ALTRAFWD Experience

Altra Delivers Its First Low-Drop Shoe

When you think “Altra",” you usually think “zero-drop,” right?

That’s been a defining characteristic of Altra running shoes for years. But in October 2023, Altra finally dipped their toes (pun intended) into the realm of drop with the AltraFWD Experience.

Now, Altra has moved into “some-drop” territory with the AltraFWD Experience. Let’s cover the details of this new offering.

What does “drop” mean in shoe terms?

A shoe’s drop is the height difference between the heel and the forefoot. A larger drop creates a steeper angle between heel and forefoot. So, when the heel and forefoot are at the same level on the ground, the drop is 0.

Typically, Altra shoes are zero-drop. Models you can find at John’s Run/Walk Shop include the Torin, Provision, and Lone Peak.

What is the AltraFWD Experience?

Constructed as a performance-forward lightweight shoe, the AltraFWD Experience has a comfortable engineered upper and spacious toe box positioned on Altra’s Standard Footshape Fit.

Its rocker shape encourages efficient toe-off, and the 4mm drop allows for a smooth and quick roll through any stride.

The neutral stack heights (men’s 32-28mm and women’s 30-26mm) are combined with lightweight, compression-molded foam.

The weight of the AltraFWD Experience is 8.5 oz (men) and 7.1 oz (women).

Why Did Altra Make a Shoe With Drop?

For over a decade now, Altra has been delivering comfort to as many runners as possible through natural foot positioning on both road and trail.

The brand isn’t abandoning zero-drop for those who consider it their favorite aspect of the shoes. Instead, Altra considers the AltraFWD Experience a continuation of its mission and a way to expand the product offering for more runners.

“The AltraFWD Experience is all about brand expansion, product evolution, and continuing to create shoes that work for more and more runners,” according to Altra co-founder, Brian Beckstead. “Since the start, we’ve been all about creating what people need and sought to build shoes that work with your body from road to trail.

“We’ll never stop catering to the Altra loyalists who are all about zero-drop, but we are super excited to expand our line-up and create a low-drop shoe that helps make Altra accessible to more runners – especially those who haven’t wanted to take the full leap into zero-drop.”

Who Is the AltraFWD Experience For?

The above quote seems to illustrate Altra’s main goal: catering to runners who aren’t yet ready for zero-drop. Zero certainly is not for everyone. Some runners absolutely love this style of shoe, citing a more natural gait as well as improved posture and balance.

However, the prevalence of above-zero-drop shoes means that eliminating the drop will take some adjustment for most runners. Logging miles in a low-drop shoe could be a good bridge for runners looking to transition rather than dive into the zero-drop world.

What about runners who already wear Altra or other zero-drop shoes? Fortunately, 4 mm is not huge. You’ll definitely feel the difference but not in an extreme way. Some Torin or VIA Olympus runners may even find it worth rotating the AltraFWD Experience into their routine.

As Altra Elite Athlete and product tester Cal Neff says, “Biomechanically, the 4mm AltraFWD Experience will allow for an efficient running form and forward-propelling stance, especially as fatigue sets in.”

The AltraFWD Experience is available now at John’s Run/Walk Shop. Try on a pair at either of our stores: Chevy Chase and Palomar Centre.