Difference between revisions of "Altra Instinct 3.5"
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=Comparisons= | =Comparisons= | ||
Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition. | Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition. | ||
− | ==Altra Instinct and | + | ==Altra Instinct and Asics Gel Hyper Speed== |
− | The Instinct and [[ | + | The Instinct and [[Asics Gel Hyper Speed]] are surprisingly close in cushioning given the Instinct is about 80% heavier than the Hyper Speed. Normally I'd say that this makes the Hyper Speed the clear winner, but the Instinct is worth considering due to its comfort. The Hyper Speed is far from uncomfortable, but when my feet are tired and beaten up, the softness of the Instinct is welcome. I'd never choose the Instinct over the Hyper Speed in a race (of any distance), but as a shoe for an easy training run, it's worth contemplating. |
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|[[File:Saucony-Kinvara-5-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Outside]] | |[[File:Saucony-Kinvara-5-outside.jpg|none|thumb|150px|Outside]] | ||
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− | ==Altra Instinct and | + | ==Altra Instinct and Asics GT 2000== |
− | I like to compare shoes against my benchmark "normal running shoe", the [[ | + | I like to compare shoes against my benchmark "normal running shoe", the [[Asics GT 2000]]. The GT 2000 is only slightly heavier than the Instinct, and has less cushioning. The two shoes could not be farther apart in their use of [[The Science of Running Shoes]], with the GT 2000 adding lots of over engineering and counterproductive features. The Instinct doesn't try to interfere with your stride, or encourage a heel strike like the GT 2000. The Instinct is a clear demonstration of what's wrong with traditional running shoes and how they should be created. |
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Revision as of 10:33, 21 April 2015
The Altra Instinct 2 stands out as one of the most comfortable and well-designed shoes I've tested. It's too heavy for it to be considered as a shoe to race in at any distance, but as a shoe for some gentle running, it stand out from the crowd. (I use The Science of Running Shoes as the basis of how I test running shoes and what you should look for in a running shoe.)
Contents
1 Characteristics
- Why you’d buy it. I'd recommend getting a pair of Instinct 2 shoes as a counterpoint to your main shoes. Buy the Hoka Clifton or the Asics Gel Hyper Speed for long or fast training and racing, then put on your Instincts when you need to give your feet a treat.
- Cushioning . The Instinct is softly cushioned, but not up to the levels you'd get with the best of the Hoka range like the Hoka Clifton.
- Drop. Like all Altra shoes, the Instinct is zero drop, which is great.
- Structure. The Instinct uses just one density of foam, and doesn't attempt to manipulate or interfere with your natural biomechanics.
- Flexibility. The Instinct has more flexibility than you'd expect with a Minimax shoe, and it's similar to the Hoka Clifton, but far more than the other Hoka shoes.
- Outsole. There's a good layer of harder rubber outsole over nearly the entire sole of the shoe. There's a gap in the outsole near the smaller toes, which is an odd choice, but doesn't cause a problem. The layer of outsole means the shoe does not conform to trails in quite the same way that many of the Hoka shoes do. This softness gives the Hoka shoes surprising grip on many trail surfaces, unlike the Instinct that is best kept for road running.
- Shape. The Altra Instinct is one of the few shoes truly designed to fit the human foot. Even some other Altra shoes have a toe box that lacks sufficient height, but the Instinct is remarkable in its fit.
- Upper. The upper is unpadded in the forefoot, but has some of the nicest soft padding in the rear of the shoe that I've come across. The Instinct is so comfortable that it reminds me somewhat of a skateboarding shoe. The upper is more comfortable than the Asics GT 2000, especially around the ankle opening which is deeply padded.
- Tongue. The Instinct has a traditional tongue that is has a tab to attach it to the laces. Like much of the upper, the tongue is softly padded.
- Lacing. The traditional flat laces stayed tied.
- Heel Counter. The Instinct has a far more ridged heel counter than I'd like, but the thick padding isolates it from your foot.
![]() | This review was made possible by readers like you buying products via my links. I buy all the products I review through normal retail channels, which allows me to create unbiased reviews free from the influence of reciprocity, or the need to keep vendors happy. It also ensures I don't get "reviewer specials" that are better than the retail versions.
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2 Cushioning and Shoes
It's intuitively obvious that the cushioning in a shoe will reduce the impact on your body when running. However, The Science of Running Shoes indicates that the reality is rather more complex. While slight cushioning may reduce the effort needed to run by improving your Running Economy, most scientific research indicates that more cushioning does further improve Running Economy. In addition, cushioning does not generally reduce impact and may actually increase it. This is counterintuitive, but is likely to be due to the way a runners mind and body adapts to softer cushioning. Unfortunately, the scientific evidence is far from complete and it's hard to give clear recommendations. I believe that some runners will prefer more cushioning, while others prefer less, and typically those running further have a fondness for greater cushioning. I also believe that a shoe should be as light as possible, and a shoe should justify its weight with the cushioning it provides. My advice is to decide what level of cushioning you're looking for, and then find the lightest shoes that also fit well and are comfortable.
3 Visualizing the Attributes of the Altra Instinct 3.5
4 Comparisons
Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition.
4.1 Altra Instinct and Asics Gel Hyper Speed
The Instinct and Asics Gel Hyper Speed are surprisingly close in cushioning given the Instinct is about 80% heavier than the Hyper Speed. Normally I'd say that this makes the Hyper Speed the clear winner, but the Instinct is worth considering due to its comfort. The Hyper Speed is far from uncomfortable, but when my feet are tired and beaten up, the softness of the Instinct is welcome. I'd never choose the Instinct over the Hyper Speed in a race (of any distance), but as a shoe for an easy training run, it's worth contemplating.
4.2 Altra Instinct and Hoka Clifton
The Hoka Clifton is the best Minimax shoe by far, combining massive cushioning with light weight. The Instinct is 30% heavier, but offers far less cushioning. What the Instinct does offer is a shoe designed for the human foot, with far more padding in the upper. As with the Hyper Speed above, I'd never think about choosing the Instinct over the Clifton in any race. But if you want a more comfortable shoe for some gentle runs, or you don't like cutting holes in your brand new Hoka shoes, then cast your eye over the Instinct.
4.3 Altra Instinct and Saucony Kinvara
The Saucony Kinvara and Instinct have similar levels of cushioning, but there are far more difference than similarities.
- I classify the Kinvara as a transitional shoe, partway between a traditional shoe like the Asics GT 2000 and a Minimax shoe like the Instinct or a light weight optimal shoe like the Hyper Speed.
- The Kinvara is lighter, but the Instinct is more comfortable due to its more padded upper.
- The Instinct is designed for the human foot, with zero drop and an anatomical toe box. The Kinvara mimics the traditional shape that makes me think the designers have never seen a naked human foot before.
So choose the Kinvara if you're looking to migrate away from a traditional shoe like the GT 2000, but the Instinct if you've made the transition.
4.4 Altra Instinct and Asics GT 2000
I like to compare shoes against my benchmark "normal running shoe", the Asics GT 2000. The GT 2000 is only slightly heavier than the Instinct, and has less cushioning. The two shoes could not be farther apart in their use of The Science of Running Shoes, with the GT 2000 adding lots of over engineering and counterproductive features. The Instinct doesn't try to interfere with your stride, or encourage a heel strike like the GT 2000. The Instinct is a clear demonstration of what's wrong with traditional running shoes and how they should be created.
5 A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes
![]() | If you're looking for "the best of the best" running shoe, here are my top picks. Of course, the answer will depend a little on what you're looking for, so I have recommendations for various categories.
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For a more detailed on running shoes see the Recommendations for Best Running Shoes. This table lists the key attributes of What to Look for in Running Shoes. For more detailed information, on the shoes see detailed shoe comparison.
Full Review |
Brand | Name | Rating | Recommended price |
Benefit | Weight (oz) |
Penalty (sec/mile) |
Forefoot Thickness |
Heel Thickness |
Loaded Drop mm |
Cushioning | Flexibility |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saucony Type A Review | Saucony | A/A7 | Recommended | $100 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 12.1 | 19 | 22 | 1 | 4.3 | 7 |
Saucony Type A6 Review | Saucony | A6 | Highly Recommended | $100 | 8.2 | 6.1 | 9.5 | 17 | 21 | 4 | 5.0 | 7 |
Saucony Type A8 Review | Saucony | A8 | Highly Recommended | $90 | 7.5 | 6.2 | 9.7 | 19 | 20 | -1 | 4.7 | 7 |
Adidas Adios Boost 2 Review | Adidas | Adios | Worth considering | $140 | 4.7 | 8.6 | 13.4 | 17 | 27 | 11 | 4.0 | 6 |
Hoka Bondi 5 Review | Hoka | Bondi | Recommended | $150 | 6.1 | 11.6 | 18.1 | 38 | 42 | 5 | 7.1 | 2 |
Hoka Clayton 2 Review | Hoka | Clayton2 | Highly Recommended | $150 | 9.1 | 8.3 | 12.9 | 23 | 28 | 1 | 7.5 | 5 |
Hoka Clifton 4 Review | Hoka | Clifton4 | Worth considering | $130 | 7.7 | 9.3 | 14.5 | 30 | 35 | 10 | 7.2 | 3 |
ON Cloudflash Review | On Cloud | Cloudflash | Worth considering | $180 | 4.4 | 8.3 | 14.6 | 19 | 26 | 7 | 3.7 | 6 |
On Cloudracer Review | On Cloud | Cloudracer | Worth considering | $130 | 5.7 | 8.2 | 12.8 | 19 | 27 | 5 | 4.7 | 7 |
ON Cloud X Review | On Cloud | CloudX | Not recommended | $140 | 4.5 | 8.3 | 16.3 | 21 | 27 | 7 | 3.8 | 7 |
Mizuno Wave Cruise Review | Mizuno | Cruise | Worth considering | $120 | 6.6 | 5.9 | 12.5 | 17 | 20 | 7 | 3.9 | 6 |
Newton Distance IV Review | Newton | Distance | Worth considering | $155 | 7.5 | 9.1 | 14.2 | 26 | 31 | 3 | 6.8 | 5 |
Asics Gel DS Racer 10 Review | Asics | DS Racer | Worth considering | $110 | 8.2 | 7.0 | 10.9 | 21 | 26 | 6 | 5.8 | 5 |
Altra Duo Review | Altra | Duo | Recommended | $130 | 6.0 | 8.4 | 13.1 | 29 | 29 | 1 | 5.0 | 5 |
Mizuno Wave Ekiden 8 Review | Mizuno | Ekiden | Worth considering | $115 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 14.6 | 13 | 18 | 6 | 3.2 | 8 |
Saucony Endorphin 2 Review | Saucony | Endorphin 2 | Worth considering | $115 | 8.0 | 5.1 | 9.6 | 15 | 13 | -1 | 4.1 | 8 |
Adidas Energy Boost Review | Adidas | Energy | Worth considering | $160 | 7.2 | 10.0 | 15.6 | 20 | 30 | 7 | 7.2 | 5 |
Altra Escalante Review | Altra | Escalante | Best of the Best | $130 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 13.5 | 28 | 25 | -1 | 7.9 | 6 |
Altra Escalante 1.5 Review | Altra | Escalante 1.5 | Best of the Best | $130 | 8.2 | 9.0 | 14.0 | 26 | 27 | -1 | 7.4 | 7 |
Saucony Fastwitch Review | Saucony | Fastwitch | Highly Recommended | $90 | 9.5 | 7.1 | 11.1 | 20 | 22 | 4 | 6.8 | 7 |
Topo Fli-Lyte 2 Review | Topo | Fli-Lyte2 | Highly Recommended | $100 | 6.7 | 9.1 | 14.2 | 24 | 26 | 3 | 6.1 | 5 |
Reebok Floatride Run Review | Reebok | Floatride | Worth considering | $150 | 7.7 | 9.6 | 14.9 | 28 | 34 | 10 | 7.4 | 5 |
Saucony Freedom Review | Saucony | Freedom | Recommended | $160 | 5.4 | 10.7 | 16.6 | 25 | 29 | 3 | 5.8 | 6 |
Skechers GORun 4 Review | Skechers | GORun | Not recommended | $100 | 6.1 | 7.5 | 11.7 | 15 | 23 | 3 | 4.5 | 7 |
Skechers GOrun Ultra 2 Review | Skechers | GRU | Worth considering | $90 | 7.5 | 10.0 | 15.6 | 28 | 34 | 8 | 7.5 | 4 |
Asics GT 2000 Review | Asics | GT 2000 | Not recommended | $120 | 4.8 | 11.2 | 17.4 | 28 | 35 | 5 | 5.4 | 2 |
New Balance Hanzo S Review | New Balance | Hanzo | Worth considering | $110 | 7.6 | 6.9 | 10.7 | 21 | 19 | 2 | 5.2 | 5 |
Hoka Hupana Review | Hoka | Hupana | Recommended | $115 | 6.1 | 8.9 | 13.9 | 31 | 36 | 7 | 5.4 | 4 |
Asics Gel Hyper Speed 7 Review | Asics | Hyper Speed | Highly Recommended | $75 | 10.9 | 6.3 | 9.8 | 22 | 26 | 5 | 6.8 | 6 |
Altra Instinct 4.0 Review | Altra | Instinct 4.0 | Worth considering | $120 | 6.0 | 9.8 | 15.3 | 29 | 25 | -1 | 5.9 | 5 |
Asics Tarther Kainos 3 Review | Asics | Kainos | Worth considering | $130 | 10.0 | 6.9 | 10.7 | 17 | 27 | 9 | 6.8 | 6 |
Altra King MT 1.5 Review | Altra | King MT | Recommended | $140 | 7.5 | 10.7 | 16.7 | 19 | 21 | 3 | 8.0 | 5 |
Saucony Kinvara 8 Review | Saucony | Kinvara 8 | Best of the Best | $110 | 9.3 | 8.6 | 13.4 | 26 | 31 | 3 | 8.0 | 5 |
Altra Lone Peak 3.5 Review | Altra | Lone Peak | Highly Recommended | $120 | 4.2 | 11.4 | 17.7 | 24 | 25 | 4 | 4.8 | 5 |
Nike Zoom Streak LT 3 Review | Nike | LT3 | Best of the Best | $80 | 9.8 | 5.4 | 8.4 | 16 | 21 | 5 | 5.3 | 7 |
Nike Zoom Streak LT 4 Review | Nike | LT4 | Recommended | $90 | 8.5 | 5.5 | 8.5 | 15 | 21 | 3 | 4.6 | 6 |
Nike LunarSpider R5 Review | Nike | LunarSpider | Recommended | $125 | 6.9 | 6.7 | 10.4 | 17 | 21 | 3 | 4.6 | 6 |
Hoka Mafate Speed Review | Hoka | Mafate | Best of the Best | $170 | 7.6 | 11.9 | 18.5 | 39 | 40 | 4 | 9.0 | 1 |
Pearl Izumi EM Road N0 v2 Review | Pearl | N0 | Highly Recommended | $100 | 7.9 | 6.5 | 10.1 | 14 | 20 | 4 | 5.2 | 8 |
Saucony Nomad Review | Saucony | Nomad | Worth considering | $110 | 4.3 | 10.5 | 17.2 | 25 | 27 | 2 | 4.5 | 4 |
Hoka Odyssey Review | Hoka | Odyssey | Highly Recommended | $130 | 8.5 | 9.4 | 14.6 | 37 | 45 | 5 | 8.0 | 3 |
Altra Olympus 2.5 Review | Altra | Olympus | Highly Recommended | $150 | 4.6 | 11.8 | 18.4 | 35 | 34 | 0 | 5.4 | 6 |
Altra One 3.0 Review | Altra | One | Recommended | $100 | 6.1 | 8.8 | 13.7 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 5.4 | 6 |
Altra Paradigm 4.0 Review | Altra | Paradigm | Highly Recommended | $150 | 5.3 | 11.0 | 17.1 | 28 | 30 | 5 | 5.8 | 8 |
Asics Piranha SP 5 Review | Asics | Piranha | Recommended | $100 | 10.1 | 4.2 | 6.5 | 11 | 15 | 3 | 4.2 | 9 |
Brooks PureFlow 5 Review | Brooks | PureFlow | Worth considering | $110 | 6.0 | 9.7 | 15.1 | 26 | 29 | 5 | 5.8 | 8 |
Salming Race Review | Salming | Race | Worth considering | $130 | 6.9 | 6.5 | 10.1 | 16 | 19 | 4 | 4.5 | 6 |
Altra Escalante Racer Review | Altra | Racer | Highly Recommended | $140 | 6.6 | 7.6 | 11.8 | 24 | 26 | 6 | 5.0 | 8 |
New Balance RC1600 v2 Review | New Balance | RC1600 | Highly Recommended | $110 | 8.8 | 5.6 | 8.7 | 15 | 21 | 5 | 4.9 | 8 |
New Balance RC5000v2 Review | New Balance | RC5000v2 | Best of the Best | $125 | 14.2 | 4.0 | 6.2 | 13 | 21 | 6 | 5.7 | 7 |
Skechers GoRun Ride 3 Review | Skechers | Ride | Worth considering | $85 | 5.9 | 8.5 | 13.2 | 18 | 28 | 6 | 5.0 | 8 |
Nike RN Distance 2 Review | Nike | RNDist2 | Worth considering | $120 | 8.0 | 9.2 | 14.3 | 25 | 28 | 4 | 7.4 | 7 |
Inov-8 RoadXTreme 220 Review | Inov-8 | RXT-220 | Worth considering | $120 | 5.2 | 8.0 | 18.2 | 14 | 17 | 3 | 4.2 | 8 |
Salomon Sense Ride Review | Salomon | Sense | Worth considering | $120 | 8.5 | 10.0 | 15.6 | 26 | 29 | 6 | 8.5 | 0 |
Altra Solstice Review | Altra | Solstice | Highly Recommended | $90 | 7.1 | 8.1 | 12.5 | 23 | 25 | 0 | 5.7 | 5 |
Topo ST-2 Review | Topo | ST-2 | Highly Recommended | $90 | 8.2 | 7.3 | 11.4 | 20 | 18 | 0 | 6.0 | 7 |
Hoka Stinson Lite Review | Hoka | Stinson | Highly Recommended | $160 | 7.3 | 11.6 | 18.1 | 35 | 40 | 6 | 8.5 | 0 |
Altra Superior | Altra | Superior | Highly Recommended | $110 | 5.6 | 9.9 | 15.5 | 21 | 25 | -1 | 5.5 | 4 |
Adidas Takumi Sen 3 Review | Adidas | Takumi Sen 3 | Highly Recommended | $160 | 7.7 | 6.6 | 10.2 | 17 | 21 | 4 | 5.1 | 5 |
Topo Terraventure | Topo | Terraventure | Review Pending | $110 | 2.6 | 10.8 | 27.5 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 2.8 | 10 |
Altra Timp Review | Altra | Timp | Best of the Best | $130 | 3.7 | 11.6 | 18.1 | 30 | 31 | -1 | 4.3 | 6 |
Altra Torin 2.0 Review | Altra | Torin | Worth considering | $125 | 3.4 | 9.6 | 20.7 | 30 | 25 | 1 | 3.3 | 9 |
Altra Torin 3.5 Review | Altra | Torin 3.5 | Worth considering | $125 | 5.8 | 9.3 | 14.5 | 27 | 28 | 0 | 5.4 | 8 |
Hoka Tracer Review | Hoka | Tracer | Recommended | $130 | 7.2 | 7.4 | 11.5 | 21 | 24 | 2 | 5.3 | 5 |
Merrell Trail Glove 4 Review | Merrell | Trail Glove 4 | Best of the Best | $100 | 3.4 | 8.4 | 23.8 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 2.8 | 10 |
Topo Tribute Review | Topo | Tribute | Recommended | $100 | 5.9 | 7.3 | 11.4 | 20 | 18 | -1 | 4.3 | 6 |
Mizuno Wave Universe 5 Review | Mizuno | Universe | Highly Recommended | $125 | 10.7 | 3.1 | 10.6 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 3.3 | 9 |
Altra Vanish-R Review | Altra | Vanish-R | Recommended | $100 | 16.1 | 5.3 | 8.2 | 19 | 21 | 4 | 8.5 | 6 |
Merrell Vapor Glove 3 Review | Merrell | Vapor Glove 3 | Highly Recommended | $85 | 2.1 | 6.1 | 27.6 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1.3 | 10 |
Nike Vaporfly 4% Review | Nike | Vaporfly | Best of the Best | $250 | 10.4 | 7.2 | 11.2 | 25 | 37 | 8 | 7.5 | 2 |
New Balance Vazee Pace Review | New Balance | Vazee Pace | Worth considering | $110 | 6.0 | 8.6 | 13.4 | 18 | 24 | 6 | 5.2 | 5 |
Asics TartherZeal 3 Review | Asics | Zeal | Worth considering | $140 | 10.9 | 6.3 | 9.8 | 17 | 27 | 9 | 6.8 | 6 |
Saucony Zealot 3 Review | Saucony | Zealot3 | Recommended | $130 | 8.9 | 9.5 | 14.8 | 29 | 32 | 4 | 8.5 | 6 |
Nike Zoom Fly Review | Nike | Zoom Fly | Worth considering | $150 | 8.3 | 8.7 | 13.5 | 29 | 36 | 8 | 7.2 | 3 |
It's not a running shoe, but I love the Hoka Tor Ultra hiking boot and I've tested the Altra Lone Peak Boot, the Hoka Tor Speed 2, and the Inov-8 Roclite 325 hiking boots
Older shoe reviews: Saucony Hattori Review, Mizuno Cursoris Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, Hoka Clifton Review, Saucony Virrata 2 Review, Brooks PureCadence 3 Review, Brooks PureConnect 3 Review, Brooks PureFlow 3 Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, New Balance 980 Review, Brooks Transcend 2 Review, Hoka Huaka Review, Patagonia EVERlong Review, Asics 33-DFA Review, Hoka Conquest Review, Saucony Cortana Review, Puma Faas 100 R Review, Saucony Fastwitch Review, Nike Free Review, Asics Gel Lyte 33 Review, Skechers GOmeb Speed Review, Skechers GOrun Ultra Road Review, Nike LunaRacer Review, Altra Paradigm Review.