Altra Escalante Racer

Name: Altra Escalante Racer
Brand: Altra
Rating: 4.7 (16 reviews)

Racing · Neutral · Road · 6.9 oz · 0mm drop · 24/24mm stack

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Altra Escalante Racer 2 replaced it

How it ranks

The Altra Escalante Racer is one of the strongest racing shoes in our data. Comfort and durability are its strongest sub-ratings. Value scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 22 runner reviews and 1 other rated shoe in the Escalante Racer product line.

Excellent

96/100

Overall

Excellent 96

Comfort

Exceptional 98

Durability

Decent 80

Appearance

Decent 72

Cushioning

Decent 72

Value

Below average 62

Confidence

How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence will score low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

92/100

High 92

What runners say

“The cushioning is even better than before, with a just little bit less sink and more bounce.”

5/5 Full review 80 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Superior 3.5

“Surprisingly durable with the stitched upper, I've had several pairs in which the upper is like new even after running over 1,000 miles in.”

4/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a marathon came from the Skechers Go Meb Speed 3

“It feels very soft, but stays dynamic in the meantime.”

5/5 Full review 80 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Superior 3.5

“Because of the zero drop platform it is hard to get up on your toes to race a 5k-10k when changing gears.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Escalante 1.5

“This shoe is firmer, has more energy return and is lighter than the current Escalante's.”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35

“The knit type of mesh is extremely open, so forget this shoe for dirt roads, trail running, or cold weather.”

5/5 Full review 80 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Superior 3.5

“I killed the foam after only 400km.”

4/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila EVO

“No grip while running on moist asphalt.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a marathon came from the adidas adizero Boston 7

“After 400km they just started to feel hard.”

4/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila EVO

“It has an incredible amount of pop.”

5/5 Full review 75 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Clayton 2

Prefer this shoe over another

55% 11/20

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

Reviewers praise the wide toe box and zero-drop fit.
At 6.9 oz, reviewers race halves and marathons in it.
Many runners find it lively at tempo with clear road feel.

Cons

It lists at $140, three reviewers call it expensive, and value is the lowest-rated dimension at 4.0 out of 5.
Three reviewers warn the open knit upper is poor in cold, wet or off-road use.
Three reviewers wear the outsole or the foam out early, though others report 1000 miles and more.

Escalante Racer rates 96. This shoe has high certainty. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Altra Escalante Racer

Each dot is one version of the Escalante Racer, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.

Rating

40 60 80 100

96 2018 83 2024

Release year

We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating. See why.

Escalante Racer 2

2024 · 3 reviews

83 Good

61 Confidence
Escalante Racer This shoe

2018 · 22 reviews

96 Excellent

92 Confidence

Reader Ratings

22 ratings

5/5 15

4/5 7

3/5 0

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 6.9 oz
Release: 2018 Q1
MSRP: $140
Stack Height: 24mm heel - 24mm toe
Drop Height: 0mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

A true modern day flat

5/5

Overall

A great shoes for those looking to add something more minimalist. Can do anything from normal runs to workouts.

Jgt11 · Jun 8, 2023

50 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the New Balance FuelCell Propel v3

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 4/5
Value: 4/5

Great minimal racers

5/5

Overall

Grat for any paces, flexible, great transitioń and ride. Wide and comfy in forefoot area! Standard durability of midsole and outsole apprx 600 km for me.

Anonymous runner · Mar 17, 2022

came from the adidas adizero Adios 4

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 3/5
Appearance: 3/5
Value: 3/5

Great cushioning, just not for long!

4/5

Overall

These were my first shoes with any cushioning after running over 1000 miles in Vibrams. At first, these were great in rotation, with bouncy cushioning and felt ready for speed. Bought in size EU 44, which is my usual goto size (I find EU sizes more reliable for some reason). The size and the toebox are great and they are very easy to slip into. I used these to break my 5K PR 25 flat, down to 21:15, my 10K PR from 50 flat to 45 flat. Then finally crushed my half marathon time from 2:13 to 1:43. I strained my calf after going too hard too close to my half effort, so it wasn't the fault of these shoes! Then a few months later after 400km they just started to feel "hard" and I had to work even for an easy pace. I started to notice the initial signs of Plantar Fasciitis but managed it with rolling. Shortly after I bought the Hoka Carbon X and the pain went away and I noticed running was easy again. I tried these again recently and even my Merrell Vapor Glove 3D felt like it had more spring (which makes no sense as it has no cushioning). So I can only assume I killed the foam after only 400km. Mind you, 95% of my running is on roads and concrete, so maybe I was hard on these guys! I do love these shoes if I could get them cheaper (in Japan they are very expensive) I would get them again. The main reason I'd pick the Vibrams over these is durability and price. My original Vibrams were half the price and lasted 1600km before retirement, whilst my second pair are fine after 500km.

Anonymous runner · Mar 30, 2020

25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila EVO

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 3/5
Appearance: 4/5
Value: 4/5

Reader review

4/5

Overall

Been through two pairs- Boston and 4th of July Cons: -Soles wear out fast -No grip while running on moist asphalt -Not responsive; no snap; feel dead; cushion is non responsive Pros: -Perfect toe-box -ZERO DROP -Recovery run shoe -Light -Breathable

Anonymous runner · Jan 26, 2020

40 mpw training for a marathon came from the adidas adizero Boston 7

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 3/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 4/5

Quick comparison to Escalante 1/1.5

5/5

Overall

Just got a pair of these in because I couldn't find Escalante 1 or 1.5 discounted low enough to where I'd buy them. (I'm a cheap ass and think more than $70 for a pair or running shoes expected to last < 1000 miles is too much.) My biggest concern was that the Racer version would be too uncomfortable on the roads here in Colorado, but new out of box, I'd say the cushioning experience is similar to The One 2.5, which used to be my favorite shoe; in other words, not quite as cush as the Escalante but still very comfortable. Otherwise, it feels identical to my Escalante 1 and 1.5. Neutral and light. Note that they probably shaved most weight from the upper. It is no good at all for winter here, but could be quite welcome in the summer heat or in race conditions. Recommended. By the way--I'm 5'5" 120 pounds. Your durability and value ratings would likely vary based on your own size and willingness to pay for shoes.

Anonymous runner · Jan 9, 2020

55 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Escalante 1.5

Comfort: 4/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 3/5

Alternatives

Other shoes worth considering.

Alphafly 3

Racing

99/100 rating

$143

Vaporfly 4

Racing

98/100 rating

$110

Endorphin Pro 4

Racing

98/100 rating

$126

Top Rankings

By Category

Best Deals

Explore

Start Here

Analyses

Altra Escalante Racer

Excellent