Altra Men's Superior 5 Sneaker, Medium

Product Information

In summary, although the fit and feel of the upper is slightly different in the Superior 5 than the Superior 4.5 for most runners the Superior 5 will still be a winning shoe. The Superior 4.5 was a popular shoe at Northern Runner. For those runners that like firmer more responsive feel to their shoes and a bit of feel for the ground. There isn’t that soft pillow-like cushioning that you sink into in the softer cushioned shoes. This makes the shoe feel faster and more responsive. The Superior 5 has the same midsole and outsole as the 4.5. So, it has an equally zippy feel.

In the end, it’s simple. If you’re looking for more ground feel, want to shed some weight from your feet, and still feel nimble over technical terrain, then the Superior will be entirely up your street. The upper is made in the same pattern as the previous version. There is no plastic in the heel cup, so it can mould to the shape of your heel. The tongue is an integral part of the upper, burrito style, that wraps around the foot. This reduces the chance of any debris getting into the shoes and gives a really nice fit, making the shoes feel like an integral part of your foot rather than a bulky shoe that feels ‘strapped on’. The toe cap is a bit harder than on the Superior 5, which offers more protection. I’d suggest doing a few short runs first to ensure you’re not going to get any rubbing before heading out on long runs. However, the shape, width and volume of Altra shoes does vary depending on the intended use of the shoes. I think there’s a couple of reasons why. It is very light, very nice, and wide again; it is low profile and has a lower arch profile.

The Bad

Running across hills to test how the padding feels against the ankle bones, and to get a feel for stability. While it remains very flexible, this shoe is one of the most stable due to its wide platform, low to the ground ride, and zero drop. Trista: "The upper is the first thing that I loved about the Superior 5. I have a high instep, and this shoe wraps perfectly around the top of my foot without any added pressure. It allows my foot to move freely while feeling secure and comfortably snug."

ALEX: I have owned every version of the Altra Superior, and the improved fit and traction of this one takes it right to the top for me. It maintains the signature Superior attributes, including the FootShape comfort and 21 mm Balanced Cushioning platform. I feel like the differences in foams are usually overhyped, but in these two cases, there’s still a difference to be felt. It is the slimmest trail design that has largely stayed the same. The 5 (which actually has more than 5 iterations since Altra does half numbers on minor change models) has some noticeable changes too. Most of the focus was put on updating the upper and outsole. Not much more to say. Let’s get into it! The upper material has also changed. The new mesh is designed to be more resistant to abra sion f rom the trail and dry faster. There is no plastic in the heel cup, so the heel of the shoes takes the shape of your heel. As in the previous m odel, the tongue wraps around and reduces the chance of getting debris in the shoes and helps give a nice comfortable fit.

What You Need To Know

Dom: The biggest functional change to the upper is that the new heel is more substantial, with more padding around the heel collar, and a tangible heel counter. Personally, I’m ambivalent on this: I didn’t feel that there was much wrong with the old design. I’ve never had any rubbing on the heel from the Altra Superior, but that’s not saying too much because it’s not an issue I often face. But it should be known that this heel counter is pretty stiff, for an Altra shoe. If you’re coming from the road lineup, and in particular the Escalante, you’ll notice a big difference in the heel.

If you’re using a traditional shoe, you’ll likely feel no difference, but if you’re coming from a minimalist shoe, or other Altra’s, just take note.In summary the Superior 5 is as comfortable as the previous versions but, tweaked to make it better for longer runs than the previous version. The Superior 5 is smaller fitting so we suggest trying half a size larger than you used in the Superior 4.5. The Superior has never used the trusty Vibram rubber that other Altra’s have, and that’s a shame. Instead, the in-house MaxTrac rubber is used, and I’m expecting this to be the area that breaks down first. That’s it for the general factors of the Altra shoe line, so let’s break down the details of both the Altra Lone Peak and the Altra Superior.

The new upper is just a little bit better fit, not any little bunching here, just a little bit more opportunity for it to sort of fit and feel good around your shoe around your foot. The Altra Superior 5 is a shoe best suited for runners who want a fast and light shoe that offers great traction and a strong sense of connection with the trail. Who should NOT buy the Superior 5The dynamic lace stays and super fat laces work well to cinch down the foot nicely. The tongue is integrated on one side and gusseted on the other providing a superlatively secure lace cage. The super grippy MaxTrac outsole provides great traction and grip on technical trail. This version has a better tread pattern with canted lugs that have been strategically placed and oriented to increase grip. If you’re unsure which Altra trail shoe is for you, I’ve got you covered. Head over to my Altra trail running shoe round-up post, and I’ll lay out the exact formula for you to decide.