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Over the course of this year, I committed myself to a number of ultra marathon challenges and wanted to gear myself up with the best tools for the job. First on this list and most importantly was footwear… Considering plenty of options I wanted something that provided stability of changing terrain that prioritise comfort over long distances over some more rigid or minimalist. The key features from Altra footwear seemed to tick a lot of these boxes and with the release of the new  Altra Timp 5 at the beginning of the year (2024) I thought I’d found the shoe for the job…

Altra footwear offers a ‘Natural Fit’ which comprises a roomy toe box and Zero to Low Drop aimed to keep you comfortable and keep you running.

Zero Drop refers to the height in which your heel is in relation to your toes. Most commonly seen with other footwear, your heel tends to sit higher than your toes, for example;  Hoka’s Speedgoat 5mm Drop would see your heel 5mm higher than your toes;

This does not mean that a Zero Drop shoe is a minimalist shoe which offers little in the way of support. On the contrary, with  Altra plenty of cushioning is provided with their Zero and Low Drop footwear compared to the likes of barefoot minimalist footwear. With minimalist shoes, your foot sits extremely close to the ground with little to no cushioning aside from what is provided by the outsole and footbed (if provided). The stack height (height from which your foot is from the ground) provided with Altra’s footwear varies in level of cushioning. The Lone Peaks come with 25mm stack height comprised Altra EGOTM midsole foam with an integrated rock plate, whereas, the Timp 5 has a stack height of 29mm with greater cushioning Altra EGOTM MAX midsole. Altra say the benefits of Zero Drop are;

Heel and forefoot are the same distance from the ground

Promotes proper form to reduce initial impact by 3–5 times

Natural Achilles loading for better propulsion

1-to-1 ratio naturally aligns feet, back and body posture

Encourages better running technique

Weight-balanced from front to back

Altra offers plenty of space for your toes in the roomy toe box synonymous with their footwear, this allows your toes to spread providing a better sense of freedom compared to the confined, often cramped experience from conventional footwear. Altra says this keeps your big toe straight for greater stability and a more powerful toe-off whilst also allowing toes to relax and spread out naturally and lets your foot to naturally stabilise excess pronation.

I started to put the Timp 5’s through their paces in mid-March ahead of an event, the Moors Travers, at the end of April. Out of the box they fitted as per my usual size despite suggestions from other reviews and Altra’s own advice to size half a size up. Having used zero drop footwear previously and racked up hundreds of miles with my Altra Lone Peak 7’s, I had no adjustment phase to this style of shoe. If it's your first time going to a zero-drop shoe. In that case, I’d recommend giving yourself several weeks to build up to short runs/hikes before taking on any long-distance or multi-day hikes to become accustomed to the slight change in biomechanics.

Whilst I noticed the slightly narrower toe box compared to that of the Lone Peak, I still found the wide toe box felt roomy and allowed my toes to splay naturally as per my previous experience with Altra. One thing that was immediately noticeable was the extra cushioning provided from the Timp 5’s 29mm stack height composed of Altra EGO™ MAX midsole foam, this simply felt great, making it a very comfortable shoe simply to stand around in.

On training runs the shoes felt great, whilst you lose a little of the responsiveness/ground feel compared to the Lone Peak due to the greater stack height and improved cushioning. The ride felt smoother and less impactful, especially on harder surfaces such as tarmac. The EGO MAX foam whilst providing comfort also gave plenty of ‘spring’ providing a good level of energy return helping to keep my stride efficient on longer efforts. Happy with my initial tests with the Timp 5, I felt confident in using them for my first Ultra race of the year…

First event of the year in the line-up of epic challenges was the Moors Traverse, 80km (50 miles) across the North York Moors. With plenty of rain, the days leading up and a mixed forecast underfoot conditions would be varied. On the start line at Ingleby Cross, the usual nerves fluttering around before the arm dropped to start the race we were soon off. Two steps in and a rogue running pole slid across and in between my feet, taking me suddenly to the ground, not the best start. With a quick impromptu burpee and some bloody palms with some sincere apologies from the culprit, I was back up and still with the lead group. Throughout the race, terrain was very changeable, starting out through forested tracks, moving on to the moors across stone paved trails, traversing muddy fields, pounding tarmac and everything in between. Traction across all this was pretty much uncompromised, aside to a particular field that resembled more of a slip and slide on an adventure obstacle course. 

The upgrade to the Vibram MegaGrip outsole on the Timp 5 compared to previous iterations of the Timp, had a lot to play with this. The sticky rubber provided unbridled traction on wet rock and was subtle enough to mould around uneven service to provide the constant ground contact needed. Whilst not the most aggressive lug depth they were perfect for mixed terrain as I was experiencing, deep lugs whilst would improve traction on the muddy fells it would be compromised on road sections and harder packed trail areas. For me the Timp 5 provided a nice blend with the Vibram MegaGrip compound and the medium lug depth to keep keep me moving forward without having to change my stride each time conditions changed under foot.

Happy with my performance on the day, only narrowly missing out on a sub 10 hr 80K (darn it!)… The choice of Altra’s Timp 5 had a significant impact on this result. However, aside from the race result, one of the most pleasing things from my experience with the Timp 5’s was that I had little to zero foot pain during or after the event. For me the best shoe for taking on long distance running events is comfortability and the Timp 5 offers this in abundance. The generous stack height teaming up with the cushioned EGOTM MAX midsole foam makes for a smoother ride. The wide toe box is a game changer in the battle of cumulative fatigue, which I thought was just a given for ultra distance running. Just imagine, during a 80km race you can easily get up and surpass 100,000 steps! In most footwear your toes and therefore metatarsals are held into a generally fixed position. Over time that rigid, isometric hold position begins to become stressed and fatigue in your feet really will begin to build, trust me, I've experienced this on multiple occasions. Now, with Altra’s wide toe box, and in this instance the Timp 5, each and every one of those 100,000 steps, your toes can splay out and relax, naturally absorbing impact step after step. Foot fatigue is significantly reduced allowing you to push harder for longer. 

As you can tell, I was very happy with the performance of the Timps. However, for shorter distance trail running events, say sub half marathon, I would prefer something more rigid and a bit less stack height to generate more ground feel and feedback when pushing the pace. Not taking anything away from the Timp 5 performance, simply a case of horses for courses.

Continuing to use the Altra Timp 5 for training runs and events throughout the rest of the 2024 season on the likes of the OMM Lite, Lakeland 50, Isaac’s Tea Trail Ultra plus multi-day backpacking trips. I can honestly say I’ve tested the Timp 5’s to their limits and beyond. I found myself reaching for the Altra Timp 5’s as my day-to-day shoe, be that popping out on the daily dog walks, the odd spot of fishing or in the office (currently writing this review in my new pair of Timp 5’s). The Timp 5 is extremely versatile, ideal for changeable terrain whether you're running or walking, comfort should always be the goal in my mind and the Timp 5 delivers on this.

Chris Futers
About the author: Chris fully immerses himself in many outdoor sports and challenges. Whether it's Multi-day hikes, Rock Climbing, Kayaking, Trail Running or Bikepacking, the allure of the outdoors is his true passion. Chris likes to test himself against the wilds, taking on multiple challenges/events such as the Lakes Travers Trail Race, TGO Challenge and Cycling the Coast to Cost (C2C) to name a few. Having worked and volunteered as a coach/instructor for multiple outdoor sports and pursuits, Chris likes to help others achieve and connect with the outdoors, always eager to pass on his knowledge and experience. Chris is our Customer Service Team Leader, joining the UOG team in 2020. Read more from Chis Futers