Altra Escalante

Name: Altra Escalante
Brand: Altra
Rating: 4.7 (41 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 7.2 oz · 0mm drop · 25/25mm stack

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Altra Escalante 1.5 replaced it

How it ranks

The Altra Escalante ranks among the stronger daily trainers in our data. Comfort and cushioning are its strongest sub-ratings. Looks scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 41 runner reviews and 6 other rated shoes in the Escalante product line.

Very good

92/100

Overall

Very good 92

Comfort

Exceptional 99

Cushioning

Exceptional 97

Durability

Good 88

Value

Good 80

Appearance

Decent 76

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

94/100

High 94

What runners say

“Canceled the surgery when I was able to run in the Altra Escalantes.”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Clayton 2

“Stepping into the Escalante felt like feet had just burst out of jail and experienced fresh air. That toe box!”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Clifton 5

“The ego midsole has the perfect amount of spring that makes you feel like you can keep running forever.”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike Flex RN 2017

“4 weeks in I was up to 40 miles a week without any flare.”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Clayton 2

“The upper feels as if you're wearing a sock, but is snug and supportive where you need it.”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Vazee Prism v2

“Most Altras feel clunky, but the Escalante midsole is fantastic. Very springy and very durable.”

5/5 Full review 65 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Newton Gravity 6

“The midsole provides plenty of cushioning, but performs like a racing flat.”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Vazee Prism v2

“Logged 700 miles on a pair. No rips in the upper, good wear on the tread.”

5/5 Full review 60 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Instinct 3.5

“Over 500 miles in first pair with little or no loss of spring in the midsole.”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Torin 3.0

“Had pain in toes and on top of foot, and this has been fixed with the Altras.”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon

Prefer this shoe over another

65% 17/26

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 the sock-like knit upper.
Light at 7.2 oz, with a midsole reviewers call soft and springy.
Four runners report 500 miles or more before retiring a pair.

Cons

Thirteen reviewers say the stretchy upper lets the foot slide sideways when cornering.
Seven reviewers find it insecure on gravel, trails and uneven ground.
Three reviewers see outsole wear by 250 to 400 miles.

Escalante rates 92. This shoe has high certainty. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Altra Escalante

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

Rating

40 60 80 100

92 2017 91 2019 75 2022 81 2024 90 2026 98 2018 87 2020

Release year

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

Escalante 2.5

2020 · 5 reviews

87 Good

67 Confidence
Escalante 1.5

2018 · 17 reviews

98 Exceptional

95 Confidence
Escalante 5

2026 · 2 reviews

90 Very good

66 Confidence
Escalante 4

2024 · 7 reviews

81 Good

69 Confidence
Escalante 3

2022 · 15 reviews

75 Decent

81 Confidence
Escalante 2

2019 · 12 reviews

91 Very good

86 Confidence
Escalante This shoe

2017 · 41 reviews

92 Very good

94 Confidence

Reader Ratings

41 ratings

5/5 28

4/5 12

3/5 1

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 7.2 oz
Release: 2017 Q2
MSRP: $130
Stack Height: 25mm heel - 25mm toe
Drop Height: 0mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Zante v3 - not as fantastic as the v2

4/5

Overall

I bought the Altra Escalante with the intention of using it as a tempo/fartlek shoe, given its light weight and responsive cushioning. While it does live up to the hype surrounding its comfort and soft-yet-springy midsole, I find that I cannot use it for anything faster than marathon pace. This is because the upper is very flimsy and lacking in support. I typically don't like an over-supportive shoe, but my foot slips around at higher speeds and causes hot spots on the balls of my feet. The shoes are awesome for easy and long runs, and feel amazing, but I simply cannot run fast in them due to this issue. Also, they are useless on trails, given that any lateral motion causes a similar behavior. Granted, these are not marketed as anything even resembling trail shoes, so I can't take points off for that. In all, these shoes are extremely comfortable, conform to the typical Altra wide toebox, zero-drop design, and have a great blend of cushioning that also feels responsive. If they just had a bit more supportive upper that didn't flex and stretch so much, they would be perfect.

mroberts29 · Oct 2, 2018

40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v3

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

Good cushioning. Poor lockdown.

4/5

Overall

Very comfortable shoe with good cushioning that firms up with speed. Needs more structure in the upper to provide better midfoot stability.

Anonymous runner · Oct 1, 2018

35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Instinct 2.0

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

Escalante- road training shoe

4/5

Overall

Probably the most comfortable running shoe I've ever had, just to stand around in. The knit upper is very unrestrictive, which seems like a pro... but when I'm actually running, and for example, make a hard turn, I feel my foot moving in the shoe, because of the "give" of that knit upper. For that reason, I definitely can't run on uneven surfaces in this shoe, as my feet don't feel very secure. Also, it's a bit too cushy for my liking, but that is a personal preference. It has held up well, and looks nice.

Anonymous runner · Oct 1, 2018

25 mpw training for a marathon

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

My new go-to shoe

5/5

Overall

Having run in a pair of Hoka One One Clifton 5 prior to these, stepping into the Altra Escalante felt like my feet had just bust of jail and experienced fresh air for the first time. That toe box! Although I enjoyed the general ride and transition of the Clifton 5, I didn't realize how restricted my toes felt until running in the Escalante. Coupled with the plush yet reasonably lightweight EGO midsole, each step was sufficiently comfortable. The heel drop difference coming from the Clifton (5mm) to the Escalante (0mm) was somewhat noticeable, but didn't result in any physical issues after a 10 mile test run. The knit upper is incredibly comfortable and stretchy, which unfortunately meant that turning corners at speed can be a bit challenging as I could sometimes feel my outer toes slipping off the side of shoe. Overall, I found that the shoes make a wonderful daily trainer, but I would definitely slip on a lighter and more stable pair of shoes for races.

Anonymous runner · Sep 30, 2018

40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Clifton 5

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

Sponge

4/5

Overall

The cushion in this is top notch, soft but very springy. Also the shoe retains the same feel, even after +400miles. Very flexible and accommodating, should suit all running style, didn't notice the zero drop as much as some other Altras. Although the upper is super accommodating/comfy it can be sloppy. When cornering or going on light trails/gravel the foot moves around almost off the platform, potentital ankle roller! Therefore have turned these into an easy mile and recovery shoe but would highlight recomend

Anonymous runner · Jul 14, 2018

75 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the adidas adizero Boston 6