Altra Experience Flow 3 Review

Our Altra Experience Flow 3 Experience

The Altra Experience Flow 3 felt like a winner as soon as we got our hands on it. The shoe felt lightweight as we pulled it out of the box, and it fit like a glove the moment we slid it on.

During our first wear, we were having fun with how springy the midsole foam felt. It put a substantial amount of bounce in our step, which made grocery shopping and a trip to the hardware store all the more enjoyable. But unless we focused our thoughts on the shoe, it really just sort of disappeared into the background. The springy midsole was fun to play with for a bit, but the shoe fit us so well and was so light and comfortable that, after a while, we forgot we were testing out a new shoe. It simply felt good to wear — good enough to fade into the background on that first day.

Next, we went on a 5-mile riverside walk along the park paths in our hometown. Unsurprisingly, we were happy to stroll for miles in the Experience Flow 3. The heel-to-toe rocker roll is sublime, and that springiness kept our step flow moving forward without hindrance. Our favorite part is the extra-roomy toe box. Even after walking thousands of steps on a warm day, there was nary a threat of a hot spot or blister. Our toes had room to breathe — to live! — and the fact that they were able to splay out so well certainly helped us maintain our own stability when the terrain became tricky where tree roots had damaged the path.

Altra aimed to improve the overall comfort of the Experience Flow 3 over its previous iteration, and they hit the nail on the head. We could feel the differences between this version and the last. The formerly dual-layer mesh upper is now a more breathable single-layer mesh, the heel collar is less stiff, and the tongue has now been upgraded to a fully-gusseted tongue, which makes it easier to slide on and off. Altra, please — you're spoiling us!

There's little to not like about the Experience Flow 3. It's become a solid go-to in the closet for long walks and even short runs. We would like to see a more pronounced heel tab or even a finger loop to help with the on/off process, but that's a minor inconvenience we're happy to put up with for an otherwise stellar shoe.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Comfort

Simply put, yes — the Altra Experience Flow 3 is a wonderfully comfortable shoe to put your foot in. There are no tight spots that feel like they might rub the wrong way, and the EGO P35 midsole foam has that balance of squish-factor and energy return that puts a pleasant bounce in your step. But this shoe's comfort goes even beyond those fundamentals.

To start, putting the shoe on and taking it off are nigh effortless. The forgiving collar makes way for your foot to slide right in, and the protruding heel tab offers support to place a finger if you do need help to shove the heel into place. Plus, the full gusset keeps the tongue from sagging in the shoe and getting in the way.

The underfoot cushioning is soft yet bouncy in all the right ways — not too much and not too little of either attribute, but just right. We had no issue walking for miles at a stretch or wearing the Flow 3 all day from sunrise to sunset.

Additionally, Altra is known for producing zero-drop shoes (that is, zero heel drop). A zero-drop shoe can feel a bit extreme for those more accustomed to more traditional high-drop shoes, so the in-between 5 mm heel drop present here is a great way to get introduced to low-drop shoes. It's a much more comfortable design choice for most people.

And even if you don't have wide feet, the wide toe box is a feature you'll likely love. The extra space gives your toes the chance to splay out naturally, instead of being crammed together like some narrow shoes tend to do. This reduces pressure points and decreases the likelihood of you developing a blister.

What's more, the improved uppers do everything right. They're softly padded where it matters most — at the collar, heel, and tongue. Plus, they're unbelievably breathable. The single-layer engineered mesh retains its structure well and comfortably hugs your foot when laced down for a great fit.

Shoe Exterior Shoe Interior

Support

Altra relies heavily on the superb EGO P35 midsole foam to provide both comfort and the bulk of the support in the Experience Flow. But for the Flow 3, they've decided to provide more holistic foot support with some fresh tweaks to the uppers and outsole.

Regarding the foam, we busted out our lab tools and measured the heel stack at 32 mm. This is a relatively low stack height, which means your foot is kept lower to the ground. Being low to the ground means more stability — like how racing car bodies are usually mere inches, if not centimeters, off of the pavement. And the 5 mm heel-to-toe drop, as mentioned, sits midway between a zero-drop and high-drop shoe, keeping your feet lower and more stable than a high drop would, without going so low that it could cause discomfort.

The refined uppers and newly gusseted tongue provide better midfoot lockdown, latching onto your foot so that it and the shoe are like one and the same. This fosters a sense of security in the midfoot and heel, where you can rely on the shoe to keep your foot in the most ideal position at all times.

And the Flow 3 outsole now has two new rubber pads under the midfoot. These were not present in the previous versions. Now, those midfoot pads improve stability across the midfoot, which is a boon for those who under- or overpronate (roll their foot to one side or the other when they step).

For anyone who needs significant arch support or dramatic stability support, the Flow 3 might not have the type of rigid structure that you need. It lacks the built-in solid stabilizing blocks or rails users with orthotic needs require. But for most everyone else, the combination of energetic foam and a wide base inspires confidence with every step.

Durability

We found durability to be a non-issue during the months we walked in the Flow 3. If you stick to normal walking surfaces and conditions, this should last you a long time before you notice any significant wear.

After miles and miles of testing, we expect Flow 3 to wear evenly, as you would expect from a quality shoe. The shoe looks well-made from every angle, and it feels robust despite being so light in weight. We can't find any signs of excess wear or weakness after all we put the Flow 3 through.

However, like many lightweight daily trainers, the Experience Flow 3 is not built for heavy abuse or rugged terrain. For typical walking use, durability is stellar. And you can certainly take these shoes on light trails for casual walks, but don't go making a habit of scaling granite peaks or descending shale cliffs if you want them to last long-term.

Traction

We walked over a wide range of surfaces while testing the Altra Experience Flow 3, including concrete, wet pavement, brick, tile, dirt trails, and gravel. This shoe maintained good grip wherever we walked.

The newly added rubber pads also increase midfoot traction. Whereas the previous iteration of the shoe had plentiful rubber across the forefoot and heel, the Flow 3 now also has midfoot rubber. This improves traction across the board in all conditions, but especially so for midfoot strikers.

While the tread is not aggressive, it grips well for most walking conditions. The criss-cross tread texture is a good design for varied surfaces, including wet pavement and concrete. It provides friction from varied angles and small channels for water to flow away from where the rubber meets the road. Similarly, grooves of exposed midsole foam abound throughout the forefoot and heel. These sunken grooves act like the spaces between lugs on a trail runner or hiking boot — they add depth to the outsole for dirt, gravel, and mud to channel, giving the outer rubber a better chance at maintaining grip on loose surfaces.

Those grooves and the exposed midsole foam at the midfoot also allow for an amazing amount of flexibility, which is key for traction on uneven terrain. This flexibility allows your foot to flex and form around objects. A rigid sole would not bend when stepping on a stone or a broken section of sidewalk, but the flexibility of the Flow 3 allows your foot to adapt to such surfaces, increasing the amount of rubber in contact with the terrain and thus improving traction.

Weight

Weighing in at 8.99 ounces per men's 10.5 shoe, or just a hair under 18 ounces per pair, the Altra Experience Flow 3 is a wonderfully lightweight walking shoe. It'd have to shed a few more ounces to truly be considered ultralight, but compared to many other walking shoes, you can hardly feel the Flow 3 while you're wearing it. It doesn't feel bulky or overbuilt, which makes it a great option for all-day use.

You'll notice it in a good way — light enough to disappear on foot, but substantial enough to feel supportive. Altra says the key design philosophy of the EGO P35 was “lightweight efficiency.” And now that the uppers are single-layer mesh, their lighter presence and improved ventilation add to the Flow 3's sensation of weightlessness.

Should You Buy the Altra Experience Flow 3?

For most walkers, absolutely. The Altra Experience Flow 3 is such a high-quality and well-rounded walking shoe. It'll keep you moving and grooving mile after mile with its exceptional comfort and stability. That said, it's not a complete all-terrain shoe — for any path more rugged than a mild forest trail, you'll want something a little hardier. Also, a nontraditional low heel drop can aggravate Achilles tendon issues for those who more commonly use high-heeled shoes with a heel drop of 8 to 12 mm. If that sounds like you, make sure you purchase your Altras from a retailer with a good return policy so you can try them out before the return window closes.

What Other Men's Walking Shoes Should You Consider?

While we think the Altra Experience Flow 3 is the cream of the walking shoe crop, we understand that even the best shoe isn't the right fit for everyone. Those accustomed to high heel drops and slimmer toe boxes will find a lot to love about the On Cloud 6, which provides similar benefits as the Flow 3, like being airy and lightweight. And if you're searching for a shoe that's built more for walking on dirt and gravel, the Hoka Transport 2 is a gritty top contender.