Altra Mont Blanc Carbon Early Impressions

I resisted diving in with the Altra Mont Blanc Carbons for the longest time.

For a start, they are £220 bloody quid (€250.00 | $260.00)!

Then I had concerns about the durability of a shoe focused on racing, whilst it was also difficult finding any in my size for well over 6 months.

Having returned to Altra as part of needing more long distance comfort for the Wild Horse 200 (I need shoes I can trust to keep my feet and toes happy), I'd been having a great time with the Experience Wilds, but felt like I needed better underfoot protection.

Being so close to race day I'll admit it, I was pretty desperate, so here we are, £220 poorer and staring at the shoes I've always wanted to try but could never quite justify.

Are they worth the cost?

What are the Altra Mont Blanc Carbon?

These are Altra's flagship trail racing shoes targeted at ultra distances. They are what you see on the feet of their athletes tackling Cocodona 250, UTMB, Western States etc. So as a shoe for going super long I'd be in good company.

Altra's original Mont Blanc was a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand it was so comfortable, well cushioned for ultras and had a good outsole for mixed trails. But the heel lock was non existent, the slightest bit of mud would pull your foot out the shoe, and the upper fit was strange with it hugging your foot with stretchy material. I enjoyed running in them though, having tackles a few mountainous loops in them and appreciated the light weight and speedy feel.

The Mont Blanc Carbon is a totally different beast. Gone are the heel issues, strange upper and poorly gripping round laces, instead we have a Lone Peak like spacious fit, a much better heel and, the star of the show: a full length carbon plate to provide that extra bit of rebound on each step.

Features

These sit on a zero drop platform with a 29mm stack height in the heel and forefoot, on the lower end, max cushion shoes these are not.

The upper is a mesh road style upper, it does feel fairly abrasion resistant yet breathable, with some good overlays for support. The toe bumper is fairly solid and would help protect the odd rock kick.

They have flat laces that grip well when tied, and plenty of length for typing a heel lock if you require it.

The midsole is a mix of Ego Max and Ego Pro: Ego Max is on the bottom, then the springier Ego Pro foam sits above it for more pop (thank you to RunRepeat for the breakdown of this here).

Sitting between the 2 foams is a full length Carbitex carbon plate: if you've not used carbon plates before, in essence they act like springs, stiffening on impact then pushing you foot forwards on the rebound. These are my first carbon shoes, and I've found they make the midsole feel firmer, and absolutely do propel you forward as advertised. Here the carbon plate also acts as a rock plate to protect your feet from sharp rocks.

On the outsole we have Vibram Litebase: their lighter version of Megagrip. This grips as well as the other compound, with a weight reduction, at the cost of durability over time. The lugs are 3.5mm on the Mont Blanc Carbon, so these will work well as a hybrid / mixed terrain shoe, but be less useful in wet, slippy or muddy conditions needing more bite.

Weight wise they are advertised as 251g, making them the lightest of the Altra trail shoes, lighter than the original Mont Blancs (even with the carbon plate).

First Impressions

Fit & Feel

Putting them on immediately I noticed a nice, slipper like feel, very reminiscent of the Lone Peaks. Even though they use Altras "Standard" toe box (as opposed to the wider "Original" toe box on the Lone Peaks and Olympus models) I couldn't tell a difference here.

Length wise they come in true to size, matching the length of the Lone Peak 9+ for me, slightly longer than the Experience Wilds, at least half a size longer than the Timp 5s.

Width wise they feel very Altra like in the toe box, plenty of lovely wiggle room, though unlike the latest Lone Peak 9+ the mid foot is secured better by being more narrow.

The heel locks down much better, again closer to the Lone Peaks, and a billion miles away from the OG Mont Blancs. I used a heel lock out of the box which was comfortable. The tongue is a good length and, although narrow, I didn't feel any lace biting across it.

Here I'm using Feetures Elite Light socks which feel great in this shoe: a good mix of toe box space and padding.

Taking Them Out

I took them for a few hikes first to check the fit (and because I'm tapering for the Wild Horse) and break them in a little. Straight off the bat they felt comfortable and dialled in, I didn't have to retie the laces or worry about toe bashing, it all just fits.

Needless to say I was very keen to take them out for a couple of runs.

On the first run I took it steady, nice and relaxed commute run home. Off the bat they feel incredibly light and springy. On both trail and tarmac the combination of the plate and rocker at the front made them feel almost effortless, propelling your feet forward in a way often missing from Altra's other trail shoes.

I'd call the grip more hybrid / mixed trail, it's working well in our current sunny springtime but these wouldn't do well over a British wintertime. I'd be reach for Lone Peak 9+ for sloppier conditions.

Underfoot the feeling is a strange one. They feel more cushioned than the 29mm would lead you to think, yet are also nice and stable due to that zero drop platform. They are however also quite firm, the carbon plate gives you a harder surface underfoot. They definitely feel plushier than Lone Peaks, but high cushion shoes these are not.

For a cruising run I had a blast in them, I can see why they are popular for the silly distance races.

On the second run I pushed the speed up and checked how they performed at tempo pace across trails. They felt like they came alive here: the light weight, the plate and the rocker combining together into a fast feeling nimble shoe.

With a good mix of ascents and descents I didn't feel any toe bashing, my mid foot held well and that generous toe box didn't cause any pinching.

What I Liked

• Slipper like fit, no breaking in needed, these were comfy out the box
• Generous Lone Peak like space with lots of room for your toes & a true to size fit
• Lock down well, better than the Lone Peaks around the mid foot especially
• Plentiful midsole cushion, feel more cushioned than the stack height would suggest
• Tigger like springy carbon plate combined with a rocker make these feel FAST
• Feel weightless, probably because they are very light, have a nimble feel to them
• Great grippy laces with lots of length
• Tongue is comfy despite being fairly low on padding, a good length to it
• Equally comfortable on trail and tarmac
• Solid underfoot protection due to the rock plate
• Vibram grip designed for mixed terrain, ideal for longer distances with stretches of hard ground to contend with
• Fixed the horrendous heel issues of the OG Mont Blanc
• They look sick!

What I Disliked

• The price! £220 is a big ask for a shoe that I can tell you right now won't be as durable as a Lone Peak or Olympus
• Firmer underfoot than expected due to that plate, not a plushy ride
• Debris will definitely be making their way into the heel collar due to the space it leaves around your ankle
• Heel still a little loose, a heel lock works well here
• Grip won't work well in muddy, winter conditions, too shallow
• Vibram Litebase, a carbon plate, lots of exposed midsole and a thin soft upper, how long will these realistically last?
  • They already look a little beat up and I've barely done 40k in them, with my socks discolouring the insides and a little wear on the exposed midsole around the edges
• They ain't staying that lime and white colour for long!

So, Are They Worth The Cost?

It's a tough question, I don't think I'll have a full answer until I've covered some good distance in them and seen how well they hold up.

I dislike the idea of shoes you can only realistically wear for a handful of races, and am concerned these will be that type of shoe.

However time will tell. On my original Mont Blancs the area that wore the fastest was the Vibram Litebase outsole. The shallow lug depth, less durable material and use on lots of hard ground wore it out quickly.

I will say though, assuming the upper and midsole last well, they would transition well into easy milage daily trainers for soaking up the miles.

For me, going into the toughest challenge on my life, they feel worth it for the confidence I'll have running a long way in them (fit, comfort, weight wise).

What Next?

The Wild Horse 200 is in 3 days, my options are the Altra Experience Wild, the Altra Lone Peak 9+ and now the Altra Mont Blanc Carbon.

I'm so happy to report that the Altra Mont Blanc Carbon is the clear winner. Better underfoot protection than the Experience Wilds, none of the weight and ploddiness of the Lone Peak 9+, yet retaining that Altra "Stay Out There" comfort.

After the race I'll do a full write up of how they performed, if I had to switch them out & if they are still in one piece.