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Altra Torin 5
- Posted on
- By Running Lab Staff
- Posted in Altra, High Cushion, neutral
- 12
This is a big one.
Altra went away with Quantic foam in the Torin 5, upgrading to EGO MAX, a more durable and responsive foam. The Torin 4 and Torin 4.5 Plush had lacing tabs, numerous medial flex gloves, and an interior booty fit – those are all gone too.
The Torin's upper also received a makeover, with a thinner material base and better heel fit. Weighing in on the lighter side of max-cushion shoes, the Torin 5 is versatile for long runs and speed workouts alike.
Despite its lighter, airier feel, the Torin still boasts a great deal of cushion with 28mm of foam separating the runner from the ground.
And to those who rely on Altra's wide foot-shaped toe box don't have to worry, that is here to stay.
SUPPORT: Neutral
HEEL TO TOE OFFSET: 0mm (28mm stack height)
WEIGHT: 7.3oz/209.3g women's, 9oz/257.5g men's
USE: Everyday trainer, road running, long runs, recovery
SURFACE: Road, track, urban
FIT
The toebox of the Altra Torin 5 is wide in the best way, like giving your feet a king-size bed or a first-class upgrade! Altra now has four different toebox shapes to better fit a wider variety of feet. The Torin 5 stays true to the legacy of its name by maintaining the widest fit and giving the wearer's toes plenty of room to spread out and say "ahh". The midfoot looks a little baggy on me and I would say my feet are neither wide nor slender. This is a purely aesthetic complaint though as it doesn't translate to a loose feel. As a matter of fact, my foot felt well locked down without feeling restricted at all. The heel cup is remarkably pleasant. My foot settles in and feels wrapped and supported. Even with the shoe being on a zero-drop platform, the heel is soft enough to walk around on comfortably. The tongue is thin, mostly mesh, and has a little bit of padding toward the top which prevents that thin edge from rubbing at all. The tongue stays in place despite no gusset or stitching to lock it in. The upper is thin and breathable with a plush ankle collar and a little bit of structure surrounding the heel. It allows for natural movement of the foot and wiggle room for the toes for a nice airy feel.
I'm officially a fan of the new EGO MAX foam used in the Torin 5. It mixes a good bit of responsiveness with a soft, but not too soft, landing. Combined with the wide toebox and zero-drop, it allows for a really amazing ground feel. The shoe transitions really smoothly with a flexible forefoot. In this new carbon-plated world we run in, it felt really nice to know what my foot was doing again.
I found this shoe runs slightly long. Some runners may have to size down a half size. I would probably still be happy in my usual size 11, but the 10.5 I am testing fits close to perfect.
STABILITY
The Torin 5 feels very stable and balanced. There is definitely some noticeable arch support in this shoe.
SPEED
This shoe is a solid daily trainer. Easy miles, tempo runs, long runs, recovery. You name it, the Torin 5 is up for it.
COMPARISON
The zero-drop platform and wide toebox make this difficult to compare directly with many other shoes. The closest comparison would be the Topo Phantom which has a bit more cushion and heft than the Torin 5, making the Torin 5 a much speedier feeling trainer. I would place the Torin 5 in the same category for cushion and performance as the Hoka Clifton, Saucony Ride, Brooks Levitate, and On Cloud X.
PREVIOUS VERSIONS
The Torin 4 is, without a doubt, the best fitting shoe I have ever put on my foot, so I'll get my one complaint about version 5 out of the way. They did away with the lacing tabs and interior booty fit that wrapped my foot so well in version 4, leaving the Torin 5 looking a little loose and baggy in the midfoot. This does, however, make it a more wide-open feel and fit that will accommodate a wider foot or higher instep, so I get it. I immediately felt more support in the heel and arch in the Torin 5 as a result of Altra eliminating some medial flex grooves and making the midfoot of the shoe a little stiffer than the 4. They definitely nailed the cushioning with their new EGO MAX midsole. Quantic foam was comfy and soft, but I love the added bounce and snappy feel I get with the new stuff!
WHAT WE THINK
Once upon a time, I heard a rumor that Altra was doing away with the Torin. At the time I felt both sadness and rage! Luckily those rumors were erroneous! Imagine my elation when I first saw the Torin 5 and my excitement when lacing them up for the first time! After just a few steps I could tell I was going to enjoy them. With all the new technology going into running shoes these days, this one doesn't stray too far from its roots, which makes me love it as a daily trainer that feels both comfortable and natural. The zero-drop platform and foot-shaped toebox, make a light, natural stride feel instinctive, and I love letting my foot spread out and breathe. The ground feel is unbelievable! I could feel my foot through every contact point on each step, making me much more aware of my foot strike and form. The EGO MAX cushion was enough so that the cement never felt harsh, but still gave me a really great response with each push-off. The fit of the Torin 5 felt amazing! All my worries that it wasn't going to wrap my midfoot well disappeared on the run. I felt no slippage and no discomfort. All-in-all I am very pleased that the Torin 5 remains a shoe that my feet can call home!
This shoe is for anyone who isn't enamored with fancy carbon plates or super foam and just wants a solid performing, natural feeling running shoe. If you have any foot issues like me (bunion, Morton's toe/neuroma, blisters between toes), this shoe can help alleviate them as well.
MEET YOUR REVIEWER
Keith
37 year old
Wears men's size 10.5
Running has always been a part of my life. When I was younger it was mainly a way to stay in shape for soccer; running track in the off-season was a way to train hard and stay competitive. I liked it, but it wasn't until my first marathon in my late 20's that I really fell in love with running. Since then I have completed 7 marathons and a 50-mile ultra while also competing in countless 5k, 10k, and half-marathon races. I enjoy running just about anywhere except the treadmill. I prefer trails in the woods to the road and my favorite spot is the Corsair Trail System in the Huron National Forest near East Tawas, MI. I also frequent the many trails we have in Southeast Michigan. I currently work at Running Lab and have worked there for a total of just over 2 years. My favorite thing about running is that it can be super competitive yet the running community is so supportive of each other.
If what you are looking for is a low drop, tight midfoot, wide forefoot overall neither firm nor soft running shoe, I would recommend the following 3:
Hoka Bondhi (wide or extra wide), yes, heavier but great grip, deep, reliable cushioning, tight, memory foam heel, well tightened midfoot, good, if of course not altra, forefoot,
Hoka Stinson 6 atr (due to the double layer of laces excellent midfoot tightening precision, and excellent width overall, with amazing depth of cushioning and grip on near anything)
And lastly the on cloud cloudstratus (due to wide forefoot and excellent lacing system).
Sadly, none of them are altra and hence none are per se foot form designed.
Maybe tips (eg ones I have no personal experience with) include wide version of the Saucony Triumph 19 and endorphin shift, in wide if you can get them, and of course I wish you the best of luck in getting your well wear proven torin 4 again!!
Hi David -
I hope you are doing well. The Altra Torin 5 has many differences in comparison to the New Balance 840. Some main points of difference is that the Torin has a foot-shape fit. The Torin's midsole cushion is on a balanced level. That means there is no difference in elevation from the heel to toe. The New Balance 840 is an 8mm difference from the heel to the toe angle. The New Balance 840 have more of a straight last where the Torin has a semi curved last.
If you have any further questions, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email. I'd love to be a resource for you.
Toni Reese
810-225-9123
[email protected]
Torin 5 vs NB 840v4?
Thanks for the review but you neglected to note the horribly painful tongue. The tongue is rigid and slices the front of my ankles. The 4s were the best shoes ever and I hope they come out with a 5.5 soon and replace the tongue with softer materal.
I have run for years in torins and love them, but the company has inexplicably stopped making a size 16, so I will not be able to wear them any more. This is upsetting as there aren't other shoes like this on the market. I have emailed and messaged them about this change and gotten no response.
I love the fours! Tried the five, ended up with the Hoka RIncon 2. Not zero drop (5mm), but cushy not squishy. Looks like I need to order a third pair of fours...
Have you thought about using some blister shield roll on to help with rubbing on baby toe? Altra def knows about the tongue on this shoe. It was a miss and is not as comfortable as the 4. The 4 was magic and in my opinion one of the best Altra shoes of all time.
I have both the 10.5 and 11s in the new Torin 5. I have a Morton's toe/neuroma and Altra saved me from needing surgery 7 years ago. I love the Torin 4. So far when I run in the Torin 5 the padding in the tongue feels weird for the first couple miles and my left baby toe is rubbing on the side. Any thoughts?
Hello, this could be because they are now offering the Torin 5’s in wides. They had to size grade the shoe so the wide wasn’t soooo wide. Hopefully that makes sense
Hello! I feel you, the Torin 4 was pretty amazing. It did have a mid foot wrap like no other. The Phantom does not have a bootie sewn in but the tongue isn’t sliding around. We probably sell 2-1 Phantom to Torins. Sorry they ruined your favorite shoe :(
We have been fitting mostly true to size. Some customers depending on what they have going on with fit have had to go up. It’s not many though
Altra narrowed the toe box ~.24” after the Torin 3.5. The 4, 4.5 and 5 no longer provide the wider, Morton Neuroma-friendly toe box discussed here.
I’m 4 runs and about 20 miles into my Torin 5. I definitely miss the 4. My heels feel nice and secure but the mid section seems looser. I do not feel the bounce and the forefoot feels less cushioned. I’ve found 1 pair of 4s in my size on the internet and ordered them and even a 3.5 so I’ll try that too. I thought that the ribbon that you ran the laces through on the 4 was a stroke of genius. I never experienced the tongue slipping to the side. I’m a disappointed Altra wearer. Is there another low drop shoe with a wide toe box and that interior booty fit? You mentioned the Topo Phantom 2 as similar. Does it have that interior boot? My local running stores are pretty much all Hokas these days and the only Hoka that I liked was the Huaka. I loved it.
Thank you
Are they true to size? I saw a few reviews recommending to go half size up.