Type a shoe name, like Pegasus, Clifton or Kayano.

Altra One 2.5

Racing · Neutral · Road · 6.6 oz

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Altra One V3 replaced it

How it ranks

The Altra One 2.5 ranks among the stronger racing shoes in our data. Comfort and value are its strongest sub-ratings. Looks scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 14 runner reviews and 3 other rated shoes in the One product line.

Altra One 2.5

of 2

Very good

92/100
Overall
92
Comfort
98
Value
84
Cushioning
82
Durability
58
Appearance
50
Confidence

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

87/100

87

What runners say

“Not the world's most durable shoes, lasting me about 10-20% less miles than other brands because the upper eventually rips”
5/5 Full review 85 mpw training for a marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 5
“Fit is solid and holds the heel and midfoot well while allowing plenty of room for the toe box”
4/5 Full review 60 mpw training for a marathon came from the Saucony Virrata 2
“Specifically the toe box! They are super comfy and my toes don't rub together and blister”
5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 10
“Complete upper failure on the inside of my right foot around 425KM”
5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a marathon came from the Saucony Triumph ISO
“Can run fast (sub 7:00) in these without developing blisters at the base of the toes”
4/5 Full review 60 mpw training for a marathon came from the Saucony Virrata 2
“Forces you to run with good technique (high cadence, forefoot strike)”
4/5 Full review came from the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 16
“They look like silly bowling shoes”
5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a marathon came from the Saucony Triumph ISO
“Very wide at the forefoot and narrow at the heel”
5/5 Full review 85 mpw training for a marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 5
“They look a lot like clown shoes”
5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 10
“The toebox literally looks like a bowling shoe”
5/5 Full review 50 mpw

Prefer this shoe over another

56% 9/16

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.


Pros

  • Reviewers with wide feet praise the roomy toe box and the blister-free fit.
  • At 6.6 oz it feels fast, and reviewers race and do tempo work in it.
  • Comfort is the standout at 4.9 out of 5, and runners report no hot spots over long miles.

Cons

  • Uppers often rip before the midsole wears out, and durability averages 3.7 out of 5.
  • Appearance is much the weakest dimension at 3.4 out of 5, and four reviewers compare the toe box to a bowling shoe.
  • Two reviewers find the cushioning and traction thin, one with sore feet after 16-mile runs.

Rating & Confidence vs. other shoes for sale

Each dot is one rated shoe for sale, placed by its rating and by how much evidence sits behind it. Shoes toward the top right are both well rated and well established.

Confidence
50 60 70 80 90 100 25 50 75 100

Better Shoes Rating

One 2.5 rates 92. This shoe has high certainty. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Altra One

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

Rating

Release year

We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating. See why.
  • One 2.5 This shoe

    2015 · 14 reviews

    92 Very good

    87 Confidence

  • One V3

    2017 · 7 reviews

    77 Decent

    58 Confidence

  • One 2.0

    2014 · 13 reviews

    91 Very good

    86 Confidence

  • One

    2013 · 4 reviews

    90 Good

    74 Confidence

Reader Ratings

14 ratings
5/5 9
4/5 5
3/5 0
2/5 0
1/5 0

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight
6.6 oz
Release
2015
MSRP
$100

Runner reviews

Write a review

Showing 11–14 of 14 written reviews

Reader review

5/5

Overall

Its a great shoe to race in but sole wears quickly and shoe isn't of highest build quality.

mcguck · Dec 14, 2015

35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Elite 7

Comfort
5/5
Durability
2/5
Appearance
2/5
Value
2/5

Reader review

5/5

Overall

I first tried the Altra TheOne 2.5 because I was looking for a lightweight shoe to use for the marathon. I tried marathon flats from a variety of companies but I could not find anything that fits my very wide foot. The Mizuno Universe is too light for the marathon and everything else is too narrow. I bought my first pair of Altra TheOne 2.5s to do some race pace work in several months out from the marathon and immediately fell in love with them. Not only did I do all of my works and the marathon itself in them but I now use them for almost all of my easy runs. They are not the world's most durable shoes, lasting me about 10-20% less miles than other brands because the upper eventually rips. The shoe continues to be wearable for some time after that though. Note that the Altra shoes only come in one width but it is very wide at the forefoot and narrow at the heel, just like my foot. I find the Altra TheOne 2.5 suitable for all but the most rocky terrain and anything down to about 5k pace at which point they are a bit too soft. Best shoe I have ever worn. This shoe is especially attractive to anyone who liked the wide versions of the Saucony Kinvara and has been unable to fit in them since the wide model was dropped in recent years.

OldClubCoach · Dec 11, 2015

85 mpw training for a marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 5

Comfort
5/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
5/5
Value
4/5

Reader review

4/5

Overall

Nice Wide shoe which foots my large front feet. Very smooth transition, follow your foot moovement.

jpbsavard · Dec 7, 2015

10 mpw training for a marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 4

Comfort
5/5
Durability
3/5
Appearance
2/5
Value
4/5

Reader review

5/5

Overall

Lots or reviews wonder about durability. I'm about 410K (over 250 miles) in on these shoes (I rotate with other shoes) and they're looking good. I used them for long runs up to 18 miles and my intervals and tempo work. Very light, very comfortable and surprising durable. Can definitely do a HM in it and will even consider doing a full in them.

Phillypharm · Dec 4, 2015

65 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Virrata 2

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

Alternatives

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Compared to other shoes

See how this shoe compares to others like it.

Current shoe
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Lightest / Best comfort / Best value
Newest
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Shoe properties
Type
Racing
Daily trainer
Racing
Pronation
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
6.6 oz M Lightest
9.3 oz W
7.7 oz M
Stack
Drop
8mm
Release
2015
2024 Q2 Newest
2024 Q1
MSRP
$100 Lower MSRP
$295
Best price
$142.82
Ratings
Overall
Very good (92)
Exceptional (99) Best overall
Comfort
Exceptional (98) Best comfort
Excellent (95)
Cushioning
Good (82)
Exceptional (97) Best cushioning
Durability
Bottom-tier (58)
Below average (64) Best durability
Appearance
Bottom-tier (50)
Excellent (96) Best appearance
Value
Good (84) Best value
Good (84)
Specific shoe

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