Australian Hiker

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Altra Lone Peak 8 Men's Trail Running Shoes Review

The first pair of Altra Lone Peak footwear I wore, and loved, was the Altra Lone Peak 3 and that version was by far my footwear of choice for a long time. I managed to get around 1,200km out of them, holding on to them far longer than I should have but not being happy with the replacement version. Over the years I have tried different models and different versions but felt they never lived up to my first pair.

My footwear of choice has fluctuated over the years but has tended to gravitate to Altra shoes because of my size 15 US feet combined with my wide forefoot. Earlier this year I got hold of a pair of the new Altra Lone Peak 8 model from the US prior to them being released into Australia. I’ve been wearing and testing the 8’s for over 6 months now having worn them for around 600km.

Spoiler alert! From my perspective these are the best version of the Lone Peak that Altra has ever produced! I know that’s a big statement but so good enough they will be my shoe of choice for hikes in the coming year. So why is that?

As mentioned I have a size 15 US foot with a wide forefoot so when choosing shoes I have a very limited range of options. Altra markets itself on three key features:

• A natural foot shape shoe with a wide toe box that allows your toes to move and breathe
• Zero drop construction (although they are starting to produce low drop models)
• A good range of sizes up to size 16 US in many of their models
  • Please note that you may need to do special orders for very small and very large sizes

So if you have big feet with a wide forefoot Altra is going to be your best choice.

But what about the zero drop aspect? I’ve been mostly wearing zero drop or low drop shoes for the past eight years and love them. I realise the average hiker may have issues with the zero drop aspect so you do need to ease into wearing them given that on average, we are used to wearing constricting shoes with a high drop in our daily lives.

Apart from main Altra features what stands out with the Altra Lone Peak 8? The fit and sizing of these shoes remain unchanged. Altra has been consistent with their sizing across the full range and I always know if I buy a size 15 they will fit me.

Colour wise there is something for everyone with a number of colours available unless you are in the bigger sizes where at best you may only have 2-3 options, if that. These shoes also come in a size 16 but you may need to search online to find them. In all fairness to the importer, male hikers with size 12 US and above only account for 2% of the population. So in my case, once I find a shoe I like I will purchase a couple of pairs because I average 3,000-4,000km a year in trail runners so will go through 3-4 pairs a year. I’m also a big fan of lairy colours so opted for the fluro Lime colour option but if you don’t like bright colours then neutral colours are available.

Weight wise these shoes in a size 15 come in at 770 grams and while that sounds a lot for size 15’s its about average.

For me the biggest change with this model is the durability. While the shoe overall and the sole tread have always been good, Altra lost its way and for a period of years because while the Lone Peak model always started out comfortable, I found the mid foot support tended to ‘collapse’ around 250km into use. I’ve now been using my Altra Lone Peak 8’s for around 600km and the support under the mid foot is there with no sign of collapsing and that’s a game changer.

Altra still maintains its ‘Gaiter Trap’ can be used with the lightweight lycra Altra Trail Gaiters or the Dirty Girl range. These gaiters aren’t designed to protect you from snakes but rather to keep rubbish out of the shoes and they perform that job well particularly in sandy conditions. The small metal loop at the front of the shoe that was once on previous models continues on this model. The material used on the upper while still breathable is less prone to letting fine dust into the shoe and while this was never a major issue, it helps to keep your feet clean.

Last and not least is that the sole on these shoes has become more aggressive so performs better in muddy and wet conditions than its predecessors.

Price wise these shoes come in at AUD $259.99 RPP which is quite reasonable for a shoe of this quality and pedigree and its not unusual to find these being sold at a cheaper price.

So as mentioned at the start 0f this review I have come to love these shoes and did so very quickly. They’re lightweight, comfortable, they breathe well even after walking through waist deep water, and they dry quickly. They offer good support which has shown no sign of collapsing even after 400+ km which for me is a weakness of many trail runners.

So if you’re looking for some new hiking footwear then the Altra Lone Peak 8 is definitely worth a look!

We Like

• Average weight  at 770 grams grams per pair (size 15)
• These are some of the lightest 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 Altra shoes 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 (400km) and I would expect to get 1000km of use
• I particularly like the cushioning layer on concrete, bitumen and hard management trails
• The traction is good on most surfaces
• They breathe well so your feet don’t overheat. They also dry reasonably quickly in warm weather if 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

Would I Use These Shoes for Hiking?

As at July 2024, 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 8 Men’s Trail Running Shoe at Amazon Australia, Wild Earth or 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!

Investment

AUD $259.99 RRP

Other Versions

Available in:

• Both men’s and women’s sizings
• A mid boot option
• A waterproof option
• A wide fitting option

Altra Lone Peak 8 Lime colour

Altra Lone Peak 8 front and rear view.  The shoe on the right shows the velcro gaiter trap for use with the Altra Trail Gaiters

Altra Lone Peak 8 close up of sole. This pattern and material used in construction of the sole provides a very durable and grippy shoe

Altra Lone Peak 8 Men’s shoe sole after 400km

Altra Lone Peak 8 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 8 Taupe colour

Altra Lone Peak 8 Navy Orange

Altra Lone Peak 8 Dusty Olive colour

Altra Lone Peak 8 Black Green colour

Altra Lone Peak 8 Navy Black colour

Disclaimer

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

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

Last updated

24 November 2024

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