Altra Torin 5 Performance Review

What You Need To Know

• Weighs 9 oz. (255 g) for a US M9 / 7.2 oz. (204 g) for a US W8
• Lightweight mesh upper is altra airy (get it?)
• New EgoMax midsole provides more cushion than year’s past
• The zero-drop king continues his reign

ALEX: The Altra Torin 5 is a max cushion, neutral shoe that was built for versatility. The new EgoMax foam provides a plush ride and responsive feel, and the updates to the upper offer a comfortable, secure fit right out of the box. 

TAYLOR: The Altra Torin has been a fan favorite for a long time now. The foot-shaped fit, lightweight design, and high stack (28 mm) of cushy midsole have delivered some of the best natural foot-feel in the game. This year’s Torin 5 adds notes of responsiveness via a midsole swap and a couple of other fine details here and there.

What’s in store this time around? Well, I have a feeling fans of the new Altra Rivera will love this one, as they’re very similar shoes.

STEF: The Altra Torin will always have a special place in my heart. I ran my first ever Boston Qualifying time in this shoe and went on to run 70 miles around a track a couple months later (still processing how the U.S. 24 hour teams go basically 100 miles more than that). Their tried and true anatomically shaped last combined with the cushion this line is known for. Let’s dive in and break down these warlocks.

The Good

ALEX: I really appreciate the underfoot protection that the 28 mm stack height offers on the pavement. The balanced cushioning and new midsole material came together in this shoe to make them a great option for logging long miles. 

The midsole is fun and functional. Altra swapped out their Quantic midsole material for the new EgoMax foam. It’s soft and squishy, yet maintains the responsiveness to go fast. I’m not sure how or why this is possible, but I’m a big fan. 

This shoe is really comfortable and it’s easy to get a secure fit. The Torin 5 is roomy in the mid and forefoot, maintaining that classic Altra foot shape. I have high arches and appreciate the built-in arch support. To top it off, a molded heel counter helps lock the foot in for added security. 

Even with that 28 mm stack height and added structure, this shoe is super lightweight, weighing in at just over 7 oz for my women’s size 8.5. The upper is also lightweight and breathable and without any rigid flex points.

TAYLOR: The Torin 5 adopts Altra’s new EgoMax midsole, similar to the AltraEGO foam in the Rivera. The “Max,” though, essentially means more of that EGO midsole. Despite more cush than the last iteration, the Torin sees a cut in weight (9.3 ounces for a men’s 10.5) and a whole lot more responsiveness than what came from the old midsole. 

The EgoMax midsole feels a touch softer than the original AltraEGO, but retains a lot of the same qualities. I tested the shoe through various paces over everything from track to light, buffed-out trails, and it answered the call every time.

The soft mesh upper of the Torin 5 is one of the most breathable and comfortable that I’ve come across. A padded heel collar and thin tongue round out the fit of an excellent upper. By the way, it’s not too good to be true as the upper is very secure, hugging your foot with that airy mesh.     

One of the main differences from past models is that the forefoot, though still foot-shaped, boasts a little more width. Having a nicely secure upper and roomy toe box screams comfort for the long run.

STEF: Unlike Alex, I’m a big fan of the women’s “Dusty Pink” colorway. It’s a nice change-up from some of the previous Torin colors. 

Boasting a stack height of 28 mm, the Torin 5 is Altra’s most cushioned neutral option in their road shoe lineup. The 5 features Altra’s new EgoMax foam, which took a smidge of weight off the previous version. The women’s shoe comes in at 7.3 oz for a size 8.5 (down from 7.5 oz), which is incredibly light for a shoe that can handle both daily training and marathons.

I noticed a more streamlined fit in this year’s version with a wide toebox and locked-in. My heel felt nicely locked in due to the extra plush heel counter. The ride on this shoe is extremely versatile, particularly for runners that may prefer more cushioning for road workouts. This shoe performs well both on easy runs and speed work.

The Bad

ALEX: I have a few complaints, the first being that this shoe is expensive. The price jumped from $120 to $150 for this version. 

I don’t love the rigid-edged tongue as it digs into the front of my ankle. I ended up doing a little bit of surgery to remedy this issue, and it’s now reminiscent of a Komodo dragon (or Gene Simmons). 

Finally, I’m not a huge fan of pink colorways, dusty or otherwise. It really takes the edge off my all-black running attire.

TAYLOR: This shoe runs small, and I mean SMALL. My normal 10.5 was so short, I feel that I could’ve gone a full size up easily. At the very least, be sure to go up half a size.

STEF: I wore ankle-length socks on my first run and the front of my ankle got torn up from the rough edge of the tongue. It may just be my ankle anatomy, but these are now strictly quarter-to-crew length sock shoes because damn that tongue is sharp. 

The cushioning of the Torin 5 feels slightly less plush to me compared to previous versions, but I think they just need a bit of a break-in period.

Altra Torin 5 Conclusion

ALEX: The Altra Torin 5 is a comfortable, lightweight, and highly versatile shoe that maintains the roomy, natural foot shape comfort and feel that the brand is known for. 

TAYLOR: If you’re in the market for a good all-around running shoe, check out the Altra Torin 5. This shoe feels equally at home ripping intervals on the track as it does hitting the long easy paces. The Torin 5 has something for everyone. 

STEF: Altra continues to deliver with their ever-popular neutral, cushion road shoe. The Torin 5 is an extremely versatile, do-it-all shoe with a lightweight and responsive design.

You can pick up the Altra Torin 5 at Running Warehouse (featuring free 2-day shipping and 90-day returns) by using the shop link below.