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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Altra Instinct/Intuition 3 .5 Review}}The [[Altra Instinct 2 ]] was a favorite shoe because of its comfortable and design, but the update to the Instinct 3 updates since then have been a gradual decline. Each iteration has resulted become slightly firmer, resulting in an inferior a shoe that I can't recommend as strongly. It's too heavy for the cushioning it provides, and even though . I still like it's one of the few shoes for being designed to fit the human foot, but I think you're better off d far rather [[Shoe Modifications| cutting open the toe box]] of a [[Hoka Clifton]] or an [[Asics Gel Hyper Speed]]. If you want to avoid cutting your shoes, then look to the [[Altra One]], or find a pair of the Instinct 2 (and see below for comparisons with each of these shoes.) That said, the Instinct 3 .5 has no flaws or reasons why you wouldn't want to run in it; it's just that there are better options available. I've rated the Instinct 3 .5 as "worth considering", and the Instinct 2 as I've rated it as "Highly Recommended." (The For reasons known only to marketing people, the Women's version of the Instinct is called the Intuition.) {{H:WhatToLookForInShoes}}
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-top.JPG|none|thumb|250px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 top]]|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-bottom.JPG|none|thumb|250px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 bottom]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-inside.JPG|none|thumb|250px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 inside]]|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-outside.JPG|none|thumb|250px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 outside]]
|}
=Characteristics=
* {{H:cushioning}}. The Instinct is too firmly cushioned for its weight, with similar levels of cushioning to shoes that are much lighter. The cushioning it provides is smooth, even, and has reasonable spring, so don't think this is a rock.
* {{H:drop}}. Like all Altra shoes, the Instinct is zero drop, which is great.
* {{H:structure}}. The Instinct uses just one density of foam, and doesn't attempt to manipulate or interfere with your natural biomechanics. The midsole is not flat however, with some rise under the midfoot.
* {{H:flexibility}}. The Instinct has more flexibility than I expected, and it's similar to the [[Hoka Clifton]], but far more than the other Hoka shoes.
* {{H: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. (I have no signs of wear on my Instinct 2's after many, many miles.) The sole of the Instinct does not conform to stony trails in quite the same way that many of the Hoka shoes do. This means the Instinct is , so it's best kept for road running. * {{H: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. However, this is another area where the Instinct 2 was better, as the toe box height seems to be reduced with each version. {{H:TryCuttingShoes}}* {{H:upper}}. The upper it has a thick overlay that goes over the big toe which I didn't like. It's not enough to cause me problems, but I could see it being an issue for some runners. The forefoot area is unpadded in the forefoot, but has some of the nicest soft padding generously padded in the rear of . It's not like the shoe second version that I've come across. The Instinct is so comfortable that it reminds reminded me somewhat of a skateboarding shoe. The upper is more comfortable than the [[Asics GT 2000]], especially around the ankle opening which is deeply paddedbut it's still pretty good. * {{H:tongue}}. The Instinct has a traditional tongue that is has sown in on one side, which I think is the ideal approach for a tab to attach it to tongue. This is the only improvement I noticed over earlier versions of the lacesshoe. Like much of the upper, the tongue is softly padded.
* {{H:lacing}}. The traditional flat laces stayed tied.
* {{H:heelcounter}}. The Instinct has a far more ridged , exoskeleton heel counter than I'd like, but the thick padding isolates it from your foot. {{FastBlr|altra/instinct-3-1321|1321|Altra Instinct 3.5}}
{{ShoeGraphs}}
=Comparisons=
Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition.
==Altra Instinct 2 , 3, and 3.5==The Instinct 2 was softly cushioned, which made it a remarkably comfortable shoe, even though it wasn't up to the standard cushioning-to-weight level of shoes like the [[Asics Gel Hyper Speed]]. The main Each subsequent iteration has made the Instinct firmer, though the change for from the 3 to the Instinct 3 .5 is the use of much firmer foam in the midsolequite small. The Instinct 3 is a quite a bit lighter than the Instinct 2 (1, though the 3.6oz), but 5 erodes some of that's not enough to compensate for the reduction in cushioningadvantage. The other noteworthy change is in sizing; a size 10 Instinct 2 is the same size as a size 10.5 Instinct 3, while the 3.5 returns to the original sizing.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-top.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3.5 top]]
|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-bottom.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3.5 bottom]]
|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-inside.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3.5 inside]]
|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-outside.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3.5 outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Altra Instinct 3-top.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3 top]]
{{FastBlr|altra/instinct-2-1078|1078|Altra Instinct 2}}
==Altra Instinct and Asics Gel Hyper Speed==
The [[Asics Gel Hyper Speed]] provides more cushioning in the heel than the Instinct and similar cushioning in the forefoot, even though the Hyper Speed only weighs about two-thirds as much as the Instinct. This makes the Hyper Speed the clear winner, over the Instinct 3.5. (The Hyper Speed is far from uncomfortable, but when my feet are tired and beaten up, the softness of the Instinct 2 was welcome, but that's not the case with the Instinct 3.)
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-top.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 top]]|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-bottom.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 bottom]]|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-inside.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 inside]]|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-outside.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Asics-Gel-Hyper-Speed-67-top.jpgJPG|none|thumb|200px|Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 7 top]] |[[File:Asics-Gel-Hyper-Speed-67-bottom.jpgJPG|none|thumb|200px|Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 7 bottom]] |[[File:Asics-Gel-Hyper-Speed-67-inside.jpgJPG|none|thumb|200px|Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 7 inside]] |[[File:Asics-Gel-Hyper-Speed-67-outside.jpgJPG|none|thumb|200px|Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 7 outside]]
|}
{{FastBlr|asics/gel-hyperspeed-6-192|192|Asics Gel Hyper Speed 67}}
==Altra Instinct and Hoka Clifton==
The [[Hoka Clifton]] is the best [[Maximalist]] shoe by far, combining massive cushioning with light weight. The Instinct is the same weight as the Clifton, but it offers far less cushioning. What the Instinct does offer is a shoe designed for the human foot, plus a little more padding in the upper. I would choose the Clifton every time over the Instinct, except those occasions where I didn't want to cut the toe box open. This would be in ultras where I'm walking a lot and having problems with debris getting in the openings. (That said, check out the Altra One below first.)
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-top.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 top]]|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-bottom.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 bottom]]|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-inside.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 inside]]|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-outside.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Hoka Clifton 2-top.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Hoka Clifton 2 top]]
|}
{{FastBlr|hoka-one-one/clifton-2-1062|1062|Hoka Clifton 2}}
==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 heavier than the Instinct, and has slightly more cushioning, but the two shoes could not be farther apart in their use of [[The Science of Running Shoes]]. The Instinct doesn't try to interfere with your stride, or encourage a heel strike like the GT 2000. Comparing how the two shoes feel, the Instinct is like running barefoot on a well cushioned track, while the GT 2000 is like running in a wooden clog. The Instinct is a clear demonstration of what's wrong with traditional running shoes and how they should be created.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-top.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 top]]|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-bottom.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 bottom]]|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-inside.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 inside]]|[[File:Altra Instinct 3.5-outside.JPG|none|thumb|200px|Altra Instinct 3 .5 outside]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Asics-GT2000-top.jpg|none|thumb|200px|Asics GT2000 top]]