ALTRA Men's Escalante 4 Road Running Shoe

I've had 4 pairs of Altra Escalantes since 2022, two pairs of gen 2 and now on my second pair of gen 4. I wear them all day, every day for walking and light running. All of them have been some of the most fantastically lightweight, comfortable, and easy to wear shoes I've ever worn. Not quite "minimalist shoes", but far less obstructive feeling than most other brands. I forget they're even on my feet most of the time. I can't go back to wearing shoes with a drop, weird arch support, or heavy materials anymore. One advantage of current generation (4) over gen 2 is that the fit is more true to size: I normally wear size 10, and indeed I can wear a size 10 of the Escalante 4. They fit as expected. The previous generations were less consistent. One downside is that they're seemingly less durable. My first daily wear pair of gen 4 had the tread worn down and had fabric start to rip in the heel within 6-7 months of wearing them. That's not too bad, but my gen 2 pairs lasted about twice as long, so a bit unfortunate to see. Would like to see deeper rubber tread and slightly better fabric construction for future versions, even if they end up being a few grams heavier.

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!

Being wide in the toe box, it’s a good idea to wear them for awhile before wearing them driving. Getting used to the extra width on the pedals is a good idea. They are comfortable.

I only have a few miles of walking on these, but I like them so far. I am heavier at 6', 230 and usually walk 5 miles per day, broken up into shorter distances (usually no more than a mile at a time.) My right foot is wider than my left, and my pinky toe is often problematic. It does rub a bit in these shoes (left foot if perfect). I find that as I use them, and once I get walking, they seem to work fine, I don't have any pain after walking. My right pinky toe issue is my problem and does not have anything to do with the shoes themselves. Maybe I need an extra wide shoe on my right foot. These shoes are very light, seem to breathe really well, and I like the way they look; understated, a bit sporty, but no over-the-top graphics. They are very nice when I am in motion, but would not be comfortable to stand around in all day (but if you were light in weight, they might be fine.) I don't expect them to last a long time (for me most modern shoes are shot at 300-500 miles). If I can get that much out of them, I will be happy.

These are the most comfortable all day shoes I’ve experienced. Lightweight, plenty of cushion, and particularly non binding on my feet !! Sizing seems to be right on for me at least..

I have been wearing barefoot shoes for years BUT needed a shoe e a bit more! These seem to have it all! Wide toe box, zero rise and some support. Nice quality shoe.

** Keep in mind, I'm not some crazy advanced runner. I mostly use these shoes for running outside 4-6 miles when the weather is nice and for the gym. Haven't had the Escalante 4s for long but they have quickly become my favorite pair of Altra shoe's I've owned. I've had my ups and downs with Altra but I don't think there's an all around better brand right now for zero drop running/training shoes. My first pair were the Torin 6s and they immediately got me hooked with their great cushioning and stability. However, they did suffer from some quality issue with bits of the outsole rubber peeling off and the upper ripping slightly in places just a couple of months into owning them. Because of this I decided to give the Provision 8s a try since they had overall great reviews and I had the opposite issue; they held up super well but I didn't love how they felt and eventually ended up with foot pain and shin splints. Later I realized this was my fault for not doing more research before buying them since neutral shoes are best for my feet and these have support for pronation which likely was part of the issue. Now giving the Escalante 4s a go they just feel like a lighter, snappier Torin (which I love)! My feet aren't getting fatigued in them and there's enough cushion to not feel like my battering my legs on the road like some more minimal shoes can do. If you want a great all around zero drop running/trianing shoe, give these a try. Hopefully they hold up just as well as my old Provisions did.

These have been my favorite of the barefoot/wide toe box shoes that I’ve tried. Some of the most comfortable shoes I’ve had while looking much more like a traditional sneaker. I’ll buy another pair once I run these into the ground.

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.

Fort confortable et parmi les plus respirantes que j'ai essayées.

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.