Hey!! I know you from the store! Crazy small world. I’ll pop in again and see if I can spend more $$ on yet more pairs of Altras haha. I have about 4 pairs of Esca3 and the 4 looks great. Altra is definitely pumping out the new models quickly. 👍🏻
Just want to say thankyou for these reviews. I think you've informed every running shoe purchase I've made! Been running in the escalante 4s for a couple of weeks and loving them so far. Cheers from the UK.
Your review of the Altra Escalante 4 at 50 miles is really insightful, Jay! It sounds like these shoes are a great fit for everyday runs and more. The way you describe their comfort and flexibility makes me think they'd be perfect for me too. Thanks for sharing your experience - I'm looking forward to more of your comparisons! I just started my Altra journey with some trail shoes (Altra Timp 4). Happy weekend, Jay!
I just started trying to run and started with Brooks Ghost 16s. My knees began to hurt a little (not sure if it was the shoe or just me) - but I learned the Ghost 16s have quite a high heel to toe drop (and look to have a moderate stack), so I tried the NB Fresh Foam X More V4 thinking the lower drop would be good - the insane stack and plushiness though I think exacerbated my knee issues (or caused different ones). So I'm trying Saucony Kinvara 15s now - and I think they are quite a bit better for me than either of the first two shoes. But I'm also curious about the Altras. Which would you recommend for novice me? I think I like a bit of road feel but also want some cushioning (not sure about push off), I want to run every other day to start, maybe work up to running a full loop around the park (3+ miles). I'm currently mostly walking with alternating running, ultimately running maybe 1/4 of it - put all together. Would you go for the Torin 7s over the Escalante 4s? Or suggest another like Rivera? I do like how lightweight the Kinvaras feel - and they seem to have enough cushion without going overboard, I also seem to like their low drop and stack. I just want to see if one the Altras could be even better for me. I've tried these first 3 pairs of shoes within 4 weeks - with 1-day on / 1-2-day off - so I may not be giving enough time between them to compare their effect on my knees, comfort, etc. But my knees definitely felt better in the Kinvara 15s after a run. It could just be me getting a little stronger, but hard to know. Thanks!
Congratulations on starting to run! Some people do have issues up in there knees and hips with higher drop shoes. It sounds like this may be what you are experiencing. The issues would be caused by putting your body into a less natural position. The Kinvara is a good shoe with only a 4mm drop. It does not have a high stack height which can cause less stability (particularly if the foam is very soft). Be a little careful when going to zero drop unless you have experience barefoot or fairly flat shoes. It just takes a little time for your Achilles tendon to get accustomed to be stretched a bit more. You seem to be having no problems with the Kinvara with a 4mm drop, so this will most likely not be an issue If you don't mind a lower level of cushion, the Escalante is a good shoe. The Torin is good if you are wanting a more cushioned ride. The Rivera is a very good shoe with a level of cushion between the Escalante and the Torin. It does however, have a narrower toebox, which some people don't like.
I have a Escalante 2, Knit upper that is, to my preferences, very hot for my feet even in winter (I prefer Escalante Racer). Does Escalante 4 have better/more breathability than Escalante 2? Thanks and sorry about my poor English. Congrats from Portugal
Yes, much better breathability than the 2's. I really like the new upper. Your English seems very good to me. Thank you for watching and your question!
I got about 500 out of my 3s, but they had a really defined flex point that kinda limited the stress a bit in the midsole. 4 is back to being overall more flexible... like the 1, 1.5, and 2.5... and I got over 2000 running miles out of my 1s.
@seankim9143 just kept running in them, they felt fine... that foam doesn't compress much, and it was still more than enough cushioning for daily runs... it was just in my rotation for a couple years.
