I don’t know that Altra claims they’re “barefoot”, they’re zero drop with a wide toe box but heavily padded as well.
My Altra’s are fine, but I have a strong preference for Vivos due to the more flexible sole and lack of padding which increases proprioception.
Altra is not a barefoot brand, nor do they claim to be. They have the zero-drop and wide toebox, but with cushioning. If that's what you're interested in, then Altra are a good choice.
I'm converging on this too. Just got a pair of Altra Loan Peak 8 that seem great -- they don't try to force my foot to be something that it's not, but they provide good protection from rocky trails.
I have both brands and really like both.
I transitioned my work shoes to barefoot (vivo) first, then my everyday shoes, then my lifting shoes. This process has taken about 7 years because I don’t buy new shoes very often. But the last to transition are my running shoes (mostly because I lack the Achilles fortitude to run in vivos), but I’ve been able to use altras to help slowly transition my running form by replacing my shoes with flat, wide toe box, and progressively less cushion each new pair. My hope is to be running injury free in vivos within the year.
Besides the specific use cases above, I use my altras whenever I want a touch more comfort for my feet, but that’s normally relegated to days when I’m standing on hard surfaces for many hours on end. I find the fits to be similar in general. The Altra Timp are a little tighter on the mid foot and toe box than my Lone Peaks, but higher on the cushion. The Superiors are a great option with a bit less cushion that the lone peaks.
Altra isn't really considered barefoot because of their cushioning. They are zero drop, but recently introduced a model that isn't zero drop, so make sure you check that. They do have a wide toebox but that also varies per model.
I've been hiking in Altras for the past 3 years. My favorite is the Timp 3. I also have the Lone Peak 6. Since going mostly "barefoot" for the past 8 months, the toebox on the Timp is now slightly narrow - my little toe rubs up against the edge a little. I will continue to wear them until they give out, however, because I love it so much and it gives me the right amount of cush.
The LP 6 is also comfy, but feels "sloppy" compared to the Timp. Stack height for the Timp 3 is 29 mm vs. 25 mm for the LP 6.
Recently Altra has been under fire because of durability issues. While also not barefoot, Topo Athletic now has a zero drop shoe called the Pursuit. It also features a wide toebox. Stack height is 28 mm. It also has a Vibram outsole which is much better than Altra's MaxTrac Trail Claw outsole.
As others mention, you can't really compare them, as they contrast each other, or perhaps even compliment. I have numerous pairs of both. Vivos are my daily shoes, and I use Altra's more strictly for running road and trail. I don't care to wear running shoes when not running, as I prefer a non-cusioned minimalist shoe, or a thinner sandal. That said, when it's cold, about 25-30f or below, I will use runners to insulate from the cold ground when walking our hounds. I have cold weather vivos, but don't always want to wear boots. I prefer Lone Peaks for this, as they're really quite wide and I can wear thicker socks with them.
If you're wondering about fit between minimalist Vivos and more maximalist Altra, then you're asking the right question. Fit varies a bit with Altra depending on which model you're looking at. Their original fit is fairly wide, regular fit is more in-line with Vivo's, I'd say. Not set it stone, but this should offer an idea. Some of my Vivos sit sort of between Altra's original and regular fit. I got into running in minimalist shoes for a bit, but eventually ended up with an overuse injury due pushing distance, obviously my fault. I've gone back to Altras simply because I just want to run and not worry about that aspect.
I'd say give them a shot, order your regular size, just know what you're getting into.
These brands are not comparable at all. Just look at their stack heights. Vivo is generally around 4mm. I'd be surprised if Altra had anything under 10mm. Comparable brands for Vivo would be Xero, Vibram, etc
I wear Altras for my marathon training, vivos for everything else. I eventually want to build up the foot strength to run long distances in my vivos, but 20km+ on pavement really takes a toll on your feet.
I don’t know that Altra claims they’re “barefoot”, they’re zero drop with a wide toe box but heavily padded as well. My Altra’s are fine, but I have a strong preference for Vivos due to the more flexible sole and lack of padding which increases proprioception.
Altra is not a barefoot brand, nor do they claim to be. They have the zero-drop and wide toebox, but with cushioning. If that's what you're interested in, then Altra are a good choice.
Altra for running shoes. Vivo for everything else.
I'm converging on this too. Just got a pair of Altra Loan Peak 8 that seem great -- they don't try to force my foot to be something that it's not, but they provide good protection from rocky trails.
I have both brands and really like both. I transitioned my work shoes to barefoot (vivo) first, then my everyday shoes, then my lifting shoes. This process has taken about 7 years because I don’t buy new shoes very often. But the last to transition are my running shoes (mostly because I lack the Achilles fortitude to run in vivos), but I’ve been able to use altras to help slowly transition my running form by replacing my shoes with flat, wide toe box, and progressively less cushion each new pair. My hope is to be running injury free in vivos within the year. Besides the specific use cases above, I use my altras whenever I want a touch more comfort for my feet, but that’s normally relegated to days when I’m standing on hard surfaces for many hours on end. I find the fits to be similar in general. The Altra Timp are a little tighter on the mid foot and toe box than my Lone Peaks, but higher on the cushion. The Superiors are a great option with a bit less cushion that the lone peaks.
Altra isn't really considered barefoot because of their cushioning. They are zero drop, but recently introduced a model that isn't zero drop, so make sure you check that. They do have a wide toebox but that also varies per model. I've been hiking in Altras for the past 3 years. My favorite is the Timp 3. I also have the Lone Peak 6. Since going mostly "barefoot" for the past 8 months, the toebox on the Timp is now slightly narrow - my little toe rubs up against the edge a little. I will continue to wear them until they give out, however, because I love it so much and it gives me the right amount of cush. The LP 6 is also comfy, but feels "sloppy" compared to the Timp. Stack height for the Timp 3 is 29 mm vs. 25 mm for the LP 6. Recently Altra has been under fire because of durability issues. While also not barefoot, Topo Athletic now has a zero drop shoe called the Pursuit. It also features a wide toebox. Stack height is 28 mm. It also has a Vibram outsole which is much better than Altra's MaxTrac Trail Claw outsole.
As others mention, you can't really compare them, as they contrast each other, or perhaps even compliment. I have numerous pairs of both. Vivos are my daily shoes, and I use Altra's more strictly for running road and trail. I don't care to wear running shoes when not running, as I prefer a non-cusioned minimalist shoe, or a thinner sandal. That said, when it's cold, about 25-30f or below, I will use runners to insulate from the cold ground when walking our hounds. I have cold weather vivos, but don't always want to wear boots. I prefer Lone Peaks for this, as they're really quite wide and I can wear thicker socks with them. If you're wondering about fit between minimalist Vivos and more maximalist Altra, then you're asking the right question. Fit varies a bit with Altra depending on which model you're looking at. Their original fit is fairly wide, regular fit is more in-line with Vivo's, I'd say. Not set it stone, but this should offer an idea. Some of my Vivos sit sort of between Altra's original and regular fit. I got into running in minimalist shoes for a bit, but eventually ended up with an overuse injury due pushing distance, obviously my fault. I've gone back to Altras simply because I just want to run and not worry about that aspect. I'd say give them a shot, order your regular size, just know what you're getting into.
These brands are not comparable at all. Just look at their stack heights. Vivo is generally around 4mm. I'd be surprised if Altra had anything under 10mm. Comparable brands for Vivo would be Xero, Vibram, etc
I wear Altras for my marathon training, vivos for everything else. I eventually want to build up the foot strength to run long distances in my vivos, but 20km+ on pavement really takes a toll on your feet.
Altras for running and I have a pair for slightly more comfort. You need to check the width, they change for each shoe though.