I trained all year for a Marathon on the Altra Via Olympus (310g). All indications were pointing to a 3:30:00 - 3:45:00 finishing time. I bought the Vanish Carbon (206g) for race day and took it out to break it in a few weeks prior. First run: PR 10K. Second Run: PR 5K. I finished the Marathon in 3:13:02.........Bottom line. I can confirm this is a super shoe.

@kofuzi

8 ай бұрын

glad to hear you've had good results!

So glad you’re still making content. Been watching a long time!

I’m extremely excited to try this shoe. I am so happy you bought these ones. Thank you for sharing buddy! Always Love, Brother Christopher.

Love that shoe ! And that’s a well put review too ! Thank you !

Fantastic review of this shoe! Thank you

Why do there have to be so many cool, new shoes out right now?! I absolutely love how you described how this shoe works - it probably would have been hard to describe and you conveyed it in a way that I really get! And you can’t fake that excitement in your voice. Awesome review!

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

such a good time to be a runner

Thanks for this review! You now have me very intrigued. Although I don't run in them exclusively, I've loved Altras for quite some time now, mainly Torins and Escalantes. If it weren't for the price, I'd probably go out and nab the Vanish Carbon right away. As you mentioned, their Zero drop and wide toe box design of Altras are a great way to give the lower leg a needed workout. I'd love to experience the lower leg workout coupled with the responsive reaction you're describing. Thanks again.

never gets old seeing you almost wretch in slo mo 😆

I’m still running in the Altra Torin 5 and love them! I feel like running in a zero drop is a training option ppl need to add into their weekly runs

Great review, you explained it so well that my feet can almost feel it...

I'm sold. Can't wait to try this.

I’ve got 110 miles on my pair with several workouts and 3 races. I’ve loved the shoe and feel like it rewards good running form! I thinks it’s very competitive for anyone with a more forefoot strike.

@edwardbarklett-judge

8 ай бұрын

Lot of reviews say it doesnt last well past 80 miles. how have you found them?

@austinobrien9881

8 ай бұрын

@@edwardbarklett-judge pretty well shot at 120 haha upper has a couple tears on the sides and the outsole is worn. I think the Vanish Tempo has more durable materials here.

@edwardbarklett-judge

8 ай бұрын

@@austinobrien9881 Aah shame.. Good to know. thank you for replying.

I actually love the Nerdy-Hater-"I don't follow the herd" vibes of altras. To me, not only is it a flex to have the confidence of appearing superficially unremarkable, but as long as the gear is good enough technically (which it obviously is), it doesn't detract from your performance either. It's just a shoe. I get mine in black/gray. Also, I find the philosophy of not messing with the natural foot geometry is way easier to justify than the many of the gimmicks out there (as long as one doesn't need a specific feature for orthopaedic reasons, of course - no shame in that, we're all imperfect animals)

Kofuzi is KING.

One thing that is going to limit the amount of people willing to try this shoe is that $240 price point. It puts it in that metaspeed sky, vaporfly, and alphafly conversation which is tough. If they could get to $200 or less I think they'd have a lot more success here.

@scriptosaurusrex

2 жыл бұрын

The price will drop no doubt, especially with third party retailers :)

@spinme100

2 жыл бұрын

Totally agree. I was going to buy the altras during the memorial day weekend sales but found the next % 2 $40 cheaper. Went with the next %. This is from a guy who runs 95% of the time on altras.

@raysollarsthehappyjogger5907

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed! It will appeal to Altra devotee's mainly. I already have the Metaspeed Sky and frankly I'm sorry I spent the money. It's a great shoe but I think carbon plated racing shoes are not needed for slower runner's like me. From now on $160 is tops I will pay. That still leaves me with some great racers.

@MattRunsColorado

2 жыл бұрын

@@raysollarsthehappyjogger5907 absolutely! They are fun if you have the extra funds but not needed. And I don't think the vanish will stand out among the other super shoes unless it's the people that are strictly altra faithful. Lower price point could have appealed the masses more.

@bev9708

2 жыл бұрын

It's strange here in Europe the price seems to vary enormously, from €150 to €250 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thanks Kofuzi. I hv been looking for a carbon shoe that can do fast pace while also won't punish your feet while doing the easy slow pace. This Altra might be it! Thanks!

I think you are correct regarding the underrated status! Not that I've run in this shoe, but as I see the other initial reviews come out, they all seem rather middling. Thanks for this one as always!

@1980fack1025

2 жыл бұрын

Some seem middling (Alex Filliti), others are very positive (BITR and RTR). Some are half positive, half not so positive (SJD seems to really like it save the fit of the upper which really held back the score). I do think there is some room for improvement in the upper’s fit TBH.

Love the channel 👍🏽

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

thanks!

Funny, you got to the end and talked about the looks and I think it looks fantastic.

Listening to you, that sounds like my shoe! :D Glad I received my pair just two hours ago. ;) Looking forward to go run in it!

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

hope you love them!

You really have spent some miles in these shoes to give a very detailed review of how they feel and what kind of response you're getting back from the carbon plate and how the foam reacts too. It does seem like you describe this shoe better than I have heard anyone else describe it. Great review!

Gotta love the ending of this review with how spent you are after your run and it looks like you ran through a bunch of bugs and are spitting them all out haha

Hope to try it at my local running store tomorrow. Big expo for global running day.

So I have not done a long race yet but I did a 5k to break these in and had a PR, and feet felt amazing after. Shoe felt so light and responsive while taking care of my feet I want to get the training version and go into my marathon prep mode to save some wear and tear on the race day shoes.

Altra is definitely slept on. I use their trail runners for adventure races and they hold up incredibly well. I'm flat footed so the wider toe box feels amazing

@kofuzi

Жыл бұрын

Altra is like love-hate for me. Some shoes just work. Others just completely do not.

So glad you reviewed this shoe. Next it will be the altra vanish tempo?

Hi kofuzi, first off all I want to say that you make one of the most beautiful and honest reviews on KZread. Also, I would like to ask your opinion about the altras paradigm 6 shoes.

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

I've never run in a Paradigm

My favorite road shoe to date!

I have never run in this shoe, but have been doing a lot of my miles in the escalante racer this year and I absolutely love them.😍

@GoodFoShizzle

2 жыл бұрын

Please don’t promote this shoe, I want there to be stock when I need to replace mine

@robertmorano2372

2 жыл бұрын

@@GoodFoShizzle me too, I've already bought a few extra pairs. 😁

Great looking shoe. I'll probably pick one up on discount next year to run a half marathon. Unless my escalante racers are still good by then.

Kofuzi, in Japan workman plus has high quality gears for running, mountaineering to anything which are very low price. Their carbon running shoes is priced at 1500 Yen or less than 130USD. I bought winter running gears for around 900 Yen which are far more better than Nike or any other branded products.

The way you can contextualise the sensations and features from this shoe using metaphors is brilliant. I already brought this shoe, my only real bad point on my review was it seems to be wearing fast underneath. Although that could just be a super shoe thing. How’s yours looking?

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

I think that's the way the hardened EVA outsole is going to look. I anticipate that the wear will be more cosmetic than functional, but only miles will tell

i think the toe box is designed to be big at first because your feet expand when you run, so as you run more of the toe box fills up and the fit improves

Being a formal Team R.E.D Ambassador runner for them, I always appreciate Altra for staying in their own lane and taking their time to put the right shoe for their core runners. From your review and from friends who still run in their road shoes( I still run in Lone Peak and Superior on the trails), I easily hear and see a “Super Escalante “ with a plate crossbreed. I can’t wait to test them for my homie for feedback 😎

kudos for the outro at 12:16 ;)

Hi there your shoe reviews are great and you are one that I trust for good info. I’m a former elite runner at Eastern Michigan U and also Nike employee and running store mgr. I think when it comes to carbon or other plated shoes a good comparison you could bring up is the approximate amount of seconds per mile that you feel certain shoes give. For example I think the Saucony endorphin speed gives about 10-15 seconds per mile - in other words I feel like I’m running 7:30 pace but am actually running 7:15 when I look at my watch.

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

it's an interesting idea, except some people are more attuned to their pace vs effort than others. and more experience in the same shoe at the same effort level can shrink the "efficiency gain" you describe, meaning the shoe will be apparently worse even though nothing about the shoe has changed

@JeffGraingeriSinatra

2 жыл бұрын

Yes I agree what you’re saying, there’s a few variables in perceived effort to return. I just know when customers would ask me about the kind of return for certain carbon plated shoes that when I put it in terms of estimated seconds per mile improvement that it was an effective method for helping them understand. Thanks and looking forward to more of your great reviews!

@1980fack1025

2 жыл бұрын

Honestly that is way too subjective to be helpful in any way, shape, or form and people are going to react so differently to these shoes that it will not matter in the least how much a shoe may or may not work for Kofuzi because it will almost assuredly be different for you.

@seanbolger7371

2 жыл бұрын

I think that's a great suggestion, it would give average runners a real idea of how much one shoe might be better than another

You've just sold that shoe to me, a better pitch than anything else I've heard on this model including from Altra people! I can't wait to try it, thanks for the video!

Waiting for the non-carbon version (with the actual rubber on the outsole) and I will buy them and the Carbon version as a set. Altra has sold me on the escalente 2.5 I am really enjoying the shoe. So I am willing to experiment on its cousins when they come out.

@bensebaugh6017

Жыл бұрын

I am now wishing that I had bought at least five pairs of the 2.5 The new one is terribly tight and I had to return.

Well. I guess I want a carbon racer now? Haha Rare to have such an all around positive review from you I think (that's a good thing!). I am keen for your 'after 100mi' review though. I like my altra lone peaks, but have been weary of the very consistent 'altras don't last long' type stuff I have seen across their range in reviews. Especially their road shoes seem to not be up to the wear, so I hope this is different - and that this is a sign of things to come. I love the altra mentality, which is unique, of offering zero drop and footshape 'natural' running shoes, while not being 'bUt MuH aNcEsToRs DiDn'T hAvE pAdDeD MiDsOlEs'. Aye, they also didn't run on tarmac and concrete. Altra seem to get that and blend modern tech into the 'natural' running mentality really well.

@bev9708

2 жыл бұрын

WELL SAID!!!!! Wear is very important! AND our ancestors also usually didn't live much above 35 years old!!!

@ronjalb7839

Жыл бұрын

I have an Altra Rivera in my current rotation. So far I have run almost 400 k in them and of course you can see some minor wear on the outsole, but else I don't see why they should not serve me well for another 400 k.

I couldn't agree more!! I totally found these feeling the best out of all the carbon shoes i've tired Ps i work at a local fleet feet) . The road feel and the way it transition underfoot is like anything i've tired. I do think this shoe would destroy the market if it was 40 dollars cheaper at 200MSRP. They absolutely nailed the fit on the upper it was comfortable but felt like a racer as well.

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

It’s going to be a challenge to get people to try them on, but I think the people who actually try them on will generally like them

@JohnBirtchetSharpe

2 жыл бұрын

I will give them a go, going to get their tempo version first once my speed 2's are done, if I get on with them I will then buy the Vanish carbon for my fall/ Autumn races.

Thanks for the review! One other thing that would brake people from buying this shoe is that it is more expensive than the other hyped and great shoes like the Alphas and the Metaspeeds

This shoe is an absolute rocket… and it stays comfortable and efficient over marathon distances AND you can actually corner in it… people are starting to catch on

They could have worked more on the visual aspect, considering how damn good looking the Mont Blanc is.

I will buy this one. ❤

Just got a pair. My normal shoe size is 10. My Olympus 4's are size 10 but my Torins are 10.5. I couldn't find a store near me that sold the Vanish Carbons so i ordered them in size 10.5. After a 15 mile run I came to the realization they are just to small. Dang. I wish Altra made these in the standard fit. So I am ordering size 11 and going to return the 10.5. Fingers crossed because I like them a lot. They are very comfortable and feel fast.

@EmanueleFischetti

Жыл бұрын

hi, I also have a 10.5 on Torin 5, while I had a 10 on Torin 4. Wide forefoot so I might run into the same issue you got. Question: did you eventually get the size 11? Do they feel better than the size 10.5?

Very interesting indeed, been running in some lower drop shoes lately (More 3) and feel really positive reaction on the legs. Never tried zero drop yet but I will give a go in this Altra, specially after this very favorable review. I really been looking for faster shoe that can do slower Long runs with some speedwork in the middle, actually been using NB Elite 2 so far. Is this Altra carbon as smooth as the NB Elite 2 and does it fell better or worse at slower paces? Cheers!

great video - any comments about durability of the sole please?

@kofuzi

Жыл бұрын

you'll have to stay tuned for the 100 mile review

Have always loved Altra shoes especially the Escalante! Just can’t get around that price tag! That is out of budget for a lot of runners.

@kevincruikshank9371

Жыл бұрын

It won’t get the attention it deserves because it’s too expensive!

I heard a lot about the outsole rubbing off to quick did you experience any of that wear already?

thank you for this analysis. Question : Do you plan to bet for my Chicago marathon in October? I am a 73 kg man and I have never run with a zero drop. I'm aiming for the 4:30 stopwatch. is it possible to run with it? If so will I have time to adapt before the next Chicago Marathon?

Very interesting one!

@NaughtyRaffy

2 жыл бұрын

Why did you choose the wrong size?

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

You have to keep watching to the end. I didn’t choose the wrong size

@NaughtyRaffy

2 жыл бұрын

Ok,thank you! I did watch again and found it!

Yo, nice review. I think I remember the bearded Altra guy (not Golden) say 150-200 miles is the expected life of the foam. Do you think that sounds about right? If so, I wish it was $190ish instead of $240.

@davidlynch9049

2 жыл бұрын

I think you are dead on. If this was under $200, it might compete. But, too expensive given the excellent competition.

Love all of these shoes,one thing that annoy me is outsole rubber that wear very heavy and fast.

Hi Mike I’m curious did all that room you showed in the toe box did it make your run feel sloppy or affect the lock down? What about the price isn’t it at the $250 range?

Greetings , I was worried about there not being any rubber the outsoles or the bottom. Does this make for compromised wear and tear with mile increase. In other words can this shoe crank out 200 miles plus ? And or still efficiently perform .

I really want to try this shoe, I’m waiting for a sale before I do.

This is one of my favorite shoes from Altra, but super bummed they chose eva for the grip the wear is too quick so once it dies as a racing shoe it can’t be used as an old training shoe… hopefully edition 2 comes with a hard wearing rubber like the saucony’s

I love carbon shoes...... Now I can't live without em.

truly gorgeous

Update on my first review. I returned my size 10.5's and Altra gave me a full refund even though I had 20 miles on them. I ordered size 11 and they fit great. I did a 16 mile long run with some marathon pacing in them. I have never run in a shoe with a lot of stack height and wow is it nice. As I got deep into the miles my legs felt great with all that cushion. I am more of a mid-foot strike, but I still felt like the Vanish performed well. I still wish this shoe came in the Standard foot fit rather than the slim. I love my Torin's for this reason, but they just do not have enough stack height for those longer runs on tired legs. Kofuzi, do you plan on doing a future review after some miles?

@giovannidebei4842

Жыл бұрын

what about wearing them as normal walking shoes? I have 2 different pairs of Altras and they are ok for walking (with my orthotics inside).

Wow, great review! It looked like you had 1”+ space in front of the toes but you’re still recommending TTS?

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

yes. it'll seem weird at first but once you start running, it will make sense

I wish more shoe companies would consider the width of their shoes.

I feel the same about the Mont Blanc and it doesn't have the carbon plate

HOWS THE TREAD/grip holding up?

Really? Expensive for what you are getting given the competition. How is the durability? Looking forward to your 100 mile review. Thanks.

I am debating between the Altra Vanish Carbon and the Nike Next %2 for my upcoming Tunnel Marathon. I know you ran the Tunnel Marathon back in 2019 in the Next %, but you mentioned in your recap that you thought a shoe with less drop would have been useful. Since you have run the Tunnel Marathon and some miles in both shoes I am wondering what you would recommend? If it makes a difference, I train fairly frequently on trails in Altra Lone Peak 5, so I am familiar with a zero drop shoe and my time goal for this race is 2:55 so speed is a priority. Thanks.

@PeterChee

2 жыл бұрын

Run it in the Vanish Carbon and go crush that 2:55!

I am an Altra nerd, strictly for both ZeroDrop and FootShape. I have the Vanish Carbon, and it's only gone 150 miles, but the outsole is wearing through. I've reached the foam in a few spots, which is highly disappointing. Usually, I can take my Altras 600-800 miles before that starts becoming a concern. Hopefully the new Vanish Carbon 2 has a more durable rubber outsole.

@kofuzi

Ай бұрын

I usually don’t expect the same level of durability from my racing shoes as I do my daily trainers, but it does

Great video! How does the plate work in a zero drop shoe? Does it feel like it “loads” with each step or is it more for stability?

I’m interested to know if you would actually run a marathon in these shoes? It seemed a %100 positive review, and that was one thing I was listening out for.

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

For sure. Ran a 20 miler in them and felt great

I'm sitting here and all I can think about are the Asics Novablast 3s

Any feedback about having to get used to the zero drop since you don’t normally run in these types of shoes? I had a pair of Altra Torins and I had no problem with them. A friend tried them and said she started feeling pain, don’t know if was psychosomatic or not.

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

I think for some people, it is a real thing. but I think for most people, it's not something that one has to train for.

I always experience a little achilles tenderness for a a little bit when I wear Altra....but it goes away

I see it on sale for $100 off at one of my local running stores...hmm....tempting...

I really want to try this shoes, but their price make me upset. now I can buy Vaporfly for about $160, why I should pay more near $100 for "0 Drop" concept

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

if you can't afford it, then don't buy it. no worries

@Moggybaer

2 жыл бұрын

Maybe try the Rivera 2. I love it.

great stuff whats your height weight and age! new sub here:)

What about the durability of the outsole?

How does sizing compare to other Altra shoes?

Interesting review. Q: I've had achilles issues in the past, am I correct in assuming its better to stay away from this shoe?

@michaeltanel3815

2 жыл бұрын

"it depends" (Doctors of Running standard answer 🤣) but yes, if you have tight Achilles, zero drop can be challenging.

@chadaustin6438

2 жыл бұрын

FWIW I’ve had achilles issues when I ran exclusively in Altras, when I ran a fairly even mix of zero drop/positive heel, and since running almost exclusively in positive heel. I don’t doubt it can have an effect either way but I was hoping the lower leg stuff would decrease since moving away from zero drop and it hasn’t.

@johndonaghy4780

5 ай бұрын

Wearing zero drop shoes around the house (Lem’s Drifters) got rid of the constant soreness in my Achilles. The zero drop allows your Achilles to stretch as it should, rather than being constantly shortened by having a drop.

It would bloody well want to be a good shoe at the price!!!

@lifephorce

Жыл бұрын

😂

was this the last splash run? i just pickedup the Tempo non-plate version of this shoe.

Really wish my achilles handled the zero drop better, would love to put some miles in this

@scriptosaurusrex

2 жыл бұрын

I personally managed to transition to zeros really quickly. That's not to say you can (duh), but if this appeals, why not try a more affordable model (say a discontinued lone peak or something, if you can find one in your size) and add a few kms in your week. If it doesn't work out, you have a nice pair of every day shoes, if it does, the vanish becomes a legit option :)

I run about 7:30 mile for a 5k are carbon plated shoes worth buying.

Hi there, my question is could anyone get used to the zero drop or are there some runners who should just avoid them, thank you

@bobstewart2196

2 жыл бұрын

I switched and only run in 0 drop now

Hi there, can this shoe be run in sock less? Thanks

I’m looking for a sprint shoe for training with carbon plate. Do you have a recommendation? I weigh 190 5’10” and I am 50y/o…thank You for this information on the video.

@kofuzi

Жыл бұрын

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking, but I think you're looking for a shoe like the Takumi Sen 8 (or 9)

How did you find the heel counter? Trying them on at the Boston race expo it felt a lttle low.

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

it's floppy, which I love. to me, it fit like a very thin version of the Escalante heel.

I think your foot-strike is perfect for this shoe, and I think mine would be too. Worried about durability though--especially at $240. Can't afford to buy a super-shoe for only one race.

@PeterChee

2 жыл бұрын

I got through two marathons a long training runs and some speed workouts in a pair but didn't use them exclusively for workouts. The sole definitely is worn out.

How does the ego pro compare to puma's nitro foam?

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

I haven't tried the nitro elite, and I believe that not all Puma nitro foams are the same (deviate nitro foam feels a bit dense to me, liberate's nitro foam is springy). I'd say the ego pro foam is more like the Liberate's foam in the forefoot and like the Deviate's foam in the heel

now they have one without the carbon plate

Kofuzi's shoes are sometimes underrated; Always UNDERWATER

what city is this? kool shoe too!

@kofuzi

11 ай бұрын

chicago

Does this shoe feel similar to the carbon x3? So many good shoes releasing soon, my poor wallet 😢

I have tested these and also its sister the tempo, both have caused me calf strains. The boat shaped soles will through off your form. I run in strictly altra and xero drop but the rocking of these shoes throws me off and fortunate their minor calf strains. I switched back to my normal altra's and no problems. For me this would be great for a 5k race. For others who run in non zero drop this would would for you as well as kofuzi. Felt awesome when I put them on and walked around, felt like i was going to fly like super man haha. but I regret buying these.

@EmanueleFischetti

Жыл бұрын

since you got both the Carbon and the Tempo, what differences did you find between the two? which would you suggest for a 10k race and why? thanks!

@cliffordstanger8960

Жыл бұрын

@@EmanueleFischetti for a competitor I would suggest the carbons. But i am a middle of the pack runner, for me I like the tempo. But for personal use for my own times to PR I would use carbons just for chits and giggles

I like Altra shoes, but unluckily my achilles tendons don’t.

This is a $240 shoe. Is it underrated compared to the other shoes in the same price range?

Is this shoe reasonably priced?

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

in my opinion, the pricing is right

OH YOU MEAN ... 'UNDISCOVERED'.

Great as it might be, 240.00 is way too much.

@kofuzi

2 жыл бұрын

I think the pricing is right. $200 signals a second tier shoe. $275 signals that it should feel like a vapor fly, which this doesn't.

@davidlynch9049

2 жыл бұрын

@@kofuzi Altra is not a first tier shoe yet. It's too expensive.

as a person with 10+ altras, Altras in general just look ugly, and I'm not even talking about the foot shape. Altras have been very inconsistent between versions and models. So its hard for people to consistently use the brand. It's not durable or good looking enough for regular ppl and not fast enough for pros. These short comings keep the appeal of Altras to a small segment of the market. i train with Altras every once in awhile just for the zero drop mix into my rotation, but I'm racing with vaporflys.

@garthly

Жыл бұрын

Actually I hate Altra for coming in with several good ideas, and then dicking us around with unexplained changing of foot shapes in model updates, inconsistent sizing, and crazy stretchy materials that prevent a proper lock down, (not to mention hard tongues that bite into your foot). They had some good shoes, but it’s too late now, especially with these ridiculous unearned high prices.

As good as this shoe sounds from an engineering standpoint.....till ATRA gets enough shoes on the general buying public e.g. "lifestyle" people....it's going to be very hard fo them to have any presence. Without presence....and enough people buying their shoes....how can they afford to sponsor elite runners? Or stay afloat? While the big companies just get stronger. Companies who do hve sponsorship and R&D $....