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Altra Lone Peak 6 Men's Trail Running Shoes Review

Over the past six years the Altra Lone Peak trail runners have come and gone from my hiking rotation. In fact, my favourite model was previously the Altra Lone Peak 2.5 and was for me was the pinnacle of the range before tinkering in the name of ‘making improvements’ resulted in this model going astray, at least from my perspective. As a follower of the US long distance hiking circuit this wasn’t my view as I saw a number of other reviewers lament the direction Altra was taking with these shoes. My wife Gill has always been a big fan of these shoes so after skipping a couple of model updates I decided it was again time to give these shoes a try to see if this they were again something I should consider – I’m glad that I did.

Usually I do a review of a new pair of shoes after having used them for a minimum of 200 km in a variety of conditions. In the case of the Altra Lone Peak 6, I have been using them 3 months having covered 600 km in a variety of conditions.

Before I discuss the specifics, what’s so special about the Lone Peak model in general? For many years this shoe was the dominant model on the US long distance trails so Altra must have been doing something right. The Lone Peak is known for being a zero drop shoe which means that from your heal to your toes, the foot bed is level unlike most shoes that are higher at the heel. This zero drop feature makes you lean back ever so slightly which is noticeable the first time you wear them. Zero Drop won’t suit everyone; in fact many people struggle to wear these hikers because of this feature. The main issue is that Zero Drop shoes typically have minimal arch supported so if you spend all day in dress shoes with a decent drop, this can be a bit of a shock. The other main feature of the Lone Peak is the the wide squarish toe box which suits those of us with a broad forefoot. Unlike many wide fitting shoes, Lone Peak is narrow in the rear half of the shoe. So what’s changed with this the latest version of this shoe?

First let’s start with the negatives and for me there really are only three. First and foremost as someone who wears size 15 shoes, availability is a real issue so I grabbed a pair as soon as they were available on the Australian market. I also would have preferred the orange colour but I know I’m in the minority here so ended up with the Black/Grey option. The second negative is that they aren’t the best performers in wet muddy conditions not having the best traction. In itself this isn’t an issue but you do need to tread just that bit more carefully when waking on muddy slopes. The final negative is that with the mesh used on the shoe upper, they can be prone to getting dust and fine dirt into the shoe.

Now for the positives and there are lots! The fit and sizing of these shoes remain unchanged. Altra has been consistent with their sizing across their full range and I always know if I buy a size 15 they will fit me. These shoes also come in a size 16 but would need to be a special order. Weight wise these shoes have been trimmed, in fact my previous Altra Lone Peak 4.0 weighed 876 grams a pair but the Altra Lone Peak 6 weight is 730 grams which may not sound like a big difference but on a big hiking day it all adds up. This weight saving has mainly been achieved by using a lighter weight upper mesh but also by trimming small bits of weight across the shoe without sacrificing durability. Having said all this, the toe guard continues to provide good protection of those times you accidentally kick a rock.

In fact durability on the Altra Lone Peak 6 is excellent as far as trail runners go. Even after 600 km of use in a wide range of conditions this shoe still looks good and isn’t showing any signs of wear. One of the reasons I went away from the Lone Peak model was the lack of support on the sole and while they don’t provide as much cushioning as the Altra Olympus 4.0 or the Altra Timp 3.0, they are a vast improvement on previous iterations of this shoe model. As someone who currently weighed 105 kg at the time of this review, I’m a fan of the cushioning even on harder surfaces such as concrete, bitumen or compacted management roads.

Colour wise there is something for everyone with the main options available in Australia of Orange (bright orange) Grey/Black (won’t upset anyone) and a Red colour.

One minor change with these shoes is that the ‘gaiter trap’ system designed to be used with the lightweight lycra Altra Trail Gaiters has undergone a minor change. The hook at the small metal loop at the front of the shoe has been replaced with an additional small set of eyelets that do the same job without the use of a hook which means if you never use the gaiters you’ve saved some extra weight.

So how did I find them? In all honesty these shoes were a surprise as I had preconceived ideas about the outcome of my testing and I was very quickly proved wrong. With the exception of lack of traction in wet muddy conditions, Altra has made the necessary changes to once again make this shoe a real contender for hikers including those who do long distance hikes. They’re lightweight, comfortable, they breath well and even after walking through waist deep water, they dry quickly. They offer good support which has shown no sign of collapsing even after 600 km which for me is a weakness of many trail runners.

While I try to test around 5-6 hiking shoes a year, I always have a favourite that I will take with me on my longer hiking adventures. The Altra Lone Peak 6 has now become my go-to shoe and when it comes time to update my annual gear list, this shoe will make the cut; its that good.

I love these shoes and love the Zero Drop concept which may not be for everyone. If this is going to be your first foray into a Zero Drop shoe then they will be a good choice but just remember to ease yourself into them.

Please note that while these model is now being phased out in favour of a new version.

We Like

• Very lightweight at 730 grams per pair (Size 15)
• These are some of the lightest pair of hiking shoes I own and after long days hiking this makes a difference
• The shoes are narrow in the heel and wide in the toe box which suits my foot shape really well
  • The Altras are in that Goldilocks zone for me and are ‘just right’ allowing my toes room to move without feeling like they are swimming inside the shoe
• The cushioning has lasted well so far (600 km) and I would expect 1000 km of use
• I particularly like this cushioning layer on concrete, bitumen and hard management trails
• The traction is good on most surfaces without excelling in any particular area
• They breathe well so your feet don’t overheat. They also dry reasonably quickly in warm weather when they get wet
• The toe guard provides good protection for the front of the foot
• The ‘Gaiter Trap’ system works well with the lycra style gaiters such as the Dirty Girl or Altra Trail Gaiters

We Don't Like

• Limited colour availability in my size 15
• Traction not so good on muddy slippery trails
• Are prone to getting dust/dirt in through the fine mesh

Would I Use These Shoes for Hiking?

As at January 2022, these are now my footwear of choice for hikes both long and short!

Best Use

• For hikers who want a comfortable and hard wearing shoe on the trail
• For hikers with a narrow to medium wide heel and a wide forefoot

Buy One

You can purchase the Altra Lone Peak 6 Men’s Trail Running Shoe at Amazon Australia

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

Investment

AUD $249.90 RRP

Other Versions

• Available in both men’s and women’s sizings
• Also available in a mid boot option
• Available in a waterproof option

Altra Lone Park 6 Men’s Trail Running Shoes in black/grey colour showing side view

Altra Lone Peak 6 Men’s Trail Running Shoe front and rear view. The shoe on the left shows the velcro gaiter trap (at the lace) for use with the Altra Trail Gaiters

Altra Lone Peak 6 Men’s shoe close up of inside shoe and shoe insert

Altra Lone Peak 6 Men’s Trail Running Shoe close up of sole. This pattern and material used in construction of the sole provides a very durable and grippy shoe

Altra Lone Peak 6 Men’s Shoe sole after 600 km

Altra Lone Peak 6 Men’s Shoe close up of lacing. The small lacing section at the bottom of the image replaces the gaiter hook previously used and does just as good a job

Altra Lone Peak 6 Men’s shoe drainage ports

Altra Lone Peak 6 Men’s Shoe close up of shoe tongue

Disclaimer

This review was done with product purchased from a retail store by Australian Hiker

• Shoe reviews are done with a minimum of 200 km of on-trail use

Last updated

10 April 2024

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