REASONS TO BUY
Planted feel
Comfortable fit
Good lockdown
REASONS TO AVOID
Mediocre cushioning
Poor responsiveness
Altra Torin 8 Review
A zero-drop trainer that is comfortable, but has a sub-par midsole
Credit: Natalie Kafader
By Nathaniel Bailey ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ May 21, 2025
RELATED: The Best Running Shoes for Men
Our Verdict
The Altra Torin 8 is best described as comfortable. It has a low-to-the-ground, planted feel with a generous toe box that also provides a great lockdown. Zero-drop fans will likely love this shoe for all of those reasons. On the other hand, the midsole of the Torin 8 lacks both the cushioning and resilience that runners have come to expect from modern daily trainers. That's emphasized by the lower overall stack height, which makes this shoe feel far less protective for long sessions on the roads. For runners who have a lot of lifetime miles in zero-drop shoes, that won't be much of an issue. And for people who are new to zero-drop shoes, it's significantly more protective than some other options. This isn't an ideal shoe for most runners, especially beginners, although our lead tester does love it for walking and standing.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Altra Torin 8 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall | Best for Uptempo Training |  Best Under $100 | ||
| Price | $139.00 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $139.90 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | Check Price at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $135 List $134.95 at Amazon | $120 List $84.88 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A comfy zero-drop trainer that lags behind the competition in its performance | A versatile and comfortable option we think most runners will love | A nearly perfect blend of performance and comfort makes this shoe one of the best we’ve tested | A daily trainer that blends comfort and versatility at a reasonable price | Plush cushioning and a bit of pace in a budget shoe |
| Rating Categories | Altra Torin 8 | Asics Novablast 5 | Adidas Adizero Evo SL | Puma Velocity Nitro 3 | New Balance FuelCel... |
| Cushioning (35.0%) | |||||
| Upper Comfort (25.0%) | |||||
| Stability (20.0%) | |||||
| Responsiveness (10.0%) | |||||
| Weight (5.0%) | |||||
| Traction (5.0%) | |||||
| Specifications | Altra Torin 8 | Asics Novablast 5 | Adidas Adizero Evo SL | Puma Velocity Nitro 3 | New Balance FuelCel... |
| Sizes Available | 7-15 US, regular & wide | 6-15 US, regular & wide | 6.5-16 US, regular | 7 - 14 US, regular | 7-18 US, regular & wide |
| Style | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer |
| Best Use | Relaxed running | Relaxed running, versatile for variable paces | Versatile for variable paces | Relaxed running, versatile for variable paces | Relaxed running |
| Measured Heel Stack Height | 28 mm | 41 mm | 39 mm | 38 mm | 38 mm |
| Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop | 0 mm | 5 mm | 9 mm | 11 mm | 7 mm |
| Plate Type | None | None | None | None | Full-length plastic |
| Rocker Angle | 23.5 deg | 25.0 deg | 23.5 deg | 18.0 deg | 19.0 deg |
| Rocker Apex Location | 66.9% | 56.0% | 52.0% | 66.7% | 68.3% |
| Measured Weight | 10.32 oz | 9.50 oz | 8.73 oz | 10.07 oz | 10.52 oz |
| Upper | Jacquard mesh | Engineered jacquard mesh | Engineered mesh | Engineered knit | Engineered mesh |
| Midsole | Ego Max | FF Blast Max | Lightstrike Pro | Profoam | FuelCell |
| Outsole | Rubber | AHAR LO | Continental rubber | PumaGrip | Rubber |
| Heel Tab Type | Extended heel pull | Finger loop | None | None | None |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Zero-drop shoes are often treated as a category of their own. The Altra Torin 8 does a decent job of crossing over into normal daily trainer territory, and absolutely nails the upper fit. But compared to the majority of daily trainers in our lineup, it falls short in a few key areas.
Checking out the thin, sensitive underfoot and zero heel-toe drop of the Torin.
Cushioning
Altra uses Ego Max midsole foam in the Torin 8, offering 28 mm of stack height. The Ego Max foam is meant to offer some bounce and energy, but I didn't find that to be the case during testing. The cushioning feels relatively lifeless compared to most of the higher-scoring daily trainers in our lineup. However, for a zero-drop shoe, there is a moderate amount of protection from the roads thanks to the midsole.
The Torin 8 is a comfortable shoe for standing and walking, and runners accustomed to zero-drop shoes might find it to be good for some road mileage.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
This isn't a shoe that I would recommend choosing for long mileage on the roads, particularly if your legs are not used to training in a zero-drop shoe, or are a heavy heel striker. This shoe encourages you to land forward on your foot, and the heel-cushioning is lacking for runners who land farther back.
There isn't a ton of stack height to this shoe, but it does provide enough protection that it doesn't feel uncomfortable.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Upper Comfort
The Torin 8 has an excellent upper fit. I'm typically not a fan of Altra's anatomical fit, not because it isn't comfortable, but because it typically fails to provide adequate lockdown when I start to push the pace. That was never an issue in this shoe. The roomy toebox allows for a lot of comfort, while there is still plenty of lockdown in the midfoot.
In practice, that meant that if I laced the midfoot somewhat snugly, I was able to achieve a perfect lockdown with no heel lift or sliding, without needing to cinch the toe box. That's awesome.
Overall, the upper could be a bit more breathable, but it's comfortable. The heel cup does a good job of providing a bit of support, and even though the padded tongue is non-gusseted, I never had issues with it. Finally, the comfortable toe box and fit of this shoe make it one of my favorites for walking or standing.
I love the upper fit of the Torin. It's perfect for easy mileage and walking.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Stability
The lower stack height and wider base of this shoe give a very stable sensation. It feels planted. For runners who need some support, I would recommend a different option, both because the Torin 8 lacks supportive features and because the zero-drop geometry tends to put more strain on the lower legs.
The wide platform and planted feel of the shoe make it feel very stable, but it doesn't have much by way of guidance for those who need it.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Responsiveness
For a lower stack shoe, the Torin 8 is surprisingly unresponsive. It has a very relaxed ride that feels comfortable at an easy clip. But when you start to push, there isn't any bounce, pronounced rocker, or noticeable propulsion. When running faster in this shoe, I noticed that it doesn't fight the speed in the same way that many unresponsive trainers do, but it really doesn't want to help either. For runners who want a zero-drop shoe that is very capable in workouts, this is not a good choice.
This shoe doesn't have much to help you change paces. And the foam doesn't have the energy I want from a modern daily trainer.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Weight
The Torin 8 weighs in at 10.32 ounces in a US Men's 10.5. That's a touch heavier than average in our lineup, but it's worth remembering that this shoe also has the lowest stack height in the lineup. For the cushioning it provides, it's pretty heavy.
This shoe is surprisingly heavy for how much foam it has.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Traction
The Torin offers decent traction, with a rubber outsole that grabs on a range of surfaces. I experienced no issues with it. However, as with the last version, the cutouts in the outsole that are meant to aid in flexibility are rock magnets.
Each of those channels cut into the outsole grabs rocks with glee, much to my annoyance.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Should You Buy the Altra Torin 8?
If you're a dedicated zero-drop runner, then you might like the comfort that the Torin provides, although it really isn't a shoe I would recommend for big mileage. For pretty much every other runner, there are better options. However, it has become one of my favorite shoes for walking, hiking, and standing.
What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?
If you're not dedicated to zero-drop shoes only, the Asics Novablast 5 has a 5mm drop and is one of the best shoes in our lineup, and it fills the comfortable cushioning role very well. The Saucony Kinvara 15 is another low-drop shoe, but one that offers significantly more responsiveness. It wouldn't be my first choice for a long run, but I would choose it over the Torin for most runs.
—Nathaniel Bailey
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