Altra Superior 6 Review
Looking for a nimble, responsive Zero Drop trail running shoe? Our Altra Superior 6 review might come in handy! The Altra Superior 6 is Altra’s lightest, most nimble trail running shoe. It’s designed to be fast and responsive on the trails, giving you instant feedback so you can negotiate broken ground or obstacles in the whilst running fast. We used to describe them as an ‘Altra Escalante for trails’ but as the stack height of the Escalante has increased over the years and the Superior has remained at 21mm, it is now the lowest stack height shoe in Altra’s range.
Altra has three different fits. Original, Standard and Slim fit, with the original fit having the most width and volume. However, it’s worth trying different Altra styles in our experience because it’s not an exact science. For example, the Superior 6 is made in the Standard fit, the same as the previous versions, but in our experience it is as wide as the Lone Peak 7 on the Original fit.
Fit
The Superior 6 fit differs from the fit of the Superior 5. Altra has taken out some of the volume in the toe box. Whether this makes any difference to you will depend on the volume of your feet. One of our team has had every version of the Superior and they were her favourite running shoe. Now that the volume has been taken out of the upper, they no longer have enough room for her feet to bend in the shoes. Another one of our team is broad, but they don’t have the same volume, so although the Superior 6 felt like a snugger than the Superior 5, he still had enough room to allow good foot function. In our experience the Superior 6 is also slightly longer than the Superior 5, which puts it back in line with other Altra running shoes. During our review we found that the Superior 5 was a little bit smaller than most.
Midsole & Rock Plate
The Superior 6 is 0mm heel to forefoot drop. The Altra Superior used to come with a removeable rock plate. This was a thin nylon insole that gave more underfoot protection should you want it. The Superior 6 doesn’t come with a rock plate. They are designed to be flexible, responsive and give you a good level of underfoot feel. This allows you to be lighter on your feet and skip over any obstacles in the trails. The midsole material has changed from Quantic to Ego. This has made the midsole a bit firmer, which makes the Superior 6 feel more responsive than the previous version. It makes it ‘feel faster’. The slightly firmer EGO midsole also offers more protection from rocks, thorns etc than the softer Quantic midsole. A firmer midsole also doesn’t compress as quickly, so you will get more miles out of the Superior 6 midsole than the previous version.
Outsole
The outsole of the Superior 6 has also been improved. The rubber has been re-engineered to make it stickier in the wet and the lugs have been made a little larger. They are spread out more, to give better traction in the mud and shed it more effectively. Larger lugs will also wear down slower than smaller lugs when used on firmer ground. This doesn’t make the Superior 6 a good choice for cross country races or other muddy runs. The lugs are still too short to give a good level of traction in really sloppy conditions, but the extra traction will tackle the often-muddy UK trails better. It’s worth noting that in a shoe as light and flexible as the Altra Superior 6 you tend you run more nimbly aka lighter on your feet where you’re picking your feet up quickly. You don’t sink into the mud as much as you would do in a stiffer shoe with a thicker or softer midsole.
The upper is made in the same pattern as the previous version. There is no plastic in the heel cup, so it can mould to the shape of your heel. The tongue is an integral part of the upper, burrito style, that wraps around the foot. This reduces the chance of any debris getting into the shoes and gives a really nice fit, making the shoes feel like an integral part of your foot rather than a bulky shoe that feels ‘strapped on’. The toe cap is a bit harder than on the Superior 5, which offers more protection.
A Shoe for Natural Foot Function
A lot of running shoes these days seem to be designed to ‘replace your feet’. By that I mean they are stiff, have a rocker and often lots of soft cushioning. These additions to the shoes reduce how much your feet can function inside the shoes. If the shoes are too soft your feet won’t spread on impact to absorb the shock, stabilise you and spring you into the next stride. If the shoes are too narrow or not shaped to give your feet space then these will also reduce how much your feet can function via bad splay of the feet and toes. The Altra Superior 6 has a broad fit with a rounded toe box. The shoes are flexible and the cushioning is firmer and responsive. This allows your feet to function more in the shoes. If you aren’t used to this type of shoe then it’s a good idea to gradually increase the time you spend in the shoes. This is because your feet, ankles and lower legs will be able to function more in this type of shoe and therefore work more. You need to allow them the time to strengthen up and get used to the extra movement without over-stressing them.
What often happens is that runners really enjoy the sensory feedback that they get from this type of shoe and run in them a bit too frequently initially, which will lead to niggles and aches. Your body is just reacting to the previous lack of effort and is trying to get stronger.
Northern Runner Newcastle Store Manager Craig said:
“It’s got the classic wide toe box enabling natural movement, stability and there’s a great feel for the trail. Admittedly, I never ran in the version 5 partly because I thought the Superior 4 lacked something. They felt restricted in some way. The Superior 6 has just enough cushioning to protect my feet without losing the feel of the trails. This means I can skip over the trails and not lose momentum. This worked really well on hill’s for me. I feel like I’m gliding over the top of the terrain and not sinking into the shoes on elevations.
The speed I felt was quite noticeable. Much like when I’ve done a relaxed run in the Torin 7, but then the next day I’ll run in an Escalante racer. Suddenly my gait quickens and I’m focusing more on speed as opposed to just plodding forward. I love the Lone Peak 7 but it’s quite like a Torin, I’m plodding and working on my form. However when I switch to the Superior 6 I’m not plodding anymore! It still has good grip, though not too aggressive, but as I’m moving faster I’m skipping over the top of the mud so I’m not slipping. Running downhill I can still move fast as I’m stable and my feet can adjust to the varying conditions. It’s a great shoe and something I’ve really enjoyed running in, so will continue to do so. Even the short concrete sections on the way the trails have been ok on the feet in the Superior 6.”
In summary; the Altra Superior 6 is a lightweight, fast trail running shoe that allows your feet to function and encourages the runner to be nimble on the trails and enjoy the spring from their feet with sensory feedback from the ground. For most runners these will be a shoe for runs of an hour or so, as you are likely to prefer a bit more cushioning on longer runs. With good posture and having enjoyed the previous Altra Superiors, I’ve even had no problem up to 3 hours on softer ground. There’s plenty of room to keep your feet and toes performing naturally and zero heel to forefoot drop to keep those midfoot landings coming.
Other Considerations
Altra Lone Peak 7: If you want a shoe that offers a bit more underfoot for longer runs but, still has room for foot function then these would be an option: https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-lone-peak-7-review-2/
Hoka Torrent 3: Hoka is known for soft cushioning and a rocker in the shoes. So, the Torrent doesn’t offer the same natural ride as the Altra Superior. However, it is a shoe designed for the same type of terrain and if you aren’t wedded to shoes that allow a high level of foot function then they would be an option: https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/hoka-torrent-3-review/
NNormal Kjerag: 6mm heel to forefoot. Similar roomy toe box but, not quite as wide or rounded at the toe. The thicker nitrogen infused midsole gives a higher level of cushioning and underfoot protection but, takes away some of the sensory feedback you’ll get from the Superior. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/nnormal-kjerag-review/
La Sportiva Cyclon: 8mm heel to forefoot. Longer lugs give better traction on soft ground. BOA fastening and built in gaiter stops debris from getting in the shoes. Not as natural or nimble. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/la-sportiva-cyklon-review-boa-lacing-system/
Brooks Catamount 2: Light and flexible for a Brooks shoe but, not as flexible as the Superior. So, you don’t get as much foot function. The feel for the ground is similar. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/brooks-catamount-2-review/
Scott Supertrac RC and Supertrac Amphib: A bit stiffer through the midfoot reduces some of the spring you’ll get from your feet. 4mm heel to forefoot. Longer lugs give much better traction in the mud.
Scott Supertrac RC 2: https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/scott-supertrac-rc-2-0-review-trail-fell-running-shoes/
Scott Supertrac Amphib: https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/scott-supertrac-amphib-review/
VJ Spark: These offer more ground feel and better traction. The lugs are longer, and the rubber is stickier. Although these are broad for a VJ shoe they are still a narrow fitting shoe and don’t offer space for foot function if you have anything approaching a broad foot. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/vj-sport-spark-review/
Scarpa Ribelle Run: The Ribelle Run has a low level of cushioning which gives a good level of ground feel. The 4mm lugs give a similar level of traction to the Superior. They don’t offer the same natural ride as they have a rocker in the shoe. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/scarpa-ribelle-run-review/
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