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

Altra Escalante

5/5

Overall

If you looking for a performance trainer that is light, responsive, but doesn't sacrifice cushioning then the Altra Escalante is the shoe for you. The midsole provides plenty of cushioning, but performs like a racing flat. I have honestly never experienced a shoe like it. If you are an efficient runner, the escalante can be used as a daily trainer. I typically use it for tempo's/fartleks/progressive long runs and races. My only gripe is that the shoe isn't as durable as I would like it to be for how expensive the shoe is. Avoid technical trails and chat/crushed gravel trails because they will wear down the midsole and toe of the shoe. The upper is super comfortable. The upper feels as if you are wearing a sock, but is snug and supportive in the place you need it to be. This is definitely a shoe to try and have in your training and race day line up.

HarrierStu · Jul 13, 2018

35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Vazee Prism v2

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

Reader review

5/5

Overall

After running with the Escalante for over a year now, I can say this is the best Altra shoe I've put on my feet. It lives up to everything you'd want from Altra - nice foot-shaped, wide toe box, zero drop, cushioned but responsive midsole, light, and best of all - the new shoe upper material is stretchy and extremely comfortable. I can't really find one negative thing to say about this shoe. Durability is good - over 500 miles in first pair with little or no loss of spring in the midsole. It reminds me most of the Skora Tempo, but with better (more comfortable) upper and better (soft yet bouncy) mid-sole cushioning. Slightly compares to older Brooks Pureflow, but Pureflows have always been too narrow and the cushioning on those are not even comparable to the Escalante 'Ego' midsole. BTW - I've run in every version of the Altra Torins except the latest 3.5 and also the Paradigm and the One(2)s. - this is easily the best Altra yet for me.

aramchek · Jul 12, 2018

35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Torin 3.0

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

Best shoe

5/5

Overall

This is one excellent shoe. It is like running on cloud and I don't feel as much impact as other shoes. My legs recover a lot faster as well. I love the wide toe boxl since I have wide feet. I feel definitely stock 4+ pairs when it gets on sales.

Martin Ng · May 13, 2018

30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Clayton 2

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

Altra Escalante

4/5

Overall

I've had three pairs of escalantes over the last 10 months (with my other go to shoe being the super 3.0) I love this shoe do runs from 4 miles really easy to long runs and all my speed work in it. Generally I can make my escalantes last about 580-620 miles a piece. This has been excellent shoe for really anything I need it for. Only complaint was that during indoor track season my foot would slip towards the outside over the sole when running quick on turns. I haven't raced in the shoe so cannot provide any insight there.

Anonymous runner · Apr 14, 2018

70 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Provision 3.0

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

Daily trainer

5/5

Overall

I use this for anything up to threshold paced runs, I even prefer it on my bicycle in slip in pedals over pedal shoes. One of the best shoes on the market, especially the zero drop/minimalist market. Space is unreal comfort. New black color is pretty suave in my opinion, passes as a normal shoe any day of the week! Works for easy runs, long runs, marathon pace. Try the solstice for tempo and maybe even road races, I might replace my adidas adios with the new solstice :p. But yeah anywaayzz, daily trainer, zero drop, comfortable AF, can pick up the pace for up to half marathon, but maybe something a little stiffer for threshold, races, and anything 10k pace and below, unless you are running over 40 min for 10k, in which case I would totally race in it. A tad pricey, would love to pick up the new colors for 100 bucks a pop!

Anonymous runner · Feb 19, 2018

60 mpw came from the Altra One 2.5