Altra Men's Lone Peak 6 Sneaker

Product Information

The Lone Peak was the pioneer of their brand. The true OG. It is one of the few that is reminiscent, almost unchanged, over ten iterations! A good portion of Altra’s cult following (that we often refer to) goes right for this shoe.

Canice: I found the midsole to feel flat faster than I expected. Once again kind of a ride comment but I would like to see more durability in this area of the shoe. Don’t get me wrong, I will gladly keep running my Lone Peak 6’s and they have plenty of life left in them, it’s just an observation I experienced and worth noting. The Altra EGO midsole and MaxTrac outsole remain unchanged in the 6. On my first run, the snow was coming down pretty hard towards the end. The ground was entirely coated, yet the grippy MaxTrac outsole provided the confidence to run and not worry about slipping. However, I did notice that a few flakes tended to fly up onto my ankles with each step — though I expect that’s due to the rubber heel lip. Canice: As mentioned before I would like to feel a bit more pop or spring under foot but this is subjective and each person will have their own opinion. For me, if Altra can improve this, I think the Lone Peak would set a new standard for distance trail running shoes.

Altra Lone Peak 6.0 Conclusion

Dom and Canice: Exhaustively discussed above. But to summarize, LP6 is lighter, more protective, and has better foot hold. From my perspective, there’s not much to debate: the LP6 is a clearly better shoe. It’s also now available in a wide (even wider) variant. This is the best Lone Peak to date.

Dom: Even though excessive roominess is slightly moderated, LP6 retains Altra’s ‘classic’ last, which may be too spacio or us for many runners. ALEX: The Altra Lone Peak 6 may be my favorite Lone Peak yet. This iconic shoe just keeps getting better. The primary update from the previous version is in the form of changes to the forefoot upper and lacing system, with slight modifications to the overlays, including toe protection. They didn’t mess with the sole (or soul), and I am super pumped about that. Maybe not a downside, but it is worth noting that the zero-drop design is a significant change from what most people are accustomed to. The design goes against what you’ve likely always worn in terms of a running shoe, and some people simply might not like it. The stitched rand on the toebox is pliable to the touch, which helps keep the forefoot comfortable on long days while providing a little protection for toe bumps. I prefer a little more protection on the toes, but understand the reason for going with a softer material here. The width up front is traditional Altra, with a very slight volume reduction over previous versions.Being a usability-led shoe brand, Altra often has a few nice features in its shoes. Here it’s the velcro gaiter attachment on the heel, which helps you really waterproof your runs alongside the lacing attachment on the forefoot. Canice: What really stands out to me is that my foot is held in place much better than the previous iterations and this means I can now enjoy the extra room up front as opposed to my foot sliding forward and bashing my toes on technical descents. The fit used to feel a bit sloppy but now I feel secure and confident when side sloping and going for my downhill PR. Moving up the Lone Peak 6, leathery plastic overlays on the medial and lateral midfoot and toebox add some stability and protection to the vamp, but are still quite thin. Heat-welded overlays like these potentially add some durability — after about 50 miles on mostly moderate trails, the upper still shows minimal sign of wear, but I’m dubious about their long-term sturdiness.

Lone Peak 5. Of note the use of additional stitching from the Lone Peak 6 and the use of heavier overlays on the Lone Peak 5. MATT: I applaud Altra for staying the course with a tried and true shoe here while looking for areas to provide marginal gains. This approach should be well received by all the Lone Peak fans who will need to replace their old worn-out models. I'm all about those roomy toe boxes, but not all about the zero drop. (For what it's worth, the podiatrist who trained me in hiking footwear had the same take on Altra trail running shoes.) Sadly, I quit hiking in my Lone Peaks after my second calf strain in fifty miles—after zero calf strains in my previous 10,000 miles in other brands (and none in 3000 Altra-free miles since). Some of my customers, co-workers, and friends have had more serious issues in the Altra Lone Peak, including injuries such as stress fractures, broken ankles, and ruptures Achilles tendons.There’s also a great gusseted tongue which helps keep out debris and make the inner feel snug. I’m always a fan of this.

The tongue on the Lone Peak 6 is fully gusseted, and does a great job of keeping dirt, dust, and debris out of the shoe. The lacing eyelets lay flat on the top of my foot, and have not created any hot spots or pressure points on hikes or runs. While I didn’t struggle while transitioning into zero-drop shoes, I know doing so can cause problems for some people if not done gradually. Because your foot sits completely flat in models without a heel-to-toe drop, muscles and tendons in your lower leg (e.g., gastroc, Achilles, and soleus) are asked to do more work. If you combine this added demand with a lot of intensity and/or vert in your training before your body fully adjusts to different loading patterns, injuries can crop up in a hurry. So, if you’re curious about switching to zero-drop shoes, make sure to do so slowly. Bottom Line Canice: The welded design and construction of the eyelets at the bottom of the shoe seen in blue allow it to be soft and flexible and it has an unobtrusive feeling that is very comfortable.We’ll get into the details below, but I think “Flat Bois” all over can take a collective breath and relax. ALEX: You can’t review an Altra without first expressing appreciation for that wonderfully roomy, foot-shaped toe box. I hope my fellow Lone Peak reviewers don’t mess this up. Taylor, don’t mess this up by talking about the upper first (Editor’s note: He didn’t mess it up). Canice: The outsole has good traction on dry technical terrain like we have here in Park City, UT. It suffers a bit in wet sloppy stuff but in general works well. Dom: More protection underfoot means Lone Peak 6 is once again cushioned enough to run long distances.