Altra Torin 7 Review

Upper

Michael: "The Altra Torin's upper is soft and breathable with a highly secure hold in the heel and midfoot. I had no trouble with irritation, and there were no points of friction. I liked that I could use either thin or thick socks and enjoy the same level of comfort."

Grace: "The engineered mesh upper on the Torin 7 is light and breathable, and the lockdown has significantly improved with the addition of an updated molded heel collar. The new plush tongue eliminated the rubbing I experienced in the previous version of the Torin. Furthermore, I really enjoyed the upper's secure lockdown and comfortably spacious toe box."

Midsole

Michael: "The added stack of Altra's EGO MAX foam compound is ultra smooth and very comfortable on the roads. It also produces a nice energy return that helps pop me into each stride. Regardless of the distance, easy miles felt fantastic in this shoe, and the midsole was excellent at protecting my legs from the impact of the roads. I said it before, and I will reiterate it: this update is excellent, and the refined midsole really elevated my running experience in the shoe."

Grace: "Altra updated the Torin's stack height from 28 mm to 30 mm and dropped the weight of the shoe, creating a lighter, more cushioned feel than the previous version.

The midsole foam does not have the same squish you get from a highly soft step-in, but it does absorb the impact of footstrikes very well and provides enough protection for daily road mileage, always keeping my legs feeling fresh.

The Torin 7 has a good amount of flexibility for a very natural feeling ride, and I appreciate how lightweight they feel during high-mileage runs. I am used to having at least a small heel-to-toe drop in my running shoes and a bit more arch support, but this did not lead to any noticeable discomfort. Because I don't usually wear zero-drop shoes, I was mindful of my gait throughout testing to avoid discomfort after my longest testing efforts."

Outsole

Michael: "The outsole on the Torin 7 is almost identical to its predecessor and provides very good traction on road surfaces, even in wet conditions. The rubber held up well throughout testing, but there are areas where the midsole is exposed, and the Torin has shown some minor signs of wear there."

Grace: "The outsole has a good amount of durability and grip to it, and I had no issues with them grabbing onto different surfaces. I ran mostly on paved road surfaces but threw in a few fire roads as well, and I was pleasantly surprised with the sturdiness, versatility, and reliability of the Torin's outsole."

Comparable Models

Michael: "The Torin 7 is like a mix of the HOKA Clifton and Brooks Ghost. All these shoes offer good protection and are great options for long-mileage runs at cruising paces. The Clifton is a bit more comfort-oriented, whereas the Torin's EGO MAX midsole is more responsive and peppy. 

The big difference is the shoe's zero-drop construction, which may not work for every runner, but the Torin performed very well for someone like me with experience in zero-drop shoes, and I personally prefer the Torin over the other two models I mentioned here."

Grace: "In terms of overall feel, I would compare the Torin 7 to the HOKA Clifton 9. The cushioning is pretty similar, but I would say the Clifton is slightly on the softer side and affords runners a bit more protection, especially over longer distances.

The Torin is not quite as soft, having a more balanced midsole feel, and is more responsive, which allowed me to play with pace a bit more than I could in the Clifton. Also, I appreciated that I could confidently take the Torin on a variety of different surfaces, which added to the shoe's overall versatility."