About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the shoes, which I purchased with my own money in May of 2022.

My take

The Altra Lone Peak 6 shoes are the perfect running shoe for anyone who has been running for a little while and is getting serious about long days with a lot of distance. They are lightweight, have awesome traction, and are designed with a wider toe box to be better for one’s feet.

About the gear

• Model: Altra Lone Peak 6
• Size: Women’s size 6
• Width: Regular
• Fit: Runs a bit large. I am usually a size 6.5 (occasionally a 6), but a 6 in these is perfect. The 6.5 felt huge.

Test conditions

• When I bought these: May 2022
• Days tested: 15 days
• Terrain: Rocky trails, dirt trails, loose dirt/rock trails
• Used for: Trail running, day hiking
• Where I’ve used these: Wasatch and Uinta Mountains, Utah
• Seasons I’ve used them in: Summer

About me

• Height: 5’3”
• Weight: 115 lbs
• Usual shoe size: 6.5
• Foot Width: Regular
• Foot Arch: High
• Experience: 25+ years hiking/backpacking

How they perform

What I was looking for

I bought these shoes a few months ago because I was looking for a new running shoe. I had used the Salomon Sense Rides for years but have been getting into more long-distance runs and wanted something lighter, and that is better on those high-mile days.

Why I chose this gear

I chose this gear because it is the shoe that pretty much every ultrarunner wears. Going to an ultramarathon is funny because you can look around and see Lone Peaks in almost every color that has ever been made. Altra Running, and in particular, the Lone Peaks have won a few awards and seals from the American Podiatric Medical Association for promoting good foot health. There are a few design features in the shoe that contribute to this.

First, they are a zero drop trail shoe—meaning the Cushioning platform puts your heel and forefoot at an equal height from the ground (zero drop meaning there is zero difference in mm of the height of the forefoot and heel), which promotes optimal alignment while running. Second, the cushioning foam is Altra's special Altra EGO midsoles foam technology. It is a minimalist and lightweight foam that still provides a good energy return and a responsive feel from foot strike to foot strike. Third, they have a grippy MaxTrac outsole—which provides plenty of grip and traction—with TRAILCLAW canted lugs, strategically placed in the midsole under the metatarsals (the forefoot, where the majority of a runner's weight distribution is upon impact with the ground). And lastly, the shape of the Lone Peak is Altra's signature FootShape, which has a wider toe box than regular running shoes. The wider toe box allows a runner's toes to be spread out while running, making for better form with a more natural gait while also offering maximum stability.

Most running shoes have a higher heel with a lower and narrower toebox. This squeezes the toes and puts the foot in at an angle which has been shown to lead to more frequent running injuries.

When running longer distances, it's imperative to have good form to avoid injuries. Having experienced a few running-related injuries, I did a lot of research on how to avoid future injuries and there was a lot of science to back up Lone Peak's contributions to healthier feet, knees, and hips over longer distances.

I did not look at any other models. I'd heard a lot of good feedback about the Lone Peaks from people I know who run long distances. Talking to most of my ultrarunning friends, Altra's are the only shoes they wear and the Lone Peak's are the best ultra-running shoes for what I was looking to do.

(It's worth mentioning that the Altra Torin, Altra Escalante, Altra Paradigm, Altra Superior Altra Olympus Altra Rivera, Altra Timp, and Altra Provision are a few other Altra shoes that have some combination of the technologies mentioned above such as the zero heel-to-toe drop, Maxtrac outsole, Altra Ego midsole, and foot-shaped toe box, but in terms of being the best trail shoes and the best long distance shoes, the Altra Lone Peaks are the best.)

What I love about it

• Durability: Though I haven’t had them for long, they seem to be pretty durable and I haven't had any durability issues. Two of my roommates who are ultrarunners (ultrarunning is running anything over 26 miles) and regularly run 40-60 miles a week have several pairs and buy a new pair just about every year or twice a year. However, because they are running 1,500ish miles a year at minimum and most trail running shoes have a life of 400-500 miles, it's not too surprising that they need to replace them every year. They still put over 500 miles on each pair before replacing their shoes, which is impressive.
• Break-in period: The first two runs I had in these were a little painful, but it wasn’t due to the shoe. It was just that I needed to adjust the customizable lacing system and tighten them in some areas and loosen them in others. Everyone I know who wears these has said a similar thing, but it’s not a “break-in” issue as much as just calibrating the lacing system to fit feet perfectly.
• Comfort: The Altra Lone Peaks are so comfortable. They are what’s called a zero drop shoe or minimalist shoe. Zero drop refers to the angle between the heel and toe of the shoe. Many trail runners have the heel a bit higher than the toe of the shoe and a thick sole with a good amount of cushioning to provide a plush ride. This can be helpful for many people, particularly people who just started running and are doing short distances. However, for people who have been running a while, and run longer distances, it's better to have zero drop shoes as it leads to better running form. It basically helps keep feet in a more natural and straight position when running, which helps avoid injuries better in the long run. Shoes with a drop between the heel and toe do more of the work while running, which is nice when just getting into running or for short distances, but is harder on joints long-term. This is because when the shoe is doing all the work, the muscles are not as engaged while running, so the joints take more of the stress. With a minimalist shoe like the Lone Peak, your muscles are forced to be more engaged on every step, taking a lot of the stress off your joints. These are the most comfortable shoes I have run in, largely due to the zero drop feature and the wide toe box which allows for a natural toe splay as I mentioned earlier.
• Fit: I usually wear a 6.5 in shoes, sometimes a 6, but in these, the 6.5 felt huge, so I went down a half size and got a size 6. The Altra Lone Peaks fit a bit differently than many other shoes I had worn because they have a wider toe box (known as the Altra Footshape toe box), so they almost felt too roomy when I first tried them on, but I just had to remind myself that’s part of this particular shoe. The toe box is supposed to feel roomy, and as long as there isn’t a ton of room at the end of my toes and my heel fits in the heel cup, they are the right fit! They also have a lot of adjustability within the laces, so once I adjusted the laces a bit to be more customized to my foot shape, I felt like I had a more secure fit.
• Weight: At 1 lb, 1.4 oz per pair, these are the lightest trail runners that aren’t a “barefoot running sandal.” This is largely due to the zero drop. Shoes that have more cushioning are obviously a bit heavier, and since these don’t have that, they are really light. That is also one of the features that makes them popular among ultrarunners. When running long distances like 26-100 miles, every step counts. I am more efficient and faster with lightweight shoes.
• Material: The outer sole is made of MaxTrac rubber with canted lugs under the forefoot. This rubber is light but durable and has great traction to handle any terrain. The midsole is an Altra Ego foam material that provides moderate cushioning to encourage a low-impact landing on every foot strike. The shoe also has a Quick Dry Air mesh upper, which keeps my feet from getting too hot and dries incredibly fast if I have a stream crossing or come in contact with any light rain!
• Day Hiking: I have done a few day hikes in these, and they have done really well. Two of the hikes I have taken have involved a lot of scrambling and loose rock, and the Lone Peaks did really well in that type of technical terrain!
• Trail Running: Trail running is the main reason I got these shoes, and they do their job well! It feels like I am not even wearing shoes because they are so light and comfortable. I find that when running in these shoes, I have more low-impact landings compared to when I run in other shoes, which leads to less soreness the next day in my feet, legs, calves, and back.
• Arch support: There is no arch support in the Altra Lone Peaks. That being said, I have high arches and have struggled with plantar fasciitis on and off throughout my life, and have not had any issues with these shoes so far. I have not used any inserts or insoles in these, as I have with my previous shoes. I have done some research on this, and I think because of the zero drop and roomy toe box, my foot can run in a more natural way that doesn’t end up causing me arch pain, which is incredible.
• Other Features: Though I have not used this feature, the Lone Peaks also have a loop tab near the bottom of the laces and on the heel of the shoe (called the Altra GaiterTrap) which allows for seamless integration with the hook on Altra's strapless gaiter system for runners who find themselves running in mud or wet conditions more regularly. And though it's not a reason to purchase the shoe—another fun bonus is that the Lone Peak 6 comes in a ton of fun colors!

Issues I’ve encountered

• Waterproofing: These shoes are not waterproof but have a Quick Dry Air Mesh on the upper section. I have gotten them a bit wet, and they have dried so quickly. So far, I have just used them in the summer, so it helped that it’s also been hot out when this has happened. They would probably soak through in really wet conditions quickly and stay wet. Before these shoes, I had worn the Salomon Sense Ride 4 GTX shoes with GORE-TEX to keep my feet dry. I found that the GORE-TEX on those shoes didn't work that well, so my feet still got wet. However, even though GORE-TEX isn't in the Lone Peaks, my feet stay drier than in the Sense Rides because they are more breathable and dry faster.
• Insulation: These are not insulated.
• Ankle support: There is no ankle support since it’s a trail running shoe.
• Toe protection: The upper on this shoe is pretty thin, so if I kick a rock, branch, or any other type of debris—I can feel it more than I could in previous shoes.
• Versatility: The Altra Lone Peak is a great shoe for avid runners, especially those looking to get into longer distances. However, without the knowledge of proper running form, the zero drop could cause injury or problems, so for that reason, I wouldn’t recommend them to people who are looking for their very first pair of trail running shoes.

Favorite moment with this gear

My favorite moment with these shoes was doing a run up the Pfeifferhorn in the Wasatch Mountains. It’s an 11-mile, 3.5K of vert run, and I was with two friends who are in really good shape and run more than me. I was a bit nervous because I had never hiked or run this particular trail and knew there were some sections of exposed scrambling on loose rocks. But my Lone Peaks did a great job. I felt like I had awesome traction and honestly wasn’t even sore or too tired after we finished this run, which I totally attribute to these shoes.

There were all sorts of terrain on this trail, from scrambling, dirt trails, loose rock, loose dirt, muddy sections, stream crossings, etc., and my shoes excelled in all of these types of terrain! At one point, I stepped in a stream and was stressed that my feet would be wet for the remainder of the hike, but the Quick Dry upper dried so fast that I had forgotten I had stepped in it within 10ish minutes. The top of this hike is beautiful, with 360-degree views of the Wasatch Mountains. It's now one of my favorite trails, I'm so glad I did it and was hyped that my shoes kept up!

Value for the money vs. other options

I picked these up for around $130, which isn’t too bad for running shoes. I would have purchased them even if they were more expensive because of how much I love them. They are seriously the best shoe in their market category, so they are worth the money!

Final verdict

The Altra Lone Peak 6 trail running shoes are the top shoe on the market for those doing longer runs. They help me avoid injury and soreness while making my runs running more efficient and easier. They are the perfect combination of grip, breathability, and traction. I feel like these shoes have helped my arch issues, and so far, I am just really impressed with them. They are my favorite running shoe on the market and will be my go-to from here on out.