Customer Reviews Altra FWD Experience

First off I am strictly an exercise walker, not a runner. I have Torin 7, Luxe, LP Alpine and Paradigm 6. My other favorite shoe company is Hoka. For cushioning and color selection they are superior; for fit Altra is superior, as their shoes are shaped like human feet. In Hokas I have to get wides(2EE). That's never necessary with Altra. I prefer a moderate amount of cushioning but combined with a well balanced, stable feel underfoot. Some Hokas are built up so much (Bondi) that, even though the cushioning is very nice, I feel a bit wobbly on them. So my favorite Hokas are the Arahis. This FWD feels the most like that shoe but with a slightly lower stack height. Perhaps because of my posture or walking style, Altra's typical zero drop design turns into a real world negative drop that can aggravate my lower back. I've seen other such comments in these reviews so this is not unique to me. All of my other Altras are excellent shoes but I'm always a bit nagged by this negative drop perception. This FWD finally gives me what feels like a true, real world zero drop. Well balanced and stable platform. Excellent, not overdone, cushioning. Quite similar to those Hoka Arahis. Also very similar to Altra's Paradigms, but with a more balanced, stable feel. The interior lateral and medial heel cushions that some have found troublesome aren't a problem for me. I'm only conscious of the medial ones; and being a walker, not a runner, I don't expect them to be a problem, although I'm not certain what their purpose is. I believe this could be a real winner for Altra; even the sales rep at the running shoe store I purchased these has 2 pair. The only suggestion I would have is to broaden the color choices, Hoka excels at that. And expand this minimal drop line. I've begun to notice Topos which offer a number of such choices and a human foot design.

Ran in Sacoucy Freedom's forever and used Altra Torrin for long runs. Thought I'd try the Experience as a replacement for the Torrin's. Love them 1st run, then next and next, Now have about 100 miles on them and they'll be my racing and training shoe going forward. The cushioning is perfect as is the toe drop. Was coming off sore knees from over running. Kept running- training anyway but with the Experience. Knee pain went away. Got a 5K and 10K race soon and will be racing in these shoes. Then start training for a half or marathon.

I absolutely love this shoe! I do admit it does run a tad bit more narrow than the torins but it offers a lot of great support. This shoe makes longer runs feel easy. Just ran a half marathon in these last week and they were amazing. I do wish they were slightly wider like they're other shoes but the comfort was 100% there so there's nothing to complain about. Definitely a great shoe to add to your rotation and can't wait to buy another pair once I'm done with these!

I logged 225 miles in my Fwd Experience that I purchased from my local running store, Complete Runner. I'm a 35 year old male, midfoot striker, who primarily trains for ultra distances (50-100m) but does occasionally dabble in shorter, faster stuff. For me, these were my daily workhorse where I logged everything from your typical daily miles up to a 24 mile long run. The foam is on the stiffer side but I actually enjoyed that aspect of these and while they're not the most exciting shoe or foam on the market they just worked. The daily workhorse that I truly wanted and needed. The rocker helps but isn't aggressive by industry standard and paired with the 4mm drop these do roll well at a variety of paces. As much as I've loved this shoe I do feel it is slightly lacking for long-term durability. Sitting at 225 miles the outsole is wearing thin across the forefoot and I feel the midsole is losing form as I can feel my arches work a lot more than when the shoe was new. My go to trail shoe is the Olympus 5 and while these aren't as accommodating as those fit wise, they worked very well for my road/backroad/and light trail miles. As typical with Altra shoes I went with my standard 10.5 which I'm not sure if I can say it's true to size or these run a half size too small. In most any other shoe brand I would typically wear a 10 but in Altra's I always have to go with the 10.5, so take that for what it's worth. As mentioned, I really did love these shoes. I can't wear any other brand now and not think how uncomfortable my feet are being cramped in narrow toe boxes. So these were a breath of fresh air to lace up for my boring daily miles. If the midsole and outsole were up to the task for around 350 miles I'd have no problem rating these a 5 star but at barely over 200 I just can't rank them any higher than the 4 I gave them.

I was looking for a wide toe box with a little bit of a drop to help with street running. I've loved this brand before for trails, and now I love it even more because I can have wonderful shoes for both!

Bought these to replace a pair that I'd run into the ground after receiving my first pair for free. Can honestly say they're the best running shoes I've had since the original Nike Prestos back in the early 2000s. I've never been a fan of "cushy shoes" and my feet are always pinched at the toebox in standard shoes, even when sizing up. So when I wanted to train up for my first half marathon, I was happy to find Altra. The FWD Experience holds fast, feels light, and lets my toes spread, and the break-in for these was short, but doesn't feel like they're flimsy. YMMV, but I'm super happy with them, and probably will pick up another pair to rotate in and keep wear more even across them. Side note: Old white pair are now my lawnmowing shoes, way more stylish than the "Dad Shoes" from that other company TL:DR - great shoe if it's what you're into - test run offer makes it a no-brainer trainer, if you ask me.

I have had 2 pairs of Altra in the past and have struggled with durability, especially early wear in the interior heel support, after less than 50 miles. The rest of the show was still new, but the interior had worn out, leading to blisters. So, I moved away from Altra for several years. I purchased this recent pair because my knees have been hurting more recently, but I wanted to continue running and I thought going back to zero drop might help. And they were on a really great sale! These have been amazing so far, and my knee pain is all but gone. They have good cushion, but still encourage forefoot striking. And the best part - So far, after about 75 miles, they are holding up well and show no sign of wear on the interior. They are comfortable to run or walk in, and I will be purchasing another pair soon.

I've got 500 miles in these and they've been a great shoe. These have been very durable. The cushion feels just right, and they've remained responsive and light-feeling throughout.

They are super comfy & I absolutely love them. They are my lifestyle shoes to wear daily.

I am 63 and will need an arch support insole.

I have put 410 miles on these shoes, I have finally decided to replace them with more Altras. They handle 40 miles/week just fine. Great shoes all the people who want to stretch the miles on their shoes like me.

These shoes have been amazing to run in. I'm currently running between 20-30 miles a week, and have around 250 miles on these shoes. They feel just as comfortable now as the day I got them out of the box. These will be my go to running shoes moving forward.

I've been a big fan of Altra zero-drop shoes for a few years now, but tried these and love them even more. The rocker hides the 4mm offset for me, and the cushioning and support are just what I need as a "mature" runner doing long miles. I've since gone out and bought three more pair, as insurance against "improvements" in future models that might not fit what I'm looking for. Would still love for the outsole to last longer, but overall am thrilled with Altra.

I cannot stop talking about these shoes! They are comfortable, durable, have a wide toe box and the rocker bottom has increased my walking pace by 1-2 minutes/mile. I wish there were more colors as I like to wear the men's size to get a little wider mid foot and toe box compared to the women's.

I've been running in Altra's exclusively for the last 5 years. After two pairs of Escalante Racers I decided to mix it up and try these out. I LOVE them. I don't want Altra to move away from this line/color scheme. Just knocked out my first Ironman 70.3 and these helped me see the finish line through 13.1 grueling miles!

The rocket sole is great for me. I've got something called capsulitis, and my podiatrist recommended rockers. These Altras have been great. They have replaced the Asics I was wearing. I've done long runs in them (10 mi, 11 mi, 12 mi, 13 mi), no problem. My one request would be for the backs to ride a bit higher up my heel. Not an issue, but I'm used to the backs a little higher up in Asics (and Nikes).

I purchase to shoes because im most likely sold altra, the toe box for me is a must. I wasnt sure about running a marathon with those but i just completed one and it was amazing, effortless.

Ran my first marathon in these and had a great time. I bought these a month before the race and they were a huge improvement over the brooks glycerin shoe I was using before. The lower drop and wide toe box were game changers for my running form.

Very comfortable and I wear them daily for work.

The wide toe box is amazing and I could feel immediate relief putting this shoe on. It was also much more durable than my Hokas were. I'll never buy another brand's shoe ever again

Recently got there and feel like I am faster! I've been running in Altra's for several years now, and have always wished they'd offer a shoe with a bit of a drop. These are it! And they are lightweight, look good, etc. That said, I always wear a size 8 in mens for all my Altra shoes (Olympus, Mont Blanc, Torin 5, Lone Peak, etc), so I ordered an 8 in these and they are a bit tighter than all the rest of my shoes. I still really like them, and am a bit worried the 8.5 would be too big, but all in all, I am a fan of these shoes and plan to buy more of them.

Love these shoes. I'm about 300 miles in and they a freakin awesome. Now time to make these shoes in a trail running format.

Love this shoe, mostly been hiking/ short runs. Been comparing to my Lone peak 6's (totally packed out) so this is a nice knee recovery. The Lone Peaks do feel more nimble to me, and for me, I like the flatter rocker on the heel of the Lone Peak 6 better- also- just recently these started to crease across my smaller toes- ill see if I can work it out. Great shoe tho, definitely great cushion. Love the way the Logo is shifted back to the Heel- Looks SO Much better back there, would also look great on the very back of heel. Do this more!

Really like the fit of Altra's but have never been able to get my achilles over the flat no drop part. These with a drop of 4mm are great. Hope they make this in a trail runner soon.

This shoe is the perfect balance of comfort, support, and responsiveness. I love the way Altras fit my feet but have been increasing my mileage significantly and needed a show with some drop to help me along. This came out at the perfect time! I liked them so much that I got another pair just for work (I work in an active medical setting)!