Altra Lone Peak 9 Review

The snow was slick white on the Rocky Mountain path in Colorado. It had been packed right into a luge-like grade that sloped outward towards some uncovered rocky terrain. The February chilly pressed in as I hiked within the new Altra Lone Peak 9 sneakers. Usually, this time of yr, I’d be sporting boots or some form of traction system, however with the brand new upgrades to the basic Lone Peak MaxTrac outsole, I had loads of grip for the wintery path.

Altras have been my selection for light-weight hikers for years, and the Lone Peak collection is without doubt one of the model’s flagship sneakers. Lone Peaks gained reputation amongst path runners and long-distance ultralight hikers for the light-weight, zero-drop design and comfy, minimalist match. The Lone Peak 8 is at the moment the Finest General Climbing Shoe on GearJunkie’s information to the Finest Climbing Sneakers, and for good cause.

So, I used to be excited to get my palms on a pair of the Altra Lone Peak 9 path trainers to check them out. From the new, dusty sections of the Continental Divide Path to the excessive altitude of the Colorado Path, I packed some severe miles on these sneakers. They appear just a little worse for put on than they did out of the field. However they carried out and held up effectively towards the abuse of the trial.

In brief: Altra redesigned the Lone Peak 9 Path Operating Shoe ($140) with a brand new higher, midsole, and outsole to supply higher sturdiness, traction, and luxury. For hikers, path runners, and anybody who likes zero-drop sneakers, Altra has created a burlier path runner that’s nonetheless ultralight. It’s not a shoe with most cushion or inflexible help. However as the following evolution within the Lone Peak collection, this shoe delivers on Altra’s guarantees.

In the event you’re purchasing for mountain climbing sneakers, evaluate the Lone Peak 9 to others on GearJunkie’s information to the Finest Climbing Sneakers.

Altra Lone Peak 9 Evaluation

Out of the field, these sneakers look smooth. The Lone Peak 9 is ultralight, clocking in at 11.15 ounces. They nonetheless really feel fairly beefy for such light-weight hikers, although, and have been clearly designed with lengthy trails in thoughts.

The Lone Peak 9 seems to be much like its predecessors. It has the signature roomy toebox that my broad ft love. And, like all eight of its predecessors, it’s zero-drop. The Altra Lone Peak 9 is obtainable in males’s and ladies’s sizes. Examine it with our overview of the Lone Peak 8.

Upgrades & Updates

Traditionally, the Lone Peak collection is a go-to for path runners and ultralight hikers due to its gentle weight and close-to-the-earth foot really feel. However they don’t have a popularity for being essentially the most sturdy sneakers. After a couple of hundred miles or a full mountain climbing season, it’s normally time for a brand new pair. The Lone Peak 9 is supposedly designed with sturdiness on the forefront to deal with that.

The upgraded Lone Peak 9 has a redesigned ripstop higher mesh with no-sew overlays, which is supposed to spice up the shoe’s sturdiness and longevity. Altra mentioned it additionally up to date the MaxTrac outsole to supply a greater grip on slippery surfaces and tweaked the Altra EGO midsole for added cushion.

I talked to a couple hardcore path runners who swear by Altra and refuse to put on the rest. They will simply undergo a number of pairs of Lone Peaks a yr. And with no sponsorship, at $140, changing a number of pairs of those sneakers can get costly. So, they have been understandably stoked for the discharge of the Lone Peak 9. The longer this shoe lasts somebody, the less expensive it’s to personal a pair (and the much less waste will get produced).

On the Path, within the Snow

I’ve been testing these sneakers whereas coaching for a spring backpacking expedition within the Himalayas. They didn’t want to interrupt in like a stiffer leather-based mountain climbing boot would. Nevertheless, over time, they molded to my ft and stretched out a bit.

I’ve discovered that with low-cut socks, the heel guard can dig into my heel and trigger blisters or irritation. That drawback is well mitigated, although, with some barely higher-cut socks.

The Lone Peak 9 is available in a water-resistant model. However even the non-waterproof model stored my ft heat and comparatively dry. They do have a GaiterTrap tab, which makes it simple so as to add a strapless gaiter as wanted, relying on path circumstances.

MaxTrac Traction

I actually put the MaxTrac outsole to the take a look at this winter on the snowy and icy trails of Colorado. They did fairly effectively, except some remoted traction points. I nonetheless discover the Vibram outsoles provide extra traction, which can be found on some Altra fashions. The Lone Peak 9, nevertheless, doesn’t use Vibram.

The grippy MaxTrac outsole is seen on the Lone Peak 9 with its signature “foot” type imprint that almost all seasoned hikers will acknowledge. It offers strong traction and a grippy sensation on rocks, roots, and scree. Nevertheless, the traction did give out on me when it was moist on hardpack snow or ice, and I had to make use of crampons to mitigate that.

So are they extra grippy than the Lone Peak 8? That’s laborious to know for sure with out lab testing. Nevertheless it’s secure to say the traction isn’t worse than earlier variations. It’s at the very least pretty much as good, presumably higher.

EGO Midsole & Zero-Drop

Altra notes that model 9 has a refreshed Altra EGO midsole, meant to supply a luxurious cushion that’s nonetheless engaged with the bottom really feel. I might inform a distinction between these and the Olympus 6, which I’ve hiked in extensively and has max cushion midsoles. If you’re carrying a heavy pack or are a bigger hiker, the Lone Peak 9’s midsole might really feel too skinny over longer, rougher terrain.

The signature zero-drop is a key a part of Altra Lone Peaks. It’s meant to supply a pure foot place platform that makes operating or mountain climbing secure and pure for all the physique. The zero-drop flat platform ties into the roomy, spacious toebox of the Lone Peak 9. It let my ft splay out naturally whereas I used to be strolling, mountain climbing, or jogging in these sneakers.

Elevated Sturdiness?

After a couple of months of testing these new Lone Peaks in fairly harsh winter terrain, the sturdiness appears promising. I tracked these sneakers by means of just a little little bit of every thing, they usually have weathered all of it effectively. They stood as much as rocks, ice, and snow in testing this season and aren’t wherever close to needing to get replaced.

Altra claims this shoe is extra sturdy and can last more, and for what it’s price, I consider that. Nevertheless, the true take a look at of time shall be how they give the impression of being a yr and lots of of miles from now. I’m desperate to see how they fare as I hike all through spring, summer season, and fall.

Altra Lone Peak 9: Who Is It For?

After quite a few hikes within the Lone Peaks 9, I can inform that the brand new upgrades make an actual distinction within the shoe’s really feel. The traction is sweet, and the claims about sturdiness have held up effectively (at the very least thus far).

This shoe’s strengthened higher might assist save hikers cash on replacements. It would even assist scale back the variety of Lone Peaks that find yourself in landfills.

I’d advocate the Lone Peak 9 as a path operating shoe or a light-weight hiker for anybody on the lookout for a well-built zero-drop shoe. In the event you run trails a number of occasions every week or are a thru-hiker trying to go lengthy and light-weight on a hike, it is a nice footwear choice.

That’s why the Lone Peak 8 was GearJunkie’s Finest General Climbing Shoe on our information to the Finest Climbing Sneakers. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Lone Peak 9 on that checklist quickly.

If you need distinctive cushion or ankle help, this isn’t the shoe for you. Nevertheless, the Altra Lone Peak 9 does effectively on quite a lot of terrain and is designed for some powerful miles on rocky trails. Avid followers of the Altra Lone Peak collection will recognize the upgrades the model made.