Altra Escalante 2.5 vs 3 vs Racer - Review & Comparison!

[@dalysean86]

Great stuff. The 2.5 was my favorite as plenty of room for to splay and you can feel the terrain with feedback. My only issue was durability, as I run on pavement so the support would fade quickly. I'd always know when I needed a new pair of 2.5 when things would start hurting.

[@jasparvowden]

Yeah I love the stretchy mesh on the upper of the 2.5s it's so comfortable. I still run in the 2.5s all these years later and have found them to be extremely durable. They've lost a bit of their bounce but still a very comfortable shoe to run in. I really hope they bring back a similar style shoe but not holding my breath

[@fnaust]

Great video, thanks. Agree absolutely, I love my Escalante 2.5, managed to order another pair online, they are becoming harder to find. The most versatile and comfortable shoes, from walking to running.

[@jasparvowden]

Yeah they're such a great shoe! For some reason although they apparently have the same ego midsole as a lot of other Altra shoes, the 2.5s seem to have their own unique bounce and comfort to them. I really hope Altra stick to their original ethos and keep making great shoes like the 2.5. They seem to be veering off track slightly with some of their new shoes but here's hoping they stay true to their original philosophies! 🤞

[@fnaust]

Yes, Altra seem like they want to go a bit ‘mainstream’ to capture more customers? The downside will be they may lose their original customers.

[@jasparvowden]

@@fnaust yeah you're spot on, it definitely seems they're going that way. As long as they continue to make new shoes that stick with their original ethos and also make some more mainstream style shoes I don't have any issue with that but it would be sad to see them lose their way completely. I guess time will tell!

[@Superimposing]

Agree with everything you said. I have wide feet and the Escalante 2.5 is my favourite road shoe of all time. It really is the perfect shoe. As soon as i ran in the Escalante 3 I rushed online and bought the last four pairs of the 2.5 that I could find. I'm very lucky to still have two pairs NIB. It's no 2.5 but I bought the Rivera 1 cheap on a whim, disliked it initially, but came to really enjoy it after it broke in. I find it much more responsive and fun to run in than the Escalante 3, despite its slim footshape and increased stack..

[@jasparvowden]

Yeah mate it really is! There's nothing overdone about it, it just fits the foot nicely, is super comfortable, great midsole, good ground feel, and has no intrusive technology to try and alter your gait cycle. I really hope Altra or another brand can make a shoe similar to it because I haven't been able to find anything that closely resembles it. I haven't tried the Rivera, was too hesitant because of the slim fit but I'm glad you've found a decent alternative. The only slim fit I wear atm is the Vanish Tempo or Carbon shoes but they're strictly for speed workouts or races, can't wear them too frequently or my feet get injured

[@berndweissflog5921]

Thank you for the great review Jaspar. I have the same feeling about the midsole in particular. I really love the Escalante 2.5 while the new Escalante 3 let me down. I also have the feeling that the midsole of the 3 is seriously worse than the 2.5. So the Altra development is rather worse or they have changed the manufacturer/supplier of the sole material ;) So I'll buy Escalante 2.5 while it lasts.

[@jasparvowden]

Thanks mate! Yeah it's unfortunate that it's such a downgrade, I was so excited to try those shoes when I first bought them. That's a good point, they could have changed the manufacturer /supplier that would make a lot of sense because the midsole just feels so much worse which is confusing when on their website they state its the same ego midsole as the 2.5s

[@Abdullah-nv9uh]

Such a great review! Thanks a lot.. I needed it, as I was struggling to choose between these three.

[@jasparvowden]

I'm glad it helped mate! Thanks for the comment 😁👍 which shoe did you choose?

[@Abdullah-nv9uh]

@@jasparvowden Altra Escalante 2.5 for sure, I have a bit wide feet and looking for a wide toe box too.. And it will be my first Altra purchase actually.

[@jasparvowden]

@@Abdullah-nv9uh awesome mate, they're a great shoe!

[@IWDBIQ]

Bought a pair of Racers, really liked them at first, but I noticed that the tongue is really annoying, the heel doesn't quite lock down nearly as good as some other Altra shoes, and unfortunately worst part, the shoe has quite an agressive curve starting at the toe box that teally pulls it inwards. For the life of me I could not spread my toes because the outside of my feet were stuck the the outside of the shoe. When you spread your toes your big toe doesn't really spread, it's the others that do, yet all of the room you need to spread your toes is on the other side of your big toe. I returned them within 30 days of owning.

[@jasparvowden]

I appreciate the comment mate! Yeah that's the tough thing about shoes aye, everyone has different shaped feet and preferences so there's always going to be different outcomes from person to person. I haven't used the racers in a long time since purchasing the Vanish Tempos which have pretty much replaced them in my shoe rotation. Still not a big fan of the slim fit on the tempos but the midsole bounce makes up for it 😁

[@IWDBIQ]

@@jasparvowden I've heard good things about the tempos, but the only Altra shoes I've owned are the Solstice 2's and Racers, both of which are at 22mm stack height and far as I'm aware are the only shoes Altra currently sells that are that low and categories as low cushion, whereas the Tempos are high cushion with a 33mm stack height. I see the appeal, but I like them a bit lower. I've been considering either the Escalante 2.5, Escalante 3, or Lone Peak 6, but haven't made a decision yet.

[@jasparvowden]

@@IWDBIQ yeah I hear you mate! I used to only run either barefoot or in Vibram five fingers and loved that ground feel (which I still do) It took me a while to get used to the stack height of the tempos but they have a strong place in my shoe rotation nowadays because of how great the midsole is in them and keeps my legs happy. I've found having a variety of different shoes that all play their own unique role for different running scenarios has been a game changer for me and trying to look for the benefits that different shoes provide instead of being 'stuck in my ways' so to speak. I hope you find the right shoe that you're looking for. It's an expensive hobby so I know your pain!

[@IWDBIQ]

@jasparvowden Well thank you very much! I'll keep my options open🤙

[@jasparvowden]

@@IWDBIQ cheers mate let me know how you get on!

[@topsthepops484]

I have recently bought Escalante 2.5. I tried on all the models all the way till the new Provision 7 but none felt like the 2.5. Someone pls tell Altra guys to stick to their USP and not follow the herd. Provision 7 were the worst, so rigid, almost telling my feet how to land and take off. My main running shoes are Luna sandals and I'm super happy with 2.5s as my recovery easy run shoes. Great review sir.

[@jasparvowden]

I 100% agree with you mate! Altra originally stood out for me because they were such a great companion shoe to any other minimalist /barefoot footwear. They were a perfect hybrid shoe that had the qualities of minimalist shoes with a little extra cushioning. I understand that they are trying to add more selection for a variety of users but they should never lose sight of what made them so great and so unique in the 1st place. I hope they don't veer off track too much with their newer model shoes!

[@topsthepops484]

@@jasparvowden on point !! I was checking with the retailer how many pairs do they have of my size in case I need to stock them. I think these are discontinued now.

[@jasparvowden]

@@topsthepops484 yes unfortunately I think they have been discontinued. The Escalante Racer is still a great shoe and they are continuing to make that shoe as far as I know but hopefully they make more shoes similar to the 2.5

[@topsthepops484]

@@jasparvowden good to know that but when I tried Escalante racers I felt it was pronating my feet. Very different from neutral sandals or even 2.5s. Maybe it's just me. I think I'll have to scour around the globe for 2.5s until I exhaust all the stock. Haha 😆

[@jasparvowden]

@@topsthepops484 haha good luck on your search mate! At least they will be on sale if you do find some 😁👍

[@RuminatingBroccoli]

Thanks for the review, you mention you wear Vibrams too. Do you wear socks when running in any of these Altras? Or does your choice depend on distance/shoe?

[@jasparvowden]

Cheers mate! Yes I wear the Injinji toe socks in all the shoes I wear. They are very comfortable and I find they are more durable than the Vibram brand socks 👍

[@chrisogrady28]

It's impossible to get a hold of the racers these days, it makes me wonder if they discontinued them so they can make a racer version of the 3. I run in FiveFingers too, but at over half marathon distances and racing I think Escalante racers would be perfect. My trail shoe is the Altra Lone Peak 6 and even though they are minimal for a trail shoe they feel super cushy after being a toe shoe boy for 13 years.

[@jasparvowden]

They are still sold on the Altra website from what I can see but they've been on sale for a while so you might be right, that will be exciting to see an updated version of the racer! Yeah I know the feeling, any cushioning feels super cushy after running in five fingers 😂 can't beat the five finger feel though, still my go-to shoe 😁

[@chrisogrady28]

@@jasparvowden it's werid at least on the UK site the racers aren't on any of thr product pages but if you manauallly search for them they are there and available to order at the full price of £135 (all other non-brand new shoes are discounted). I'm going to an Altra demo tonight and am going to ask their rep what their racer plan is 🤞 If the new racer is based on the 3 though it could be a downgrade based on your video

[@jasparvowden]

@@chrisogrady28 yeah that is weird, I use the Australian site because I'm in New Zealand so maybe it's different dependant on area of the world. Oh cool! If you get any info on the racers I would love to know 👍 yeah unfortunately I'm not a fan of the 3s but a lot of people do like them. Hopefully if they do upgrade the racer it's not in the same direction of the 3s

[@chrisogrady28]

@@jasparvowden so they told me the current racer is still in production (although only the light blue one, can you order another colourways?) and if they do make a new one it'll be a while yet as they haven't mentioned it internally. It was also interesting to find out that the timeline between design and prodiction is like 3 years. There was a lot of feedback on our run that people want a more aggressive trail shoe for our muddy hills and he says it's on the cards for SS25, so still a long time to wait haha.

[@jasparvowden]

@@chrisogrady28 I just had a look and I can order the blue or the black/lime. That's interesting because last time I checked they still had the grey and the white/orange so that must have been the last of their stock. Oh wow 3 years I would not have thought it would take that long to develop a shoe! Guess we just have to stick to running in the classics for now 😅

[@formulaic78]

Great review. I think based on the lack of bounce on the 3.0 I'm gonna stick with the 2.5s for my next pair. Thanks for saving me quite a few quid.

[@jasparvowden]

Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it!

[@tessiof]

Great video! I was looking for a pair of running shoes, and the Escalante 2.5 will be it.

[@jasparvowden]

Awesome mate, I'm glad this video has helped! 😁 Let me know how you get on with those shoes once you've tried them 👍

[@tryfergoodra552]

Hi bro thanks , i want a close one to barefoot shoe and short but fast runs , should i go with escalante 2.5 or the racer?

[@jasparvowden]

Hey bro for those workouts I would personally go for the racer. It has a shorter stack height by 2mm so feels a little more barefoot and is more snappy when you're running fast. The escalante 2.5 is a bit softer and a bit more bounce but if you want something for faster workouts and closer to barefoot feel then the racer is perfect for that

[@tryfergoodra552]

​@@jasparvowdenThanks mate , i heard many good reviews for escalante but 2.5 wasnt possible to find one i was worried but now i can just get the racer 😅 didnt want to feel limited by stock but just pick the best for me and that solved my doubt , i do medium to fast pace but normally just up to 7kms and sometimes max sprints , i like to do little jumps through the city dont think can be called parkour cuz no more than 1.5 meters but i guess the shoes are still good for that even with little to no cushion if i know how to land . Although i mostly just run😅

[@jasparvowden]

@@tryfergoodra552 yeah I'm so gutted they discontinued the 2.5s, one of my favourite shoes and can't find them anywhere unfortunately. Awesome! I also do the same, can't really call it parkour but it's fun to find things to jump onto, keeps the spirit young I think 😁 the racers are a great shoe for short distance I think you'll really like them 👍

[@tryfergoodra552]

@@jasparvowden Ty bud and yeah is awesome not only running but do whatever you want and take shortcuts, just one more thing are they true to size or should i get them one size up , is important to me the wide toebox

[@jasparvowden]

@@tryfergoodra552 I found they are true to size but it probably wouldn't hurt going up half a size if you wanted a bit of extra room in the toe box

[@Kernoe]

what is really tragic, i do not find the 2.5 anymore. I find it so annoying when shoes have to be changed all the time. The 2.5 was my dream shoe. After your review i do not even feel like getting the nr. 3. Will watch out for another brand, is there any other zero drop except barefoot running shoes?

[@jasparvowden]

Yes it's a real shame! I love the 2.5s they struck such a good balance between feeling barefoot but also giving a really nice added cushioning and bounce. The escalante racer is still a great shoe that feels closer to the 2.5s than the 3s imo. I've heard some good things about the brand Topo however some of their shoes have added stability technology which aggravates my feet so I haven't tried them yet

[@Kernoe]

@@jasparvowden i bought the nr. 3 now because i could not find the 2.5 or the racer. Since my expectation was negative first i was positively surprised by the comfortable feel of the shoe. Did my first run today and there are two things on my mind. The people that complaint about the tongue and the mesh being to thin and sloppy clearly won and now on a warm day on a long run one has to worry not getting to hot in this new mesh. Too plushy and puffy for my taste but for 5k is was okay. The shoe really feels very different to the 2.5. For me it feels there is almost no foam between the foot and the street. Which i am not sure what to think of for now. It for sure gives a very different feedback than the 2.5. It feels a bit dead but i could kind of like that since after getting a new 2.5 it felt often like too soft or too much foam, because the old one would have lost some of the softness which i kind of liked. I will see! The sole is different and supports lateral forces better when running a curve. Maybe therefore the shoe feels different.

[@jasparvowden]

@@Kernoe thank you for the comment i completely agree with all of that! And yes good analysis on the sole supporting lateral forces better. I remember when I first got the 2.5s and slightly hurt my right ankle turning a corner (it never eventuated to anything major but was a slight concern at the time) so I guess that is a slight upgrade in that respect but yes I think the 2.5s almost get better with age as they wear down a bit

[@tryfergoodra552]

​@@jasparvowdenHi , one question what is added stability and why is bad or bad for you. Have you heard about the Topi TS4. ? a minimalistic shoe of zero drop and 16mm stack , does that one have added stability? im between that topo and escalante 2.5/racer

[@jasparvowden]

@@tryfergoodra552 hey bro, I have flat feet and so I naturally pronate at the ankle more than someone who has a more pronounced arch in their foot so if I wear a shoe that has added stability (usually anti pronation technology) in it then it restricts the natural movement of my ankle and foot and makes my feet cramp up and often causes symptoms of plantar fasciitis so I stay completely away from shoes like that. I'm not sure about the topo ts4, I've heard good things about the topo brand in general and would definitely like to try their shoes one day

[@rubmasta1]

2.5s all day!

[@jasparvowden]

2.5s coming out on top!

[@stoicrunner2757]

Thanks for the comparison. Just started running in the 2.5s. At the moment, using them for shorter, easier runs (5-6kms). How far do you generally take them on your runs?

[@jasparvowden]

I take them on all kinds of distances, I think the longest I've run in them was a 35km run and they felt great the whole time. Do you run in other models of Altra shoes?

[@stoicrunner2757]

@@jasparvowden I have the Superior 4.5 for trails, although I don't run trails a whole lot. I thought the Escalante would initially be a bit tough on the feet and ankles but so far so good.

[@jasparvowden]

@@stoicrunner2757 I have the superiors as well, they are comfortable enough but they don't have very good grip on the technical terrain. Yeah I find the Escalante 2.5s very comfortable! They're great on road and pavement

[@fransera]

Are your feet 2E wide? I have tried a few Altras and most are too tight for my 2E feet with slight bunions

[@jasparvowden]

Hi mate yes I am a 2E wide. Have you tried the escalante 2.5s? I find that because they use a stretchy mesh they are much more accommodating. Unfortunately Altra have been making some of their newer shoes in a slim fit which I think is abandoning their ethos in some ways so I hope they go back to making more wide fitting shoes

[@slavasss2189]

they are very shallow in toebox, even if smb call them wide, they still very very slim fit in terms of height of toebox

[@alexanderstevens145]

I’m gonna check these out

[@jasparvowden]

Altra have some great shoes! I'm looking forward to trying their trail shoes and super shoes when I can afford some lol

[@merlinsmith5524]

Very professional thank you 🙏

[@jasparvowden]

Thank you for the kind words 🙂 I'm glad the video helped you 😁👍

[@Rev3rence]

Eight out of teen?

[@jasparvowden]

Fush n chups mate

[@jasparvowden]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYLGnKtpm56jY5I If you're looking for a speed shoe from Altra, I've just released a review on their vanish tempo shoe. Cheers!

[@formulaic78]

Great review. I think based on the lack of bounce on the 3.0 I'm gonna stick with the 2.5s for my next pair. Thanks for saving me quite a few quid.

[@jasparvowden]

Happy to help mate! Always good when you can save a bit of coin too 😁👍