Last year, Altra committed what some diehard fans would consider an unspeakable crime: it launched a trainer with a 4mm heel-to-toe drop. Since its modest beginnings back in 2009, when co-founder Golden Harper was creating prototypes using a toaster oven, the brand has been known for pushing “balanced cushioning” (Altra lingo for zero drop). So, it was a shocker when the AltraFWD Experience The Best Running Shoes of 2024.
Now, Altra has launched an entire family of Experience shoes—neutral, stability, and trail—so zero-drop-curious runners can choose a shoe that suits them best.
Pros
- Wide toebox
- Lightweight
- 4mm drop
Cons
- Supportive guide rail system
| Type | Road |
|---|---|
| Weight | 8.2 oz (M), 6.6 oz (W) |
| Drop | 4 mm |
| Heel Height | 30 |
| Forefoot Height | 26 |
What All the Shoes Share
All of the shoes in the Experience line have an Altra Ego midsole, which is composed of lightweight, compression-molded EVA foam. The ride is comparable to the Brooks Launch 10 and Launch GTS 10, shoes that also have EVA midsoles. While the Launch is marketed by Brooks as a speed shoe, Altra’s Experience Flow and Experience Form fall more into the daily trainer category. The firm, but not spongy cushioning accommodates both long runs and fast workouts.
The first Experience shoe I ran in was the Flow, the neutral road shoe of the bunch. The new two-color upper is more breathable than the AltraFWD Experience’s upper, and more flexible too.
A 4mm drop would seem undetectable—the height is approximately two stacked nickels—but as a runner who’s had her share of wipeouts from time to time in zero-drop shoes, that 4mm was appreciated. The rocker geometry is always a draw to the Experience collection; that heel-toe foot roll adds propulsion.
Running in the Cold kept running in the Experience Flow; it’s truly an everyday shoe where you just slip it on without a planned workout and see where your mood takes you.
RW senior commerce editor Jamie Scorcher felt the same way: “The 4mm drop was ideal; just enough to give me a comfortable, relaxed stride for slower miles, but supportive and responsive enough if I picked up the pace a bit. It is a shoe that gave my foot the freedom to just be, to move as nature intended with no restrictions. Even with the toebox that was extra roomy, my foot still felt hugged, secure, supported, and comfortable.”
What You Need to Know About the Altra Experience Shoes
- Who the Shoes Are For: Runners new to zero-drop shoes wanting to ease in before fully committing; zero-drop runners wanting more propulsion in a shoe with a low offset
- Preceded By: AltraFWD Experience
- For Runners Who Like: Brooks Launch 10, Hoka Clifton 9; Brooks Launch GTS 10, Saucony Tempus; Topo Athletic MT-5, Brooks Divide 5
- Midsole Foam: Altra Ego, compression-molded EVA
- Key Tech: Rocker shape
I’ll admit, however, that I wished there was just a little more rebound on these runs (I felt the same way when I tested the Brooks Launch 10). So did testers.
“The cushioning was definitely not too mushy, but it just didn’t have that ‘pop,’” said tester Phil Nicolosi. “They felt as soft as the Brooks Glycerin, but not nearly as responsive.” The Glycerin 21 Advertisement - Continue Reading Below.
Pros
- Wide toebox
- Supportive guide rail system
- All-around comfort
Cons
- Heavier than its neutral counterpart, the Experience Flow
| Type | Road |
|---|---|
| Weight | 9.4 oz (M), 7.4 oz (W) |
| Drop | 4 mm |
| Heel Height | 30 mm |
| Forefoot Height | 26 mm |
Stability When You Need It
The stability shoe of the trio, the Experience Form, has a guide rail to provide medial support for overpronators. I found the guide rail adds some weight to the shoe but—like tester Anthony Dentino, who coaches track and cross country at Lafayette College—the overall comfort wasn’t outweighed by its burliness.
“I liked the overall stability and comfort of the shoe,” said Dentino, who runs a 6:45 pace and 40 miles a week. “It was also a fairly heavy weight but it did not feel heavy or clunky on my foot as some other ‘heavier type’ shoes do. It is clearly a durable shoe and feels great throughout my foot. Being a heel striker, I was pleased that the heel cushion was very good and I have had other shoes (I mainly run in Adidas) that put a bit of pressure on my toes as well. This shoe did not do that at all.”
Some testers needed more arch support Give A Gift?, where RW+ members are selected to test a pair of shoes and discuss them on the show. I sent Oishi the Experience Form because she is an overpronator and one of her favorite shoes is the Saucony Guide 15. I don’t want to spoil too much of the episode, but Oishi was pleased with the shoe’s support. The fit around the heel, she said, felt like a hug.
A Lightweight Trail Shoe
The Experience Wild was a standout for several of our testers. It’s on the lighter side compared to other trail shoes and, because there’s no rock plate. It’s an ideal shoe for road runners transitioning to trail, which tester Eric Bartosz pointed out in his feedback of the shoe.
“Altra hit it out of the park with the Experience Wild and it has become one of the favorites in my rotation,” said Bartosz. “It hits all the Goldilocks checkpoints of ‘just right’ for comfort, slight drop, that foot shape with the larger toe box, great cushioning, and plenty of soft edges for out-of-the-box comfort.”
Pros
- Grippy outsole
- Wide toebox
- Flexible
Cons
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| Type | Trail |
|---|---|
| Weight | 9.5 oz (M), 7.9 oz (W) |
| Drop | 4 mm |
| Heel Height | 30 mm |
| Forefoot Height | 26 mm |
| Lug Height | 4 mm |
Testers who are familiar with Altra shared their surprise about an Altra trail shoe with a drop. After all, the brand’s lore is rooted in trail running and ultra marathons; Harper wore one of the first Altra trail shoe prototypes at the 2010 Wasatch 100 Mile Trail Endurance Race. RW shoe tester John Mikovits, who usually runs in the Altra Lone Peak, wasn’t disappointed with the Experience Wild.
“This shoe actually exceeded my expectations. Yes, I know, there is a drop on an Altra shoe,” said Mikovits. “I think this hits the mark that Altra was going for with a shoe that meets the needs of multiple people and is more of an introductory shoe to the brand and the trails. Overall, this shoe did well on trails that were not terribly technical.”
Like the AltraFWD Experience before them, the Experience triad won’t be the brand’s last foray into shoes with just a smidge of a heel lift. Considering our first impressions of Altra’s non-zero drop crop, we can’t wait to see what new experiences lie in store.
Buy Men’s Altra Experience Flow Buy Women’s Altra Experience Flow
Buy Men’s Altra Experience Form Buy Women’s Altra Experience Form
Buy Men’s Altra Experience Wild Buy Women’s Altra Experience Wild
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
