The tongue is thin (thinner than the Rivera 2’s) with a pad at its center at lace up with thin ridged laces. There is no gusset to the tongue. I think this kind of upper needs one. Both Altra Rivera 2 and 3 are comfortable shoes, but their comfort level varies from one another, which means one is more comfortable than the other. This simplicity was used to make a shoe that is incredibly light, saving a lot of weight by not adding too much to the upper. The whole ethos of Altra shoes is to allow your feet the space to function. Then you run with better posture and your feet get stronger the more you run, which reduces the wear and tear on the body and chance of injury. Sam: The Rivera 3 is modern, sleek looking, very comfortable and has a fine more forgiving ride with plenty of cushion and a geometry which largely does not “force” a forefoot to mid foot strike if you don’t have it all the time.. If you have never tried an Altra or zero drop this is the shoe to start with.

Brian: The outsole is simple and effective with several thin hard and soft rubber segments in the heel and forefoot. (There is a combination of thinner, less durable rubber segments and exposed foam under the middle of the shoe.) It serves up good traction on roads and soft dirt trails and because the outsole rubber segments are aligned along the flex grooves in the forefoot, it allows the shoe to flex naturally without any inhibition. Now we have a solid pad with a new rounded wrap of the outsole around the heel and a more continuous crash pad groove. The upper mesh has a “spray” of longitudinal stitching or embroidering running in increasing frequency and density from toe where there is one stitched line to the heel counter where I count 10 lines decreasing in spacing as they reach the ankle and heel collars. All Altra shoes, including Rivera, are perfect for flat feet because of zero drop and wide toe box with ample cushioning. All these factors reduce pressure on the feet and enhance stability, which makes shoes supportive and comfortable while running and walking with flat feet. 6) Design There are modifications to the outsole and underfoot geometry with now a more continuous rubber piece at the lateral heel landing and more decoupling, a good sign for the potential of less bottoming out and a low feeling heel given the zero drop.

Wow Altra is getting sleeker in their designs and for sure more modern. Gone in the Rivera 3 are the toy like look of past Altra and the somewhat goofy looking and hard for me to secure toe boxes of the classic Foot Shape fit, a plus for me but a minus for some. The newest shoe in Altra road running range is the Altra Rivera. The Rivera drops into the range where the Altra Instinct/Intuition used to sit. That makes the Rivera more cushioned than the Escalante, which is designed as a racer/trainer for those faster runs and interval sessions. Conversely, it’s less cushioned than the Torin, which is Altra’s high mileage high cushioning road running shoe. If I had to label the Rivera, I would say that it’s a ‘performance training shoe’.

A customer also said that the laces are thin and loose after some time, and the underfoot cushioning is something bad with a less breathable mesh upper that makes these shoes imperfect on hot days. Upper is surprisingly supportive and for sure comfortable for such as light extremely pliable and soft mesh The fit is dead on for me. I run on the wider end of a US 12 standard width and can often run into trouble with blisters on long runs in many popular brands (looking at you Hoka). This shoe has the exact amount of space I want and no more. Although this is a pro for me, it also has a slightly narrower fit than the Torin Plush and Escalante, so I would be wary if you are in a true wide size range.One thing I immediately noticed was the padding around the heel. It feels significantly more built up than many popular shoes on the market right now and reminds me a bit of a Saucony or Topo shoe. This had the effect of making my heel feel a little insecure, but that feeling immediately disappeared after a few steps. Looking at the lab measurement, we were astonished - the Rivetra 2 is 2x more flexible than the average shoe! We needed as little force as 13.6N to bend the shoe, while the average force needed is 29.5N.

Altra Men's Rivera

Cheng: This is personal taste, but I would have liked the EGO foam to be tuned a slight bit softer. Nevertheless, I am quite content with how the firmness of the platform becomes lively and bouncy at faster paces. The biggest gripe, however, is in the fit. In pursuit of mainstream customers, Altra shrunk the toe box with a more aggressive lateral taper. The results are not the best. Which shoes are better? Are you still confused about both the running shoes of Altra? Rivera 2 and 3 are designed as running shoes because of the wide toe box and zero drop effect, which make both footwear perfect for daily runs and walks. Topo Clyclone: These are 5mm heel to forefoot. They have a broad rounded toe box that is broader than the Rivera. The upper is similarly light. (shoes weight is 225 grams). The midsole is Zip Foam which is Topo’s bouncy midsole. It has a less flexible and more solid ride than the Rivera. Which feels better on long runs to me. Brian: The Rivera fits true to size with a medium width in the heel and arch and just a touch more room in the forefoot. (It doesn’t feel nearly as roomy as most Altra shoes, but there is room for the toes to wiggle and splay.) The Rivera’s step-in feel is soft, smooth and comfortable, and it oozes a light and agile performance-oriented vibe the moment you start running in it. When it comes to the popularity of both shoes, overall both shoes are famous but Altra Rivera 3 is more popular than 2 because the new version has some updates such as utmost comfort and versatility.

No one shoe is perfect for all running and I found that for fast intervals the Rivera was a bit too flexible. I was having to work a bit harder to generate speed compared to running in an Escalante Racer or Escalante that have firmer, stiffer midsoles. The upper on the Rivera is a very simple piece. Altra used an engineered mesh that is flexible and breathable. This upper supports your foot well, and uses the Altra signature “footshape” design while fitting perfectly to size. Everything about the Rivera is light and minimal. The men’s weight comes in at 240g and the Women’s at 170g. They are very light for an everyday training shoe. The upper is a one piece construction. There are no overlays in the toe box and the upper is designed to give the foot complete freedom of movement inside the shoe. Ideal for a shoe that is designed to promote a more natural midfoot strike. The upper gives the feet the space to spread out on impact and spring you into your next stride.The outsole is also equipped with foot pod technology, rubber and wavesole pattern for enhanced traction, flexibility and response. What do customers think?