Altra Men's AL0A546V Solstice XT 2 Cross Training Shoe

Product Information

The most important priority to keep in mind is that a barefoot shoe feels like it fits your foot. Nobody else's! Online barefoot pundits tend to talk in hyperbole, but ultimately, this is about feeling good, helping you do the things you love, and building up your body's weak links. Compared to the running version of the Altra Solstice, the Solstice XT’s upper is relatively well-structured. It comes with plastic midfoot overlays and a heel collar for extra support during lateral movements, jumping, and rapid acceleration or deceleration. While well-known for burly hiking boots, Merrell was also an early barefoot adopter and has continued to iterate on its popular Vapor Glove and Trail Glove lines. The Vapor Glove 5 is the best so far, with more durable upper materials, improved sole texture, and less of a floppy feel than previous models. So, if you’re a cross-fitter doing a lot of work on ropes or an OCR racer, then a shoe with a more robust upper might be preferable (see some ideas in “The Competition” section below).

That said, I did put the Solstice XT through agility drills, sprinting, plyometrics, jumping, and other exercises that put a lot of lateral stress on the upper. I can report that it holds up perfectly well in these conditions. That being said, if you like to vary your gym training on a weekly basis with strength, athletic, and cardio-focused work, then the Altra Solstice XT 2’s construction should work well for the context of your needs. This model features a 0mm heel-to-toe drop and Altra’s Innerflex technology so they flex and move really well for different exercises. Regarding the second limitation, if you’re looking for a genuine running shoe , keep shopping around. A soft and durable upper is made from Flexweave knitthat allows your foot to move and breathe when it needs to (toes included during flexing exercises), yet it remains solid during weight-centric movements. Plus, Floatride Energy Foam gives the shoe its lightness, but it also acts as a soft cushion for heavier landings, which means this shoe is suitable for short-distance runs. Since debuting their first shoe in 2011, Altra has gained popularity with both trail and road runners of all levels. The brand now offers shoes with a wide variety of cushioning, support, and traction.You might find that exchanging the laces for something with a bit more stretch works for you as the standard laces don’t flex around.

To discuss the performance of Altra Solstice XT 2, I’m going to talk about how these shoes perform in different contexts and settings. This can hopefully help you contextualize if this training shoe is right for your needs. There really aren’t any other dedicated cross-training options out there that combine the Solstice XT’s unique blend of a wide toe box, zero drop, and lightness for competing shoes. Altra maintains one of the most devoted followings in the minimalist market, but for years, their durability was questionable. Their newer models are up to the challenge of putting in serious miles. What We Like A pair of men's 11 weigh just 17 ounces, making them some of the very lightest running shoes on the market. They get down to this by using a reasonably thin slab of EVA in the sole and simple mesh in the upper while cutting down on the bells and whistles or support structures. This combination of low weight, compactness, and malleability clearly goes into their more natural feeling. Most trade-offs here come in the form of preference rather than quality, with the obvious exception being durability. The lighter, thinner materials tend to have shorter lifespans, though these are fairly well-made and should make it through a few seasons.

Yeah, there's a time and a place for laces. But once you know the simple pleasure of a pair of slip-ons like these, they have a way of simply ending up on your feet. What We Like Most cross-training shoes have toe boxes that taper a fair amount which can leave them feeling tight. In the Solstice XT 2, the toe box follows the curvature of the toes and is purposely designed to be wide to accommodate full toe splay and the act of gripping the floor with the feet. My children, who have worn several Vivobarefoot models, call them "ninja shoes." That captures their appeal perfectly. Even if you're not a badass on the trails, you feel ready to be one. What We Like

In the context of walking and standing all day for work, this model is comfortable and has become one of my go-to’s for walking the dogs, doing housework, and wearing for work. I like the low-profile Balanced Cushioning in this model and high-abrasion EVA foam does a good job of providing you with a comfortable ride. Altra Solstice XT 2 Sizing The first thing to like about the Altra Solstice XT 2 is their Footshape feature. Altra uses a proprietary feature in pretty much all of their running and training shoes called Footshape. Essentially, it’s a feature that replicates the anatomy of the foot to provide a more comfortable and seamless fit in shoes. You’ll just need to unlace and lace the shoe up normally, which is pretty standard for most lightweight racing shoes. As a result of this “toe freedom”, you may feel the need to clamp down on the laces. Be careful, you might over do it. I’ll get into the lacing system in the upper section later.

Altra Solstice Intro

The upper’s mesh is breathable to keep your feet from overheating, while the outsole is lined with grooves that allow the shoe to bend with your foot and provide excellent grip on indoor surfaces.

However, if you’re not wedded to zero drop and don’t mind a narrower toe box, then there could be some preferable options to the Solstice XT. The Inov-8 F-Lite 235 is lighter than the Solstice XT. It has more protection around the midfoot on its outsole, keeping the shoe from fraying during activities like rope climbing. Also, the Bare-XF has a tight toe box that scrunches up the toes and metatarsals, preventing natural foot motion and leaving the feet feeling like they’re wrapped up in a medical cast. The Altra Solstice XT 2 is a solid cross-training shoe for wider-footed athletes that like having larger toe boxes in their training shoes. This model provides a mid-range level of stability and a fair amount of responsiveness with its high-abrasion EVA midsole, so I find it to be a good shoe for recreational lifting, HIIT training, and shorter runs.The Altra Solstice XT 2’s performance for lifting is okay. This model doesn’t have mind-blowing stability, however, I do like this shoe for lighter and moderate loads. I’ve squatted up to 315 lbs and deadlifted up to 455 lbs in this shoe and I’d suggest using these numbers as baseline thresholds for stability. Once I hit these numbers, I started to notice a little compression in this model’s midsole. The Nike Metcon 5 and Reebok Nanos are two other competitors. However, I would suggest them after the Solstice XT and after the F-Lite 235. For an in-depth review of the upper, midsole, and outsole, continue reading each section below. Upper of the Altra Solstice XT Since Altra wants to keep the Solstice lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture, they went the Nike Free route and left pretty much the entire outsole as exposed foam.