Customer Reviews Altra Rivera

While I'm not an OG Altra wearer like a lot of the people leaving reviews here, I have owned a couple pairs of Escalantes and I've really enjoyed them a lot for the reasons you would imagine - mainly the wide toe box and zero drop. When I saw these Riveras were a bit of a shift from the standard wider toe box, but still wider than most traditional running shoes, I was curious. My feet are pretty narrow and sometimes feel loose and sloppy in the Escalantes - especially on turns and when going for a faster pace. I decided to order a pair of Riveras despite many of the negative reviews here complaining about the toe box being too narrow and not being "true to Altra". I think it's a very good thing that Altra is branching out and trying out a shoe that IS still foot-shaped, but for a different kind of foot than their other models. They're great for my feet so far, and I guess time will tell once they break in even more how well they end up being for the next 400+ miles I wear them for. For now, I'm impressed. If I could give one bit of input, though, I would suggest Altra make it more clear on the shoe's description that these are designed to be slightly more narrow than their other shoes. I think if that was made clearer upfront, there would be less negative feedback. The shoe IS in fact more narrow in the toe box than others like the Escalante, but that doesn't need to be a bad thing. It's still wider than most other brands and still has zero drop, and to me that's what matters.

This is the shoe I didn't know I was waiting for. The Ego foam is dialed in nicely for a smooth ride with a nice rebound, reminiscent of the earlier Escalantes, though not quite as bouncy. The ride is great at all paces but shines at uptempo. Though I am sure many Altra loyalists might be disappointed with the more dialed-in fit, I think it makes the shoe much more versatile than say the fit in the Torin line, which quite frankly is a bit sloppy.

Husband measures a 10-10.5 and needs wide and would wear 11 in torin 4 ( Has very long toes. wider forefoot!). Needed a 11 in these. He says they feel great. The shoe looks slightly narrower but the material has give. They feel great running! Thank you and now I want a pair to replace my Torin 4s! He wears a 10.5 in the new Lone Peaks...11s gave him heel slip.

This is a spectacular daily trainer. I enjoy the more fitted feel, but still plenty of room for foot splay. The shoe indeed lies somewhere between the Escalante and the Escalante Racer in terms of softness, to me its just right. I really like the direction Altra has gone in this and the Torin Plush 4.5 (and I've been wearing Altras since the Torin 2.0).

This is my first review of an Altra shoe, even though I have been wearing them exclusively for about five years. One of the pandemic changes that affected me this year was my switch from treadmill running in the gym to outdoor track running. While the Escalante was perfect for the treadmill, light, fast and just the minimum cushioning needed; the track seemed to call for more shoe. I needed greater traction, support and cushion, all the while keeping the weight as light as possible. This is exactly where the Rivera has found the sweet spot of hitting all those notes together. Perfect shoe for my needs (20 miles/week; 6', 190#, pronator). BTW, I enjoy the track much more than treadmill running; not going back to the gym, ever. Thank you, Altra.

I have put 61 miles of pavement-running on my new Rivera with an average run distance of over 10 miles, and two over 19 miles. The shoe is outstanding as a more-cushioned Escalante. I have average volume feet. For those with average or narrow feet, this is an outstanding shoe. Altra fans with high-volume feet, this isn't your shoe, but that doesn't make it a bad shoe meriting one star. Those of us with average-volume feet have had to put up with the idiosyncracies of the wider toe box, such as having the big toe positioned squarely in the middle of the toe box where the shoe has already begun to taper its length. I've never down-voted a shoe for this, just realized that one shape doesn't fit all perfectly. Still, it's probably cost me a few toenails. I'm particularly pleased by the larger amount of EGO foam relative to Escalante, and lighter weight compared to Paradigm. The EGO foam is bouncier and longer-lasting than Quantic. I generally retire shoes after 400 miles, and use them as casual shoes. I still have a pair of Escalante 1.0 in this role feeling nicely springy. Meanwhile, my Torin Plush feel dead, dead, dead, at 400 miles. I may just pitch them. No spring left. To summarize. Rivera brings the best of Escalante into a more-cushioned model while keeping the weight down. It will be a good middle-distance to long distance trainer for those who care about weight. I've now positioned my Escalante 2.5 as a shorter-distance trainer on pavement. I'verunthe last four NYC Marathons in some form of Escalante, most recently the Racer, but for training, Rivera's extra cushioning undoubtedly saves my legs considerable wear and tear.

I love how this shoe wraps around the foot. No cramping in the more narrow toe box. Very breathable mesh. Laces are the perfect length. I had to size up 1/2 a size, which is my traditional / actual size. As for comfort, it's the best Altra I've ever put my foot in (and I've tried many). Stability is a step up from the Escalate, which was my favorite until now. The heel lock is also the best of any Altra, in my opinion. In terms of speed, I can move faster in these than the latest Escalante. I see a few people griping about how the shoe is "not true to Altra" and I believe that's a farce. The shoes are Zero Drop, the toe box is foot shaped.....it's just made for people with narrower feet. That's all. Altra, perhaps making a wider version for the larger runners would help kill the tantrums. Lastly, there is one issue I would submit the RND team. For nearly every every Altra I've run in, the material at the base of the lacing, towards the toe of the shoe, bunches up and the Rivera is no different (as seen in the pic). However, I would say it does handle this issue better than other Altras. This is not a large enough issue that would cause me to drop a star.....so definitely a 5-star shoe....built for narrow feet!

I'm an Altra runner for more than 7 years and have enjoyed a number of different shoes or theirs. This is first time I've endorsed a shoe from Altra. Fit is narrower, different last, which works for my feet, but very comfortable. I'm so into this shoe, I've purchased 2 more pairs, something I've never done. I also wear a pair at work, as I'm on my feet all day. Try them, I think they'll work for a lot of Altra users.

Finally, a pair of Altras that I never want to take off. Thank you, Altra, for continually modifying your designs in search of models that meet the needs of more than just one type of foot! I am a high school teacher and coach who wears his Altras for more than just training. My first Altra purchase was a pair of Provision 3.5s. They are the least comfortable and poorest fitting which is why they are now my mowing shoes. My second pair was a pair of well-cushioned Paradigm 4.5s which I use only as trainers. I ordered a size 10 rather than my usual 10.5. Still, they are just a little too wide and long in the toe box to want to get a second pair. My third purchase was a pair of the size 10, Solstice XTs which I purchased as cross trainers. They are lightweight, comfortable, and game for about anything I throw at them. Before purchasing my Riveras, they were the best fitting, but still too long in the toe box. The kids at school have affectionately dubbed them my clown shoes because of the way they curl up at the end due to the extra length. :D Truth be told, all of my Altras prior to my Riveras look like they could be a part of someone's clown costume. I was starting to think that maybe I needed to look elsewhere for a zero drop shoe that was better designed for my foot shape. Well, that is until I read the Runner's World review of the new Altra Rivera. Their review, combined (oddly enough) with the negative reviews of the Rivera from Altra loyalist claiming that the Rivera design was a sad departure from what had made Altra so great (whatever that means:D), convinced me that just maybe the Rivera was the shoe for me. Thankfully, I was right. Hallelujah! My size 10 Riveras are the most comfortable shoes that I can ever remember owning in my entire life. I love them so much that I have already ordered a second pair that I can wear to teach in while reserving my first pair for training runs only. Thanks again to the fine folks at Altra for this additional design to your lineup of innovative shoes. Any chance that you might consider producing a shoe like the Solstice XT with a Rivera-like fit? ;)

I don't have wide feet so I love these shoes. The mid hight ego foam is great and haven't felt any hot spots. I wish the Escalante 2.5 had this upper.

Wanted a less aggressive tread from Lone Peaks. Perfect recommendation Shipping per Fed Ex was slow and inconvenient Took 4 days to get from 1 state line. Should have paid extra due USPS Much faster and convenient

After a couple pairs of Torins, I was very excited about the Rivera. It delivers. If like the Altra feel but your foot was always a bit narrow for the classic "foot shape," look not further. This is the shoe for you.

I'm really impressed and surprised by how much I love this shoe. I have way more running shoes than I need and these fit my feet the best out of all of them. The last is perfect, the cushioning is perfect - not too much but not too little, the laces are perfect, and the upper is unbelievably comfortable and the lockdown is superb. The Ortholite insole is great and the perfect thickness. I have several Altra shoes and I think this is by far the best road shoe they have made. I highly recommend these.

Back to the original foot shape! I was starting to get disappointed with each new Escalante model as my toes were getting more and more cramped. This guy looked like a foot shaped toe box again so I went for it. Glad I did! Squishy and comfy for my long runs and recovery runs! I hope Altra keeps releasing new models with the foot shaped toe box...it's why people buy from them in the first place! I grabbed one of these in a women's 8.5 and a men's 7.

Previous initial review was about this shoe not a torin replacement, and obviously it isn't However, now with a few runs, and sized up 1/2 a size I find it a very good shoe for me, a long time torin advocate. Good cushion, toebox is not as wide as torin but very adequate (For my foot). I very much like the ride and will alternate it with Topo's zero drop and 5mm stack height ultrafly Bottom line for me, I am impressed with the rivera

Love this new shoe from my first run in them, if you are looking to own only one road shoe that is good for long runs, easy days or speed workouts, look no further ! Fits true to size.

First run in this was a 13 miler, absolutely loved the feel. No issues. Plenty of toe room and cushion for long runs. Can be responsive enough for the track. Great training shoe and not as bulky as the Torin.

I have run around 30 miles in these so far, and I love them. They are bit more cushioned than the Escalante, and a bit more responsive than the Torin. Exactly what I have been looking for. It seems to be a "do everything" shoe. It feels great at all paces, from slow to fast. I pretty much forget I have them on when I'm out for a run, which is the best complement I can give. Well done to the folks at Altra. Keep up the great work.

I had the chance to try a demo pair of the Rivera running shoe. I was surprised by the cushioning of the shoe. It reminded me of the Escalante 1.5. The Rivera will be a great shoe for any distance and training type. The shoes have good responsiveness and I love the natural heel form as well. Everyone has different feet and running styles, I would say give them a try and see what you think. I really like the Rivera and will buy another pair.

I ran 45 miles in this shoe with absolutely no issues. The toe box was awesome and the cushioning was just right to keep my legs feeling fresh all day. Hands down my favorite road shoes now.

I've been 'Altra exclusive' for the last 8 years. Some models have worked better than others, most have improved over time. The concept is right on, the execution sometimes lacking. The Rivera appealed to me because of the sleeker design while maintaining the 'footshape' and Ego cushioning. This it achieves. I do experience the looseness in the heel that others have noticed, and would appreciate a slightly better lockdown. From a style perspective, I've not always loved Altras, but these are more to my liking, especially the subtle details. I use them for everything from casual to running to HIIT.