Dom: I was a vocal fan of Superior v4.0 and v4.5, and consequently was nervous that Altra would harm the character of the shoe in v5.0. Instead, they made smart changes that will add mainstream appeal without losing the magic of v4.x. In the process, they also delivered an exceptionally fine-looking shoe. Height of toe bumper has decreased, which -- coupled with fatter insole -- makes the toe box notably shallow. This could aggravate touchy toenails. Some runners prefer the narrower toe boxes of shoes like Reebok’s Forever Floatride Energy. Lakota Gambill A Natural Take on Tech Altra shoes are designed to allow the foot to function within the shoes and allow you to run with a more natural midfoot strike and upright posture. This is achieved by making the shoes Zero Drop, which means that the height of the midsole at the heel is the same as the height of the midsole in the forefoot. The shoe is ‘flat’. The forefoot is broad and rounded to allow the foot to spread on impact when you land on your midfoot. This gives you cushioning, stability and natural ‘spring’ from your feet. La Sportiva Cyclon: 8mm heel to forefoot. Longer lugs give better traction on soft ground. BOA fastening and built in gaiter stops debris from getting in the shoes. Not as natural or nimble. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/la-sportiva-cyklon-review-boa-lacing-system/

Of course how wide any shoe is to you depends on the width of your feet. If you have a broad foot and usually buy 2E width running shoes or have a high volume foot then the snugger fitting Altra shoes like the Superior 4.5/5 might not have enough volume in the upper for you.

Altra Men's Superior

The feel of this lightweight trail racer is beyond comparison. I found my first few runs with the shoe to be similar to the childlike fun of sprinting through the forest. The tongue of the Superior 5 is fairly unique Now we know where the shoes differ, let’s look at the similarities. Overall, I feel the shoes have the same DNA. And if you’re comfortable in one, then the other will “feel” like the same type of shoe, with a couple of unique features. Flexibility and Structure

Coming from truly barefoot shoes, I was missing a lot of ground feel, and that’s something to expect. The base of the Superior 5 is slightly broader as the midsole splays out. This makes them look wider than the Superior 4.5. The width of the shoes internally is the same. The broader base is designed to make the Superior a bit more stable. The ride of the shoe is slightly different to the previous version. It feels slightly less nimble and slightly softer. With the new design sporting tough protection from the heel and around the side of the shoe, and then a relatively firm toebox, your foot is fully protected from the trail elements. With this sturdy protection holding you in place, I don’t think they’ll be any worry of feet ripping out the side of shoes anymore. I’d suggest doing a few short runs first to ensure you’re not going to get any rubbing before heading out on long runs.

Our Verdict

At the end of this post, I’m also giving my super simple formula to help you decide which shoe is for you! What’s Different about Altra’s? The Superior 5 is agile and responsive. Its sweet spot is in tempo runs and races. Lightweight build and excellent traction make it a great choice for shorter and medium-distance trail events. Whereas, the Superior took a few miles to break in. When I first pulled the shoe on, it was pretty solid and encouraged forward motion with every step. But after 20km, the midsole softened, to the point where it’s the shoe I reach for any technical terrain (I just ran a 50km in them). Volume, Width, and sizing

Scott Supertrac RC and Supertrac Amphib: A bit stiffer through the midfoot reduces some of the spring you’ll get from your feet. 4mm heel to forefoot. Longer lugs give much better traction in the mud. It is the slimmest trail design that has largely stayed the same. The 5 (which actually has more than 5 iterations since Altra does half numbers on minor change models) has some noticeable changes too. Most of the focus was put on updating the upper and outsole. Not much more to say. Let’s get into it! This is more of a personal gripe from someone who is new to this shoe. Personally, I loved the Quantic midsole in the Timp 2. In the Superior, it is such a boring feeling! It’s just a thin layer of midsole. In a world of super foams (or even Altra’s new EGO midsole), a little bit of bounce wouldn’t hurt, would it?! I do realize that these types of foams could take away a little bit of that beloved ground feel. That is more important to the integrity of this particular shoe anyways. Dom: From my point of view, the ride of the Superior is pretty close to perfect. It could be argued that the shoe could be more springy, more protective, more supportive, firmer, grippier, etc. But I see the Superior as a daily training shoe that will strengthen your feet, improve your proprioception, and nudge you gently toward a more forefoot-oriented gait. It’s not a shoe that is well suited to long distances or particularly rough or technical terrain. Nor is it an obvious choice for racing. It is soft and flexible enough to transform your running experience and connect you closely to the ground underfoot. The Superior provides just enough cushion and protection to bring a natural barefoot-like experience to a mainstream audience.

What Other Trail Running Shoes Should You Consider?

That’s it for the general factors of the Altra shoe line, so let’s break down the details of both the Altra Lone Peak and the Altra Superior.

Anchor for gaiter has been removed from the front of shoe; velcro attachment at rear has been downsized. In the past, I’ve had Altra’s where I’ve ripped out the side walls in 400km, and whereas some people believe that’s a reasonable distance for a shoe, I feel we need to push shoe companies further to build more sustainable and durable shoes. The upper material has also changed. The new mesh is designed to be more resistant to abra sion f rom the trail and dry faster. There is no plastic in the heel cup, so the heel of the shoes takes the shape of your heel. As in the previous m odel, the tongue wraps around and reduces the chance of getting debris in the shoes and helps give a nice comfortable fit. TAYLOR: Altra continues to push on as an innovator in the zero-drop foot-shaped shoe world. Within that niche, they are also very careful to change too much about a given shoe. Case in point is the Superior.

The Good

The Superior 4.5 have only made minor adjustments to the 4.0, making the upper slightly more durable. This is a supremely comfortable zero-drop shoe that is minimal in its feeling, allowing one to have an intimate relationship with the trail. It's also one of the more affordable choices on the market today, so presents pretty good value to those who like minimal and zero drop shoes.