Altra Lone Peak 3.0

This new Altra Lone Peak 3.0 trail model was inspired by one of the most rugged and rocky mountain ranges and designed to tackle the aggressive terrain of the Wasatch 100.

Comfortable, lightweight with a weight of 285 grams, a thick and absorbent midsole and very good grip.

Although Altra lists its cushioning as moderate, we found it to be of excellent performance that together with its structure of an upper and soft and malleable reinforcements provide great comfort. A rough lugged outsole allows it to bite the ground with firmness while letting you feel the ground and absorbs irregularities allowing you to enjoy a feeling of cushioning with spectacular control.

A different model that has the Gaiter Trap or anchor at the front and rear Velcro to attach the gaiters on the upper and not have to do it to the sole. The gaiters, which are sold separately and certainly do not justify their high price, will prevent the entry of particles and pebbles inside the shoes.

The midsole places your heel and forefoot at the same distance from the ground to promote a low-impact running technique, naturally align your body posture and elasticize your calf muscles by making them more elongated.

It features StoneGuard technology which is a protective plate that is flexible but allows for more protection on rocky terrain, rocky areas and uneven trails. This plate is made of recycled materials and reduces the impact and tries to recover the compression energy invested in each stride.

It has the particular characteristics of Altra in addition to the Zero Drop such as the anatomical last FootShape toe box, as well as the TrailClaw sole that offers a magnificent grip both uphill and downhill. The strategically placed hexagon-shaped lugs create a footprint under the metatarsals and in the midfoot, the toe box and sides of the outsole feature large lugs for grip on ascents and two wide rear lugs for secure descents.

Midsole and Cushioning

The midsole has a generous amount of 23 mm high rubber and features an Abound layer that provides greater lateral support in the plantar arch area on the inner and outer zone helping to soften the cushioning, but also stabilize the foot.

The zero drop places the heel and forefoot at the same height from the ground, proponents of this argument claim that it favors a low impact running technique, naturally aligns the body posture and strengthens the calf muscles, weakened by running on high heels. In my opinion, this arrangement allows the posterior musculature to work in a more elongated position and predisposes the athlete to midfoot support by reducing heel impact.

The double layer EVA midsole has a first layer of A-Bound, a softer rubber made from recycled materials that is placed directly under the foot and its objective is to try to reduce the first impact of the foot on the asphalt and according to the advertising to recover some of the compression energy. They literally say that "it is a layer of material that bounces between the road and the stones and your feet" according to Altra the rubber used in the A-Bound compresses between two and three times less than those of the competition resisting more over time, something that is difficult to prove but certainly responds with a pleasant cushioning that is maintained over time. This Eva compound is somewhat softer than the one used in the Impulse, although Altra says that it is a moderate cushioning, we think it is excellent, very similar to the one used in models with more cushioning such as the Torin.

Last and insole

The last of this Lone Peak is the best, one of the most comfortable shoes I've tried for Trail. The most characteristic feature, its FOOTSHAPE TOE BOX, is based on a round toe box with a design that perfectly allows the toes to move in a natural way, allowing the thumb to collaborate in stability and propulsion.

Conventional Running shoes are characterized by sharp and slender toe caps, which do not allow lateral movement of the toes, limiting their functionality. Altra's FootShape toe cap allows the toes to relax and expand naturally, with the thumb remaining straight. This improves stability and facilitates propulsion through the big toe improving running performance. It is an anatomical design of the shoe and applying the concept of ergonomics by facilitating the movement and natural stabilization of the foot at the forefoot level.

It has a 5 mm anatomical contour insole that is perforated with holes and facilitates breathability.

I am convinced that an anatomical last with an ergonomic design is positive to allow the natural stability of the foot when moving in the mountains. In these aspects of ergonomics, most shoe brands should learn from Altra and apply it to their models.

Upper

The most characteristic feature of this model is that the upper has stitched reinforcements and two asymmetrical lateral structures in the toe cap that provide resistance to rubbing, although we find them too soft. The mesh is a perforated mesh in a quick-drying, breathable Quick Dry diagonal arrangement. It is a double layer with a fine hollow structure that facilitates breathability in the toe box, as it only has heat-sealed lateral holes in the toe box. The side of the shoe is a soft reinforcement plate that provides resistance to friction but is soft on rocky terrain.

The inside of the collar is relatively thin, but with enough padding to be comfortable. The tongue is thick and wide to protect the upper part of the instep and ensure correct lace tension.

The tightening system through the eyelets is reinforced and is also stitched, the lacing is wide but lacks elasticity. The problem with this upper is that given the weakness of its reinforcements it does not contain the foot well and the fit maintains a certain looseness that penalizes the stability of the foot in complicated terrain.

The heel support has a structure that provides a little more stability to the lateral reinforcement that extends to both sides of the instep. The MIS or medial impact Shield is very soft against shocks and friction with rocks or stones.

Outsole

The sole is 110 mm wide in the forefoot, which provides good stability in propulsion, 75 mm in the midfoot and 8.6 mm in the heel, which is not very wide at times of difficulty. The TrailClaw lug pattern is very aggressive and offers excellent grip both uphill and downhill but especially on rocky and muddy terrain. The strategically positioned hexagon-shaped lugs in the center of the outsole create a tread pattern under the metatarsals and in the midfoot, with large lugs on the toe and sides of the outsole in different positions for grip on ascents and two large rear lugs to secure the descents.

The central lugs are red in color and provide greater hardness than the black rubber ones, which on rocky terrain are very soft and wear out easily.

Opportunities for improvement

• The idea of anchors to use gaiters is good but we believe that this model should be sold with gaiters included. It is impossible to find compatible ones with their anchors except for the specific ones from Altra that cost 19 euros and are a simple piece of elastic fabric with a front anchor and rear Velcro. By the way they are somewhat loose, leave an uncovered gap at the beginning of the lacing and tend to come down from the ankle, not recommending their purchase.

• The heel support is not rigid enough to hold the rearfoot in place and in difficult terrain the ankle suffers great instability. The MIS or medial impact Shield is soft against shocks and side impacts with stones or branches.

• This upper should include a water resistant fabric as moisture easily accumulates in the fabric and seeps inside. The lacing lacks elasticity which, together with the upper's flimsy reinforcements, does not contain the foot well and the fit always maintains some slack in the foot which penalizes stability in complicated terrain.

• The stitched reinforcements should be replaced by thermo-sealed ones.

Strengths

• The last of this Lone Peak is the best, one of the most comfortable shoes I've tried for Trail.

• This Eva compound, which Altra says is moderate cushioning, seems excellent to us, very similar to the one used in models with more cushioning. It is a real joy to run with them in the campo.

• A specific Trail model that has Gaiter Trap and rear Velcro to anchor gaiters and prevent the entry of particles inside, and that we understand should be included in the price.

• The zero drop favors the elongation of the sural tendon muscle complex, making it possible to associate the work of technique to try to reduce the initial impact of the heel and prioritize midfoot support. With this model it is easy to reduce the impact of the foot against the ground as the cushioning is soft and facilitates shock absorption.

• The TrailClaw outsole is very aggressive and offers excellent grip both uphill and downhill but especially on rocky and muddy terrain.

Conclusion and type of user

A different model to enjoy trail running, extremely comfortable, lightweight and with a soft cushioning that allows you to face long runs with confidence and a sole with exceptional grip. It suffers from an overly soft chassis and a loose fit that deprives it of stability on difficult terrain.

For these features it is an ideal model for beginners in natural trail running, for users of a certain weight with wide feet looking for a wide last, a soft chassis and a generous and very pleasant cushioning to run safely long distances, and enjoy without any pressure on easy trails and tracks in good condition. When facing technical sections you have to be careful with the ankle support because it is insufficient even though the sole bites on rocks and loose stones wonderfully, aspects that for amateurs with stable ankles will not be a problem.

Alberto Cebollada's evaluation

• Comfort 10
• Lightweight 8
• Cushioning 9
• Flexibility 8
• Responsiveness 8
• Stability 7
• Grip 8