The appeal of running in zero-drop shoes is their alleged promise of promoting your “natural” form. Unlike other trainers, whose heel is typically 8mm to 12mm thicker than the forefoot, a zero-drop shoe has the same stack height the full length of the shoe.
Maybe you’re new to zero drop and want to dip your literal toe in this subset of running shoes. The Altra Torin, now on its eighth iteration, is a good place to start. It’s über soft and checks off all the daily trainer boxes: comfy upper, accommodating fit, foam that supports everyday miles. It’s also a good pick for diehard zero-drop runners looking for a cushioned shoe for base building during training. The Torin 8 is basically the Brooks Ghost of zero-drop shoes.
Pros
- Spacious toebox
- of zero-drop shoes
Cons
- Not much bounce
- Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Long Runs
| Type | Road |
|---|---|
| Weight | 8 oz (W), 9.5 oz (M) |
| Drop | 0 mm |
| Heel Height | 30 mm |
| Forefoot Height | 30 mm |
- Why Run in This Shoe: The neutral, cushioned Torin 8 is for logging daily miles; it’s an ideal intro shoe for runners new to zero drop
- Preceded By: Torin 7
- The Runner’s World Guide to Strength Training: Brooks Ghost, Saucony Axon, Hoka Clifton
- Midsole Foam: How Expensive Is Running
- Key Tech: Running Shoes & Gear
How the Altra Torin 8 Fits
The Torin’s comfort is comparable to the Brooks Ghost, which is known for its bootie-like interior. The Torin 8 preserves what runners liked about is predecessor, a padded tongue and collar; a lacing system that keeps the foot snug and secure.
“The initial feeling when putting the Torin 7 on was that it felt like a slipper,” said wear-tester Jeremy Garges. “My foot felt planted inside the shoe. The knit upper was stretchy enough on push off to allow the wide toe box to flex without pinching anywhere.”
Zero drop is usually synonymous with Altra. This has changed as of late with the brand’s Experience collection (the shoes have a 4mm offset). Consistent with all Altra shoes, however, is that spacious toebox. Wide foot runners like myself revel in its wiggle room, especially on long distance days when feet swelling is inevitable. The Torin 8 typifies an original Altra shoe with its 0mm drop and ample toe room.
“The fit was spot on,” said wear-tester David Hinkel. “The heel cup was just the right depth allowing a snug fit while providing ample toe wiggle room without a slipping issue. They regulated foot temp very well without overheating or allowing too much cold air to get to my piggies. The tongue and lacing were great. I’m a fan of padded tongues.”
RW+ Member Spotlight
Tia Pettygrue | Tampa, Florida | Certified Run Coach & Financial Advisor
- Runner for: 16 years
- Weekly Mileage: 25 miles
- Average Pace: 10:00 minutes
- Shoe Size: W8.5
Thoughts on the Altra Torin 8
Fit: True-to-size
“It's not a shoe I would wear in a race because of the heavy feeling. But I will keep it in rotation for short, easy runs. I like the lacing of the shoe, might sound small but this is something I pay attention to.”
About Pettygrue: After 12 years of attempting to BQ, Pettygrue’s goal this year is to finish the Boston Marathon. She finished her first ultra this March, running 51 miles.
How the Altra Torin 8 Feels
On a scale of softness, the Torin 8 falls under the “more cushioned” category. It’s not maximally cushioned like, say, the Hoka Bondi or Saucony Triumph, but it packs plenty of softness to absorb hours of pavement pounding—just like the Brooks Ghost.
The Torin 8 has a 30mm stack, which is slightly lower than the 35.5mm stack height of the Ghost 16. But the Torin 8’s Ego Max midsole is similar in feel to the Ghost’s EVA-based DNA Loft v2 foam. Altra reformulated Ego Max, making it lighter and softer than the midsole in the previous Torin. The compression-molded EVA foam conforms to your foot as you run, allowing just a little of that sink-in give so the ride isn’t too firm.
“I appreciated the cushion in this shoe for my needs,” said tester John Mikovits, who previously tested the brand’s 4mm drop trail shoe, the Experience Wild, and the maximally cushioned Brooks Glycerin Max. “It wasn’t super soft and not super firm. It allowed me to have a comfortable ride but not overly soft where my energy felt lost. I think this shoe hit the mark with cushioning, especially when so many brands are beefing up their stack.”
How the Altra Torin 8 Rides
The Torin 8 is a mile eater, just like the Ghost. It’s the training shoe you choose for accruing weekly mileage, the trainer you pick when speedwork isn’t on the schedule.
It’s made for easy runs. During testing, I gravitated toward three to six-milers in the shoes at my average 7:30 to 7:45 pace. The medium stack provided enough support for niggling Achilles pain I’ve been experiencing and the proverbial runner’s burden: sore knees.
“The Torin 8 was a quiet shoe on the road,” said Hinkel, a neutral runner with a midfoot strike. “There’s just enough cushion to avoid pounding but not too much to make it feel like you were running on marshmallows.”
Amanda Furrer, Editor, Running Reviews, studied journalism at NYU and writing at Emerson College. She has reviewed gear and covered other topics in the running space for almost 10 years. Since 2013, she has consecutively run the Boston Marathon. She also has a master’s degree in gastronomy from Boston University and was formerly a professional baker for two years before hanging up her apron.
