MATT: Just when I thought I had a grasp on all the brands in the trail running market, I received the Alpine from Dynafit, a brand that was new to me. As I did some initial research, I realized Dynafit had quite the loyal following, extending beyond trail running and into other outdoor sports like skiing, mountaineering, and backpacking.
Out of the box, the Alpine had a sleek and minimal profile, topped off with a stunning colorway aptly named “Red Dahlia & Dawn.”
As my first experience with the Dynafit brand, I was equally skeptical and excited to hit the trails. The Alpine is marketed as an “all arounder” with the versatility to take on a variety of terrain while excelling in technical conditions.
MATT: Lightweight, versatile, and responsive are three words used by Dynafit to describe the Alpine. After several runs featuring everything from root-filled single track to a hard-packed gravel fire road, I tend to agree with all of those adjectives.
My size 10.5 (I’ll touch on the sizing in a bit) weighed in under 10 oz, and on my feet, they feel even lighter and more nimble than that.
The upper is one of the most comfortable I have worn, the highlight of the construction is in the seamlessly integrated tongue. It is thin and soft to the touch but with strategic padding on the top of the foot that mitigated where typical lacing pressure would materialize. Plus, there is a badass snow leopard head on the tongue; it can’t get any cooler than that.
The construction of the midsole keeps things pretty minimal with 6mm of drop and is highlighted by Dynafit’s “Alpine Rocker” technology. The rocker helps promote a heel-to-toe running motion. This concept isn’t new or unique to the Alpine. Still, I will say that Dynafit’s approach to providing a more effortless rocking sensation is well executed and certainly does feel natural.
With a lightweight shoe, you want to have a good ground feel, and this shoe has it. I felt locked in and in tune with the trails.
So we have checked the boxes on lightweight and responsive, how about the versatility? This is where the outsole comes into play. The Alpine features a tried and true winner for us Trail runners at BITR, Vibram Megagrip. The killer combo of Vibram Megagrip compound on the outsole and aggressive Vibram lugs make the Alpine a match for pretty much any conditions you can throw at it. It’s sticky in slick conditions, sheds mud and debris quickly thanks to the unique lug pattern, and drains water quickly.
This is a shoe that wants to go fast. The Alpine rocker and the heel-to-toe drop of the shoe promote quick turnover and push the pace naturally.
While I think the Alpine is in a category of its own, the closest comparisons I would draw would be somewhere between the Topo Mountain Racer 2 and the Salomon Sense Ride 3, not bad company to keep.
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MATT: Let’s talk about size. Dynafit gets ahead of things pretty openly and suggests sizing up half a size. While I commend the openness, I would argue that you might be better served going up a full size for an ideal fit. It would be a shame to purchase such a great shoe and have the experience ruined by an ill-fitting size.
Dynafit claims the Alpine to be best for fast workouts and a variety of distances, and I would agree, but I think this needs more clarification. The Alpine feels best when pushing the pace, and due to all the things that make it a great shoe if you wear them for a casual or recovery run, they will feel a bit harsh.
Also, while being suitable for various distances may be true, I would not feel comfortable in these beyond 25K.
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MATT: Dynafit has a great product in the Alpine. It is a great-looking and performing shoe with a reasonable price tag of $140. I would highly recommend this shoe if you are in the market for those fast/hard workouts and a race day shoe if you are planning to tackle some trail half marathons, 10Ks, or anything less than a 25K distance.
You can pick up the at Dynafit Alpine straight from Dynafit for $140 by using the shop link below.
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