Cameo: Say Hello to the Altra Torin

Sunday, June 16, 2013

I have wanted to get a pair of zero drop shoes for almost as long as I've known about minimalist running.  When my doctor recommended that I use a shoe with more cushioning to help with my injury, I immediately thought my zero drop dreams were over. 

Then, I stumbled upon Altra Zero Drop Footwear and the Altra Torin.

Here's a short review...

As always, my discovery was the result of some quick internet searching and review reading.  In researching about what to do to help the pain I'm experiencing in the ball of my foot, I kept seeing reviews about the Torin.  The reviews were all in agreement that the Torin is the bomb.  The extra cushioning, spacious toe-box and light weight build seemed to meet a lot of needs in terms of injury prevention and recovery so I thought I'd give it a try.  The box even comes with instructions about transitioning into a zero drop shoe.






The Fit and Feel:
This is definitely a cushioned stability shoe. You can immediately feel the density of the cushion when you put these on.  In the store, I tried on the Altra Intuition and the Torin (men's because the City Sports I went to does not carry the Torin in women's).  Torin had much more cushioning.  Still, they are pretty light (about 9oz) and workable.

The large toe-box is great.  Lots of wiggle run for my toes.

The laces are a bit long and skinny.  I may replace them with other laces soon.  Right now I tuck them in.  I have seen many reviews that note heal slippage because of the missing seventh eyelet.  I haven't experience that.  I tie my running shoes so that the top lace goes over the outside of the shoe and back in and tied so that the knot sits directly on the tongue (I can make a video if that's confusing).  I think this has helped keep my foot in place but I do agree that the shoe would benefit from a seventh eyelet.


The Ride: 
I have mainly been running on the treadmil for more control with my injury.  The shoes have worked out great.  Being that there's so much cushion, I was curious to see if I would essentially end up tripping over my own feet.  Not so!  What I thought would be too much bulk ended up not being a problem at all.  The shoe responds well to different workouts and I am able to get up to speed with no issues.

The few times I have taken them outside I found myself having to be mindful of my foot placement especially in the dirt and gravel.  The height of the shoe and the extra bounce makes it feel a bit unsteady on uneven ground.  Something to get used to.


How cool is the paw print on the bottom.
Overall: 
I'm thankful for this solution to my running need.  My biggest issue with the shoe is the cushioning.  It's a lot. I kinda feel like a minimalist sell out.  But, the stability and the cushioning are the reasons I bought the shoe in the first place so I guess have no cause for complaint.

The Torin is a great shoe.  Bravo, Altra. It obviously isn't a miracle worker (ie I still feel pain when I run) but it does help relieve a great deal of the impact.  I hope to not always need such extra cushioning in my shoes (these along with thorlo socks) but for now at least extra cushion makes running an option.  

And, fyi, I'm viewing my dream to get more minimalist as time goes by as "on hold" not gone forever!

 "If God sends us strong paths, we are provided strong shoes."

Corrie ten Boom

 More pictures:


Random shot

Me, trying to be sly about taking a picture of myself in the gym.

Running home from work.  Why ride?

5 comments :

  1. I agree! I still go back and forth with my injuries (shin splints and runners knee) and have to do a lot to keep them from flaring up too much, but I’ve now been able to do 4.5 miles in the Altra Torins, which is something I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to do again. I do run outside, on trails, and my biggest problems come when I encounter large hills (or long stretches of pavement, but I generally stay away from hard-impact surfaces due to my type of injury). However, I found that if I really focus on the placement of my feet and how I’m using my leg muscles, my shins and/or knees will feel fine. The shoe feels a bit strange to adjust to at first, but they’re comfortable and light. Happy to be running again!

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    1. Glad to hear you're adjusting well to the Torin. Thanks for posting! I'm also taking it easy and sticking mostly to softer surfaces.

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  2. I should also point out that Torin runs a bit short in length. I normally go a half size up in running shoes to an 8.5. I had to go up to a 9 to get the Torin to work for me. Anyone considering the shoe should definitely try them on beforehand. If you can't, going a whole size up would be the best bet.

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  3. For those of us who are not "in the know", would you mind explaining what "zero drop" shoes are?

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    1. Yeah, I thought about that. Thanks for asking!

      Zero drop shoes are running shoes where there is no difference between the heel height and the forefoot height of the shoe. Traditional running shoes pad the heel to make landing more comfortable for those who land heel first (heel strikers). The heel is usually something like 8mm higher than the toes in a traditional shoe (an 8mm drop). Zero drop shoes seek to promote midfoot to forefoot strike by reducing the heel height. The idea is to get you running in a more "natural" way (how your foot would perform barefoot for example).

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