Altra Escalante 3 Running Shoes - AW23

Product Information

This change to the feel of the Escalante is like the change in the Altra Superior 4.5 to Superior 5. The Altra Superior is in my opinion the trail version of the Escalante. The nimble, responsive feel of the older shoe has been tweaked to a more cushioned type of feel. Here is a link to our article on the Superior changes: https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-superior-5-vs-altra-superior-4-5/ If you tend to overpronate (around 70% of people), you’ll want a more stable and, in this case, firmer midsole. With that said, the philosophy behind Altra shoes is that their minimalist design allows your body to activate and develop its own stability mechanisms. By designing shoes that allow the foot to move naturally, runners are (in theory) able to find their correct path of motion and develop the foot muscles that will help prevent injuries caused by pronation. Sizing I am very impressed by the improvement in upper stability. There was no medial-lateral translation of my foot in the shoe, even when taking tight turns or running on grass. The outsole has almost full-coverage rubber and I had excellent traction, even on wet roads and grass. I have 40 miles on my pair and the outsole looks nearly new. I would expect greater than average durability out of these shoes. Stability:B (Definitely a neutral shoe but a good job here. Outside of some flex in the upper material and a sidewall that does not do much, the shoe is still decently stable for a neutral shoe.)

The outsole of the Altra Escalante 3 has undergone a significant transformation compared to its predecessor. The most noticeable change is the new arrangement of rubber segments, which strongly resembles the outsole of the Altra Torin. According to Altra, this Footpod segmentation maps the bones and tendons of the foot, promoting a more natural running motion. Furthermore, the platform has become slightly wider, adding stability to the shoe. The shoe also features extra padding around the tongue and heel area, making for a soft wearing experience. Stability

Rawlings Running Cap

In Summary I really enjoy regular miles in the new Altra Escalante 3 and for me it’s a light, everyday training shoe that allows you to run with good posture and provides that very important room for natural foot function.

Stability is usually attributed to the wide base and upper that's narrower than the base. This is what lab data can tell us in this case: With a firmer midsole, you’re naturally being pushed into the final ankle and foot position at a faster speed. Looking at our caliper measurement, the widest part of the shoe's toebox comes in at 98.8 mm. This makes the Escalante 3 the same as the average. Most runners feel like the Escalante 3 runs true to size, with some even feeling like the shoe runs a bit large. This is more than just more space in the forefoot from the FootShape toe box–some runners actually feel like the Escalante 3 is a bit longer than most running shoes.David: The Altra Escalante is a minimalist road running shoe that has a very natural feel to it. The shoe uses a 0mm drop platform, meaning there is no difference in height between the heel and the forefoot. The shoe has moderately flexible design to it and a comfortable knit upper. For some this will be a walking shoe/running shoe double and for some it could even be a speed work shoe.