The seasons are rapidly changing. Your beloved dirt trails are taking on a new aesthetic, lightly coated with puddles of mud and light blankets of snow. It’s the time of year when you now face a choice: go inside and chain yourself to the dreadmill or get out and take to the road less traveled. Whether you’re getting in gnarly trail runs or conquering new summits, Altra has got you covered with the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR, designed to help eat up whatever the trail throws your way and more.
On Performance & Design…
By now, readers of this site are familiar with our fondness for the Altra platform. Like all Altra shoes, the Lone Peak features Altra’s traditional FootShape toe box which lets your toes relax and spread out naturally for greater stability and comfort in shifting terrain. Altra shoes have little or no drop, meaning your foot sits flat rather than sloping downward from heel to toe. This can help promote your natural stride and encourage a lower-impact landing.
When you take the natural design philosophy of the Altra build and partner it with a gritty outsole, the result is a mountain ready shoe that’s been a beloved favorite of trail hounds everywhere. The Lone Peak has the goldilocks position in Altra’s trail running shoe lineup sitting in between the light and thin Superior 4.5 and the max cushion Olympus 4. Since the outset, it has proven to be a highly capable, comfortable, cushy trail shoe that has earned a special level of appreciation from hikers and thru-hikers.
Now, to help push you even further into the great outdoors no matter what Mother Nature has in store, the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR brings something new to the mix. The all-new Lone Peak ALL-WTHR for men and women (available in low and mid height) is based around a weather-resistant eVent bootie construction. Add in the responsive Altra EGO™ midsole and you might have just found the perfect trail shoe.
Not familiar with the Altra EGO midsole? It’s Altra’s midsole cushioning material with energetic rebound, light weight and superior comfort. Unlike traditional EVA midsoles, Altra EGO performs better and more consistently in extreme temperatures. In tests against traditional running shoe foams, Altra EGO has high long-term durability to maintain excellent cushioning and energy return properties throughout the life of the shoe.
Since we’re talking about trail shoes, it’s important to touch on outsole. Traction is everything when you’re running up and down steep mountains, so Altra outfitted the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR with their MaxTrac™ rubber outsole and TrailClaw™ canted lugs. The TrailClaw design features a mix of arrow or chevron-shaped lugs and hexagonal lugs, positioned underneath the push off points of the feet. All told, the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR is poised to provide long-lasting grip even on steep, rocky, and technical terrain
Notes from the Trail…
It’s always worth mentioning that Zero drop is the Altra signature and we firmly believe it will bring new life to your running/hiking experience. However, if you are a new convert to the zero drop platform, you should expect a transition period as your body adjusts to the more natural position of the foot.
Our trail team did feel that the overall feel of the shoe is much more structured than the others in the Lone Peak line. The underfoot feel is very sturdy and comfortable, and while we love the responsive feel of the Ego Midsole, it does make the shoe feel a little heavier. Lastly, it is worth noting that the Velcro ”Gaiter Trap” attachments are gone. This isn’t clear in Altra’s description of the shoe and it will come as a disappointment to some long time Lone Peak fans.
Bottom Line…
Even within the young history of the Altra brand, the Lone Peak has carved out a special niche for itself and won legions of fans in the process. There’s no doubt that the All-WTHR is a solid addition to the Lone Peak family. While some Lone Peak purists may quibble with some of fit and feel issues, what’s true is the All-WTHR is ready to be embraced by those trail hounds that love the Altra ride, but have been seeking added protection from the elements.