Update: Check out the latest Altra Torin 3.0 models!
Sport Seasons has recently received the first shipment of the Altra Torin 1.5 in men’s and women’s sizes. For those not familiar with the brand, here is some information about the brand and the shoes:
The Altra running shoe brand, whose founders are ultra marathoners and triathletes, was born from their noticing that many of the retail customers’ running injuries could be minimized by shaving off some of the heel height of the shoes they ran in.
Altra running shoes have a ‘zero drop’ from heel to forefoot, meaning that there is an equal amount of midsole height and cushioning under the heel and forefoot. In contrast to the conventional running shoe with an elevated heel, this puts the feet, knees, hips and back in a natural alignment.
Altra shoes have a wide toe box that allows the toes to spread for natural stability and prevents the negative effects associated with cramped toes, such as bunyons and joint problems.
Altra shoe models are gender specific, so that the womens models have a narrower heel, higher instep, longer arch, and narrower midfoot than the mens models to accommodate women’s feet more specifically. Altra has several styles from lighter performance models to thicker cushioned training models for the road and the trail.
I have been waiting for these shoes! We have had various minimalist shoes over the past few years and have found more customers going back to some cushioned models.
The Torin 1.5 has the benefits of natural foot positioning to promote more of a mid-foot strike which does help with the problem of impact, but this shoe has full cushion. It is one of the most comfortable shoes I have ever put on my feet. After a bit of a hiatus from running a couple months, I have experienced the usual tendon pains getting back into it, but with the Torin, I had no such pain after running in them. I have worked in them (on my feet all day) for some long hours with excellent comfort.
The Altra Torin 1.5 provides natural back and body alignment, and full cushion for great running!
-Barry