Customer Reviews Altra Escalante 2

Why Altra, why?! Since the Escalante was released it has been my road running shoe. Perfection for years! It was the only shoe that could sway me from the Altra One that I loved so much. I can't tell you how many thousands of miles I've run in the Escalante, including multiple marathons with straight out of the box shoes, and it's always been blissfully amazing. I've been through probably ten pair? I assumed the 2 would be the same experience, because why wouldn't it? Oh, the sadness. I'm about a hundred miles into this model and it's still a fight. It is definitely a more stiff feeling, but I thought maaaybe they would soften up with some use. Not so far. I am constantly thinking about my shoes while I run because it just doesn't feel right. It's mentally exhausting to be thinking about that on longer runs and not just be able to run comfortably. Aside from the stiffness of the upper (and the soles too?) I have a hard time even describing what it feels like. Almost a slappy feel with each step? Just...not right. I can't decide if it's even worth keeping my pari of 2s in my running rotation in hopes of it getting better. Let's just say I've started stockpiling the 1.5 model in hopes that I can tide myself over until the next model is released, while hoping and praying that they go back to all of the things that made this shoe amazing in the first place, because I absolutely will NOT be buying another pair of 2s.

Three runners in this house that have LOVED the original Escalante and this new one should actually get zero stars. Our go-to shoe for running roads and gravel even. We all needed new shoes and ordered these - when all three of us put them on and all immediately wanted to take them off you know something is wrong. The upper is now completely stiff - unlike the immediate comfort of the original. Also, the location where the tongue attaches inside the shoe rubs against the articulation point of the toes and metatarsals with every step. Don't know what went wrong with the remake of this shoe but we are returning them all.

The reviews that said flappy and heavy, like running on sand, or through mud, or like concrete feet, couldn't have been more accurate. I have a friend that loves his Escalantes 2, I have some altra trail shoes which I love, I figured, maybe I'll be different, maybe I'll love them. NO, DO NOT BUY THIS SHOE! You shouldn't be working HARDER to run than you have to. Get out of here. This is not a running shoe. This is a strength training shoe - as in, it's a workout just to put one foot in front of the other. Great company - terrible shoe design on this one.

My wife loved the 1.0, and I also have a pair and still use it! But this one is just too stiff, the nice thing it had going for it was that you could run long distances in a shoe that felt like a sock. It was very comfortable to wear as a sneaker as well. This is like when a band you like has original music, all of a sudden everyone starts liking them, then once they're mainstream they become like everyone else. I have one business suggestion, go back to the sneaker feel on the 3.0 and you'll get half your user base back.

I have 65 miles in my Escalante 2.0 and they still don't feel broken in. Normally around 20-30 miles is when I start to feel "settled in" to a shoe. But these are just so dang stiff! I feel like I may as well go back to my minimalist no-cushion shoes. I thought I found my Goldilocks shoe in the Escalante, but definitely not with the 2.0 model.

The Escalante, and Escalante Racer, have been my favorite running shoes since the original came out. This is not like the original at all. Much stiffer and narrower in the toe box. I went for a 10 mile run in them, and came back with the most horrible blisters on my big toes that I have ever gotten from a shoe. Most shoes I can manage to run in and get my 300 miles worth, even if they're not my favorite. Not these. Not sure what changed, but it wasn't for the better!

I LOVED THE 1.0s!!!!!! I accepted the 1.5s. I reject the 2.0s. My favorite shoes no longer exist. They have been replaced with this. Why ruin a good thing?? Please bring the 1.0 or the 1.5 back!!!!

I'm disappointed to have to give this shoe a negative rating. I'm a casual runner with neuromas, so I need a roomy toe box in order to run safely at all. Altra shoes have been the best I've found. I loved the Escalante 1.5. I was surprised to find this shoe unusually stiff, smaller in the toe box and tight around the front of the foot. I hope they go back to the drawing board on this one!

Too stiff on the bottom, not digging the upper. The Escalante 2 was not my favorite upgrade.

I had two pairs of the old version of this shoe and they were TERRIFIC. No break in time, no rubbing, no problems. The new version is awful: rubbing in the toe box, blisters on my heel, stiff, uncomfortable, and a complete waste of money. I will not buy these again and wish I'd realized that before I made the purchase. Extremely disappointed that I can't go back and return these after running in them; it's a lot of money to waste.

How can you call a shoe a continuation of a line when it is made out of a completely different material and looks completely different? And has a completely different style of support. I have two pairs of the Original ESCALANTE and have resurrected them with currex insoles. The new altra seems to be less material support, replaced by a cheaper uncomfortable toe box material. What's the point of completely changing a good thing? After 4 years I'm going to have to hit the brick and mortors for a new brand.

Need black on black shoes for work (I am a letter carrier). Was wearing the men's escalante 1.5 in a size 7. I actually could have used a size 7 1/2 but for some reason they don't offer that size. When the women's 2 came out in black on black I thought I'd try it. Bought it in my size, 8 1/2. They were way too small. Tried a 9. Only difference was a little more length. These shoes are way too narrow in the toe box! No roominess at all. Very uncomfortable to wear. And don't even get me started on the stiffness! These shoes are like wearing bricks on your feet. I will only wear zero drop shoes and I have been wearing Altras for several years. I'm going to have to search yet again for a decent pair of shoes to wear to work. I don't know why shoe manufacturers can't leave well enough alone when they have a good product. I would give this product negative star if it was available.

Wanted to give 0 stars, but that's not an option. I loved Intuition and wore them for years, but unfortunately Altra stopped making them, so I decided to try the Escalente 2. First week was fine. After that my feet broke out into blisters, even in places that I don't typically get blisters. I'm so disappointed in every aspect of this shoe. Please bring back the Intuition!

I run and do aerobics in the Escalante 2.0. I'm disappointed in this shoe. I started wearing the Altra One and fell in Love with Altras. Then when you did away with the One I switched to the Escalante 1.5. I still loved the Altras even though I prefer the One. Now I have the Escalante 2.0 and the tongue of the shoe constantly bunches up and slide down my foot. The Altras that i fell in live with just keep getting worse and worse.

You should bring back the 1.5 and make everyone happy.

The changes to the Escalante 2.0 were detrimental. I've worn the Escalante for the past few years, and received the 2.0 as a Christmas present. As soon as I put them on, I noticed they were too large - at least a size large. I wear a women's 9, and the shoe I put on was at least a women's size 10, even though the shoe and box said size 9. I couldn't even walk around the house without my feet coming out of the shoe. My husband returned the shoe, and we went on a search for the Escalante 1.5 in a size 9. Based on the other reviews I've read, additional changes have been made to the shoe as well. When you make a new model, please make the shoe closer to the 1.5 version. That was the best version you've created thus far. The changes made took away the value of the shoe, and I would not recommend the 2.0 to a friend (but yes to the 1.5). This is the best shoe I've ever worn, please go back to the old version!

I really loved original Escalante and Escalante 1.5. Trained marathons in them, and they were just so fun to run in those. On the other hand, this version feels heavy, tongue bunches up to the side, tongue and shoes strings are too short (too short to do the "runners knot"), and most importantly, there are way too much stability/support/stiffness (= there are no more flexibility that I loved about those older Escalantes!). Just FYI, those stiffness never improved as I ran in them (I 'm writing this review after I put in 500km and they are still uncomfortably stiff). I love Altra, and appreciate the beautiful look of this 2.0, but I will be looking for a different shoes until those unnecessary changes will get corrected.

Bought the Escalantes when they first came out and loved them. Went through a couple of pairs. Just tried the 2.0 and am very disappointed as they seemed to have narrowed the toe box. I compared the bottoms of both shoes, and I can see that the 2.0s are a couple of millimeters narrower. Unfortunately, that slight difference means pain for me. So I returned them and opted for the older version of the shoe (and the racer. Hope they don't change those). But it seems Altra is trending to a narrower shoe company which means I will be in search of another shoe again.

I started buying escalate The One, which I loved! You supposedly improved on those, and they just weren't the same, so I switched to escalente, and loved those! Now you went and supposedly improved on those, but its definitely not an improvement. Please explain why companies keep changing and improving, but make them worse instead of better! Why don't you just leave alone what is good in the first place! You have faced me to go to another shoe company! I' not happy about that. I used to recommend the escalente to every runner I knew, but not anymore!

The Escalante 1 and 1.5 were the best shoes I ever had. I constantly told friends to get the 1 and 1.5 but I cannot do that now. The original Escalante was truly a foot shape. I felt I had control out on the trail, with complete comfort. The new shoe is not foot shape and feels like my foot is being forced into uncomfortable positions in all areas. No matter how I place my laces, some part of my foot tingles, goes numb or falls asleep. That never happed with the originals. The rating and majority of reviews for this show should show Altra that they need to offer the original shoe again. I hope they take the reviews seriously.

It's disappointing as it got stiffer and stiffer from 1.0 to 1.5 to 2.0. I like escalante because of its spongy feeling at the rear from the very first edition. I understand that the spongy effect will be diminishing as time goes by. But I don't mind to replace it from time to time. The problem doesn't come from the midsole. It's the insole underneath the midsole and which is much stiffer than the first version. Maybe, someone may prefer durability and stiffness. May I suggest to have soft version like the 1.0 first edition as well?

I love, love, love my 1.5 - best shoes I have ever owned. I just got a pair of 2s and they are awful. They feel like concrete and they are just generally uncomfortable. Altra, you had an amazing product. Please bring back the 1.5 and scrap the new design.