Altra - Lone Peak 4.5
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Jan 28, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
1096
401
"The roborock I have kicked and smashed with my foot so many times out of anger when it doesn't collaborate, and still he rocks 4-5 yrs later and no broken parts"
"they are extremely durable. ... I’ve got well over 1000 miles out of a pair and they still have grip and the uppers are in great shape"
"I've used them for 1500 miles of multi-day hiking with no issues!"
292
59
"the splay in the toes is naturally better with that wide toe box"
"the splay in the toes is naturally better with that wide toe box"
"Even after mountain backpacking a dozen miles over very steep rocky trails my toes are never sore or cramped feeling."
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131
"I was quite impressed with its comfort and trail capabilities, and truly believed I had found an excellent shoe for my long runs and hikes. ... the New Balance Hierro v9 remains my top choice for comprehensive trail running. Its superior comfort and, crucially, its consistently reliable grip in varied and challenging conditions make it a more dependable partner on the trails I typically encounter. ... I feel more secure in the Hierro, and that confidence is key. In fact I will be using it for my upcoming races and that says it all."
"The Vibram Megagrip outsole on the Hierro v9 is simply outstanding. Its 4.5mm lugs provide excellent, reliable traction across various surfaces, from dry dirt to slick roots and muddy patches. I've always felt incredibly secure, and it consistently inspires confidence in diverse conditions. ... Great Vibram outsole grip, even on mud and wet rocks"
"The Trabuco 12 have been the best trail shoes I’ve ever owned. ... I’m 6”4 and charge hard over serious rocky terrain…and I feel completely safe in them."
22
4
"I did a drying test on both pair last year and found both dry quickly IF you remove the insole when it gets wet or keep them dry and remove them before making a water crossing. ... In the field, I walked through creeks and got my feet totally wet (not on purpose) in November with nighttime lows in the upper 20s. Shoes dried by morning and the insoles were still damp, but dried as I hiked."
"I did a drying test on both pair last year and found both dry quickly IF you remove the insole when it gets wet or keep them dry and remove them before making a water crossing. ... In the field, I walked through creeks and got my feet totally wet (not on purpose) in November with nighttime lows in the upper 20s. Shoes dried by morning and the insoles were still damp, but dried as I hiked."
"quick-drying shoes ... all the wetness will be wicked away ... When you get to camp, take out the insoles to dry the shoe."
225
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"super comfy (my knees ache so much less on descents with them) ... I can’t stress enough how much they’ve helped my bad left knee on descents."
"I ran the R2R2R in a pair of Racer 3's. Flawless. ... I ran the 100-mile Javelina Jundred in three different pairs (Pursuit 2, older Racer 3's, and a new pair of Racer 3's). Flawless."
"The most striking aspect of the shoe was how much it protected my legs. ... At no point throughout the run did I feel fatigued. ... This is EXACTLY what I was looking for."
51
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"Additionally they are zero drop shoes which is also better for foot and ankle health and promotes a stronger achilles tendon."
"I had never done zero drop before these either, but theyre great and I wont go back to shoes with any amount of drop"
"the low drop and low stack height of the Altra Lone Peak is perfect for these conditions, providing a comfortable and stable platform."
22
6
"Blister free throughout my entire walk."
"Never had a blister, no support issues and most of the time I forget to cinch the laces right at the trail head and I don't even notice. ... Incredibly comfortable, right out of the box."
"its a shoe with an extra wide toe box ... especially with long distance hiking its much better for your foot health to allow the toes to spread out while walking."
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"It's truly amazing how good they are at gripping scree, sand, and unstable terrain. ... My Altra Lone Peaks saved me from nearly sliding off a cliff on sandy terrain in Arizona, kept my footing bouldering up a mountain in Pennsylvania, and across a ridgeline of scree along Mount Hood in Oregon."
"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"
"Except for the uncommonly wet mud-fest at Black Mountain many years ago I've never had grip problems."
Disliked most:
398
443
"About a year and the right bud would last about 15 minutes on a full charge."
"I've had them for a few years and now the battery doesn't last for more than 40 mins, so looking for a different model."
"And then during a race in September the mid sole of one pulled right off with less than 200 km on them."
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"An almost new pair I wore in a mountain 100 was dead after the race. ... It was all stretched out and even had a hole in the side when it wasn't that crazy technical of terrain."
"An almost new pair I wore in a mountain 100 was dead after the race. ... It was all stretched out and even had a hole in the side when it wasn't that crazy technical of terrain."
"I have additionally had issues with the Vibram soles delaminating from THREE SEPARATE PAIRS of Speedgoats now. So they are struggling with some quality control issues with their adhesive. ... I think their adhesive just degrades with time. The shoes were probably manufactured and sat in a warehouse long before they made their way to my feet. Plus I think the design of their sole contributes to the problem."
17
59
"Also, the grip was really crap, particularly when it’s a purpose built trail shoe."
"outsole does not perform well on wet rock ... I agree 100%, and it's a pity because in all other aspects Saucony makes excellent trail shoes. I just hope they will follow the xodus ultra 4 trend and implement vibram on the peregrines 16"
"Also, the grip was really crap, particularly when it’s a purpose built trail shoe."
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"the change was very noticeable on trail running. ... Calf and Achilles soreness galore."
"Altra brand shoes are 'zero drop', so your calf muscles will need to stretch by a quarter inch or so. Do this WELL before your hike by putting 100 miles or so on them, or you will massively, tearfully regret it."
"Altra brand shoes are 'zero drop', so your calf muscles will need to stretch by a quarter inch or so. Do this WELL before your hike by putting 100 miles or so on them, or you will massively, tearfully regret it."
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"My Altra Lone Peak shoes have zero cushioning ... I can feel every pebble on the trails."
"Did 3 miles and my feet were all busted up. ... Sore in the big toes."
"I can feel every pebble in the ground and every rock my toe even touches. ... I now feel every pebble on the trail"
1
11
"My ankle started to hurt during my last run in them."
"First run i almost rolled one ankle then the other but saved it. ... Yesterday i went over quite hard on my right ankle."
"at the end of the day, my feet/ankles ached badly."
1
6
"I'm currently in a combo of Altra Lone Peaks + ASO braces on both ankles anytime I'm hiking or carrying weight."
"it takes some getting used to less support around your ancels so be extra careful were you step for the first week or so."
"it takes some getting used to less support around your ancels so be extra careful were you step for the first week or so."
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"Took them to Chamonix last year and they felt horrible - too much ground feel."
"Took them to Chamonix last year and they felt horrible - too much ground feel."
"My Altra Lone Peak shoes have zero cushioning ... I can feel every pebble on the trails."
42
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"Altra brand shoes are 'zero drop', so your calf muscles will need to stretch by a quarter inch or so. Do this WELL before your hike by putting 100 miles or so on them, or you will massively, tearfully regret it."
"As mentioned, the 0mm drop is almost certainly what's aggravating your Achilles. ... now my Achilles tendons can't deal with them at all."
"killed my calves ... had to give it a week of slow short walks to build up to it"
bentreflection 1.0I have the lone peak 4.5 and love them! Longest distance in them so far is 50k but my feet felt fine
Altra lone peak are my everything outdoors shoe
Daddy4Count 1.0When I decided to try runners instead of boots I tried several... Nike was okay, but not great. Adidas were awful. Solomon were too boot like. I got Altra Lone Peaks and LOVE them. The zero drop took a little getting used to, but I'm on my second pair after wearing the first pair for almost 4 years. Never had a blister, no support issues and most of the time I forget to cinch the laces right at the trail head and I don't even notice. Incredibly comfortable, right out of the box.
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
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.
Excellent_Review_960 1.0I’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
francograph 1.0Altra Olympus 4 and Lone Peak 4
kendalltristan 1.0As 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!
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.
thatonegangster 1.0Could 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.
agreed on toe-box coming from Lone Peaks (since 4.5s). the volume is enough that they feel roomy!
Yo_Biff 1.0I was a fan of the Lone Peaks, but the durability is an issue. I'm also missing the weep holes in the "nose" of the toe box. I've moved over to Topo Athletic Terraventures. Minimal drop at 3mm. Wide toe box. Stiffer than Lone Peaks, with a much longer life span. Both shoes work for my feet.
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.
After_Pitch5991 0.5If you as me Altra is terrible. The quality over the years has went down the drain. Topo Athletic has now passed them as the most popular shoe for thru hikers.
suspiciousyeti 0.2I did a 100K in Lone Peaks, but I changed pairs. However, that was the older Lone Peaks. The Olympus used to be good but the new version has this insanely high heel counter that is painful to me. Beyond that I've had Altras last a long time and ones that ripped in their first run. Altra has very spotty quality.
tfcallahan1 0.2I own a pair of older Lone Peaks and they are fine boots. I put SeperFeet insoles in them as the factory ones do t have enough support for me. One complaint is they are not very padded. I’ve since switched to the Altra Olympus low tops for backpacking and like them a lot. I normally hike in very rough rocky terrain and they do fine.
I own both the Altra Lone Peaks and Olympus low tops. I prefer the Olympus cause they are more padded. I do put SuperFeet insoles in them as the factory ones don’t have enough support for me. Edit: I normally backpack in rough rocky terrain.
I have both the Altra Olympus and Lone Peaks. Agree with the criticism on both. I don't use the Lone P:eaks anymore due to lack of padding. For the Olympus you can buy this certain kind of tape and put it on the inside back to avoid the wear there. I do put SuperFeet insoles in them for more support. They last me about a year with hiking a few miles everyday and 3-4 backpacking trips. FWIW.
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