Tha Altra One has always been a mainstay in their lineup since day one. It represents everything from Altra has been preaching from the beginning including a lower stack height and less cushion, ZeroDrop, and a FootShape toe box. It’s also always been the lightest shoe they make, so what we have here is a shoe made for performance. A lot of folks were excited to see what was next and to see where Altra would take it, the One V3 is the culmination of that.
Construction: Upper
The upper on the One V3 users a lightweight quick dry mesh, one of the first shoes in their lineup to use this in such a large way. The Marie real honestly has an odd feel and appearance, it’s almost plastic like which is a little odd. The toe box is big like most Altra shoes, but this is the roomiest I have ever seen from them. Not only is it wide, but it’s also higher in front than normal so you get toe movement vertically and horizontally. My initial reaction was it is actually too big and while its roomy and comfortable, it’s out of place on a performance shoe.
Construction: Midsole
The mid is composed of EVA makes use of their InnerFlex technology, again skewing towards performance. This shoe is about acceleration and responsiveness. The 23mm stack height gives you a decent amount of cushion and the shoe does exact well.
Construction: Outsole
The outsole makes use of blown rubber and also uses the Altra FootPod technology which gives you some semblance of structure. On the strong side the shoe does maintain traction very well and it does appear to be wearing well, something people have complained about recently on several Altra models.
Style & Aesthetics
The One V3 comes in 4 colorways (gray/yellow, white/red, blue, black) and is available for men and women. The palettes are interesting and I honestly didn’t mind the mix of colors on the shoe. What I really didn’t like was the toe box on this model, it’s just oversized and it looks awkward. When I line it up next to another aggressive Altra shoe like the Escalante, it is eve more exaggerated. When I put it next to the Torin which is a mid cushion shoe, it beats it as well.
Run Test
The Altra One V3 is a comfortable shoe, so anything you read above I need to caveat with that. From the first time you out it on, you will find it roomy and spacious and your foot will be relaxed. That being said, I don’t necessarily know that this translates into the optimal run experience especially out of what should be a performance shoe.
In run, the shoe is still quick and responsive. Just like prior versions, you can put up good numbers in these and they make a good speed day partner. My problem with them was that they felt sloppy because of the excess material. Not only is there an overwhelming feeling of looseness, but the side to side support is barely noticeable. Your foot will just move a lot in them. I have a normal width foot as well, so this isn’t an issue where I run narrow. In fact, if anything, I might skew wider. If you had a wider foot the shoe might fit tighter, but for me while comfortable I just found it too loose to perform well.
My other issue is the contrast with their new model, the Escalante. They come in at really the same performance level, but represent very different ideas around shoe design. I definitely prefer the knit build that is more closely aligned to anatomical and have a lot more miles on those.
Overall Conclusion
This is definitely not my favorite update from Altra. The upper material feels a little weird and there is way too much of it. The shoe just feels big on your foot really and it’s not the length, just the bulkiness. The One V3 is still very light, don’t get me wrong, it just feels like a lot of shoe. When I contrast it with the Escalante, my hand will go after the Escalante every time. Also, just about an ounce more I can jump over to the Torin and get another 4mm of total cushion. It’s in a tough spot now, so let’s hope this one gets back to its roots.
Technical Stats, Pricing & Availability
- Weight: 7.6oz (size 9)
- Drop: 0mm heel/toe
- Stack Height: 23mm
- MSRP: $100.00
- Available: Now
