Altra Torin 8 Review

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.

Side View Cut in Half

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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