The Altra Timp 5 is a highly-cushioned zero-drop path operating shoe with a large toe field that’s widespread with hikers and backpackers. They’ve thick Vibram soles made with Megagrip rubber (new) that present wonderful 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 positive weave for drainage with printed overlays that assist scale back abrasion. They’ve Altra’s “customary” dimension toe field that lets your toes splay out for enhanced consolation with a formidable quantity of toebox safety to assist hold your toenails intact. Like all Atra path runners, the Timp 5 comes with a gaiter lure on the heel to safe a gaiter and assist stop path particles from coming into the shoe.
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Specs at a Look
- Greatest Use: Path Operating and Mountain climbing
- 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
- Broad 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 just lately. Since they’re each zero-drop sneakers, I believed it’d be fascinating to strive each since I’m on the hunt for a brand new pair of path runners that I can fill up on for mountaineering and backpacking this 12 months. Quite a few readers have additionally inspired me to strive the Timp through the years 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 function is an outsized toe field which lets your toes splay out as for those who have been strolling barefoot. Altra sneakers can be found with toe field volumes of various sizes: the Timp has an ordinary dimension toe field quantity, the identical because the Lone Peak 8. That is very completely different from many path runners, which nonetheless have slender toe containers that prohibit toe motion, though many manufacturers have expanded theirs lately to compete with Altra and reply to person preferences.
The Timp is a zero-drop path runner which means that the heel and the toes are an equal distance from the bottom. This permits for a extra steady foot strike and a extra pure and environment friendly stride, with impacts unfold out throughout your entire floor of the foot.
One in all my favourite options on Altra Trainers is the gaiter lure, 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 lure like it is a necessity in case your shoe’s outsoles are flat, and not using a heel arch, which is the case with the Timp. I discover it mind-boggling that different manufacturers don’t supply 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 susceptible 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 circumstances and terrain.
Safety
As a path runner, you will need to have a shoe that’s going to guard the bottoms of your toes . You additionally desire a breathable higher that enables your toes 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 supplies nice shock absorption with out being sloppy, significantly for mountaineering, regardless that the sneakers shouldn’t have a rock plate. There’s additionally a considerable diploma of toe safety up entrance offered 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 a great 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 shortly, significantly 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 supplies nice traction on dry and moist surfaces and has grooved channels to channel away water. The lugs aren’t very giant however the rubber is tender like a climbing shoe and provides good buy on arduous 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 believe 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.
Suggestion
Altra’s Timp 5 Path Runners are an important alternative if you need a zero-drop path runner with most cushion for mountaineering and backpacking. They’ve a big toe field that lets your toes splay out and calm down with aggressive lugs underfoot which can be positioned and oriented to offer enhanced traction and braking. The gaiter lure is a good comfort for those who use gaiters which have a velcro patch within the again, whereas the sneakers drain nicely however stop sand and grit from coming into the place they’ll chew up your socks.
How does the Timp 5 examine to the Altra Lone Peak 8? The Timp 5 is much more shoe: extra cushion, extra traction, extra safety, making them a lot better for mountaineering 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 subsequently much less sloppy when it comes to match than the Lone Peak 8. Strive each and determine for your self.
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