Altra Lone Peak 3.5

Tried shoes on, felt comfortable and cushioning was really nice. Ran up a peak and back down it. That will be the lone peak that I run up in them (alright on the flats) as the shoes had a sloppy fit and downhills difficult. Very hard to lock foot down, foot sliding around in shoe. Sizing seemed slightly shirt and toes bumping into the front. So for me, these are good shoes for non-technical / non-steep trails. Cushioning was plush and enjoyed that part of it.

On first runs, I loved this shoe. It gripped the trail well, the cushioning was plenty to shield from small rocks and roots and whatever else the trail was throwing at me. The fit was roomy enough (though not quite what I was hoping for). However, as time wore on, it became clear that this is not a great long-distance trail shoe. The cushioning started to feel dead before 100 miles and with it the overall sense of comfort. After pushing past the 13 mile mark on training runs, however, it became clear that this is not a shoe for trail ultras, which is why I had purchased it (and I will say that this may have to do with my weight 175 lbs). Over time (I now have about 260 miles on them), the above holds true. Aside from the lack of cushioning, they show very little wear and will make great hiking shoes in their retirement.

A few other notes: They are heavy and hot. The heaviness didn't bother me, but for summer running, expect your shoes to be soaked with sweat if you live anywhere humid. Also, I know many have complained about sizing issues. Mine fit true to size, but required some fiddling with laces (and my take is that the enormous amount of padding in the heal initially pushes the foot forward in the shoe).