Altra Shoes? Or others with wide toe box?

[erinmcd]

I got the Altra Instinct when they first came out on runningwarehouse. I have very narrow heels/wider toebox, and these were very comfortable. It's not much shoe... I don't think I could wear them for more than 10km.

Unfortunately I do all my running on the treadmill at the gym, and I was quite adamantly banned from wearing them in public. They are the dorkiest looking shoes that ever existed.

I've gone as far as 23K in mine, and I'm comfortable going further. They've come out with a couple of new road models- a thicker, more cushioned one, and a racing one.

Totally agree about dorkiness- I have the black version of the original Instinct. The Instinct 1.5 looks quite a bit better- I read that they are finally make enough money to hire a designer, so the newer versions are much flashier looking.

[Joe Dwarf]

How wise is the Altra though? They only come in one width so they can't be that wide.

[erinmcd]

How wise is the Altra though? They only come in one width so they can't be that wide.

The forefoot is ridiculously wide- if you google them you can see that they look quite different from a typical running shoe- the forefoot is much wider than the rest of the shoe.

[ceileigh]

I currently do most of my running in VFF's but started in brooks adrenalines. I have transitioned from them (with orthotics) to the VFF (long story, I'll skip it here other then to say long slow transition). I have tried pretty much every zero drop and minimal drop 'unitoe' going - you name it I've tried it! I like the vivobarefoot and thought it was going to work but the toebox blistered my toes on long runs. I finally gave the altra a try last summer and now have 2 pairs of altras - the Delilah which is very minimalist and the superior which is a trail shoe. I wear the Delilah just around town as a shoe and no one stares at my feet and also run in it (though I still like the bikila for running). The superior gives me a winter outdoor option (I wear them with socks for warmth) and I am wearing them as a spring shoe with socks too. After years of little to no cushioning I find the superior feels strange but love that my feet are warm in socks! Only blister I have ever had was a heel blister trying to use the delilah with socks in winter (no issue with barefeet though). That was before the superiors. I have not done a lot of running in the superior because of a shoulder injury this winter but what I have done I have loved them. Altra has a Canadian website now linked to a store out west that is good to work with and takes returns (though not as easy as sports 4 if they are going to carry them). They are the widest toe box by far and the only minimal unitoed shoe that works for me (and I have very narrow heels).

[QuickChick]

I have a very narrow heel and a wider toebox (I wouldn't say WIDE, but more normal than my heel I guess). Did you try going up a size from what you usually wear? That's what worked for me- I run in the Saucony Kinvara 3's, and sometimes in my Nike LunarFly shoes (I want to try the FlyKnit ones so badly!!). I used to buy an 8 1/2 and my toes feel more comfy in 9's now.

[Strider]

MrsStrider is the poster child for this problem I am sure. Her latest solution is the NB890v2 in a D Width. No matter what ANY manufacture tells you the standard "B" width on ladies shoe are not nearly wide enough. Combine that with the latest findings of your toes NEED to splay / spread all the time and it seems the only way to go. Sports4 can order them in, but she has had best luck just ordering them from NB Toronto. http://www.newbalance.ca/Product/W890BG3 or http://www.newbalance.ca/Product/W890SP3

Just to add - I run in the NB890v2 as my base training road shoes for Long / Easy runs and love them, combine that with the Kinvara 2's for speed and short runs and you have the perfect combo.

[scrumhalfgirl]

MrsStrider is the poster child for this problem I am sure. Her latest solution is the NB890v2 in a D Width. No matter what ANY manufacture tells you the standard "B" width on ladies shoe are not nearly wide enough. Combine that with the latest findings of your toes NEED to splay / spread all the time and it seems the only way to go. Sports4 can order them in, but she has had best luck just ordering them from NB Toronto. http://www.newbalance.ca/Product/W890BG3 or http://www.newbalance.ca/Product/W890SP3

Just to add - I run in the NB890v2 as my base training road shoes for Long / Easy runs and love them, combine that with the Kinvara 2's for speed and short runs and you have the perfect combo.

Do you know what the heel-toe drop is on these? A wide width isn't a bad idea. Do you know how she finds the heels? My heel is quite narrow, so that complicates things.

[ceileigh]

I have worn 4A heels all my life but my toes are B average or wider (wearing VFF's made them wider then they use to be!) . Altra makes a women's specific shoe that has a narrow heel to go with the wider toe box. Been wearing mine all day.

[fit-kitty]

I have been having the same issue with the NB 3090, I have the tiniest 'corn' on my left pinkie toe.

I have been considering altras as well but they were out of stock in November. they are now restocked AND ship to Canada!

[Strider]

Do you know what the heel-toe drop is on these? A wide width isn't a bad idea. Do you know how she finds the heels? My heel is quite narrow, so that complicates things.

From what I can see the drop is 8mm. Not sure about the heel width, but I know that since she took the Chi running clinic she has been running in fairly loosely tied shoes and hasn't had any heel blister issues.

[carm]

Will you go back for a second look at the Altras, scrummy? They have me intrigued. I still can't believe that the guy on the bus wore them for the first time at ATB.

[Ken B]

I have been running in the Altra's for about a year. I love them. I have a wide foot and also use the midfoot plant and a neutral running style now. I have both the road and trail shoes. Both are very comfortable, light and so far, have caused no problems. BTW - I wore a pair of Altra Lone Peak trail shoes for my JFK 50 mile last November. I didn't change socks or shoes - no blisters or any other foot issues at all.

[scrumhalfgirl]

Will you go back for a second look at the Altras, scrummy? They have me intrigued. I still can't believe that the guy on the bus wore them for the first time at ATB.

no - not yet. Since I just bought two new pairs of shoes, I'm going to stick with them for a few month and see how they work out, and let myself get adjusted to the lower drop. I think I'll be trying out the altras in the future for sure though.

[Joe Dwarf]

Just back to this old thread to say I bought a pair of Altra Instinct 1.5s when I was on vacation in the states, shocked to find that they fit! Felt great on the store treadmill, haven't had the chance to take them for a real run yet.

[Ken B]

Just back to this old thread to say I bought a pair of Altra Instinct 1.5s when I was on vacation in the states, shocked to find that they fit! Felt great on the store treadmill, haven't had the chance to take them for a real run yet.

Good luck with them. For me, they are the best shoe available.