Who should buy the Altra Experience Flow ?
The Altra Experience Flow is the type of road shoe that works for just about any runner. It has enough cushion to wear for long training runs or to hold up well as a daily trainer, but it’s also light and responsive enough to perform well for speed workouts on the road or track. This shoe can also serve as a great transitional shoe between higher-drop shoes and one of Altra’s zero-drop models.
Also, if you really liked the AltraFWD Experience, you’ll love the Altra Experience Flow because, for all intents and purposes, they are the same shoe.
Who should not buy the Altra Experience Flow ?
The Altra Experience Flow is not a good shoe for long-time Altra fans who prefer a zero-drop shoe or one with more of a foot-shaped toe box. The Experience Flow is a middle-of-the-road type of shoe, so it is also not a good option for the runner who likes a maximally or minimally cushioned shoe.
Altra Experience Flow Introduction
The Altra Experience Flow is Altra’s second low-drop road shoe. As far as I can tell, this is basically a rebrand of the Altra FWD Experience — the two shoes feel pretty much identical. So much so that when wearing one on one foot and one on the other, it felt like I was running in the same shoes.
According to Altra’s marketing materials on their website, the Experience Flow features a “rocker-shaped” sole that the FWD Experience didn’t have. This is supposed to promote a more efficient toe-off with each step, but I didn’t notice any difference in the feel of the sole.
The Altra Experience Flow is quite different from almost every shoe in the Altra lineup, save for the already mentioned comparison to the FWD Experiences, but it is quite similar to most neutral road shoes from just about every other running shoe brand.
Altra Experience Flow First Impressions
My first impressions of the Altra Experience Flow were mostly positive. The shoes were comfortable, fit true to size, and were lightweight compared to the amount of cushion that they provided.
My first run in these shoes was also a good run. The Experience Flows felt good from the first step, and the ride was perfectly smooth.
The only possible negative first impressions from the Altra Experience Flows had to do with the slight heel drop and a narrower midfoot/toe box area (compared to typical Altra models, not tight in general).
Compared to most running shoes, these factors would be complete non-issues. But if you’re used to running in the Altra Torins, the differences are pretty obviously apparent.
Altra Experience Flow Upper
The Altra Experience Flow has a two-colored engineered mesh upper that breathes well and is quite comfortable.
The heel cup is padded to provide a snug, but not tight, fit that is perfectly comfortable while keeping the heel in place.
The only minor issue I have with the upper is that it’s narrower than I’d expect for an Altra, though this trend of a slightly tighter fit seems to be more common with most of their new models.
That said, it’s not a narrow shoe in general and I didn’t experience any blisters or hot spots in my forefoot/toes from logging plenty of miles in this shoe.
Altra Experience Flow Sole Unit
The sole of the Altra Experience Flow consists of a rubber outsole and a compression-molded EVA foam midsole.
This combination has provided a very smooth ride no matter what kind of run I was doing on any given day. The midsole/outsole combo on this shoe measures 28 mm at the toe and 32 mm at the heel. The Altra Experience Flow provides a nice blend of comfort and protection while allowing for an adequate ground feel with each stride.
The rubber outsole of the Altra Experience Flow definitely does a good job on wet concrete and asphalt. My neighborhood route features near-constant rolling hills, and slipping was never an issue in even the rainiest conditions.
In addition to the 4 mm heel drop, the Altra Experience Flow also supposedly features a rocker shape. Supposedly the two work well together to promote efficiency, but I honestly didn’t notice a difference in my stride or gate due to the presence of the the rocker shape.
Overall, the sole of the Altra Experience Flow is pretty solid. The rocker shape feature seems like nothing more than a gimmick, but otherwise, I really liked the sole unit of these shoes.
Altra Experience Flow Conclusions
The Altra Experience Flow is a solid shoe that works in pretty much any road-running scenario. I haven’t yet found this shoe lacking in any area, from daily easy miles, speed work sessions, or long runs, the Experience Flow simply does the job.
As a long-time Altra wearer, I still struggle to be fully on board for an Altra that isn’t built upon a zero-drop platform, and a little more room in the toe box would be appreciated.
But will I keep running in this shoe for the foreseeable future, even if it isn’t quite the perfect shoe for me? Yes, I absolutely will.
And if you’re open to an Altra with a bit of a heel drop and that isn’t as roomy in the toe box as Altras of years past, I have a feeling you’ll agree that the Altra Experience Flow is a really good “do everything” road shoe.
