Altra - Lone Peak 4.5

I’ve worn LPs of various models since the LP1.5. They are quite different shoes and it’s very individual whether they work at all for people, and whether a particular model works at all for people. I liked the 1.5 and the 2.0 but could not even get the 3.0 and 3.5 to fit comfortably in the store (let alone on trail)! My favourites since have been the 4.5, the 6 and the 9. In general, they all have zero drop and a moderate (but not barefoot) stack height. As a result they give reasonable ground feel and reasonable protection. Generally speaking, they also all have a relatively wide forefoot and midfoot and an average heel width. But these have all varied a little between models, to the extent that 2 models wouldn’t even fit me in the store let alone after a foot-swelling, long day on trail. In the last few years (with my advancing age!) I have found that for day and week long hikes I still prefer LPs, but for multi-week, on-trail, hikes I now prefer Timps for more cushion and less foot fatigue. If the trip is going to involve more off-trail then I still prefer LPs for better ankle stability. Ultimately, only *your* feet can tell you if they are a good fit for you. No review or hiker-survey or Reddit post can tell you that! The same with Topos or Hokas etc. I’ve yet to try any pair of Topos that was even comfortable in the store *for me*. Same with La Sportiva, Hoka and others. That doesn’t make those terrible shoes - they are just terrible *for me!* Likewise, the fact that some of the LPs over the years have suited me well doesn’t make them the best shoes ever for everyone - they are just good (and sometimes ideal) *for me!*

I wore the Lone Peak 4 through several countries and many hikes until I retired them and tried some other shoes that have been unfortunately not very comfortable. Are the new lone peak shoes still as good as the previous ones?

I put about 200 miles on my Lone Peaks 4.5, then got a pair of LP 7s. I now warm the old pair daily and the new ones on trail have about 100 miles on them. While not as durable as leather or a heavier shoe I'm very pleased with them. Switching to merino socks and Altra Lone Peaks eliminates blisters and foot fatigue for me. I have even hiked several miles in wet shoes after slipping into a knee high stream on my way out of a trail. The most comfortable shoes I have ever owned. I will admit... The 7s are not quite as nice as the 4.5s were. But still better than any of the Rocky, Adidas, Nike, Keene, etc shoes/boots I have worn on trail over the years

The Altras are not the most durable shoes. They work great for me, but I only put 50 to 100 miles a year on them. I would say 3 or 4 years is about the max before they start to show significant wear. The ones I wear casually are losing their tread. Trails don't wear the bottoms too much but they are a bit soft for the street. But for me the comfort and reliability is worth it. Wide toe box like a boot keeps my toes from cramping (my first runners were Adidas and my toes would ache after about three miles) The zero degree drop sole is a little odd at first, but now I don't even notice it. I recommend Moreno wool socks, my favorites are Darn Tough. They pair well with any shoe but with the Altras they make a perfect system. And have a lifetime guarantee. I wear the Altra Lone Peaks. I get them on Amazon... Buy last year's model and save 50 bucks, LOL. Honestly the Lone Peak 4.5 were my favorites. I wear the 7 now, which are fine, but there are some minor design changes that I wish they would switch back. I have a pair of ankle gaiters I wear sometimes, and the Velcro "gaiter trap" on the shoe heel keeps them in place. Altra makes them, so does Dirty Girls.

I had a very similar experience in a pair of Adidas trail shoes. Altra Lone Peaks and Darn Tough socks... I have been wearing that combo for about 5 years now. I have zero foot fatigue, not one blister. They are perfectly comfortable right out of the box. I even hiked out in soaking wet feet once and had no issues (slipped on a wet log and ended up knee deep in a creek right out of camp...) I buy last year's (or older) Altras on Amazon, half the price of new if you watch for them.

Nah, I started with 3.5s and the 5s are goated. It’s the first shoe they used the updated ego midsole. Yhey honestly felt twice as soft as the old midsole material. I still have a pair of 4s I just can’t wear because the old midsole material is so much worse.

I’m 6’7, weigh 115kg and have loved my Lone Peak 4s since day one. Have been up Ben Nevis, hiked in the Dolomites (even some Via Ferrata), and done plenty of other stuff along the way; I’ve never had any complaints, and my feet have been temperamental in the past! Just bought a pair of 9+ for my PCT section hike next week

I started with the 2.5s and now wear the 9s. I’ve worn the 2.5, 4, 5, 6 and 9s and the 4s are by far the best.

The 4 was incredible. When the 4.5 released, I stocked up on the 4 and wore them for ages. I got 600 miles and 2 course records out of one pair of them. And a couple other pairs survived past the 500 mile mark. The toe caps did start separating on all the pairs I had, but that was easily fixed with shoe goo. The 4.5 was close, but there was something that just didn't feel right about them. And, for whatever reason, I just didn't seem to get along well with any of Altra's .5 releases. For instance, I absolutely loved the Lone Peak 3, but didn't really care for the 3.5. Same with the Superiors. Etc.

The 4 was incredible. When the 4.5 released, I stocked up on the 4 and wore them for ages. I got 600 miles and 2 course records out of one pair of them. And a couple other pairs survived past the 500 mile mark. The toe caps did start separating on all the pairs I had, but that was easily fixed with shoe goo. The 4.5 was close, but there was something that just didn't feel right about them. And, for whatever reason, I just didn't seem to get along well with any of Altra's .5 releases. For instance, I absolutely loved the Lone Peak 3, but didn't really care for the 3.5. Same with the Superiors. Etc.

As mentioned, the 0mm drop is almost certainly what's aggravating your Achilles. But I totally get you, I ran in Lone Peaks for ages until a foot injury a couple years ago, now my Achilles tendons can't deal with them at all. Anyway, if you like the extra wide toe box, look at some of Topo's offerings. The NNormal Tomir 2 might also be worth checking out. And for something higher stack, check out the Mount to Coast T1. Best of luck finding something!

agreed on toe-box coming from Lone Peaks (since 4.5s). the volume is enough that they feel roomy!

Could also be that the shoes have reached their end of life. My Lone Peaks lost midsole foam cushioning after 350 miles. OP doesn’t state whether they have gotten new shoes in the 6mo of running, nor shared the total mileage on the shoes causing pain.

I just go the non-waterproof trail runner route. I really appreciated the Altra Lone Peak 4, 4.5, and 5 because they shedded the water with every step. Coupled with merino wool socks, on a warm day, I could wade across a river and within about 30 minutes have mostly dry feet. I'm not sure if the 7's on are as good. I have moved over to Topo Athletic Terraventures for their durability, but they do not dry quite as fast.

I just go the non-waterproof trail runner route. I really appreciated the Altra Lone Peak 4, 4.5, and 5 because they shedded the water with every step. Coupled with merino wool socks, on a warm day, I could wade across a river and within about 30 minutes have mostly dry feet. I'm not sure if the 7's on are as good. I have moved over to Topo Athletic Terraventures for their durability, but they do not dry quite as fast.

I swapped from Altra to Topo because the altras have lost the wide toebox over time. Each shoe iteration they keep adding material to make more sturdy uppers because people complain they fall apart too fast, and each time the shoes seem to narrow a little. I still have 5 different models of older altras including some on their casual shoes. But my newer hiking shoes are topo - specifically because they are wider than the newer altra models.

I started with LP 2.0, then 3, 3.5, 4, 5. every time they kept getting tighter. I swapped to Timps, then Timp 2, same thing, the shoe gets better but the footbed narrowed. I still really like my Altra shoes. I regularly wear Solstice and Escalante daily and for road running. The hiking shoes just were not the same comfy they used to be. TBH I havent tried the LP 8 or 9. So maybe they ended up back on track.

I’ve been rocking lone peaks since 2.0 after switching from some la sportiva. I have gone through at least 7 versions of lone peak including a pair of high top water proof ones. I enjoyed them so much. This season I got a pair of topo UA4 to try and I’m in love all over again. It’s not a lone peak at all but wow are they comfy.