Customer Reviews Altra Solstice XT 2

I am so confused by all the 1 star reviews on here! I absolutely love these! There is PLENTY of toe room. The extra reinforcement in the toe is actually great, especially for gym workouts. They are very comfy & super cute. I have no idea why anyone would complain about these. I have an older model of the Solstice & these are actually even better! I do have to say, I am in between sizes 8.5 & 9 and I am glad that I went with the 9 on this one. So, something to consider if you are between sizes like me.

I've been wearing minimalist shoes with wide toe boxes for many years, so when I took up pickle ball, I just wore my normal minimalist running shoes, thinking they'd be ok. They weren't, as I soon developed pain in one hip - likely due to arthritis that I didn't know I had there. A friend suggested that I needed court shoes - shoes with more support on the sides designed specifically for court sports. I searched and searched but could not find minimalist or wide toe box shoes, so I grudgingly settled for Puma Carinas that were recommended by a shoe salesman - but what a mistake. Although they eliminated the pain in my hip, they wreaked havoc on my toes, as they squished them together. As a result, I developed a painful corn between my toes. So back to the internet to search for zero drop, wide toe-box court shoes. I emailed Natural Footgear asking for suggestions, and Andrew Potter suggested Altra shoes. I love these shoes; they are SO comfy and springy and have made playing pickle ball so much more enjoyable for me. If you play court sports and want a wide toe box zero drop shoe, check out this shoe.

I bought the black and blue ones this past June. They are way too soft and flexible - there is no support and they're not study. Even walking is uncomfortable in them. They just feel loose and unsupportive no matter how tight I tie them - and they become really loose after wearing them for like 15 minutes and have to be retied. I had achilles tendinitis after wearing them - which I've never had before. I have other Altra's that I love. I would have returned these if I realized how much I hated them within the return window.

I was hesitant to try these since I've found Altra running shoes too narrow across the toe box in the past (I have a genuinely wide toe box and have to order wide width in most athletic shoes). But I needed a new CrossFit shoe because Reeboks don't fit my feet well anymore. These are incredibly comfortableplenty of room in the toe box AND my orthotics fit great without making the shoe too tight (I can't wear my orthotics in my Reebok Nanos). I'm between a 6.5 and 7 depending on the brand. I ordered both sizes to trywent with the 7s. The fabric does feel thin so I'm curious to see how these stand up in WODs with regular use. I wish the sides felt a bit more structured for external support, but I appreciate the toe cap to prevent fabric wear with certain movements. Looking forward to trying these in a workout! I hope these come out in other color options too.

I wanted to love these shoes because they are super comfortable, but they started falling apart within a month and I ONLY wear them to work. Not doing anything that would beat them up and cause them to fall apart so quickly. I've had shoes last years before they do this.

Great fit and love that they finally made a cross training shoe. I am a personal trainer and am on my feet all day long and my feet feel amazing even after a long day of work. Would love if they came in more colors. Now I need Altra to make a golf shoe please.

I'm a 74 yr old woman with severely arthritic ankles & these shoes allow me to walk a couple miles without severe pain. Thank you Altra for a new lease on life.

I owned many pairs of the original solstice model and 1 pair of the previous XT model. The XT2 is completely different, toe box is different - it feels narrower and much stiffer. Awful shoe - disappointing.

They make my feet feel very comfortable. I was able to quit wearing my expensive orthotics with these shoes. I plan to buy them again, but in different colors.

I was on vacation and lost my shoes with orthotics. I tried these on and wore them out of the store and there was zero break in period. Most comfortable shoe I own! I now wear these shoes on a regular basis and no longer have to rely on my orthotics.

Ive bought this style several times and like the fact that my feet do not cramp. Why change something that's consistently comfortable.

Love the wide toe box (per docs recommendation) but also flat enough for weight training!

Love these! Came back online to order in more colors. Love how they are nice and low around the ankle, good width in toes, and sole is not too bulky. Need more colors please!

This is my 2nd pair of solstices. I am a physical therapist and wear them every day in the hospital and pretty much every day in the gym. It takes a lot to have sore/tired feet with these shoes compared to others.

Give the XT2's a chance!! I know the last version of solstice had their issues, but I tried again with the XT 2's because I love Altra shoes and refuse to wear anything else for running / lifting. I use these for CrossFit and for lifting. I've been wearing Altra'a for 6 years (these are my 8th pair), these are by far the best version of the Solstice shoe. I have wide feet and care a lot about natural foot splay and foot health. I no longer feel like I HAVE to take my shoes off to get a good lift, these shoes are exactly what I've been looking for. I wear 8.5's in the Escalante's and Escalante Racer's 8.5 in Solstice xt2 fits perfectly. I bought a second pair after a week just so I had them for the future.

Bought these after an online recommendation for indoor rowing - love, love, love! I expected to enjoy the more connected to my foot stretchers feel while rowing (and avoid having a lot of energy absorbed by the cushy running shoes I rowed in before) and was not disappointed. They are great for indoor rowing. Pleasantly surprised by how great they feel for walking & standing - I don't want to take them off after a row. Also great for functional fitness/ weightlifting workouts. I feel super stable doing squats and lunges and surprisingly have no pain from underlying foot issues (that drove me to cushy shoes in the 1st place). Strongly considering adding a second pair to my shoe wardrobe.

I am a massage therapist and so I'm on my feet a lot at work. These shoes are so comfortable and help get me through the long workday.

Using in the gym, so far it is exactly what I needed. Expecting it to perform as well as my Altra trail shoes!

I use these shoes because I have plantar fascitis my heel feels good with the shoes, however after a few hours of wearing them I begin to feel discomfort in other parts of my feet and such as the arch and top of my foot.

I love these shoes! I'm on my third pair. it's comfortable, light weight, I can wear it all day! Only downside is it falls apart quick and doesn't last very long.

Agreed with the reviewers who say these are AMAZING except for their durability (or, lack thereof). The fabric on the outer sides of each shoe started ripping after a few months. I hope Altra can make some improvements in this regard because otherwise, I am OBSESSED with this shoe! I bought a pair for CrossFit but also wear them for running because I prefer a super minimalist sole, and most other Altra models contain too much foam for my taste.