Altra will be releasing a new trail shoe shortly that I think might be of interest to lightweight backpackers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6urBEGosJwg

I always liked the idea behind the Altra Lone Peak, but not so much the execution. Too heavy, too stiff, and the fit wasn't as comfortable as the other Altra shoes. This looks like what the Lone Peak could have been. Not sure about the built-in "toe spring" though. There will be a contest between this and the new Inov-8 Trailrocs for a space in my closet.

Edited by KillerB on 08/11/2012 12:36:48 MDT.

I've been thinking about getting a pair of Lone Peaks, but I was worried they'd be a bit stiff/clunky for my liking. This shoe looks like they got a lot right. Will definitely keep my eye out for it.

I've liked the look of Altra shoes since they first came out, and would love to try them. But they won't ship to Canada!!

They may not ship direct to Canada, but they may have a Canadian distributor. It wouldn't hurt to send them an email to find out.

i got my lone peaks shipped to Canada from

http://www.naturalrunningstore.com/AltraRunning

good price and nice service, shipping was like 10 bucks and i found a 10 dollar off coupon at the same time, so it worked out nice. not sure id want to send the shoes back if the size did not fit though, wish they'd get a dealer in Canada. then again the only Inov-8 dealer near me has no shoes, you can't win.


The superiors look cool, ill most likely check them out as my next shoe, i love the removable rock insert, genius.

Thank you for the link - I'll check that out. Certainly there is no Canadian distributor as yet.

Damien, could you comment on the suitability of the Altra Adam as a trail and backpacking shoe? I read a comprehensive review of yours on this shoe, but it was winter in the Gaspe and you had to postpone your backpacking evaluation until spring. I suspect hiking conditions in Nova Scotia are similar to the Gaspe - rough, rocky, rooty and often very boggy, so I suspect we would have th same considerations.

Cheers

Hey Duane, where in Nova Scotia are you located? I just spent the last week there (after OR) visiting with family in the Lunenberg area.

Regarding the Altra Adam as a backpacking shoe. I have used it and found it worked pretty good as long as things aren't too steep. In loose or muddy conditions with a slope - i.e. heading down a steep hill in the rain - they don't work so well. Five Fingers actually work better than the Adam in sketchy conditions due to the fact that you can use all your toes to get a better grip. Thus when I am not going the separate toe route, I prefer to have a little more lug under foot. That being said, if you are mostly on rolling terrain, then they will probably be fine. This of course assumes that you are OK with high flexibility and no midsole.

Edited by dtougas on 08/14/2012 04:52:25 MDT.

Thanks Damien, that's helpful. At this stage I am thinking seriously about the Samson, although I may well try out one of Altra's more robust models for rough trails. It is backpacking after all, that is my main pastime, not running, although I enjoy running very much. I think the running focussed minimalist sites can tend to lose track of the fact that we spend the vast majority of our time walking and standing.

I am just east of Dartmouth. Hope you had a nice visit Lunenburg - it's a nice spot.