Altra Lone Peak 9+ 200k Review

Please see the first impressions post here for specs & a feature breakdown

I've been back and forth so many times with this full review, I swear it changed with each run. However now I've had time to put some proper mileage in the shoes I've made up my mind.

This really comes from a sense of loyalty to the Lone Peaks, they were the shoes that took me over the line of my first ultra, and kept me going through many since. I want to love them, I want them to be the best thing ever. Alas...

The tl;dr: is - if you're already an Lone Peak lover, this is a damn good upgrade from Altra & you should absolutely jump in. For me, these are now my most loved hiking shoes ... and least loved running shoes.

Testing Mileage

Hit ~200km usage at the time of writing over a mixture of runs and hikes. Everything from sloppy half underwater muck-fests, to rooty lumpy woodland trails, to long days in the office and trips out with the kids.

Was sure to get a few long runs in too, along with using them for the last 9 miles of a 43 mile race to see how they'd feel on tired legs.

Signs of Wear

Happy to report that the outsole is, as expected, holding up very nicely. My previous Lone Peaks had already started wearing by this point, badly at times, especially under the heel, so it's great to see the sole still looking like new. No issues across the upper and the midsole still feels fresh.

The Review

What I Loved

• Exceptionally comfortable, midsole and upper work well together, laces don't bite, could spend all day in them happily without a worry.
• Versatile, the space in the toe box allows for a range of sock types and weights, and as your feet swell that extra space will help reduce foot issues.
• Laces are well placed, grippy and have a good length for tying various styles of knot.
• Very impressed with the grip, the Vibram combined with the ground feel and stability of the wide base means they handle sloppy ground with ease. A remarkably good soft ground shoe.
• Nimbler than expected for the weight, especially on technical descents, again due to that stable base I believe.
• Rock solid durability, these are going to last me a long long time, both in terms of the ripstop upper and that solid outsole. My bet would be the first thing to go would be the midsole flattening out and being less comfortable.
• Natural feel, the way they encourage you to land softer, foot strike more evenly, the reduced forces on your upper legs, all lead to less fatigue mid run and faster recovery.

What I Disliked

• Firmer underfoot than the non Vibram versions, muscles felt more impacted after a run than they did in older versions. This makes them harder to adapt to, especially if coming from higher stack or drop shoes.
• Lock down isn't great, even with thick socks my feet slide forward due to that wider mid-foot. Previous Lone Peak versions held the foot a bit better, on these I'd say a Heel Lock is almost mandatory.
• So much harder climbing in them compared to shoes with a higher drop, as your calves have to travel further and have less support. I think the weight and low cushioning exacerbates this.
• The stiffer outsole means you lose some ground feel and proprioception, it's still better than most shoes mind.
• Ploddy, slow feeling, no propulsion, really make you work for any speed.
• This means, ultimately, they aren't that fun to run in. They don't have the pop of Altra Mont Blancs, or the springy bounce of Merrell Agility Peaks, they just feel flat, like running on cardboard.

Similar Shoes

Both the Altra Olympus and Brooks Cascadias sit close to the Lone Peaks. All three are on the heavier side, protective and tanky, design for long days plodding. The Olympus come in slightly shorter length wise, but retain the same width toe box. The Cascadias are the same length wise but have a more narrow toe box and a much higher drop.

The Altra Mont Blancs have a similar fit and space in the toe box, but run lighter as a more racing focused shoe.

The Altra Torin 7s are the closest length and toe box width I've seen from Altra, but in road shoe form. They have a higher stack height though and are both bouncier and a faster feeling.

The Merrell Long Sky 2 have a similar stack height and wide toe box, but retain a small heel drop, are much lighter and have more aggressive lugs.

My Feelings

These are my all time favourite hiking shoes, honestly the best I've ever tried, they make me want to grab a rucksack and go adventuring. The comfort, space, versatility, the grip, all make for a solid hiker with damn good durability. These will last, and would be a great pick for a multi day trip.

The problems occur when you switch from hiking to running. They rapidly go from an excellent trekking shoe to a sub-par running shoe, and it's all down to propulsion. I've ran in other Altra shoes, like the Mont Blancs and Torins, that feel bouncy, full of life, pushing your forward, so I don't think the issue is necessarily zero drop. I think it's the flat neutral feel, the lack of cushion and absence of any rocker. If you want to move quickly, these shoes will make you work for it, they want to go slowly. In the latter stages of a long race, whilst some shoes will encourage you to continue jogging forward, these will make you want to walk.

Now don't get me wrong, if you're looking for a neutral, natural shoe that will keep your legs and toes happy over distance, and facilitate a gentle, picnic pace for as long as you have snacks for, these are them, they excel at that. But for me, someone looking for a little more omph, a bit of combustion under my feet, I think I've been spoiled with better, more focused trail running shoes.

For the majority of my races this year they aren't even close to my top pick, those would be the Agility Peaks, Mont Blancs or even Long Skys (a similar shoe stack height wise but lighter, more nimble and aggressive feeling). However for the crazy long ones like the Wild Horse I think they do have a place, those races focus more on longevity and a gentle pace, where wearing shoes that keep your feet happy over 200 miles is a damn good idea.

For Me Going Forward

The issue with the Lone Peak 9+ really is that, for trail running, in any category I can see a better option in my current rotation.

If I'm looking for a low stack minimal trail shoe then I still prefer the Merrell Long Sky 2. You get a similar stable ride due to the low height, a wide base and more aggressive lugs, but on a much lighter shoe. They also have a better fitting upper, a wide toe box and more propulsive feel underfoot. These would make my faster, technical race shoe over the Lone Peaks any day of the week.

For longer, ultra focused shoes the Merrell Agility Peak 5 are lighter, grippier and have that propulsion under them, remaining my main pick. Even in Altras own line up the Mont Blancs & Timps do a better job of pushing you forward on a lighter, nimbler base, whilst the Olympus comes in heavier but with all the added cushion and protection that brings.

For hiking however, the Lone Peak 9+ are my top pick. A great combination of comfort, versatility and durability that would serve you well over many days walking the trails.

There's a thought I can't get out of my head: what Altra have with the Lone Peaks is a world class hiking shoe, wrongly marketed towards trail runners.