Customer Reviews Altra HIIT XT 2

I love the stability and comfort of these shoes. The toe-box makes all the difference though. I hope Altra keeps making and improving on an already great shoe.

These are the first pair of foot shape shoes i have bought and I am very pleased. The comfort in the forefoot is great but they still fit snug around my mid foot so they do not feel loose or sloppy at all. I would not use these for things that require extreme lateral support while stopping and cutting but for everything else they are a great shoe. And as for the zero drop I had no adjustment time at all. I just started wearing them and feet and legs felt fine.

I haven't tried the latest iteration of these, but I have two pairs of the previous version, the 1.5. I bought a second pair because I loved the ones I had so much that I wanted to be able to stay in them for a long time. I do crossfit in these 4 to 5 times per week. Yes, at first they are stiff, almost uncomfortably so, but they break in very nicely. I'm 190 lbs, 5'11", and I love having the stiffness for high energy workouts, i.e. sprinting, box jumps, heavy deadlifts or snatches, etc. I wouldn't choose them for long distance running, but for our average 400-1500m sprints they've never bothered me. The stiffness also makes them excellent for strong lateral movement (tennis, etc), and I just love them.

This has been a great Crossfit shoe purchase. It provides a stable weight lifting platform, large toebox for ground activities like burpees and a non-slip heel. The shoe is great for those shorter runs as part of your METCON but much more that 800 M and you may want to consider something more dedicated for running. I'm a big fan.

The HIIT XT is too stiff and thick to lift or cross-train in. Not enough proprioception. Then why the 5 star review? Because this is the best walking sneaker ever. 15 miles a day over cobblestones? No problem. The thickness and stiffness provide awesome support and the soles hold up to considerable abuse. The rubber on the upper cracked a bit but other than that, this shoe is a homerun for long city walks while traveling.

I have read the other reviews, and I although I own a number of Altra running shoes (both trail and pavement), these were my first workout shoes. I got them for HITT (High Intensity Team Traininbg) and Industrial Strength (think: weight lifting) classes at my gym. I am not bashful about giving a product a negative review if I feel it is warranted, but I must say that I like these shoes a lot. I find the toe box to be just perfect--not at all narrow (and I do need a wide toe box). The shoes are very light weight, and I have had no difficulty or issues using them in my classes. Would I want to run in them? No. But they are not meant for that. If I'm running (even on a treadmill), I use running shoes. I think different shoes fit different people in different ways, so shoe reviews that complain about "fit" should, IMHO, be taken with a grain of salt. You can always return them if you don't like them!

They give enough that you can walk pretty comfortably but are stiff enough to be good for powerlifting.

Recommended by my CrossFit trainer, who also has a pair, they are insanely comfortable, light and look better than they do in the pictures. I'm going to buy the blue ones for a 2nd pair.

Tennis - from the first moment I hit the court they have been just right. Love the feel of being in balance from zero drop. Room for the toes but no slippage.

Out of the box and right into the gym for cardio and weights workout without any break-in these shoes were extremely comfortable, true to size and have a great stable platform. Look even better in person too. Will probably get a second pair soon

I purchased this shoe to be a robust addition to strength training in the gym. So far, the HIIT 2 is very impressive. The shoe fits securely in place during multidirectional movement, jumping, and picking up heavy loads from the floor. This is definitely a threat to the very popular Nike Metcon 4, and I would purchase a second pair based on this first impression.

Overall I really like the HIIT XT2s combo of stability, wide grippy flat soles, roomy toe box, and just enough cushion to perform cardio bursts like sprints while remaining solid for lifting - the essence of a CrossFit workout. One tweak I'd love to add is a slightly more locked in heel-fit in the shoe design to prevent slipping. The current model feels stable for lateral movement, but a little loose in the heel up/down movement unless the laces are snugged tight. And even then they're not "locked". Another tweak would be double eyelets at the top, just like on many runners shoes, enabling users to lace up regularly OR choose to use a runner's heel lock style lace up. Update - a few months in I noticed one of the laces had come unstitched from its attachment point on the tongue of the shoe. I contacted Altra and customer service was very helpful, offering to replace my shoes. Overall I'm happy with the HIIT XT2, and look forward to improvements.

I live these shoes for Crossfit days, but definitely not for running. The sole is a bit stiff, but not noticable when working out. They have lasted almost a year without an issue.

I'm an avid Altra fan. I do crossfit five days a week. Shoe performs well. Durability is lacking, as the upper sole is detaching from the rubber lower soul after about 3 months. I do recommend the shoe.