The Altra Timp 5 is a highly-cushioned zero-drop path working shoe with a large toe field that’s fashionable with hikers and backpackers. They’ve thick Vibram soles made with Megagrip rubber (new) that present glorious traction on dry and moist surfaces with multi-directional lugs that help in turning and braking. The uppers are made with a porous nylon mesh with a advantageous weave for drainage with printed overlays that assist cut back abrasion. They’ve Altra’s “commonplace” dimension toe field that lets your toes splay out for enhanced consolation with a formidable quantity of toebox safety to assist preserve your toenails intact. Like all Atra path runners, the Timp 5 comes with a gaiter entice on the heel to safe a gaiter and assist forestall path particles from coming into the shoe.
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Specs at a Look
- Greatest Use: Path Working and Mountaineering
- Path Runner Shoe Sort: Rugged Trails
- Cushioning: Most
- Waterproof/Breathable: No
- Heel to Toe Drop (mm): 0
- Heel Stack Top (mm): 29
- Forefoot Stack top (mm): 29
- Higher: Nylon Mesh
- Rock Plate: No
- Midsole: Altra EGO MAX foam (ie. foam)
- Outsole: Vibram Megagrip
- Vegan: Sure
- Large Sizes Obtainable?: No
- Weight: 1 lb 4 oz / pair (males’s dimension 10.5 US)
- Sizing: I discovered them true to dimension
The Altra Timp 5 is a closely cushioned path runner that gives noticeably extra consolation and shock absorption than the Altra Lone Peak 8 (see evaluate) we reviewed not too long ago. Since they’re each zero-drop sneakers, I believed it’d be attention-grabbing to strive each since I’m on the hunt for a brand new pair of path runners that I can refill on for climbing and backpacking this yr. Quite a few readers have additionally inspired me to strive the Timp over time and this newest mannequin, with a brand new Vibram Megagrip rubber outsole, sounded fairly promising. (Altra prospects have been griping in regards to the poor traction and sturdiness of Altra’s proprietary outsoles, that are nonetheless used on the Lone Peak 8, for years.)
Path Really feel
The Timp’s signature characteristic is an outsized toe field which lets your toes splay out as in case you have been strolling barefoot. Altra sneakers can be found with toe field volumes of various sizes: the Timp has a normal dimension toe field quantity, the place the Lone Peak 8 makes use of Altra’s unique wider toebox. That is very completely different from many path runners, which nonetheless have slim toe bins that prohibit toe motion, though many manufacturers have expanded theirs lately to compete with Altra and reply to consumer preferences.
The Timp is a zero-drop path runner that means that the heel and the toes are an equal distance from the bottom. This enables for a extra steady foot strike and a extra pure and environment friendly stride, with impacts unfold out throughout all the floor of the foot.
Considered one of my favourite options on Altra Trainers is the gaiter entice, positioned on the again of the heel of the shoe. It’s a bit of velcro that makes it quite simple to put on a Soiled Lady Gaiter which attaches to velcro behind the heel. A gaiter entice like this can be a necessity in case your shoe’s outsoles are flat, with out a heel arch, which is the case with the Timp. I discover it mind-boggling that different manufacturers don’t provide the identical performance on their path runners since gaiter use is so prevalent.
Stability
The Timp 5 is a steady path runner, partly, as a result of it’s a zero-drop shoe the place your forefoot and heel are on the similar top. With its 29 mm stack top and flat outsole, it’s much less vulnerable to ankle rolling since you’re fairly near the bottom. That and the improved proprioception you get from strolling with spayed toes make it a lot simpler to sense and adapt to altering path situations and terrain.
Safety
As a path runner, it is very important have a shoe that’s going to guard the bottoms of your ft . You additionally desire a breathable higher that permits your ft to ventilate whereas retaining out particulates of mud, sand, and grit that can wreak havoc in your socks.
The Timp 5 does each. The thick cushioning within the Timp sole gives nice shock absorption with out being sloppy, notably for climbing, although the sneakers would not have a rock plate. There’s additionally a considerable diploma of toe safety up entrance supplied by the cushion, overlays that shield the toe field from abrasion, and a entrance toe kick.
The finely pored breathable mesh of the higher does job of stopping coarse sand and grit from coming into the shoe. It is a huge deal since many path runners with large-pored mesh uppers fail miserably on this dimension, particularly in sandy desert terrain or when fording streams. The mesh additionally drains nicely and dries rapidly, notably on the entrance of the shoe the place there’s much less padding within the uppers. The heels, in distinction, take for much longer to dry as a result of the padding is a lot thicker within the heel cup.
Vibram Sole and Lugs
The brand new Vibram Outsole gives nice traction on dry and moist surfaces and has grooved channels to channel away water. The lugs aren’t very massive however the rubber is delicate like a climbing shoe and offers good buy on laborious irregular surfaces like rock. I’ve been carrying the Timps for the previous 2 weeks, so it’s too early to find out how lengthy the soles will final, however I think they’ll put on out near the 300-400 mile mark, very like the Hoka Speedgoat 5, which makes use of the identical Vibram outsole materials. However the cushioning on path runners is normally the factor that wears out first, not the lugs.
Advice
Altra’s Timp 5 Path Runners are a fantastic alternative if you need a zero-drop path runner with most cushion for climbing and backpacking. They’ve a big toe field that lets your toes splay out and calm down with aggressive lugs underfoot which might be positioned and oriented to supply enhanced traction and braking. The gaiter entice is a superb comfort in case you use gaiters which have a velcro patch within the again, whereas the sneakers drain nicely however forestall sand and grit from coming into the place they will chew up your socks.
How does the Timp 5 evaluate to the Altra Lone Peak 8? The Timp 5 is much more shoe: extra cushion, extra traction, extra safety, making them significantly better for climbing and backpacking (strolling) than the Lone Peak 8. I’ve additionally discovered that the Timp 5 is a bit narrower within the center and heel of the shoe and due to this fact much less sloppy by way of match than the Lone Peak 8. Strive each and determine for your self.
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