I was a huge Hoka fan for years, and my wife always had Altra's. As we started pushing our selves in distance and difficulty I found myself being severely limited by foot issues while my wife wasn't. I always thought Altra's were stupid and a gimmick, but eventually gave them a try as a last resort. I did have to spend months slowly transitioning to them but it was well worth it, what a difference. I would never describe them as actually being "comfortable" and yet I can do 50+ mile trail runs and my feet will be absolutely perfect the next day. With the Hoka's they would feel wonderful for 20 miles, but my feet would start to hurt, and if I pushed it to over 50 miles I'd be out for a week. I've come to the conclusion that the Hoka's are a sort of a crutch that can help someone with weak feet, but there are limits to that. The Altra's strengthen your feet and allow you to run naturally, which isn't always super plush and comfortable, but at the end of the day is going to keep your feet in better condition.
What a beautiful scenery for yout running, thank you for sharing it :) I use both hoka and altra, mostly hoka and when my tendons get tired (my weight defenetly neeeds adjusting) I use the hoka...or when it rains.
I never found a model of Altra that I liked until the Mont Blanc. Unfortunately the original was too unstable, but I now tried the Mont Blanc Carbon and it is really good! So my shoes rotation is now: Hoka Speedgoat 5 Wide fit (5 mm drop) (long races) Topo MTN Racer 3 (5 mm drop) (training) Topo Pursuit (0 mm drop) (training) Altra Mont Blanc Carbon (0 mm drop) (short races) The Hoka is most comfortable for 100+ milers, the Altra is fastest and probably good to 100km, the Topo fit my feet better and I use them for training runs.
I've worn Altras for years but am now looking for alternatives. My gripe with them and almost all shoe manufacturers is that they don't offer widths in each model. They'll tout characteristics of a specific model, the very reason one would want to buy that model, but then when it is too wide or narrow, they'll suggest a different model that doesn't have those qualities, but is just narrower or wider, as if those qualities really didn't matter after all.
Thank you for sharing this informative video. Its such a pitty when I was in Hong Kong I was not doing close to the distance I do today. Such beautiful options to get lost. Kudos from Belize.
Yea. There are many of those in the summer especially on less visited trails. Their nets can be right in your face, and you have no choice but to run through a couple of them sometimes…
I like Altras for the functional reasons but they really need to improve the durability if they're going to keep charging so much money for all their models.
The only question that matters is “better for whom”? Personally, I’m thankful all running shoes aren’t the same. Some do better in one brand while others thrive in another. And some choose no shoes at all. There’s an abundance of options and that’s a good thing.
I have 6 pairs of Altra road shoes. Dont have any quality issues on any of them. I really like them, mostly because of the roomy toebox, even of the narrowest models.
@@jackyipR I really love them. Somehow they fit my running gait really good. Running on them over a year and never had any kind of injury, while in the past I had lots of issues. Did my first marathon just last Sunday in the Vanish Carbon. Best of luck to you for your first! Enjoy the experience!
Hi, excellent comparison video! I have been using Lone Peak 6's, but recently after a particularly stony 100m trail, my heels have been in agony, which has prompted me to look for a more cushioned shoe. Do you find the Hoka have a narrow toe box? my feet love the Altra toe box, but I feel as a heel striker, I need more cushioning.
Thanks! I think running 100 miles in the Lone Peak is already quite an achievement, given the shoes' minimalism. Hoka shoes definitely have a narrower toe box, but personally, if I am just speaking for my pair of Hoka Mafate Speed 4 which I use the most, I wouldn't say the toe box is too narrow. But coming from Altra shoes, it would take some time to get used to, potentially with some discomfort. The stretchy material they use also helps. I think my general experience has been in the first few miles of your run, the Hoka toe box might feel quite tight, but after that, it becomes much less an issue. And, recently, it's been raining a lot out here, so I have been using the Hoka more (for the grip). I find that in wet conditions---my shoes are usually completely soaked for hours during my runs, either from the rain/wet condition or from sweat (very hot and humid here)---the toe box feels less restrictive, and causes no noticeable discomfort at all.
I have had Altras in the past ( Lone Peak and Timpson ) because of my wide feet. Problem is Altras don't last long, the quality for the price is terrible. So I have been wearing Hoka Bondi 8 ( 2E Wide feet version ) and Topo Terraventure.
@@childcrone I don't want to be, I just find that I am, and with the minimal stack height, I found stony trails really take their toll. Hence the reason for wanting a show with a more cushioned sole, but with the requirement for a wider toe box.
I haven’t got any blisters with any shoes so far. But I recently broke two mafate speed 4’s in less then two weeks. I think they have some serious material weaknesses in their shoelace holes. The shoelaces tore through the fabric while I was running on technical downhills.
I was a huge Hoka fan for years, and my wife always had Altra's. As we started pushing our selves in distance and difficulty I found myself being severely limited by foot issues while my wife wasn't. I always thought Altra's were stupid and a gimmick, but eventually gave them a try as a last resort. I did have to spend months slowly transitioning to them but it was well worth it, what a difference. I would never describe them as actually being "comfortable" and yet I can do 50+ mile trail runs and my feet will be absolutely perfect the next day. With the Hoka's they would feel wonderful for 20 miles, but my feet would start to hurt, and if I pushed it to over 50 miles I'd be out for a week. I've come to the conclusion that the Hoka's are a sort of a crutch that can help someone with weak feet, but there are limits to that. The Altra's strengthen your feet and allow you to run naturally, which isn't always super plush and comfortable, but at the end of the day is going to keep your feet in better condition.
How very well put.
Hoka looks way gimme gear the fat clown midsole
I love my Altras due to the toe box. The comfort due to cushioning is good but that extra room for the toes is great.
Topo is great as well 🎉
What a beautiful scenery for yout running, thank you for sharing it :) I use both hoka and altra, mostly hoka and when my tendons get tired (my weight defenetly neeeds adjusting) I use the hoka...or when it rains.
I happen to have both 😂 and like both brands for road and trail. Thanks for sharing 😊 Looking forward to running on HK trails soon
Try Topo Athletic, they also have the wide toebox but Vibram outsoles
I never found a model of Altra that I liked until the Mont Blanc. Unfortunately the original was too unstable, but I now tried the Mont Blanc Carbon and it is really good!
So my shoes rotation is now:
Hoka Speedgoat 5 Wide fit (5 mm drop) (long races)
Topo MTN Racer 3 (5 mm drop) (training)
Topo Pursuit (0 mm drop) (training)
Altra Mont Blanc Carbon (0 mm drop) (short races)
The Hoka is most comfortable for 100+ milers, the Altra is fastest and probably good to 100km, the Topo fit my feet better and I use them for training runs.
I've worn Altras for years but am now looking for alternatives. My gripe with them and almost all shoe manufacturers is that they don't offer widths in each model. They'll tout characteristics of a specific model, the very reason one would want to buy that model, but then when it is too wide or narrow, they'll suggest a different model that doesn't have those qualities, but is just narrower or wider, as if those qualities really didn't matter after all.
Thank you for sharing this informative video. Its such a pitty when I was in Hong Kong I was not doing close to the distance I do today. Such beautiful options to get lost. Kudos from Belize.
Greatings from Berner Oberland 🇨🇭
That spider at the 8:19 mark...he looked big!
Yea. There are many of those in the summer especially on less visited trails. Their nets can be right in your face, and you have no choice but to run through a couple of them sometimes…
I like Altras for the functional reasons but they really need to improve the durability if they're going to keep charging so much money for all their models.
The only question that matters is “better for whom”? Personally, I’m thankful all running shoes aren’t the same. Some do better in one brand while others thrive in another. And some choose no shoes at all. There’s an abundance of options and that’s a good thing.
I have 6 pairs of Altra road shoes. Dont have any quality issues on any of them. I really like them, mostly because of the roomy toebox, even of the narrowest models.
I am also leaning towards Altra shoes lately. About to run a road marathon with a pair of torin 7 next week.
@@jackyipR I really love them. Somehow they fit my running gait really good. Running on them over a year and never had any kind of injury, while in the past I had lots of issues.
Did my first marathon just last Sunday in the Vanish Carbon. Best of luck to you for your first! Enjoy the experience!
Hi, excellent comparison video! I have been using Lone Peak 6's, but recently after a particularly stony 100m trail, my heels have been in agony, which has prompted me to look for a more cushioned shoe. Do you find the Hoka have a narrow toe box? my feet love the Altra toe box, but I feel as a heel striker, I need more cushioning.
Thanks! I think running 100 miles in the Lone Peak is already quite an achievement, given the shoes' minimalism. Hoka shoes definitely have a narrower toe box, but personally, if I am just speaking for my pair of Hoka Mafate Speed 4 which I use the most, I wouldn't say the toe box is too narrow. But coming from Altra shoes, it would take some time to get used to, potentially with some discomfort. The stretchy material they use also helps. I think my general experience has been in the first few miles of your run, the Hoka toe box might feel quite tight, but after that, it becomes much less an issue. And, recently, it's been raining a lot out here, so I have been using the Hoka more (for the grip). I find that in wet conditions---my shoes are usually completely soaked for hours during my runs, either from the rain/wet condition or from sweat (very hot and humid here)---the toe box feels less restrictive, and causes no noticeable discomfort at all.
I have had Altras in the past ( Lone Peak and Timpson ) because of my wide feet. Problem is Altras don't last long, the quality for the price is terrible. So I have been wearing Hoka Bondi 8 ( 2E Wide feet version ) and Topo Terraventure.
@@jackyipR Even in stretchy material a tapered toe box will still provide inward resistance against the toes.
steelynick, I'm curious, what is your reason for wanting to keep heel striking?
@@childcrone I don't want to be, I just find that I am, and with the minimal stack height, I found stony trails really take their toll. Hence the reason for wanting a show with a more cushioned sole, but with the requirement for a wider toe box.
Great great review 👏🏻
hoka gave me blisters with narrow toe box in speedgoat 5 and bondi’s. i hate them.
I haven’t got any blisters with any shoes so far. But I recently broke two mafate speed 4’s in less then two weeks. I think they have some serious material weaknesses in their shoelace holes. The shoelaces tore through the fabric while I was running on technical downhills.
Same here. No blisters with Altra, ON, Nike, Topo but Hoka. Could not figure out why...
I'm looking forward to trying the Altra Timp 5, seems to have better coverage of Vibram on the outsole than the Olympus.
same here. but I have too many pairs of shoes to be used up.
IMO Hokas with huge heels look absolutely stupid, but I haven't ever found any of the Altra models look bad. I like the Altras' looks better.
Same here! I have never felt conspicuous or uncomfortable wearing my Altras anywhere.
Altra