Altra Rivera 2 Running Shoes - SS22

Product Information

Altra is known for the zero drop from heel to toe, and it uses 28mm of foam for all three of their regular neutral offerings. However, where they all differ is in the feel of the foam, and how much protection the outsole gives. Although it's dubbed as Altra's "least roomy" running shoe, we still found it to be a spacious one, compared to the average. Both these footwear are designed to offer utmost comfort, balanced cushioning and a barefoot-like feel while running and walking. But the question is which Rivera shoe is better, either Rivera 2 or 3.

The Rivera is an everyday training shoe. So, it has enough cushioning for you to do your slow easy recovery runs. Yet it is lively and responsive enough for tempo runs or intervals. The cushioning is also good enough for your long runs too. Although if you were training for a marathon and therefore on your feet for a long time then you might prefer the more cushioned plusher ride of the Torin for these runs.

Altra Lone Peak 7 WIDE Trail Shoes

Cheng: This is personal taste, but I would have liked the EGO foam to be tuned a slight bit softer. Nevertheless, I am quite content with how the firmness of the platform becomes lively and bouncy at faster paces. The biggest gripe, however, is in the fit. In pursuit of mainstream customers, Altra shrunk the toe box with a more aggressive lateral taper. The results are not the best. As a general rule, Altra shoes have a wider and higher-volume fit than shoes from many other brands. While this can cause problems for some people with narrower feet, many runners love the comfort that Altra’s platform provides, particularly when it comes to letting your toes splay out. And several of their models still feature a pretty snug fit through the heel and midfoot, so that some runners with low-volume feet can still get along quite well with them. With the Torin becoming more and more plush each year, and the Escalante staying where it’s always been, they need something between. In fact, Altra disbanded the Torin as we knew it with the Torin Plush 4.5. Altra Rivera 2 is famous because it is lightweight and more responsive than 3, which allows natural foot movement while running.

Cheng: Over the years, Altra has been inching increasingly closer to the mainstream running market. You can see this reflected in the design of the Rivera’s upper. To appeal to a greater consumer base, the fit has been noticeably narrowed, but now looks more like a standard running shoe. Along with this mainstream push, the shoe provides a plush feel and solid grip without significantly adding weight, making the overall platform quite a do-it-all daily trainer.Whether you’re in marathon training or hitting the trails, these are the best Altra running shoes for your run: The Rivera is just super comfortable with, what I believe to be, the perfect amount of cushioning. The shoes were just as comfortable on the road as the rail trail. I have run in other Altras like the Lone Peak and Escalante, and while I always liked running in them, I always wished they had just a tad more—or a tad softer—cushion. I don’t prefer max cushioned shoes, such as the Olympus, either. So the Rivera is just the perfect in between for me.” The Altra Rivera hits a lot of boxes, and gives a great ride once you have it dialed in. However, I cannot sit here and say they offered perfection on their first offering of this shoe. I was particularly pleased with the “balance”. By that I mean that weight is evenly distributed through the midsole. With Altra’s more classic Foot Shape last and broader toe boxes the zero drop in the past was more clearly felt as a low even negative heel if you heel strike as I do a slower paces. Here yes one realizes there is no ramp down but all in all the zero drop here is not in your face. I think the new outsole geometry at the heel plays a big role.

Kurt Huebner is a senior at Cornell University who spends far more time thinking about running than studying. He has mainly focused on ultramarathon training for the last two years, with a 8:00:00 50 mile PB. Kurt is also a competitive nordic skier and will put on a race bib for just about any endurance sport, from snowshoeing to marathon canoeing. On the side, Kurt works at a local run specialty store. He has been averaging about 45 miles a week this winter. The fit is dead on for me. I run on the wider end of a US 12 standard width and can often run into trouble with blisters on long runs in many popular brands (looking at you Hoka). This shoe has the exact amount of space I want and no more. Although this is a pro for me, it also has a slightly narrower fit than the Torin Plush and Escalante, so I would be wary if you are in a true wide size range.One thing I immediately noticed was the padding around the heel. It feels significantly more built up than many popular shoes on the market right now and reminds me a bit of a Saucony or Topo shoe. This had the effect of making my heel feel a little insecure, but that feeling immediately disappeared after a few steps. Which shoes are better? Are you still confused about both the running shoes of Altra? Rivera 2 and 3 are designed as running shoes because of the wide toe box and zero drop effect, which make both footwear perfect for daily runs and walks.Brian: The outsole is simple and effective with several thin hard and soft rubber segments in the heel and forefoot. (There is a combination of thinner, less durable rubber segments and exposed foam under the middle of the shoe.) It serves up good traction on roads and soft dirt trails and because the outsole rubber segments are aligned along the flex grooves in the forefoot, it allows the shoe to flex naturally without any inhibition.

The outsole is also equipped with foot pod technology, rubber and wavesole pattern for enhanced traction, flexibility and response. What do customers think? As you would expect with such a light, flexible shoe you don’t really notice that you have them on. The mid sole is made of Altra’s Ego material. It is a one piece midsole with Altra innerflex to increase the flexibility. I found the ride of the shoe to be cushioned and bouncy.The midsole of Altra Rivera 2 is equipped with Neutral Innerflex technology and Altra EGO foam, which make shoes lightweight and provide balanced cushioning that can enhance foot alignment and form.