Article by Sam Winebaum
Altra x SOAR Mont Blanc Carbon Path Shoe ($260 / £220)
Stats
Weight: 260g / 9.1 oz US8.5 pattern
Stack Peak: 29mm heel / 29mm forefoot, 0 drop
Platform Width: 80mm heel / 70mm midfoot /110mm forefoot
Our very long time contributor Dom Layfied, an enormous Altra fan had beforehand reviewed the Mont Blanc Carbon concluding: “of all of the carbon-plated path sneakers that I’ve tried, the Altra Mont Blanc Carbon is my favourite to-date. The shoe feels gentle and quick, but additionally cushioned and protecting”. Aside from the colorway my Altra X Soar model is an identical to Dom’s.
My perspective comes from an older runner whose path operating consists of straightforward forest paths and rail trails with some pavement sections in addition to reasonably technical rocky and rooty New England trails. I’ve typically struggled off the graceful, and when now not recent in carbon plated path sneakers however right here the Carbitex Monoflex plate is notably versatile, the froth pleasant and tender and the higher Altra roomy and foot formed and safe.
Higher
The higher combines a tender very pliable closed entrance mesh with a supportive rear ripstop with intensive underlays as proven beneath.
The rear of the higher is a dense closed ripstop sort mesh with intensive underlays seen to the rear but additionally extending ahead with 2 extra below the extra closed tremendous tender and pliable entrance mesh.
The tongue is unpadded and double layered and has greater than ample safety from the fairly broad flat laces. It has no gusset to the midsole however is hooked up with a mini gusset to the lace up space.
The rear collars are calmly padded with the heel counter semi versatile.
After all the spotlight of the higher is the Foot Form toe field which is Altra’s not fairly large and insecure for me “Authentic” as within the Lone Peak however the Normal.
What an exquisite match upfront. safe, very tender and pliable mesh and with notable foot splay or “simply feels proper for an actual foot”.
The match, together with the midsole and versatile Carbitex carbon plate, interprets to a broad and pleasant entrance of the shoe on the path.
They’re true to dimension in size and quantity for my medium to slender foot.
Midsole
The midsole is twin density with an outer Altra EGO™ MAX (rim) & supercritical Altra EGO™ PRO (core), pretty normal building for a path shoe with the outer rim offering stability and the interior core energetic rebound. The PRO foam is nitrogen infused supercritical eTPE foam
Whereas not springy in really feel as say a PEBA based mostly Nike ZoomX or adidas Lightstrike Professional is, there’s a nice energetic bounce/ rebound right here with the cushioning very forgiving and tender. Good for very lengthy hours on path.
Embedded throughout the midsole is a Carbitex Monoflex carbon plate. I’ve not been satisfied that carbon plates are the way in which to go in path sneakers as until one is “full gaz” on smoother trails they have a tendency to make sneakers tippy and unstable for me and when one falls off a robust run tempo, how about steep uphills, their advantages go away.
Right here the plate and shoe is notably versatile with an extended flex and likewise a reasonably propulsive snap. As a “Monoflex” the Carbitex plate is designed to be versatile in a single path (toe off) whereas remaining stiff within the different (safety and stability)
That is one plated shoe one doesn’t must “battle” when drained. Up to now the mix works brilliantly offering loads of stability and floor really feel whereas clearly additionally propulsive however don’t come right here searching for an aggressive, tremendous quick and extremely sprung experience..
At a 29mm heel / 29mm forefoot full stack top and 0 drop we now have a comparatively excessive forefoot and lowish heel. The rear platform at 80 mm heel / 70 mm midfoot is average in width and by preserving it from being tremendous broad one doesn’t get the low heel again weighting I typically sense in zero drop sneakers. As I’ve not been in a zero drop shortly, I inserted a 2” minimize outdated insole below the inventory insole for a little bit of elevate however I don’t assume I’ll want it for lengthy. If you’re coming from increased drop sneakers to Altra and 0 drop take some simpler runs ( or use a wedge of insole) to adapt.
Outsole
The outsole is Vibram Megagrip with 3.5mm lugs, pretty normal fare for an extremely race shoe. I notice trademark Altra forefoot minimize outs to match foot bones, a function that helps with the flex and agility on rougher terrain whereas additionally decreasing outsole firmness on agency terrain and highway. And certainly on some highway segments they had been quiet and clean.
On the heel we see the outsole wrap up and round which helps maintain the heel from feeling overly low in what’s a zero drop shoe.
Experience and Conclusions
The experience shocked me. Very pleasant, tender and energetic for a race sort path shoe and one with a carbon plate no much less, though a really versatile one in contrast to just about every other. Not overly aggressive and arduous to tame as many elite extremely sneakers are (for instance Terrex Pace Extremely, Metafuji Path, or Nike Ultrafly, it’s the kind of shoe I’d need on my ft for a lot of hours on path, on the run and even at mountaineering paces.
The heel didn’t really feel overly low or agency as Altra’s generally could be for me with total a really balanced really feel. I like Altra’s for mountaineering paces given the steadiness of zero drop and right here I don’t assume the zero will maintain me from additionally operating them frequently.
At 9.1 oz / 260g they’re fairly gentle for his or her substance though at $260 they’re priced up there alongside different carbon path tremendous sneakers however are a pleasant foot and using possibility for lengthy (and quick) hauls on every kind of terrain.
The Altra x SOAR Mont Blanc Carbon is a part of a head to toe collab with SOAR which features a nice Path Prime, Rheon powered Path Shorts and a lightweight weight cap.
My evaluation of the total Altra x SOAR assortment is right here.
The Altra x Soar Path Assortment together with the Mont Blanc Carbon is now accessible
Altra Working
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SOAR Working
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Samples had been supplied at no cost for evaluation functions. No compensation was supplied by manufacturers for writing this text. RoadTrail Run does have affiliate partnerships and should earn fee on merchandise bought by way of purchasing hyperlinks on this article. These partnerships don’t affect our editorial content material. The opinions herein are totally the authors’.
Sam is the Editor and Founding father of Street Path Run. He’s in his 60’s with 2025 Sam’s 54th 12 months of operating roads and trails. He has a a long time outdated 2:28 marathon PR. Nowadays he runs halves within the simply sub 1:40 vary if he will get very, very fortunate. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week largely at average paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Utah be it on the run, mountaineering or on nordic skis. He’s 5’9” tall and weighs about 160 lbs, if he’s not having fun with too many high-quality New England IPA’s.
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Samples had been supplied at no cost for evaluation functions. No compensation was supplied by manufacturers for writing this text. RoadTrail Run does have affiliate partnerships and should earn fee on merchandise bought by way of purchasing hyperlinks on this article. These partnerships don’t affect our editorial content material. The opinions herein are totally the authors’.
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