Find My Footwear

Style and Comfort for Your Feet

  • Running Shoes
    • Running Shoe Reviews
    • Running Shoe Comparisons
  • Shoe Guides
  • Walking Shoes
  • Work Shoes
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Flat Feet
  • Blog

Altra FWD Experience Review: Altra Drops the Drop But How Does it Stack Up?

Last Updated: January 28, 2024

By Kieran Alger  

The Altra FWD Experience is Altra’s first shoe to move away from zero drop. That’s a big deal – and a bit of a risk – for a company that staked its reputation on the benefits of zero drop – or what it calls balanced cushioning – from the very outset.

Altra says the new 4mm drop joins the line-up to help introduce the brand – and lower-drop shoes – to more runners. But beyond the headlines around the drop change, the FWD Experience is designed to be a snappy, versatile daily trainer with plenty of top-end pace potential. So how does the stack change stack up? Find out in my Altra FWD Experience review.

If you click, or buy from, links on this page, we may receive compensation.  Learn more

Altra FWD Experience

Altra FWD Experience

Stack Height, Drop, Weight and Price
Stats
Design
Fit
Performance
My Verdict

Stack Height, Drop, Weight and Price

Altra’s shift away from balanced cushioning – aka zero drop – is the big news. The Altra FWD Experience stack height now comes in at 32mm in the heel and 28mm in for the forefoot in the men’s and 30mm / 26mm in the women’s, for a 4mm drop in both.

Weight-wise, the FWD Experience tips the scales at 8.9oz or 252g in our UK Men’s 8.5 test size. That’s a good chunk lighter than something like the Altra Via Olympus, and lighter than the training partner Alta Torin 7.

The Altra FWD Experience price was set at $140 at launch. When you can now pay anywhere up to $200 for a daily trainer, that’s quite competitive.

Stats

ALtra

FWD Experience

Best for

Daily Training

Support

Neutral

Cushion

Medium

Drop

4mm

Stack Height

32mm heel / 28mm forefoot

Weight

8.9 oz / 252 g

Suggested Retail Price

$140

Fit

True to size

Rating

8.2/ 10

Design

The Altra FWD Experience midsole uses a compression-molded EVA foam that’s somewhere between semi-firm and semi-soft. Surprisingly, you don’t get Altra’s livelier Ego Max or Ego Pro foams here. There’s also a considerable rocker to help with toe offs.

Up top there’s an engineered mesh upper that’s pretty thick and dense with no overlays. Altra’s trademark toe box shaping remains though that’s been narrowed and now looks much more like a traditional shoe.

Altra FWD Experience_Tongue Heel Collar

There’s a medium padded tongue and heel collars packing some extra pads to hold the base of the heel and provide some fit-security.

Flip them over and the outsole has a decent covering of outsole rubber and Altra’s familiar flex groove system that’s there to help the shoe flex with your feet for a more natural, flexible ride.

Altra Fwd

Altra FWD Experience

Shop Now at

  • Amazon
  • Zappos
  • Altra

Fit

I ran in a UK size 8.5 and I found these fit well true to size. Altra’s standard foot-shaped toe box offers a more snug version of the anatomic fit and the foot-shaping has been tapered more than most Altra shoes. There’s still ample space lengthwise and across the top and compared to most shoes these still feel roomy.

Performance

If Altra set out to make a shoe with broader appeal, they’ve largely succeeded. Close your eyes and you could be running in a HOKA Clifton. That’s not a criticism of Altra, it’s more a compliment to HOKA. The HOKA-isation of running shoes has been happening across all the major brands in the past 5 years. With good reason. The combination of a higher stack of midsole foam, bucket seat fit, rockered shaping and lightweight breathable uppers works. And that’s true here.

Altra FWD Experience_laces Close Up

The Altra FWD Experience is a surprisingly light, very capable, versatile daily trainer that’s really easy to run in at a range of paces.

Altra’s roomier toe box is very much still a feature even if it’s not as roomy as some wider-fit shoes in its line-up. That airiness, combined with the happy step-in comfort and cradling footbed, make this a shoe you’re happy to lace up.

Altra FWD Experience_Outsole

On the run, the rockered, firmer ride has a direct, somewhat old-school performance sprightliness to it. Though it’s definitely not as lively as the super daily trainers that pack supercritical foams like the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3. It would have been great to see Altra use its livelier Ego Max or Pro foams, just to offer a touch more bounce.

The EVA midsole and footbed communication provides just enough road protection but it’s not as soft and cushioned as shoes like the ASICS Gel Nimbus 25. That will definitely limit the FWD Experience’s upper distance and time on feet for some runners.

Altra FWD Experience_Upper

But if you’re a fan of firmer, more direct shoes, there’s a balance, stability and reliability underfoot, that makes it great for cruising in disappearing comfort.

While I pegged the Altra Torin 7 as a better option for easy miles, I found the FWD Experience came to life much more when I picked up the pace. If you like firmer shoes, it can happily handle your recovery plods, too. But it’s at its best when you’re pushing the tempo with faster foot turnover.

Altra Fwd

Altra FWD Experience

Shop Now at

  • Amazon
  • Zappos
  • Altra

My Verdict

Altra has made a good shoe here. Good but not great. If you’ve looked at Altra in the past but been put off because of the zero-drop design, the Altra FWD Experience is a great shoe to try first. Likewise, if you’ve been longing for a HOKA Clifton with a wider toe box, this could be your shoe.

We’d loved to have seen Altra go all out, guns blazing with its first drop shop. You can’t help but wonder why they didn’t swap the compression molded EVA for a lighter, more energetic supercritical midsole foam, particularly when it uses those foams in shoes with similar geometry.

Altra FWD Experience Flip View

Fans of bouncy, energetic daily trainers will likely find it a bit old fashioned and a shade dull. Those who want sinky, squishy softness in there easy-day shoes, won’t get enough cushioning here either.

However, if you like a light, responsive, firmer and more direct ride, the Altra FWD Experience offers that in spades. For fans of that more traditional ride, this shoe offers good pace versatility tilted towards faster, shorter runs.

It’s also Altra’s best looking shoe to date. Maybe because it looks less Altra.

Author

  • Kieran Alger
    Kieran Alger

    Kieran Alger is an ultra and marathon runner and an acclaimed journalist, writer and editor working in the space where health, fitness, sports, and technology collide. A long-time reviewer of running shoes and gear, if it helps you run better or enjoy your running more, Kieran has probably tested it.

    View all posts

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Logo Findmyfootwear Orng Txt

fitness shoes
 

 

shoes


Running Shoes for Flat Feet
running shoes flat feet
 

What’s Causing My Arch Pain?
 

painful foot arch
 

Most Comfortable Running Shoes
comfortable running shoes

How to Rebuild Your Foot Arch
 

flat feet examination
 

CrossFit Shoes
crossfit shoes
 

What is Overpronation?
 

shoe inserts for overpronating feet
 

Shoes for Heavy Runners
shoes for heavy runners
 

Supinating Feet
 

Stability Running Shoes
running shoes overpronation
 

What is Gait Analysis?
 

walking on treadmill
 

Insoles for Foot Pain
plantar fasciitis insoles
 

What is Plantar Fasciitis?
 

pain in heel
 

Running Shoes for High Arches
running shoes high arches
 

Is Plantar Fasciitis Killing Your Feet?
 

Pointing to Plantar Fasciitis Pain
 

Running Shoes for Wide Feet
wide running shoes wide feet
 

Marathon Running Shoe Buying Guide
variety marathon running shoes
 

Can You Stop Plantar Fasciitis from Flaring Up Agian?
 

Examining Plantar Fasciitis Foot Pain
 

Should You Fix Flat Feet?
 

Exercises for Flat Feet
 

Is Flat Feet a Serious Condition?
 

arch building exercises
 

Find My Footwear

818 Dominick Ct, South Plainfield, NJ 07080

Phone : 862-256-7108

________________________________

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Service

The information on this site is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advise or a  substitute for professional advice

Follow us on our Social Network

Facebook
X (Twitter)
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Instagram

Affiliate Disclosure

FindMyFootwear.com is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

FindMyFootwear.com also participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission for purchases made through our links.

Copyright © 2025 Findmyfootwear.com