Altra FWD Via road shoe appears to have the potential to answer some running prayers. New to the market and with a 4mm drop, it differs from the zero drop that Altra usually offers up. I tested this shoe with a brick session, because that, dear friends, is what I do for fun. Anyhoo, back to the boots…

I am a fan of the wide toe box, and these are pretty good; however, I think there is not as much room to spread the toes as there is with other brands or other Altra models. The firm sole has a guiding effect, and it was most comfortable when the big toe led the stance and push-off phases. It felt like the shoe was encouraging that line of movement, which is not a bad thing at all, and took a bit of thinking about (also not a bad thing). I ran on tar seal and gravel road,  and the cushioning was ample on both surfaces.

The heel cup was comfortable and not insignificant, providing good support, which made it a good shoe for my unstable ankle, and the rocker meant there was no extra calf load throughout the run. All in all, I would recommend this shoe, although I will likely still lace mine to give the toes more space.

Physio POV:

This shoe could potentially be a good option for those who need heel stability and a wider toe box. With the rocker sole and the wide toe box, it could also be a good option for Morton's Neuromas and maybe even a mild plantar fascia dysfunction.  Please test it out, head to Frontrunner Colombo.

Emily Hunt

Physio