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Altra Lone Peak 6 Women's Trail Running Shoes Review

I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record but I really love Altra shoes. My favoured Altra hiker is the the Lone Peak model which I have been wearing since I relegated my Vasque Taque GTX boots (which are no longer available) to the back of the closet in 2018!

When my Altra Lone Peak 4.0 RSM Low Women’s Shoes, which I had replaced a couple of times, were relegated to the ‘garden footwear’ category, I went looking for the current Lone Peak version. I did explore the Altra Timp 3.0 Women’s Trail Running Shoe for a short while which is a great trail shoe but even those have been relegated to ‘street wear’ given they’re not quite wide enough to accomodate the extent of foot expansion I experience after a few days of hiking.

So now I’m at Lone Peak 6-es having missed version 5. Some things have changed but most are the same including the ‘TRAILCLAW’ lugs and ‘MAXTRAC’ which ensure the sole is super grippy, the great designed for women ‘FOOTSHAPE’ and the super wide fit for those of us with wide feet.

The Lone Peaks come standard with Altra’s Zero Drop feature which means your toes and heel are positioned at the same level. Most shoes drop down towards the toe but zero drop shoes give you a ‘barefoot walking’ experience and Altra’s ‘Balanced Cushioning’ ensures your feet are comfortable and supported.

And what’s new? Well a few things including an updated mesh on the upper, a reinforced toe and a fabric hook at the heel to aid pulling on your shoes.

The positioning of the ‘GAITERTRAP’ Velcro has also changed – for the better. The positioning on the Lone Peak 4 shoes always seemed too high and meant that your Lycra gaiters barely covered the top of your shoe – this of course, defeated the purpose of Lycra gaiters which is to minimise dirt and gravel getting into your shoes. The lower positioning means that the gaiters now sit lower over the shoe and do a better job of keeping grit out.

One thing that I really don’t like about Altra shoes is that the tongue under the lacing slips sideways from the first step! Not really a problem that impacts comfort or wearability – it just annoys me. Some attempt has been made to address this through the revised lacing system which seems to have worked.

Additional features increase shoe weight so I’m guessing Altra has attempted to accomodate this by replacing the small loop (at the front of the shoe where the Lycra gaiters used to attach) with a lacing arrangement. Now the gaiters hook on to the laces  at the forefoot. I don’t like this at all because it does impact the tightness of the lacing whereas the previous arrangement didn’t.

Lone Peak 6 comes in three colour combos – Black/Green, Navy/Light Blue (see below) and White/Green. The Black/Green version is mostly black with what I would call a more a turquoise trim and the White/Green version is more off white with a pale green trim. The Navy/Light Blue version is least controversial given, overall, its mostly mid blue in colour.

So, what’s the verdict? While there are a couple of changes that haven’t added the value perhaps anticipated, the Altra Lone Peak 6 meets my needs far better than any other brand or style of hiking shoe.

We Like

• Great wide fit
• These are a comfortable hiking shoe with long lasting midsole cushioning is supportive even after 400 km of hiking over a variety of terrain
• Comfortable cushioned tongue that adds to the overall comfort
• Robust toe guards and well padded heals that provide good protection for both the front and rear of the foot
• Great long wearing traction lugs that last in a wide range of conditions from wet to dry
• Breathable well so your feet don’t overheat. They also dry reasonably quickly in warm weather if they do get wet
• Robust but lightweight construction which reduces the impact on the legs after long day of hiking

We Don't Like

• Removing the gaiter loop and replacing it with the lacing doesn’t make sense to me – it unnecessarily tightens the laces

Would I Use These Shoes for Hiking?

Yes, definitely! These shoes are great for all short, day, multi-day and even multi-week hikes in most conditions with the exception of continually wet or snow conditions

Best Use

For hikers who:

• Want a comfortable and hard wearing shoe on the trail
• Have a wide forefoot
• Prefer zero drop shoes

Buy One

You can purchase the Altra Lone Peak 6 Women’s Trail Running Shoes at Wildfire Sports

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!

If you have used the Altra Lone Peak 6 Women’s Trail Running Shoes or if you have questions, we’d like to hear from you. Post your comment or question below

Investment

AUD$249.90 RRP

Other Versions

• Available in both men’s and women’s sizings

Altra Lone Park 6 Women’s Trail Running Shoes  in Navy/Light Blue

Altra Lone Peak 6 Women’s Trail Running Shoes front and rear view. The velcro gaiter trap is visible on the left hand side

Altra Lone Peak 6 Women’s Trail Running Shoes showing inside and insert

Altra Lone Peak 6 Women’s Trail Running Shoes close up of sole. The pattern and material used in construction of the sole provide a very durable and grippy shoe

Altra Lone Peak 6 Women’s Trail Running Shoes showing the tongue thickness and cushioning

Altra Lone Peak 6 Women’s Trail Running Shoes showing the toe guard and drain holes

Disclaimer

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

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