ALTRA Experience Wild 3+, First Impressions
Posted on February 03 2026
ALTRA are definitely working on broadening their appeal to the trail running community!
While they stick to their roots of FOOTSHAPE'd toe-boxes and a range of shoes with ZERO Drop they have not shied away for broadening the offering to provide 4mm drop alternatives for those people who want to try the brand but where the ZERO Drop is a bridge too far.
It started in the road shoe range and is now moving into the trail range which it has had the diehard ALTRA long bearded trail stalwarts, tugging at their traily locks in despair. There are still many, many zero drop offerings in the range but the FWD Experience Wild family finally brought 4mm of drop to the ALTRA trail world.
We lamented the lack of VIBRAM on the early models and they listened and now we have the FWD Experience Wild 3+ shod in lovely Vibram Megagrip!. Perfect for our trails here in HK.
So we have been running in the early samples for the last few weeks, granted not for huge distances but on a range of representative HK trails.
This is a versatile shoe. Some might say this is a real competitor for the first time to the HOKA Speedgoat.
We have made this comparison chart so that you can see how they line up.
ALTRA Experience Wild 3+ vs. HOKA Speedgoat 6
| Feature | ALTRA Experience Wild 3+ | HOKA Speedgoat 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Versatile / daily trail runner | Max‑cushion mountain trail runner |
| Heel Stack Height | 32 mm | 40 mm (men) / 38 mm (women) |
| Forefoot Stack Height | 28 mm | 35 mm (men) / 33 mm (women) |
| Heel‑to‑Toe Drop | 4 mm | 5 mm |
| Weight (Men’s) | ~11.1–11.4 oz (US M9) | 9.8 oz (US M9) |
| Weight (Women’s) | ~9.1 oz (US W8) | ~8.2–8.5 oz (varies by size) |
| Midsole Foam | ALTRA EGO™ P35 | CMEVA |
| Ride Feel | Stable, efficient, natural | Plush, protective, rolling |
| Toe Box | Foot‑shaped, roomy | More tapered, secure |
| Outsole | Vibram® Megagrip | Vibram® Megagrip Litebase with Traction Lugs |
| Best Terrain | Mixed trails, moderate technicality | Steep, rocky, highly technical trails |
| Best For | Daily trail miles, comfort, agility, | Long runs, ultras, rugged mountain terrain |
| Overall Personality | Grounded and versatile, nimble, nicely cushioned | Cushioned and confidence‑inspiring |
The FWD Experience 3+ definitely feels like a very comfortable, nimble, versatile shoe. Not quite the amount of stack as Speedgoat but the space in the toe-box compared to the tight feeling of having your feet crushed into the Speedgoat is definitely a plus from a comfort perspective.
Also the benefit to your running foot health from having the ability to spread your toes should not be underestimated.
While the Vibram Megagrip on the FWD Experience Wild 3+ probably accounts for the slight weight difference with the Speedgoat, shod in Megagrip Litebase but there have been some reports that the Speedgoat 6 has had a few grip problems so maybe the solution there is not so optimal.
No such feelings in the FWD Experience Wild 3+. The lower stack and the outsole combine for a very confident feeling on tricky terrain. HK Trails are specific and shoes need to work for the conditions here.
I really likes the nimble feeling which helped with ground feel and foot placement.
The midsole is also ALTRA EGO P35 compound which is the latest formulation also being used on their max cushioned road shoes the FWD VIA 2. It's soft but responsive and feels very comfortable even when you midfoot strike a sharp rock.
The upper is a robust mesh reminiscent of the TIMP 5 but more malleable. Plenty of toe protection should you head butt a rock with your foot.
Overall, first impressions are for a comfortable, versatile, capable shoe. We will be testing it in more arduous conditions and see how it holds up, but this is a great shoe.
CHECK OUT THE COLLECTION HERE: https://gone.run/collections/altra-experience-wild-3
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