Altra Rivera 2 Running Shoes - SS22

Product Information

All of their women’s shoes also feature the brand’s “Fit4Her” design, which essentially means that they modify the fit of the shoe to accommodate the slightly different shape of women’s feet. The geometry has a 28mm heel, 28mm forefoot so we are now in the well cushioned domain while the Rivera 2 was thinner in feel. Even with the Inner Flex grooves in the top of midsole (continuing from before) upfront we lose some front flex and thus snap. If you have been wearing shoes with a high heel to forefoot drop and a ‘pointier’ toe box, then your feet will have been prevented from functioning. If you decide to try Altra Zero Drop shoes, then it is advisable to gradually increase the time you spend in the shoes and alternate with your previous ones. This way your feet and lower legs can gradually get stronger without getting overloaded. The whole ethos of Altra shoes is to allow your feet the space to function. Then you run with better posture and your feet get stronger the more you run, which reduces the wear and tear on the body and chance of injury. Altra is a well-known footwear brand with many high-quality and reliable running shoes with zero drop and wide-toe boxes, but the best among all others is Altra Rivera. This LINE has many new models, such as Altra Rivera 2 and 3.

Sam: The change here between versions is the upper with the Rivera 2 delivering a more characteristic Altra broad front fit than Rivera 1. The fit now leans a bit more comfort than performance but that is OK by me. Many people like the fit and size of these shoes, which make them great and comfortable for all-day runs.Cheng: This is personal taste, but I would have liked the EGO foam to be tuned a slight bit softer. Nevertheless, I am quite content with how the firmness of the platform becomes lively and bouncy at faster paces. The biggest gripe, however, is in the fit. In pursuit of mainstream customers, Altra shrunk the toe box with a more aggressive lateral taper. The results are not the best.

With the Torin becoming more and more plush each year, and the Escalante staying where it’s always been, they need something between. In fact, Altra disbanded the Torin as we knew it with the Torin Plush 4.5. As you would expect with such a light, flexible shoe you don’t really notice that you have them on. The mid sole is made of Altra’s Ego material. It is a one piece midsole with Altra innerflex to increase the flexibility. I found the ride of the shoe to be cushioned and bouncy. Both Altra Rivera 2 and 3 are neutral daily trainers and runners which are also good for walking because of the comfort, cushioning and versatility these shoes provide on the ground.Kurt: No complaints about the outsole. Given that this is a zero drop shoe, most users will probably barely impact the exposed middle. I do quite a bit of running on snow, ice, and sloppy country roads and this performed nicely, especially when it came to shedding snow.

With that said, it still is a shoe that I would happily have in my rotation, just not as my featured shoe. It is super lightweight (my size 13 weighed in at 9.5oz), with plenty of protection and cushion for any run I want to do. The outsole is also equipped with foot pod technology, rubber and wavesole pattern for enhanced traction, flexibility and response. What do customers think?The newest shoe in Altra road running range is the Altra Rivera. The Rivera drops into the range where the Altra Instinct/Intuition used to sit. That makes the Rivera more cushioned than the Escalante, which is designed as a racer/trainer for those faster runs and interval sessions. Conversely, it’s less cushioned than the Torin, which is Altra’s high mileage high cushioning road running shoe. If I had to label the Rivera, I would say that it’s a ‘performance training shoe’. Sam: The midsole is Altra’s EGO foam. To pressing and on my A/B run one on each foot with the Rivera 2 it is a bit softer than before and with 2mm more of it the Rivera 2 clearly delivers a more forgiving ride than before with a touch more bounce and a touch less (overly firm in comparison) response. Which shoes are better? Are you still confused about both the running shoes of Altra? Rivera 2 and 3 are designed as running shoes because of the wide toe box and zero drop effect, which make both footwear perfect for daily runs and walks. Now we have a solid pad with a new rounded wrap of the outsole around the heel and a more continuous crash pad groove. During the tempo speeds, I saw this shoe shine. With the 0-drop design, I feel I can lean forward more and push the pace with great energy return.

Both Altra Rivera 2 and 3 are comfortable shoes, but their comfort level varies from one another, which means one is more comfortable than the other. This shoe compares favorably to some of the shoes in which I’ve run lately: NB 1080v11, Hoka One One Mach 4, and Topo Athletic Cyclone. There are modifications to the outsole and underfoot geometry with now a more continuous rubber piece at the lateral heel landing and more decoupling, a good sign for the potential of less bottoming out and a low feeling heel given the zero drop. At this price point, the Rivera will go up against the likes of Brooks Ghosts, Saucony Ride, New Balance 880, and the Topo Athletic Cyclone (maybe the closest comparable shoe, review to come shortly). Some people are happy with the wide toe box and zero drop of Rivera 2 which make these shoes perfect for short runs.

At just under 9 oz / 255g in a US men’s 9 it is decently light. It gets a new less structured and less reinforced at the rear upper of a mesh very similar to the Rivera 2. The fit is Altra’s FootShape in “Slim Fit '' so not as broad as other Altra road trainers such as the Torin or Paradigm. Kurt Huebner is a senior at Cornell University who spends far more time thinking about running than studying. He has mainly focused on ultramarathon training for the last two years, with a 8:00:00 50 mile PB. Kurt is also a competitive nordic skier and will put on a race bib for just about any endurance sport, from snowshoeing to marathon canoeing. On the side, Kurt works at a local run specialty store. He has been averaging about 45 miles a week this winter.