Yay for Altra! Great review, Kevin. Good to hear you not blaming the shoes for the soreness in your achilles, but accepting it being part of the transition process. Awesome!
Just ran my first three miles this morning on these and everything they say about them is true! Your reviews really helped me with my decision so thank you for your time.
I've been wearing minimalist shoes, freet and xero, need something that's got a bit of cushion for faster races so I can run over rocks without worrying about bruising. These seem like the solution
I do all my road running in Five finger V-runs, which have a stack of about 6mm, so for me 22mm is like a cloud haha. I got some Lone Peaks (24mm) for trail running last year and they're great, probably about the closest to a minimal trail racer you can get. I have no problem running half marathons in fivefingers but feel like I would be faster in Escalante racers and want them for longer distances (20-30 miles). Is the Torin the best option for ultras or is it too thicc?
That’s awesome you run roads in Vibram five fingers. I started running in the Xero Prio on the road. I think for trails you can also do the superior 22mm stack height. I like the torin for ultras. I think it’s an awesome shoe. I think if you’ve been running in 5 fingers the torin may be a little clunky, but if you were able to get used to it, it’d be good for ultras. I also think the escalante racer would be good for an ultra too
Great review of this shoe! You touched on most of the main pain points and benefits. The upper is a bit too breathable for freezing temperature. It took a handful of runs for the midsole foam to break in, and I love them ever since. My feet are still getting stronger 3 months in!! How many miles did you wind up putting on the shoes? Are you still running in them 3 months later?
Thanks kevin, what size would you recommend for running marathons? Compared to the length of the foot, how many cm more to consider when choosing the size?
I do half a size up from what my normal shoe size would be! I’m not sure what that would equate to in cm. Another measure is your thumbnail from your longest toe to the front of your shoe
Just bought them to try a new PB for half marathon (better than 1h29') this autumn. Already have the 2.5 classic (2000 km) and i'm super happy with them.
Yeah the racers are amazing. I’m gonna get another pair once I work through a couple of pairs of Torins. That’s awesome you got so much mileage out of the 2.5s!
Thanks for the review...these are probably my next shoe. Born to Run coach Eric Orton's youtube channel has some great videos on exercises on how to move from heel strike to mid and forefoot strike, totally recommend them - the videos helped me a lot! They also recommend this shoe in Born to Run 2.
Great review. I've leaped from nike free 5.0, and just took these for an 8k test run! I have a marathon, my first, end November so I'm hoping I'll have warmed up to these by then
I switched to zero drops a couple months back. I used to wear brooks which I still say are good shoes. I find wearing Altras has resulted in less soreness in my joints. There is increased soreness in my muscles and tendons but not in a bad way. I recommend the Altra Rivera for a good all around shoe. If you’re a size 10 in Brooks, ASICS, Nike, you’ll be a 10.5 in Altras. They run short.
Yeahh altras are really good! I don’t notice any issues with my knees or joints. I also feel that it strengthens my feet and ankles. I never used the Riveras. I tried them on, but my foot was a little too wide for them! I agree you need to half size up on them. I haven’t really been able to be comfortable in any shoes with a drop since I switched
As a footballer who runs about 3 miles high tempo and steady 5 miles im having a tough time choosing between escante racers and the rivera 2s which do you thibk would be best
I’ve got my first half marathon race in the fall. I’m debating on these or the vanish tempos for the race. I’ve ran in both for that distance and both worked well but I’m leaning towards the racers. There’s something about the flexibility, extremely light weight, and bouncy formula of the ego foam that makes these faster and less hard on the feet than one would expect. The tempos sometimes feel wobbly cause the overly squishy foam that’s 33 mm in stack height.
I have been using Merrell Bare Access Flex and Bare Access XTR as my feet strengthening shoes. It appears they have been discontinued. So I will consider Escalante Racers when I need new shoes. Thank you for the review!
Escalate Racers are the only road shoe I run in, regardless of the distance. I have the Bostons (2019), the black ones from last year (slightly different then the ones you’re holding) , the grey pair that came recently out and the Aloha version. These shoes made me feet strong for my ultras. If you’re running in these you will destroy your lower legs if your form is not very good though.
@@huehuehuehu9429 heads up but I was told today by my local running store Altra is discontinuing the racer. I’ve emailed Altra today and asked if this was true. If it then I’m buying a bunch of extra pairs this week. I Hope this is not true.
heads up but I was told today by my local running store Altra is discontinuing the racer. I’ve emailed Altra today and asked if this was true. If it is then I’m buying a bunch of extra pairs this week. I Hope this is not true.
I can’t decide between the Escalante racer and the Escalante 2.5 I’m a barefoot runner, I wear Merrell vapor glove 4 (no cushioning whatsoever) but I wanted something with a little bit of cushioning for longer distances but that are still flexible.. Do you recommend the racers for half marathon and marathon?
That’s a great question! I would say the escalante racer as it is more nimble. It has a very breathable upper and it also has a 2mm lower stack height. Very light and a lot of ground feel!
If you’re just transitioning to zero-drop, or more minimal shoes, I’d recommend the escalante 2.5 first before the racer. (I know you’re not, but I’m sure other people will read this comment). The 2.5 is way “bouncier” than the racer. Even though they both have ego midsole, the 2mm plus the higher density of the racer’s “race tuned ego” midsole make it a significantly more direct/stiff feel. Took a few miles to break them in (25-30). I felt the escalante 2.5 upper had a lot of stretch/movement to it. The racer has almost no stretch to it and is so breathable you can see your feet/socks thru it. Escalante racer has a much more sticky outsole, but wears way easier than the 2.5. I think you could get double the mileage out of the 2.5 than the racer. If you don’t have your biomechanics/foot strike dialed in, you’re liable to waste the racers in a couple hundred miles. (I got ~750mi out of the 2.5s, and I think the racers will be done by about 4-500mi max) All in all, I love the racers and will buy them again. That being said, if Altra put the racer upper, 2.5 midsole, and the racer outsole, it would probably be the perfect daily trainer for longer distances. You’ll be fine for half or full marathon, all the way up to ultramarathon distance in either of these shoes, as long as you’re adapted to minimal zero drop.
@@zach.videos Thank you, I was actually looking to find a zero-drop+minimal shoe to run in and this comment helped. How long would you recommend I use the Escalante 2.5 before transitioning to a Racer? And do you think there's a huge difference in terms of pace between the two if I'm running half or full marathons? Btw have u tried the Torins 4.5? How do they compare? Also, would you run in the 2.5s in the winter
@@Phyziks0 what are you running in now? There's a large difference in cushioning between the models you are looking at. A little bit of "fit" differences, but the main difference will be the level of cushioning. What shoe you are running in now can provide a lot of answers here.
@@KevinHoegler I've ran the instinct and then the lone peaks so i think these shoes would still be a step up in comfort. I have noticed much less knee pain when i focus on my mid foot stride so i also don't want to get too much cushion
TOOK me about three 3mile runs to finally break in the flexing for my escalate racer, where as my 1.0 Escalante didnt need to and my 1.5 Escalante needed 1run
Interesting! I can’t recall how long it took me to break in the shoe to get the flex. I went true to size for them, but for other altras I have to go up .5
Brill review..I have just had these ...I walk an run runs in merrell vapor gloves and 5 fingers so I am used to 0 drop an minimal but I will be doing ironman distance Tri an marathons so giving this shoe a go for the longer runs
That’s awesome! I believe these will be great for that purpose! How do you like the vapor gloves? I want to get Xero shoes for walking around. I still want to try and strengthen my feet way more
@@KevinHoegler I love my gloves ..just ordered a new pair as I have the glove 4 I wasn't keen in new version..also just got leather Luna to b more warmer and Vivo waterproof boots ...in the summer I started running barefoot completely on grass...also vibram5 fingers r nice if u get them to fit well
Yay for Altra! Great review, Kevin. Good to hear you not blaming the shoes for the soreness in your achilles, but accepting it being part of the transition process. Awesome!
Thanks so much TD!!
Just ran my first three miles this morning on these and everything they say about them is true!
Your reviews really helped me with my decision so thank you for your time.
That’s great to hear! I’m glad you like them! You’re welcome!
I've been wearing minimalist shoes, freet and xero, need something that's got a bit of cushion for faster races so I can run over rocks without worrying about bruising. These seem like the solution
That’s great you’ve been wearing minimalist shoes for a while! I think these would be a great option for you!
I do all my road running in Five finger V-runs, which have a stack of about 6mm, so for me 22mm is like a cloud haha.
I got some Lone Peaks (24mm) for trail running last year and they're great, probably about the closest to a minimal trail racer you can get.
I have no problem running half marathons in fivefingers but feel like I would be faster in Escalante racers and want them for longer distances (20-30 miles). Is the Torin the best option for ultras or is it too thicc?
That’s awesome you run roads in Vibram five fingers. I started running in the Xero Prio on the road. I think for trails you can also do the superior 22mm stack height. I like the torin for ultras. I think it’s an awesome shoe. I think if you’ve been running in 5 fingers the torin may be a little clunky, but if you were able to get used to it, it’d be good for ultras. I also think the escalante racer would be good for an ultra too
Great review, very informative. I will be picking up a pair shortly!
Thanks! I hope you enjoy them!
Great review of this shoe! You touched on most of the main pain points and benefits. The upper is a bit too breathable for freezing temperature. It took a handful of runs for the midsole foam to break in, and I love them ever since. My feet are still getting stronger 3 months in!!
How many miles did you wind up putting on the shoes? Are you still running in them 3 months later?
Great points! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed them! I’m still running in them! As of now, I have 311 miles on them!
Thanks kevin, what size would you recommend for running marathons? Compared to the length of the foot, how many cm more to consider when choosing the size?
I do half a size up from what my normal shoe size would be! I’m not sure what that would equate to in cm. Another measure is your thumbnail from your longest toe to the front of your shoe
Just bought them to try a new PB for half marathon (better than 1h29') this autumn. Already have the 2.5 classic (2000 km) and i'm super happy with them.
Yeah the racers are amazing. I’m gonna get another pair once I work through a couple of pairs of Torins. That’s awesome you got so much mileage out of the 2.5s!
How did the half marathon go?
Thanks for the review...these are probably my next shoe. Born to Run coach Eric Orton's youtube channel has some great videos on exercises on how to move from heel strike to mid and forefoot strike, totally recommend them - the videos helped me a lot! They also recommend this shoe in Born to Run 2.
Great review. I've leaped from nike free 5.0, and just took these for an 8k test run! I have a marathon, my first, end November so I'm hoping I'll have warmed up to these by then
Thanks! …yes I hope you have warmed up to them by then! It’s truly a great show and I enjoy every run in them! Best of luck with your marathon!
Excellent info mate. I'm planning on picking a lower stack altra shoe next, so this or the superior seem like good options up to now.
Thank you! Those both seem like great options! Any preference on trail or road?
@@KevinHoegler All my runs tend to be a bit of road on the way to the trails. I sometimes just think buying some road shoes would make a nice change 😄
Yes it definitely will! The Superior 5s from altra are supposedly a good choice for road to trail!
@@KevinHoegler I have both, superiors definitely work for both road and trail. But for a faster and more nimble feel the racers are a good send
@@MrDachavid awesome! Thanks for the added insights!
I switched to zero drops a couple months back. I used to wear brooks which I still say are good shoes. I find wearing Altras has resulted in less soreness in my joints. There is increased soreness in my muscles and tendons but not in a bad way. I recommend the Altra Rivera for a good all around shoe. If you’re a size 10 in Brooks, ASICS, Nike, you’ll be a 10.5 in Altras. They run short.
Yeahh altras are really good! I don’t notice any issues with my knees or joints. I also feel that it strengthens my feet and ankles. I never used the Riveras. I tried them on, but my foot was a little too wide for them! I agree you need to half size up on them. I haven’t really been able to be comfortable in any shoes with a drop since I switched
As a footballer who runs about 3 miles high tempo and steady 5 miles im having a tough time choosing between escante racers and the rivera 2s which do you thibk would be best
Are you concerned at all about increasing foot strength? If not, the Rivera!
When you started getting into these events did you join a club/team or hirer a coach?
2.5 years ago! I did a lot of research and learned how to go about it! Happy to give you tips if you are looking to get into it more!
@@KevinHoegler appreciate you! 💯🏆
I’ve got my first half marathon race in the fall. I’m debating on these or the vanish tempos for the race. I’ve ran in both for that distance and both worked well but I’m leaning towards the racers. There’s something about the flexibility, extremely light weight, and bouncy formula of the ego foam that makes these faster and less hard on the feet than one would expect. The tempos sometimes feel wobbly cause the overly squishy foam that’s 33 mm in stack height.
I agree that the racers feel better. I actually really disliked the tempos haha. Good luck with your training and the half!
I have been using Merrell Bare Access Flex and Bare Access XTR as my feet strengthening shoes. It appears they have been discontinued. So I will consider Escalante Racers when I need new shoes. Thank you for the review!
Thank you!! Hopefully, the racer will be a good replacement for those two shoes!
Escalate Racers are the only road shoe I run in, regardless of the distance. I have the Bostons (2019), the black ones from last year (slightly different then the ones you’re holding) , the grey pair that came recently out and the Aloha version. These shoes made me feet strong for my ultras. If you’re running in these you will destroy your lower legs if your form is not very good though.
That's awesome you've used so many of them. I agree they will definitely destroy your lower legs if form is not very good.
Yeah this is the only shoe I run in as well. Such a great balance between comfort & natural feel
@@huehuehuehu9429 heads up but I was told today by my local running store Altra is discontinuing the racer. I’ve emailed Altra today and asked if this was true. If it then I’m buying a bunch of extra pairs this week. I Hope this is not true.
@@josephsantangelo2801 Whatttt. That's terrible news 😔
@@josephsantangelo2801 i assume it wasnt true in the end?
heads up but I was told today by my local running store Altra is discontinuing the racer. I’ve emailed Altra today and asked if this was true. If it is then I’m buying a bunch of extra pairs this week. I Hope this is not true.
Yeahh I hope it’s not too, it’s a great shoe!
I can’t decide between the Escalante racer and the Escalante 2.5
I’m a barefoot runner, I wear Merrell vapor glove 4 (no cushioning whatsoever) but I wanted something with a little bit of cushioning for longer distances but that are still flexible..
Do you recommend the racers for half marathon and marathon?
That’s a great question! I would say the escalante racer as it is more nimble. It has a very breathable upper and it also has a 2mm lower stack height. Very light and a lot of ground feel!
If you’re just transitioning to zero-drop, or more minimal shoes, I’d recommend the escalante 2.5 first before the racer. (I know you’re not, but I’m sure other people will read this comment).
The 2.5 is way “bouncier” than the racer. Even though they both have ego midsole, the 2mm plus the higher density of the racer’s “race tuned ego” midsole make it a significantly more direct/stiff feel. Took a few miles to break them in (25-30).
I felt the escalante 2.5 upper had a lot of stretch/movement to it. The racer has almost no stretch to it and is so breathable you can see your feet/socks thru it.
Escalante racer has a much more sticky outsole, but wears way easier than the 2.5. I think you could get double the mileage out of the 2.5 than the racer. If you don’t have your biomechanics/foot strike dialed in, you’re liable to waste the racers in a couple hundred miles. (I got ~750mi out of the 2.5s, and I think the racers will be done by about 4-500mi max)
All in all, I love the racers and will buy them again.
That being said, if Altra put the racer upper, 2.5 midsole, and the racer outsole, it would probably be the perfect daily trainer for longer distances.
You’ll be fine for half or full marathon, all the way up to ultramarathon distance in either of these shoes, as long as you’re adapted to minimal zero drop.
@@zach.videos Thank you, I was actually looking to find a zero-drop+minimal shoe to run in and this comment helped. How long would you recommend I use the Escalante 2.5 before transitioning to a Racer? And do you think there's a huge difference in terms of pace between the two if I'm running half or full marathons? Btw have u tried the Torins 4.5? How do they compare?
Also, would you run in the 2.5s in the winter
@@Phyziks0 what are you running in now? There's a large difference in cushioning between the models you are looking at. A little bit of "fit" differences, but the main difference will be the level of cushioning. What shoe you are running in now can provide a lot of answers here.
I had the same toe issue with my current pair of altra's. Definitely going to size up a bit to make sure my toes don't hit.
Yeahh that’s a good call! I am now usually just going to go with half a size!
@@KevinHoegler I've ran the instinct and then the lone peaks so i think these shoes would still be a step up in comfort. I have noticed much less knee pain when i focus on my mid foot stride so i also don't want to get too much cushion
@@asmodean8987 I agree too much cushion can be an issue!
Are these good for forefoot runners? Looking for best shoes for forefoot running.
I think they are, there’s not much cushion so slamming down on your heel in these will be a problem. I think they’re good for forefoot
is it good for basketball? or do you know some which are better for basketball with wide toebox and zero drop?
I’m sorry but I’m not 100% sure!
@@KevinHoegler good help
It's a running shoe; the traction pattern, upper, and generally everything about it is not intended for basketball.
TOOK me about three 3mile runs to finally break in the flexing for my escalate racer, where as my 1.0 Escalante didnt need to and my 1.5 Escalante needed 1run
i went up half size also in the racers because i read the upper wasnt as stretchy as the 1.0/1.5 Escalante
Interesting! I can’t recall how long it took me to break in the shoe to get the flex. I went true to size for them, but for other altras I have to go up .5
Brill review..I have just had these ...I walk an run runs in merrell vapor gloves and 5 fingers so I am used to 0 drop an minimal but I will be doing ironman distance Tri an marathons so giving this shoe a go for the longer runs
That’s awesome! I believe these will be great for that purpose! How do you like the vapor gloves? I want to get Xero shoes for walking around. I still want to try and strengthen my feet way more
@@KevinHoegler I love my gloves ..just ordered a new pair as I have the glove 4 I wasn't keen in new version..also just got leather Luna to b more warmer and Vivo waterproof boots ...in the summer I started running barefoot completely on grass...also vibram5 fingers r nice if u get them to fit well
@@lizaho246 that’s awesome, thanks so much for the insights! I definitely need to check out more minimal shoes!
Can this model work for daily activities and just walking around as well?
Great question! Absolutely, I walk around in them all the time! I prefer them as my walking around shoe
Does this shoe have ample toe bend flexibility for lunges, comfortably?
I feel like it does. If you’re looking for a good zero drop to work out in, the solstice from Altra is really good I’ve heard
Which size do you order in the escalante racer?
9.5!
@@KevinHoegler could you also fit a size 9?
How much space do you have at the end of your toes?
I have about a half inch
Do you still have soreness in your achilles?
Nope I don’t!
Are these ever on sale?
I haven’t seen them on sale before
For mee still to much cushion and they got a arch support right...
This is the lowest stack height I’ve run in!
Are you still running in these?
I got about 365 miles in them and now I use them to walk around in.
Let’s go Brandon!