ALTRA Torin 5 review by Elliot Froidevaux
Posted on May 27 2021
***This is the shoes review written by Altra Hong Kong Red Team member Elliot Froidevaux***
My favourite Torin to date was the Torin 4. It felt so comfortable underfoot, with plenty of room in the toebox, a soft ride, a soft upper... yep! A comfortable and soft ride! Not a very responsive ride but I still took my pair to 1200km, from 5km to Marathons, to 100kms, it was my go to shoe!
When it got discontinued, I struggled to find that replacement shoe for my everything runs, until now!
And what a star! I am talking about the new Altra Torin 5.
The Torin 4 was great, but this shoe is exceptional!
Stack height is 28mm (Zero drop - meaning 28mm on the heel and 28mm on the forefoot) so plenty of cushioning underfoot! BUT, with the switch from their QUANTIC midsole to this new EGO MAX midsole, it’s a game changer! A cushioned shoe with a noticeably energetic ride! Yes, it’s got pop that leaves you ticking off the miles with minimal effort! And it comes in lighter than the Torin 4.5 plush and 4, which is what we want to hear!!
Now, what is amazing about this shoe, is its flexibility. You can bend the shoe toe to heel with ease using 2 fingers!! Find me a maximalist shoe that can do that! Crazy bendy!! So this gives you a super ground feel which is a first for such a maximalist shoe as far as I know!
Then there is the insole! Previously the insole was thicker, with a thinner midsole to reach 28mm. Now, it’s all midsole, with a thin insole that does not weigh much especially when soaked in summer sweat! So the shoe keeps it’s weight down even when wet!
And there’s more!!! Another huge improvement is the outsole! The Torin 4 and 4.5 plush were slippy on wet tiles and generally preferred dry conditions. The grip on the Torin 5 is outstanding! You feel secure and very confident on any surface, wet or dry! It does make a bit of a squishy sound when you run, but I’ll happily take that over a slippery outsole!
More improvements include a breathable / lighter upper versus the Torin 4 and Torin 4.5 plush, making it a great summer training shoe - whom am I kidding? A great year round shoe because it never seems to get cold anymore!
And the list of improvements continues!! The laces on the Torin 5 are brilliant! They don’t come undone! They are light and with ratcheted edges, they remain secure!
Nothing worse than laces coming undone during a race! Well no risk of that happening with the Torin 5!
Altra have also taken the feedback from the Torin diehards, and have gone back to the wider toebox praised by so many! Indeed, this extra width disappeared on the Torin 4.5 plush but is back on the Torin 5. Great that the company is listening to its customers!
But No shoe is perfect so if I had to critique something, I would point at the tongue. It should have been gusseted! It does not move much but every tongue should be gusseted, period!!! But more importantly, the shoe is so comfortable in every way yet the tongue feels a bit stiff for my liking! No discomfort or hotspots, but just a “could do better” tongue I think.
Size wise, the shoe runs true to size, but if you are between half sizes on other Altras like the Torin 4.5 plush, Olympus 4.0, Timp 2 or 3, I would go up half a size. It does feel a tiny bit shorter than it’s predecessors. So just be aware of that if you are ordering online, especially if you are like me and have a big big toe!
But overall, I am super SUPER impressed with these new Torin 5! 100km in, and my pair looks brand spanking new, and the outsole immaculate!
If I had to describe the Torin 5 in one sentence I would say:
“A maximal shoe in a slipper!! “
And I found my slipper!
Heck I’ll say it!!
I am a happy Cinderella
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Further Reading of ALTRA Torin 5
Torin 5 First Impression by Peter Hopper
More product details and online purchase
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