Oh no, Altra!!! TIMP 4 full Review 

Thank you for the kind comments. The monologue for this video started out SO long, and in the end, I wasn't sure I got it paired down enough to post here on RU-vid. I can't promise very frequent reviews, but I'll be trying to get videos up on a regular basis. Have a great day!

No worries - quality over quantity is much preferred! As I'm here researching zero drop shoes due to having developed plantar faciitis and problems related to a weak arch, I'm finding many people recommending the use of barefoot running shoes along with the likes of Altra. The idea of using barefoot shoes to develop better run form and foot strength is interesting and makes a lot of sense to me, given my injury situation. The fact that shoes like vivobarefoot primus trail also seem to last for thousands of miles is very impressive. Being able to use those for shorter runs and the less durable but more cushioned Altra ones for longer stuff would be a an appealing strategy if possible. Do you have any experience with barefoot shoe running?

@@Krilin84 I haven't ever actually used barefoot shoes, but I did come to Altras from experimenting with more minimal zero drop offerings from Merrel, Nike, and New Balance. On roads and trails, I found that my feet needed more protection. I don't mind strengthening my feet with something like the newest Escalantes on the road, but my feet get really tired and sore using the Superiors or anything more minimal for trails. I think it's a really personal experience though, with everyone's bodies responding differently to different options.

Yeah, it's hard to understand what gets in the way of different shoe brands using materials that have been proven to get the job done. Thanks for the comment.

Thanks for adding your thoughts to the discussion!

You can see in the video that I was learning to love the Timp 4 too...but I can't get behind a shoe that breaks down in under 200 miles. I would really appreciate hearing if you are able to take the shoe past 200 or 250 miles without having the upper tear.

It's a funny/harsh point, but I couldn't agree more. Especially for anyone who lives their life and running on a tighter budget, let someone else test the next version of the Timp for you and prove that they won't fail.

It's so sad how much I have to agree with you. I wish it weren't the case because sometimes they really nail it or other times a shoe would be so sweet if only you could trust it not to come undone prematurely. The new Rivera 2s also come to mind.

Since I tried the Timp before I knew how good the Mont Blanc feels under foot, I was really ready to like them...I just can't accept a shoe not making it past 200 mi (or 300 km). Glad yours haven't fallen apart on you though!

Very comfy but totally disposable.

I wonder if some of my trouble was exacerbated by putting quite a bit of distance in on technical rocky and rooty trails (along with plenty of running through icy snow). Maybe the uppers can hold together longer if the Timps stay on more buffed out trail with less climbing involved. Best of luck to you!

Sometimes I wonder why they can't just make one shoe (the Lone Peak line) and offer it in different stack heights. I'm sure there's more to it, but once you know an upper works, why depart from it dramatically in shoes made for a similar purpose.

It's validating, but I still wish you had a different experience than me. I agree that is was at least a very unfair to the consumer choice on Altra's part to continue selling the same Timp model through another year.

It's hard though. I've watched plenty of videos about Altra shoes that I totally disagree with lately. Hopefully the Timp will turn out to be a good fit for your feet in a way they weren't for mine. I know I actually had pretty great durability results from the Lone Peak 5 and 6.

I feel like I've been lucky that the shoe lines I've purchased the most from Altra (Lone Peaks and Escalantes) have been way more durable than the vast majority of the rest of Altra's lineup. I'm worried that the previews of the next iteration of the Lone Peak show them moving in the direction of higher price and more potential for failing early. If I were you, I would give any new pair of Altras at least six months on the market to prove their reliability before a purchase. It's not like Altra is really known for being on the cutting edge of technology anyway. Thanks for watching.

Much of what you say is spot on, but it does make me think that I really need to post a follow up video to my first thoughts on the Mont Blanc. There are so many shoes from Altra that have QC issues or sub par materials, but the Mont Blanc is the first shoe from any company that I've ever happily run over 600 miles in before moving to a second pair. That's worth celebrating!

I've had stitching come loose on the first day of wear, insoles that slide underfoot on every wet run, premature tearing in the upper, and the notorious delimitation issues...but I keep on coming back. There just isn't another shoe company that creates shoes that are truly the shape of my feet, and just often enough I'm able to get over 400, or even 600, very happy miles out of a pair of shoes.

I've had a. lot of success with the LP5s and LP6s holding together for at least 300 miles. They have a spot that tends to wear before the rest of the upper, but a hole doesn't actually develop until the midsole and outsole are pretty worn out anyway. I think it might depend a lot of foot shape and fit though.

@@KentMearig I had a bit of an anomaly. My LP5 outsole ripped off. I was doing a single track descent on a long run and the whole front half of my foot came out of the shoe. I had to do the final 3 miles like that. Altra sent me out a new pair, but I just really question QC process for Altra.

@@JuanMeneses36 I can't argue with that. QC is a definite issue for Altra. I don't have enough experience with other brands to say for sure whether or not "rare" complete breakdowns plague their shoes at a similar level. What I know for sure is that several Altra models at relatively high price points are poorly designed and constructed. If you have a minute, you mentioned your Superiors, how do you feel about the flattening of the midsole in those shoes?

@@KentMearig the Superiors and the foam is definitely an issue. I went with them because they are minimal but they started collapsing in the mid line (going toe to heel), right before 100 miles. I think it corresponds with the exposed form and tread depth. I started having foam tear at the toe and switched it to a day hiking shoe.

Did you have early access to test the Timp 5? I was just looking at photos of the shoe yesterday and experiencing the same worries as you. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, there won't be a new Mont Blanc that doesn't have a carbon plate and $80 price jump, so I will definitely be testing the new Timp 5s as soon as I can get my hands on them.

@@KentMearig Yeah, the price increase in the Mont Blanc is not really justified, I think the carbon plate is cool if it will act as a stone guard, and I can bet the price will drop sooner than later, for example, and older Mont Blanc BOA ( not of my liking, since I prefer the regular ones ) costs now 150 euros while the same model in a new color costs 200 euros, so that's silly to pay 50 euros more just for a color ( which is not even better than the old one ). ..so my bet is, six monts or less after their launch the price will drop to about 160 euros or dollars. Mark my words. And let me know if the Timp 5 's upper gets past the 3 months mark. Cheers !

@@FDNRunningandMotivation-ws1hd Thanks for the intel. I haven't seen the pricing on the Mont Blanc (my favorite shoe of all time) fluctuating quite as much here in the US, but if the new Timps can't make it to 500+ mi/700+ km, maybe we can hope they will continue to produce the original MB for the next year at least.

@@KentMearig I certainly hope the same, and I have just ordered another pair of the old Mont Blancs to replace my existing ones which are still holding up after one year, a record for an Altra shoe ! I mean they are still usable, the rubber is almost completley worn out but they still have a decent grip and the EGO max is still somehow bouncy

Wish I could give you a high quality answer, but I'm just not the right person to ask about lateral stability. I've put about 800 miles in various other shoes since my last run in the T4s, so they're hard to remember as well. With a relatively high, firm-ish midsole and a heal that was more on the narrow side, I think the T4s are probably below average for lateral stability. If they have an advantage, would be the built up upper and ankle collar, and I can say that I never had even minor ankle injury running many technical trails with steep climbs and descents. I hope you track down what you're lookin for.

I've actually never run in any version of the Olympus, including the 5. Part of the reason I didn't decide to give them a try is that I discovered that the Mont Blanc is an absolutely incredible shoe for me, and I love it's weight savings over the Olympus line.

Everyone has different expectations. Sorry you didn't find what you were looking for here.

Obviously I can't pick a video length that makes every viewer happy, but thanks for the feedback from your perspective.