is just TIGHT. It only feels sort of fine without any socks on but I know this is going to be a comfort issue long term so I’m returning them, shame since the toe box is nice and wide but the top design is horrible and tight.

I could not tell until I wore them all day out and about, and now I can not return them. This is where an actual store that carries all models is helpful. I actually have a narrow foot, but I always wear a mens 10 regular. I don’t know what would fix this as the issue is across the top of the foot where the tongue is attached. I presume a properly engineered shoe is the only fix. The material also traps heat, top and bottom. To think I wasted my money on this gimmick brand.

Yet again, Altra ruins a great shoe. The Escalante 4 was an almost perfect shoe for both running and everyday use. Just took my Escalante 5s out for their maiden run on an easy 4 mile route, and now have holes in my hitherto-bulletproof Darn Tough running socks (on both feet) and the back of both ankles are rubbed raw and blistered. The heel counter and collar on these just destroyed them on a short run. I don't know why I keep letting Altra do this to me. Maybe I'm still chasing the high of the Torin 4 or the Timp 2, or maybe it's because they occasionally drop a great new shoe like the Escalante 4 or the original Escalante Racer. Joke's on me though, as I didn't take these 5s out until 6 weeks after I bought them, so can't even return the darn things. Gonna have to load up on any Escalante 4s I can find before they are all gone.

Firstly, I have a narrow foot and I am a light guy…. . these factors may influence my experience over yours. Yet here I am at the E5. I am noticing that weight increase on the road. The E1 weighed in at 8. 2 and now we’re at 9. 7 ounces. I will say though, the beefed up outsole is probably one of the culprits, but I do appreciate that new outsole material though! I notice that the heel cup is already wearing a hole on the inside…. I am 50 miles in. As related, my first run killed my right heel, developing a nasty blister, but I attributed that to my mechanics since it wasn’t on both feet…. no issue since. The shoe is stiffer and outside of the weight issue, that’s one of the biggest miffs I have with it. The shoe isn’t sloppy nor too restrictive…I think it feels a lot like the 4 in many respects. I am digging it, but lightening it up would make me happy!

Where have these shoes been all my life? I have spent the last year and a half looking for good shoes that work with my feet. I am a tall, somewhat flat footed person. These shoes have the perfect amount of support. If I could afford it I’d buy 10 of them for backups and just wear these the rest of my life.