Altra Lone Peak All-wthr Mid, Men's Platform

Product Information

The Altra Lone Peak 4 Mid boots weigh 1.77 pounds per pair. That is crazy light for a hiking boot, no matter what. Some of our favorite hiking shoes, which are low-cut, often struggle to make that weight. Yet, these are not the lightest boots in this review. Comfort is a metric in which the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR has almost no equal. As one of the top-scoring models in this fundamental metric, this shoe (ahem, boot!) will be very appealing to a wide range of hikers. A big part of this appeal comes from Altra's signature wide foot shape. Rather than feeling tight and constricted, the foot is allowed to sit in its natural position. This is especially nice after long days on the trail — as your feet swell, they have the room they need. eVent fabric and thin upper allow the Lone Peak to breathe better than most other waterproof shoes. Altra Lone Peak All-WHTR Mid 2 are a lightweight water resistant boot perfect for fast moving hiking and trail running, whatever the weather. Altra says: The NeoShell is a “breathable” waterproof material developed by Polartec. However, rather than lining the interior of the shoe like other waterproof designs the NeoShell is wrapped around the exterior of the shoe. In doing so the lining attempts to stop water from the onset before it even has a chance of getting to the interior fabrics. In my experience, it would seem this design choice paid off.

Altra Lone Peak 4 Mid RSM Review | Tested by GearLab

The Altra Lone Peak 3.0 NeoShell Mid is a lightweight, durable, and overall comfortable shoe. The external NeoShell layer provides excellent waterproofing even keeping dust and other small particle debris from entering the shoe. The ankle support is effective and more importantly, comfortable. Despite using an identical design to that of it’s more breathable brethren, the NeoShell Mid’s midsole was noticeably more stiff, feeling somewhat less cushioned than its non-waterproof counterpart. Still, the midsole design, combined with the snug ankle fit and the spacious toe box, mean the NeoShell Mid keeps your feet happy for miles and miles. Altra EGO: Dual-Nature midsole compound with a responsive, yet soft feel for increased energy return. Some companies like to offer different choices for men and women when it comes to shoes and apparel. Sometimes models that are available to men are not available to women and vice versa with each sex being offered their own special load outs with different styles and names. However, the Lone Peak 3.0 Neoshell Mid is available in both men’s and women’s sizes with minimal design aspects tailored to properly fit our differing body types. So I’m happy I can say this shoe is available to everyone! The NeoShell We also are not super impressed with their performance in slippery conditions. The tread is very shallow, so they do not gain good traction in scree or mud. Weight Being so lightweight, the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR has given up some durability by using such thin materials. Many users have reported durability issues with these boots and feel that they do not last particularly long before materials begin delaminating. We also saw reports of wear occurring due to rubbing, which in turn can cause the waterproof eVent liner to fail, often around the top of the metatarsals.Wide toe box and zero-drop shape give the boot excellent out-of-the-box comfort (especially for those with wide feet or that are prone to blisters). With the updated 4 RSM, Altra replaced the waterproof NeoShell upper of version 3 with eVent fabric, which has proven to be a very capable performer in the wet. Most of our time in the Lone Peak 4 Mid RSM was spent on wet trails in the Pacific Northwest, as well as one long outing into the alpine. Overall, the Altra’s eVent upper and over-the-ankle design did a great job of keeping water at bay, which made it a great companion for wet-weather hikes. We’ve spent a good amount of time using Gore-Tex-lined footwear recently, and it's nice to see that the eVent fabric provided similar levels of protection.

Altra Lone Peak Review: high risk, high reward? - www Altra Lone Peak Review: high risk, high reward? - www

You’ll be hard pressed to find a mid-sized shoe as lightweight as these. The pair I have are quite a few ounces lighter than my previous mid-sized shoes from Keen and are only marginally heavier that the Salomon trail runners I used on the Appalachian Trail. Still, compared to most trail runners these shoes will still be a great deal heavier. For example, my pair of NeoShell Mids are nearly a half pound heavier than my regular low-cut Lone Peak 3.0’s. Even so, if you’re looking for a compromise between weight and ankle support than these shoes are one’s to keep your eye on. CONS Midsole Comfort With a listed weight of 1 pound 10 ounces for the pair (our men's size 9 was 1 lb. 11 oz.), the Lone Peak 4 Mid RSM is one of the lighter mid-height hiking boots on the market. The Altra manages to undercut other popular options like the Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid GTX (1 lb. 15.6 oz.), Vasque Breeze LT Mid GTX (1 lb. 11 oz.), and Hoka One One’s Sky Toa GTX (1 lb. 14.2 oz.). The Altra even comes in lighter than some waterproof trail running shoes like La Sportiva’s Akyra GTX (1 lb. 11.4 oz.). In other words, for those who enjoy moving fast and light but don’t want to sacrifice over-the-ankle protection, the Lone Peak Mid is an attractive option.

Should You Buy the Altra Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid?

If cramped toes are a continual problem when searching for the right hiking shoe than look no further. One of Altra’s shining features is a generously-sized toe box, and the Lone Peak 3.0 Mid is no exception. Rather than tapering sharply at the front, the NeoShell Mid stays nice and wide giving ample room to stretch and wiggle your toes to your heart’s content. We’d be remiss not to provide a comparison to Salomon’s wildly popular X Ultra 4 Mid GTX hiking boot. Both the Altra and Salomon boast aggressive outsoles, waterproof constructions, and come in both low-top and mid-height options. However, the similarities end there. Whereas the Lone Peak has a very roomy fit and wide toe box, the X Ultra runs a bit small and is better suited for narrow feet. The Salomon is also heavier than the Lone Peak at 1 pound 11.2 ounces, although this translates to a sizable increase in both support and durability—two areas where the Altra fell noticeably short. For technical trails or hiking with a heavy load, the Salomon is far and away the more capable boot. If you prefer the trail runner-like personality or have particularly wide feet, however, the Lone Peak has its place. Wearing these for hours at a time on the foot was almost unnoticeable, so even though they did not win in this metric, they were so close that we gave them a very high mark in regards to their overall weight. Water Resistance No doubt, that limited support can be a springboard for some hikers to develop their lower bodies and show off their ripped calves. But not me. That light-duty build took its toll on mt (flat) feet, (genetically) weak ankles, and skinny calves. On easier trails tha I normally hike, I had trouble with rolled ankles, cramping feet, shin splints, and calf strains.