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Altra

Instinct 2.0

Instinct 2.0
Daily trainer · Neutral · Road
Good (77/100)

Shoe details

Weight
10.2 oz
Release
2025
MSRP
$105
Stack Height
19mm heel - 19mm toe

Ratings & Reviews

Good (77/100)

Better than about 54% of shoes

Based on product-line history, external ratings, and runner reviews.
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This score rates better than 54% of shoes.

Our ratings use detailed reviews from knowledgeable runners, ratings for shoes in the same product line, and reliable product information from trusted retailers.

Rating breakdown

Better Shoes score out of 100. Shading shows the expected rating range.
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Rankings combine runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, direct comparisons to other shoes, related product-line performance, and trusted external ratings.

The darker band shows the central score range. The lighter band shows a wider range of reasonable outcomes. More reviews for this shoe usually narrow both bands.

Overall

Good (77/100)

Overall ranking

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Estimate

Good (77/100)

Rank

Ranks above 54% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the score range we think is most likely.

Comfort

Excellent (91/100)

Comfort ranking

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Estimate

Excellent (91/100)

Rank

Ranks above 88% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the score range we think is most likely.

Cushioning

Excellent (91/100)

Cushioning ranking

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Estimate

Excellent (91/100)

Rank

Ranks above 85% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the score range we think is most likely.

Value

Good (71/100)

Value ranking

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Estimate

Good (71/100)

Rank

Ranks above 38% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the score range we think is most likely.

Durability

Below average (60/100)

Durability ranking

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Estimate

Below average (60/100)

Rank

Ranks above 10% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the score range we think is most likely.

Appearance

Bottom-tier (45/100)

Appearance ranking

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Estimate

Bottom-tier (45/100)

Rank

Ranks above <1% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the score range we think is most likely.

44%

4/9

Prefer this shoe over another.

Reviewers said this shoe was better than another shoe they ran in.

All Running Shoes

Better than 54% of 2,526 running shoes ranked.

Good (77/100)

Daily Trainers

Better than 52% of 1,847 daily trainers ranked.

52%

Altra

Worse than 54% of 126 Altra shoes ranked.

46%

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Popular shoe among LetsRun.com readers.
  • Rated among the top 10% of shoes on comfort.

Cons

  • Rated below average overall.
  • Rated below average on cushioning.
  • Rated among the bottom 10% of shoes on durability.

Compared to other shoes

See how this shoe compares to others like it.

Altra Instinct 2.0
Altra Instinct 4.5
HOKA Clifton 9
Instinct 2.0
Instinct 4.5
Clifton 9
Current shoe
Newest
Lightest / Best overall / Best comfort
Shoe properties
Type
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Pronation
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
10.2 oz M
10.8 oz M
8.5 oz M Lightest
Stack
19/19mm
—
40/35mm
Drop
—
—
5mm
Release
2025 Newest
2018 Q1
2023 Q1
MSRP
$105 Lower MSRP
$110
$165
Best price
—
—
$164.99
Ratings
Overall
Average (54%)
Average (44%)
Exceptional (>99%) Best overall
Comfort
Very good (88%)
Very good (87%)
Exceptional (>99%) Best comfort
Cushioning
Very good (85%)
Good (75%)
Exceptional (>99%) Best cushioning
Durability
Bottom tier (10%)
Below average (29%)
Good (80%) Best durability
Appearance
Bottom tier (<1%)
Bottom tier (<1%)
Very good (81%) Best appearance
Value
Below average (38%)
Below average (23%)
Good (74%) Best value
Specific shoe

Search for the exact model to add to this comparison.

Where to buy

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71st percentile

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Reader Ratings

13 reader ratings

Review a shoe

Showing 1–5 of 13 written reviews

Good zero-drop for wide feet

lewruns · Feb 7, 2018

5/5

Overall

Pros -Wide toebox -Plenty of cushioning -Doesn't feel too heavy Cons -Got holes in the mesh upper pretty easily
Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
3/5
Appearance
3/5
Value
5/5

Reader review

John_norelation_Wayne · Sep 10, 2015

3/5

Overall

Very roomy. Lots of cushion. It's a breathable shoe but just feels sort of like a clown shoe. There is quite a bit of flexibility and it has a zero drop which is nice.
Comfort
4/5
Durability
2/5
Appearance
1/5
Value
3/5

Reader review

Anonymous runner · Aug 23, 2015

5/5

Overall

Comfort
5/5
Durability
5/5
Appearance
1/5
Value
5/5

Reader review

Anonymous runner · Apr 14, 2015

4/5

Overall

Very comfortable, my toes can splay and forefoot not cramped. Good for basic training, a little too squishy for speedwork or racing. Coming back from pregnancy, I needed a little more cushioning than I would normally want, so they have fulfilled that requirement, but again, a bit too squishy to go fast. Also, they look stupid.
Comfort
5/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
2/5
Value
4/5

Reader review

RancidCupNoodle · Apr 3, 2015

4/5

Overall

I bought these from Seven Hills Running Shop (Speciality in trail running) on a clearance. I wanted to try them out before I purchased them for slightly cheaper online. The shoes themselves do not look great, but I chose to get two in the black because they don't particularly clash with casual wear and also, they do not look like a typical running shoe. The toebox is build to D width, so contrary to first glances the shoe itself is not a wide shoe. This works great for me and is the only shoe were I can say that I will keep shopping with Altra. My foot was considered wide by some shoe "specialists" but after going to a credible specialty store (i.e. not Road Runners) I was educated that my foot is wide at the forefoot but not at the heel...so buying a wide shoe won't fix my problems since wide shoes still curve at the top. That's the biggest thing about this shoe! It doesn't curve at the top. This allows your feet to splay out naturally and your toes have room to be a bit mobile. This means two things (that I am non-scientifically claiming): allows your foot to disperse force from big toe (metatarsal one) throughout the foot, allows your toes to "grip" better allowing them to stretch out and "assist" in toe-off. Also, (even better) the shoe is zero-drop. I used to stretch my calves for several minutes a night on staircases because I read that one of the theories to Kenyan superiority was the elasticity of their achilles tendon from being stretched out by running up steep inclines barefoot. Well, Altra's at least allow your achilles to stretch to the individuals length. It may make you sore the first couple days, but it did not for me even though I did notice the lower to the ground feel. So far, I have been mostly doing base runs and some light tempos, which these shoes are good for. Once (in rural China) I was chased by a small dog and without thinking about it broke into a sprint and felt fast! The shoes themselves are around 10 oz. (size 9) but they do not feel that bulky due to the zero drop. The one or two cons to the shoe is that for me, I have an overly aggressive pinky too, the mesh on top of the shoe has torn. Though this is only the outer layer and the real mesh layer is still intact after about 150 miles. I normally don't track my shoes as I normally three pairs of shoes a season. Also, the shoes can be a bit slippery in the rain (on concrete) and I don't particularly recommend them for trail running (slick in mud as well). I did try the trail version though and those felt like they were hugging the ground. (I would have got them if I was not primarily running roads now).
Comfort
5/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
3/5
Value
5/5