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From Fellrnr.com, Running tips
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The [http://www.zappos.com/altra-one Altra One2] (One-squared) is a wonderful blend of light weight and soft cushioning, and is a shoe I love to run in. In many ways it reminds me of the legendary Nike Mayfly, though it is not as light weight as that groundbreaking shoe. The One<sup>2</sup> is not as softly cushioned as a Minimax shoe, but it is a lot softer than the [[Saucony Virrata]] or the [[Mizuno Cursoris]], and lighter the [[Adidas Energy Boost]]. However the One<sup>2</sup> does not last very long, making it a relatively expensive shoe in terms of cost per mile
=Characteristics=
* '''MidsoleWhy you'd buy it'''. It's a softly cushioned, lightweight show that's designed for a human foot. The midsole [[Hoka Clifton]] is as soft as you'd expect in better cushioned, but a Minimax shoe, though obviously not as thicklittle heavier.** '''Cushioning'''. The One<sup>2</sup>is softly cushioned, but because of its thinness it does not offer the same protection from rough ground that a true [[Minimax ]] shoe would. ** '''Drop & Shape'''. Like other Altra shoes, the One<sup>2</sup> is zero drop but with a slight rise under the arch. The One<sup>2</sup> tapers more gently from the ball of the foot to the front than most Altra shoes, mostly because it's so much thinner. The rear of the midsole is very slightly cut away to create a hint of a rocker. ** '''Structure'''. This shoe uses single density of foam, but they are deep grooves cut into the bottom of the sole, and some shallower grooves in the top of the midsole. (These top cuts are hidden unless you dissect the shoe.)** '''Flexibility'''. The One<sup>2</sup> is a remarkably flexible for shoe due to the deep grooves in the bottom of the midsole, and the shallow grooves in the top.
* '''Outsole'''. There is almost no outsole, just a couple of tiny patches of the extreme front and rear of the shoe. The bulk of the bottom of the shoe is exposed foam, which is part of the reason the shoe is so light as the harder rubber used on many shoes is quite heavy. However, this does dramatically reduce the wear characteristics, and '''I got only a little over 200 miles''' from mine before they needed retirement.
* '''Shape'''. The shoe is the classic Altra shape, which follows the outline of the human foot much better than other makes. It has a broad toe box, but I find there is not enough height for my toes and [[Shoe Modifications| I still have to cut the toe box open]].
Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition.
* [[Mizuno Cursoris]] is remarkably similar, but its foam is a lot firmer, giving it a much different feel. The Cursoris actually has a better toe box than the Altra, but similar poor wear characteristics.
* [[Saucony Virrata]] is much a little firmer than both the One<sup>2</sup> and the Cursoris, but is also harder wearing. The shape is that of a traditional running shoe, so the toe box is not as good as either One<sup>2</sup> or the Cursoris.* [[Adidas Energy BoostHoka Clifton]] is another light weight slightly heavier but more softly cushioned shoe, though not as light . The extra weight as the Altra. Howeveris quite noticeable, there are more differences than similarities, with but so is the Boost having a raised heel, traditional foot bed shape, but impressive longevitycushioning.
* [[Altra Torin]] not only is the Torrent a little heavier, it is much, much firmer. This provides far less cushioning, but it does provide more protection from stones and uneven surfaces.
=Gallery=
