Today we’re looking at the Altra Torin 6 road shoe, which is billed as Altra’s everyday runner. The test shoes are men’s 9.5 (US) in Mineral Blue. For the record, I run in Altra shoes almost exclusively and have been using the Torin 5 as my road shoe for about the last 9 months.
See all our reviews of Altra here!
The Torin 6 is a mid-weight (9.9 ounce as tested), zero drop, medium stack height (28mm), and medium cushion shoe. As a daily road trainer, the shoe feels very light on your feet, and even feels more minimalist than it actually is, but a lot of that is Altra’s Alter Ego Max midsole foam, which really does give you a little extra bounce in each step.
Out of the box, the shoes are extremely comfortable, with an upgraded tongue, and an updated molded heel collar that holds the ankle well. The laces are flat and there is the usual extra hole for added hold on the ankles. The toe box is roomy as always and the knit mesh upper has lots of stretch, adding to the comfort in the forefoot.
The first few runs were short and easy but the Torin 6 does not need a break in period. These are definitely good to go out of the box, with no stiffness. This is true for the last couple of iterations of the Torin, which has seen very few changes to a solid platform. By mile 50 you can sense the slightest degradation in the foam, but even then they perform like new.
I did take them off road for a few miles, onto some muddy, clay like roads. The Torins handled well enough, but were definitely better on the asphalt. Still, if you find yourself on dry gravel roads from time to time, I am sure these would handle just fine.
Once again, Altra scores with another solid performer in the Torin 6. Color choices are good, along with the price. As far as longevity, I haven’t gotten there yet, but I consistently get 500 miles out of my Torin 5s, so I am hopeful these will net the same.
At last check, I am at 70 miles and I will definitely be keeping the Torin 6 in my rotation.
