New running shoes: Altra, Flux or Topo?
I am currently running in Altra Escalante racers that have kind of reached their end of life. I'm looking for a new set of shoes.
Previously to these, I ran in full no-cushion minimalist shoes, but I was starting to run on pavement and was getting tendon pain as a result. I switched to the Escalante racers because they had healthy padding, but still much lower than most running shoes, with the wide toebox and zero drop which are now non-negotiables for me.
They have been good for reducing my tendon pain while still giving me a natural gait. My biggest issues with them is the toebox, which I find too narrow (though obviously wider than mainstream brands). The version I got were "standard fit", while I see now that the newest version is in Altra's "original fit" which I figure might rectify this issue. I was also considering moving to the standard Escalante for slightly more padding.
I'm also not made of money though. I've seen that in the last few years Altra has been getting more competition in this market. The other brands I've seen that offer zero-drop, wide/natural toebox padded running shoes are Flux and Topo. I have also heard that the build quality of Altras has been slipping recently, which is also having me consider another brand possibly.
So the three models that seem right for me from each brand are the Altra Escalante, Topo Magnifly and Flux Adept Runner. Of those three options, does anyone have any recommendation when it comes to toebox width, build quality and value for price? Are there any other companies offering these type of shoes that might be worth considering?
Posted Jul 9, 2025, 4:05 AM UTC