In my quest for ultralight hiking, fastpacking and trail running gear I’ve comes across the Altra Lone Peak running shoes. These shoes were designed from the ground up for trail running and the ultra runner. With a weight of only 9.7 ounces you could wear this shoe all day long on the trail without much fatigue.
From the Altra website:
The Altra Lone Peak 3.5 is updated and improved to make a best-seller even better. With drainage holes to keep your feet dry, a 4-point GaiterTrap to keep dirt and rocks out, and an upgraded mesh upper for enhanced durability, this shoe is ready to tackle the trail. Run with confidence and conquer the gnarliest terrain with the Trail-Volution of Altra.
The feature that really intrigued me was the toe box design. It’s what they call a foot shaped toe box allowing natural Toe Splay and stability. So what does that mean? I’ll let the following picture show you what natural toe splay looks like.
As you can see the foot shaped toe box on the Altra shoes is a more natural fit for your feet which will translate into less overall fatigue.
From the Altra website:
Embrace The Space
Traditional running shoes feature pointy toe boxes that squeeze the toes out of their natural position –increasing risk of bunions, hammertoes and plantar fasciitis. Altra’s FootShapeâ„¢ toe box allows the toes to relax and spread out naturally and the big toe to remain in a straight position. This enhances stability and creates a powerful toe-off to maximize running performance. We wish we could call it some scientific breakthrough, but we’re simply giving your foot the working space it needs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFGt8leVsAo
Benefits:
- Keeps big toe straight for greater stability and a more powerful toe-off
- Allows toes to relax and spread out naturally
- Allows foot to naturally stabilize excess pronation
Combine that with a pair of Injinji trail socks and you’ve got a solid base for your long trail runs.
The Altra Lone Peak 3.0 shoes can be found on Amazon for around $73!
*Photos courtesy of Altra
