Australian Hiker

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Altra Lone Peak 8 Women's Trail Running Shoes Review

Many will know that my preferred Altra hiker is the Lone Peak model which I have been wearing for many years now! I recently tried not to be a creature of habit and spent some time wearing the Topo Athletic Women’s Terraventure 4 Trail Running Shoe – I really liked them but I just can’t keep away from the Lone Peak!

So here I am again trading up a model to the Lone Peak 8. They are kinda the same and kinda different from the Lone Peak 7s. The styling is similar and different – this time around the colours are more muted but still not so predictable. I opted for the Black Gray (a creative description as it is more blue and greenish), Dark Purple (yes but with yellow and brown highlights), Taupe (bits of brown), Red (which is more orange to me), Dusty Olive and Mint. Not all these colours are available in Australia and then of course it depends on your size. Speaking of which, the Lone Peak 8 comes in half sizes from US 6 up to 12.

This version is one of Altra’s lightest Lone Peak styles being 550 grams (size 9.5) which is great given the upper is constructed of Ripstop Mesh for durability. It is described as having ‘moderate’ cushioning with a stack height of 25mm. I found the Lone Peak 8 really comfortable from the moment I put them on and I really like not having to wear them in.

All the usual Altra features are there such as Zero Drop, the MaxTrac™ outsole, the Altra EGO™ midsole and GAITERTRAP Velcro for securing lycra gaiters such as the fabulously colourful Dirty Girl Gaiters. The 8s still have a lacing arrangement where the lycra gaiters attach to the lacing instead of a small loop that was at the front of previous models. I still don’t like this because it does impact the tightness of the lacing whereas the previous arrangement didn’t.

This model continue use with the two double lace-throughs (as opposed to eyelets) which serve to provide less lace sliding during wear. The one thing that disappoints me with 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. The revised lacing system does reduce the slipping but I still find I need to wrap the laces around the tongue guide to be sure.

The price at AUD $259.90 is getting up there but they are a durable and comfortable shoe and you can often find them on sale at a lower price.

I’ve worn these shoes on a range of trail surfaces including on ascents and descents, rocky gravel, muddy patches, clamouring and many steps and none were an issue for the Lone Peak 8s.

Altra continues to improve the Lone Peak range and the 8s are the best wearing version to date.

We Like

• Great wide fit
• These are a comfortable hiking shoe with long lasting midsole cushioning
• 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 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 days 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
• The lacing tongue continues to slide about but less so than previous versions

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 8 Women’s Trail Running Shoes from Amazon Australia, Wildfire Sports or from Wild Earth

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$259.90 RRP

Other Versions

• Available in both men’s and women’s sizings
• Available in a ‘wide fitting’ for those of you with a really wide forefoot

Altra Lone Park 8 Women’s Trail Running Shoes in Dark Purple

Altra Lone Peak 8 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 8 Women’s Trail Running Shoes in Black Gray showing lacing and gaiter front attachment

Gill wearing her Lone Peak 8 Shoes

Gill in her Altra Lone Peak 7s and Dirty Girl Gaiters. The hook in the front of the gaiters is hooked onto the small piece of lacing at the front and attached at the back to the gaiter trap by velcro

Altra Lone Peak 8 in Red

Altra Lone Peak 8 in Taupe

Altra Lone Peak 8 in Dusty Olive

Altra Lone Peak 8 in Mint

Disclaimer

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

Last updated

24 November 2024

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