In the end, it’s simple. If you’re looking for more ground feel, want to shed some weight from your feet, and still feel nimble over technical terrain, then the Superior will be entirely up your street.

In the past, I’ve had Altra’s where I’ve ripped out the side walls in 400km, and whereas some people believe that’s a reasonable distance for a shoe, I feel we need to push shoe companies further to build more sustainable and durable shoes. Now we know where the shoes differ, let’s look at the similarities. Overall, I feel the shoes have the same DNA. And if you’re comfortable in one, then the other will “feel” like the same type of shoe, with a couple of unique features. Flexibility and Structure Dom: From my point of view, the ride of the Superior is pretty close to perfect. It could be argued that the shoe could be more springy, more protective, more supportive, firmer, grippier, etc. But I see the Superior as a daily training shoe that will strengthen your feet, improve your proprioception, and nudge you gently toward a more forefoot-oriented gait. It’s not a shoe that is well suited to long distances or particularly rough or technical terrain. Nor is it an obvious choice for racing. It is soft and flexible enough to transform your running experience and connect you closely to the ground underfoot. The Superior provides just enough cushion and protection to bring a natural barefoot-like experience to a mainstream audience. TAYLOR: The minimalist movement lives on through the Superior 5. If that was/is your jam, this shoe will be your defense against the tidal wave of HOKA-esque midsoles on the market.

TAYLOR: Altra continues to push on as an innovator in the zero-drop foot-shaped shoe world. Within that niche, they are also very careful to change too much about a given shoe. Case in point is the Superior. That’s it for the general factors of the Altra shoe line, so let’s break down the details of both the Altra Lone Peak and the Altra Superior. The Superior has been a shoe I have enjoyed running in for many years and I think that the latest model has kept the improvements that the Superior 4 brough, whilst keeping the more responsive ride of older versions. It’s the perfect combination for me.

It still has the same sort of lacing pattern, but we did add that top eye hole. We will now be able to do the marathon loop and such on the five. Update for the Gaiter Trap Trista: "The flex of the Superior 5 was perfect, in my opinion. These shoes have a great balance of structure and flexibility. I have had some issues with other Altra shoes digging into the bridge of my foot as the result of an overly flexible forefoot, but that was not a problem in the Superior 5." Running across hills to test how the padding feels against the ankle bones, and to get a feel for stability. While it remains very flexible, this shoe is one of the most stable due to its wide platform, low to the ground ride, and zero drop.

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Dom: I was a vocal fan of Superior v4.0 and v4.5, and consequently was nervous that Altra would harm the character of the shoe in v5.0. Instead, they made smart changes that will add mainstream appeal without losing the magic of v4.x. In the process, they also delivered an exceptionally fine-looking shoe.