No other shoe I own is as comfortable on foot as the Escalante 3. I love to wear it all day – which I actually do to some extent. By the way, this is what I’d recommend to all runners who do not yet have experience with zero drop shoes: Run slowly and short distances and otherwise break them in by walking around in them. But I digress.

Another interesting pronation measurement is the speed at which pronation occurs. That’s how fast you move from the initial foot impact position to the final pronated position. Different shoe designs can have dramatic effects on both pronation angle and speed. Shoe Based on our lab numbers, we see that the heel scored 1/5 for stiffness. Given that 5/5 would mean the stiffest heel out there, this means that this is a VERY soft heel. Compared to the average for all our shoes, which is 2.9, embrace yourselves: it's as soft as it can get. DPT/Footwear Science: A (A great job of implementing natural feeling shoe and minimalist footwear for running and beyond)If you want to learn more about barefoot/minimal training. You can read all about it in my blog post, “The Case For Barefoot Running.” The platform is clearly wider. Measurements of platform vs Escalante 2.5: Forefoot 11.8 cm (+ 0.2), Midfoot 7.9 cm (+ 0,8), Heel 8.7 cm (+0.6) . My opinion on pronation is to strength your feet instead to promote natural movement. And that starts with walking around barefoot, and can progress into foot strengthening exercise, and possibly some barefoot running. But this process should be performed super slowly! With a similar fit and feel to the Escalante 2’s, the Escalante Racer is an excellent choice for those who don’t mind more ground feel.

The Altra Escalante 3 is a decent daily option for medium to short runs for zero-drop newcomers. Efficient and experienced natural runners might enjoy it for longer runs and even a half marathon race or two. Those with a wider forefoot will have their needs met, while those on the narrower side will find more comfort in the Rivera. Speedsters will obviously want the Vanish Carbon for its natural feeling and super shoe tooling. So when shopping the Escalante 3, it might be one of the rare cases where it is not recommended to size up half a size for a running shoe. Cost If you tend to overpronate (around 70% of people), you’ll want a more stable and, in this case, firmer midsole. However, looking at the enormous square toebox, we can tell that there is significantly more room for toe splay in this Altra shoe compared to the average running shoe. Striving for versatility, especially in running shoes, can be risky. Achieve your goal, and you have a shoe that performs at a high level for all runners. Come up short, and you end up with a shoe that isn’t right for any specific group.Interestingly, the Escalante 2.5 behaved very similarly to the barefoot shoe. These figures tell us the force when I hit the ground was lower in the Escalante 3.0. The standard advice is to go with a softer foam if you tend to supinate (rolling outwards from the midpoint) because the amount of pronation will reduce and lessen the chance of rolling an ankle. Many hear about overpronation and expect that they need a well-structured shoe to “correct” pronation. Still, some amount of pronation is expected and even a benefit. You are utilizing your ankle to absorb some of the impact from the ground. Despite maintaining the key features that make the Escalante the Escalante (lively EGO midsole, FootShape toe box), there are a couple of points that differentiate the Escalante 3 from previous models. ADRIENNE: If you like the Escalante line, you’ll like the Escalante 3. If you like wild prints, you’ll like the SE version I received. Again, Altra is a brand that knows who it is, and the Denver-based company has created another trainer that’ll satisfy the needs of natural runners everywhere.

Basically, what sets Escalante 3 apart from other shoes is a heel that is 9.1mm narrower in the upper than the average shoe out there! This might have attributed a lot to the overall stability feel. Andrea:I think the Escalante 3 is the best version yet of the shoe. By improving the stability of the upper and making the midsole a little firmer, Altra has improved on what was already a great shoe. From my perspective, the only thing Altra could do to further improve it would be to refine the upper so it is a little thinner and lighter. Otherwise, I am really pleased with the update and look forward to putting many more miles on the shoe. With that said, the philosophy behind Altra shoes is that their minimalist design allows your body to activate and develop its own stability mechanisms. By designing shoes that allow the foot to move naturally, runners are (in theory) able to find their correct path of motion and develop the foot muscles that will help prevent injuries caused by pronation. Sizing Again these differences could be due to the age of my Escalante 2.5. But with the omission of the innerflex groves and the stiffer upper, I genuinely think there’s been a shift towards a firmer ride.

The midfoot does taper in, and that may not be for everyone. I believe this is what Altra refers to when they say “slim” fit. From the toe box, the shoe tapers inwards towards the midfoot, resulting in a “fitted” feel. I have a relatively average to wide mid-foot, and it can still work for me, and that’s because the upper is forgiving and doesn’t cause too much constriction. Interestingly, the midfoot area felt similar to the Lone Peak…. the widest “original” fit from Altra 🤔.