Altra Instinct 3.0

Name: Altra Instinct 3.0
Brand: Altra
Rating: 4.4 (7 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 8.1 oz (men's) · 17/17mm stack · zero-drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Altra Instinct 1.0 replaced it

How it ranks

The Altra Instinct 3.0’s rating is an early estimate. We’ve collected 7 runner reviews so far, with product line history also informing the score.

Decent

Overall

Decent 79

Value

Decent 73

Comfort

Decent 73

Cushioning

Decent 71

Durability

Below average 68

Appearance

Bottom-tier 50

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 is low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

84 Moderate

Moderate 84

Based on

The bars show roughly how much each source contributes to this shoe’s rating. Their influence depends on how many reviews we’ve collected, how many earlier versions are in the product line, and the external ratings available.

Product line track record
Our ratings
External ratings

What runners say

“Firm enough to get a good spring off the ground vs. mushing into the shoe as you do with too much cushion.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw came from the Saucony Kinvara 4

“I have wide feet and have struggled to find a comfortable shoe that fits. This is it.”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Pure Grit 2

“The durability has not been great as I had 145 miles on the first pair.”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Pegasus+ 29

“The zero drop has done wonders for my achilles and heel issues.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw came from the Saucony Kinvara 4

“Running downhill when toes ram into end of the uniquely designed large toe box.”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for middle distance came from the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 14

“The shoe fits better than any shoe I have ever had.”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Pegasus+ 29

“200 miles so far and they have just broke in the sweet spot.”

4/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a marathon

“The wide toe splay is great.”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Pegasus+ 29

“A little slippage in the heel.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw came from the Saucony Kinvara 4

“Nice roomy forefoot.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw came from the Saucony Kinvara 4

“There is just enough cushioning to feel comfortable.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw came from the Saucony Kinvara 4

“Just enough cushioning.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw came from the Saucony Kinvara 4

“Soft and comfortable.”

4/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a marathon

Prefer this shoe over another

86% 6/7

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.

Pros

Five reviewers praise the wide toe box, two of them for wide feet.
Three reviewers say the zero drop suited them, one citing Achilles and heel trouble that eased.
It stacks 17mm front and back at zero drop, and weighs 8.1 oz.

Cons

Reviewers rate appearance 2.9 out of 5, its lowest dimension by a wide margin.
One of seven reviewers so far has their toes hit the end of the toe box running downhill.
One of seven reviewers so far got 145 miles from a pair before replacing it.

Instinct 3.0 rates 79. This shoe has moderate confidence. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Altra Instinct

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

Rating

40 60 80 100

73 2014 79 2015 87 2017 62 2012 84 2018

Release year

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

Instinct 4.5

2018 · 3 reviews

84 Good

70 Confidence
Instinct 1.5

2012 · 12 reviews

62 Below average

83 Confidence
Instinct 4.0

2017 · 3 reviews

87 Good

69 Confidence
Instinct 3.0 This shoe

2015 · 7 reviews

79 Decent

84 Confidence
Instinct 2.0

2014 · 13 reviews

73 Decent

87 Confidence

Runner Ratings

7 ratings

5/5 3

4/5 4

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: 8.1 oz (men's)
Release: 2015
MSRP: $110
Stack: 17/17mm
Drop: 0mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

5/5

Overall

I have wide feet and have struggled to find a comfortable shoe that fits. This is it. If you have wide feet - like a ducks webbed feet wide - and you are a forefoot runner who can handle nuetral zero drop shoes, try this out.

[email protected] · Apr 13, 2016

25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Pure Grit 2

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

5/5

Overall

The wide toe splay is great and I love that is a zero drop shoe. The shoe fits better than any shoe I have ever had. The zero drop felt like I was walking like a duck at first but I got used to it in a few days. The durability has not been great as I had 145 miles on the first pair, bough another and the new one felt like there was a lot more question. But I'm still running in the old shoe some.

Anonymous runner · Dec 9, 2015

25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Pegasus+ 29

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

4/5

Overall

The zero drop has done wonders for my achilles and heel issues. The transition was easy as I ran in 4mm drop shoes prior to running in the Altra Instinct 3.0. Although the shoe is low to the ground (I've seen it listed at 17mm and 20mm) there is just enough cushioning to feel comfortable. They are also firm enough to get a good spring off the ground vs. mushing into the shoe as you do with too much cushion.

jar · Dec 7, 2015

40 mpw came from the Saucony Kinvara 4