Altras Review

When I came home from work and saw the box from Altra – I tore into the sucker like I was a 5 year old on Christmas morning.  I was beyond excited to receive these shoes!  More importantly, I think the fantastic people at Altra knew I am a purple person.  When I saw that they sent me purple Delilahs, I nearly peed my pants in excitement.

aren't they beautiful?  

And because I have zero patience, I put the shoes on immediately and went for a run.  Dinner could wait.   I didn't want to overdo it, so I went for a quick 3 miler.  I really enjoyed the lightness and the ability to feel exactly where I was landing each foot strike.    

I truly have a shoe problem and I love taking pictures of shoes

Did you notice that the laces are purple in the picture above?  Yes, in the box was extra pair of laces in purple.  Obviously I was going to be switching out the black laces for purple ones.  A no brainer for me. 

I have since worn these shoes for my shorter runs during the week.  I've gone up to 4 miles in them and they feel great.  As with any transition to zero drop, the transition should be slow.  I don't want to overdo it and injure myself especially with Reach the Beach coming up, so I'm taking it easy.  

a bit dirty - but that's what happens when one wears them all of the time!

Altra does suggest that people taking the minimalist route do need to take their time.  In the literature provided by Altra, I came across this factoid


"A lifetime of wearing an elevated heel has neutralized your Achilles and lower calf... They need time to re-develop.  It is highly recommended to listen to your body.  Start with very short distances and slowly work your way up (a few minutes at a time).  This will allow your muscles and tendons the necessary time to adapt back to their natural state & into the Altra experience!"

For additional information regarding transition, please check out Altra's site here.

What do I love about the Delilahs:

• Wide toe box - Perfect for my freakishly wide feet equipped with bunions. 
• Zero Drop – love. 
• Weight - 6.5 oz.
• They are purple!  I know, I shouldn't like a shoe because of it's color, but it does help.  

In addition to running, these shoes are excellent for everyday wear as well.  I've worn them to school.  

I must be one of the most casual dressed teachers around...
but at least I look cool sporting my purple Horny Toad pants with my Delilahs!

I've worn them for my trek around Boston while spectating the Boston Marathon.  I made sure to make it to the Altra exhibit at the Boston Marathon expo on Sunday.  I really wanted to try on the Intuition to compare with the Delilahs.  The 12 mm sole did make a difference.  Verdit – my next running shoe will be the Intuitions for the longer runs.  The only bummer is that they aren’t as pretty as the Delilahs.  I think Intuitions have an odd appearance to them but this is when wide toe box and comfort are more important than looks.   

I wore my Delilahs all over Boston on Sunday and Monday.  Afterwards, my legs still felt great.  I wish I could say the same for my hip and arms from holding a 35 pound toddler all day.  But at least my feet and calves were not aching. 

I even wore them for a 4 mile hike with the kids on Friday.  I was a bit nervous that the thin sole would be an issue with the rocks but they were not an issue.   But again, my feet felt incredible after the hike. 

rocks, sand, gravel were nothing for these shoes - they were perfect for the hike

I also need to mention this - the wide toe box on this shoe is amazing.  Yes, I have bunions - but I also have the funkiest little toes.  I actually returned the Brooks Pure Connects (mens) because they were still too narrow and really irritated my left little toe.  From time to time, I feel some weird rubbing in other shoes with that freaky little toe, but not in the Delilahs.

pic of ugliest feet around - gross toe 

And the best thing of all - these are women's shoes, designed specifically for women. It seems like forever since I've been able to wear a pair of women's shoes and not feel any pain.  Thank you, Altra for providing me with this amazing experience.




I was provided a pair of Altra Delilahs free of charge in exchange for a review.   All opinions are 100% my own.