If you're looking for stylish running shoes, the Escalante may well be a good option. It has a unique style designed to salute the unique beauty of the Escalante River region in Utah. It’s eye-catching with a sock-like look that adds to the aesthetics along with the just the right stack height.

The design will appeal to most people and the choice of colors, blue, gray and red, helps create a style statement on the wearer. Everyone will recognize you are sporting a pair of runners from the Altra even if they did miss the clearly displayed logo on the side of each shoe. Overall, the Escalante stands proudly for style and design.

With a standard running length and medium width of D for men, you will find it quite true to the size. The sizing is quite comparable to the Torin2.5, the Superior 3, and the Lone Peak3. The fit is good and the wider toe box adds to comfort for runners with wider feet.

There have been some who have called out an inconsistency in the sizing scheme, but we found it was more an issue of sizing for wider or non-standard shaped feet. But, if you like toe space in your shoes, the Altra Escalante is definitely for you.

That being said, you may find the foot to be a bit tight on the sides when you try it for the first few times. Many people may feel awkward due to its low toe box depth, but you will notice a considerable difference after a couple of short jogs. We believe that the change is mainly because the knit upper relaxes a bit after use.

FootPod Technology has been used in the design of the outsole. It reflects the anatomy of the foot so that the Altra Escalante bends and flexes with the natural movement of the foot. It makes for a more comfort and security when out running. It relieves pressure around the tendons too, greatly reducing the risk of injury.

However, we really think at the end of the day, it is a minimalist running shoe. There is not enough material on the outsole to ensure it can withstand the pounding of serious running. You're likely to experience some heel wear after a few runs, which points to the limitations the sole has.

The midsole is lightweight, mainly because it uses ZeroDrop technology that ensures ample cushioning. You notice the ZeroDrop most when shifting the balance from the forefoot to the heel. It makes you feel in control on the roads increasing performance.

The use of the AltraEgo cushioning means that the midsole is soft yet extremely durable. From the moment you start your run, you enjoy the springy and highly responsive underfoot experience that is down to the AtraEgo. Some runners liked it and felt the benefit, others not so much.
However, we believe that the peculiarly beefy insole may not work for everyone, especially for people who love Altra for its responsive cushioning and feel underfoot.

The Altra Escalante uses a lightweight upper, mostly mesh that looks quite like woven cloth. It adds a bit of flexibility and softness to the shoe. It also ensures good breathability and keeps you comfortable during runs. The foot-shaped toe box works just perfectly with the quality upper and ensures freedom of movement.

The upper, as well as being unique, fits snugly, but it creates a compromise on support and structure for your shoe's upper. Another concern is that the low height of the toe box. The box may have a roomy width but when the top of your toe is likely to rub against the upper fabric, it can uncomfortable at the least and cause blistering at worse.

The Altra Escalante is an extremely good option for anyone interested in buying shoes that are highly breathable. The fabric-like upper is comfortable and allows for a good airflow. The Escalante is right up at the top of the brands but there are better running shoes with knitted uppers. Even so, some people complained that feet become sweaty in hot weather, but the movement of air around the toes compensate for that to prevents issues such as chafing and blisters.

However, the drainage system of the shoe works impressively, even though the girth may be a hindrance. Combined with the woven upper, the moisture ports on the insole ensures good breathability and keeps your feet dry even on longer treadmill workouts in damp or humid conditions.

The shoe fits quite nicely and is comfortable to wear. Add a traditional lacing system to it and you will have a shoe that fits well and wrap around your foot securely. You will notice that the laces have a naturally smooth feel, and with the kind of patterning it has, it feels as if the laces are hugging your foot in the right places.

The use of the padded collar means that your heel stays in place and ensures that your foot does not come out of the shoe accidentally. A noticeable thing about the heel collar is that it is much plusher as compared to any other shoe from the Altra range. However, you should know that the counter is hardly noticeable that may or may not work for every runner, especially for those looking to manage excessive foot pronation.

Nevertheless, we really like the way the FootShape toe-box spreads out nicely to accommodate your foot comfortably. It means that the shoe stays comfortable even for people with rather wider feet.

It is important for runners to consider the drop, and the Escalante does not disappoint. It comes with a stack height of 25mm across the shoe, which actually means the toe and heel are equal distance from the ground, which is what a zero drop shoe is all about anyway! With this much drop, your foot can move naturally. However, you need to bear in mind it takes some getting used to if you've been running wearing a higher drop shoe in the past. Zero drop shoes can cause your calves to lengthen while running, which can prove a bit uncomfortable initially for runners used to a higher drop.

The upper seems like some high-quality fabric wrapped around your foot, but it is quite durable. The material used inside the heel collar is quite impressive and makes it tough enough to withstand some serious use. It does not break down and never makes you deal with the dreaded tunnel that is common in the padding.

The midsole maintains sponginess even after a prolonged use, but you may notice signs of wear on the outsole rather soon. There are gaps in the outsole that allow the overly mushy outsole to touch the ground in the stance phase. With that happening, you may notice wear patterns developing in the midsole, especially at the forefoot area.

With the patterned sole, the shoe certainly offers good traction but there have been some mixed reviews regarding how stable the shoes are. The Escalante performs reasonably well on different surfaces, including concrete, asphalt, compact sand, dirt trails, and more.

If you run on the streets most of the time, the Escalante will feel quite stable. However, most people have complained that it is easy to twist your foot when you hit cracks or uneven surfaces. While you're less likely to injure yourself, as the twisting motion is not severe, it may still feel a bit uncomfortable at times.

The minimalist outsole is the reason why the Escalante offers its reasonably good traction. You cannot fail to notice the footprint design on its outsole is coupled with rather gripping grooves. The pattern helps you enjoy better traction over wet roads. While the rubber compound really helps keep everything stable on the road and tracks, it does not work as efficiently over grassy areas.

Don't expect the Escalante to be a front-runner when it comes to waterproofing because it is focused more on keeping you comfortable with the use of the knit construction. As mentioned already, it has a cloth-like upper, so it may help with breathability but it does not serve as a barrier to water.
It means that if you get your Escalante wet, you're going to feel that on your feet as well. The upside is that the knit construction makes the Escalante extremely breathable, so your feet will get dry in no time at all.

The Escalante is a game-changer for the brand, and with its impressive cushioning, minimal drop, and roomy toe-box, it is capable of performing well in almost any setting. It is a great choice for runners mainly because of its low weight. Moreover, that bouncy midsole and flat-knit upper means that you will find it equally comfortable to wear during road marathons or track workouts.

Interestingly, you can also opt for the Escalante when you love tempo runs or go for long runs with intervals. The springiness makes it a perfect shoe for that.

The Escalante performs great in so many ways, and that is mainly because of its highly comfortable sole and upper. The flexibility of Escalante makes it work like the One 2.5s. The shape of the toe box is similar to the Torin 2.5, or something between the Torin 2.5 and Superior trail shoes. In terms of durability, the Escalante can beat most of the competitors in this crowded category. In fact, some users believe it is better than the old workhorse Kayanos because it is lightweight and not as clunky as those shoes from the past.

It wouldn't be wrong to suggest that the Escalante is one impressive addition to the Altra line because of its zero-drop and highly comfortable cloth-like upper. Because of the comfort and fit, the shoe serves more like a "do-everything-shoe". The midsole performs well and is quite springy, but keep in mind that you may feel disappointed wearing the Escalante if you like to feel the ground underneath your feet while running. That spongy feeling stays intact for long, but the outsole may be a bit prone to wear, which is quite understandable for a shoe with such a price tag. It means that if you're okay with the ground feel you get while running, the Escalante is going to serve you very well.