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First Look: Altra Timp 1.5 Trail Running Shoes

Donald Buraglio 12/18/2018
Donald Buraglio 12/18/2018
3.1K
Our reviews are 100% organic. We do not accept payment for reviews or bundle with advertising budgets. In most cases, the brand is providing the product to our reviewers free of charge.

Features and Specs:

  • Weight: 10.5oz men’s / 8.7oz women’s
  • Stack heights: 29mm in heel and forefoot
  • Heel-toe drop: 0mm
  • Midsole: Ultralight EVA with A-Bound
  • Outsole: MaxTrac Rubber with 4mm TrailClaw lugs
  • Insole: 6 mm Contour Footbed
  • Asymmetric lace system
  • PFS performance last
  • Foot Shape toe box
  • Gaiter Trap hook and loop attachments
  • MSRP: $130

Altra’s original Timp shoe debuted in summer 2017, providing an intermediate option between the plush cushioning of the 33mm Olympus and the moderate stack height of the 25mm Lone Peak. (As a reminder, all of Altra’s shoes are “zero drop,” with the same stack height in heel and forefoot.)  The Timp comes in at 29mm, and retains almost all the key construction features of other shoes in the company’s trail lineup.

As per Altra’s custom, “point 5” updates to existing models are relatively minor. Modifications to the Timp 1.5 include a softer and more flexible midsole EVA compound, the inclusion of 4-Point Gaiter Trap attachments, and a slightly adjusted heel fit for increased snugness. The mesh uppers have also been upgraded and are supposedly more durable than the previous edition; we’ll certainly be happy if this is the case, as we blew out the uppers in our original Timps long before the midsole or outsole wore down.

Foot shaped toe box and updated mesh

MaxTrac outsole rubber with 4mm lugs

The overall comfort of this shoe remains exceptional. Moderate cushioning around the ankle collar is just right, the roomy toe box allows plenty of space for toe splay or foot swelling during ultra-distance efforts, and the uppers have good breathability to dry easily after water immersions. Outsole traction is solid, with sticky MaxTrac rubber and aggressive lugs for strong grip in wet or dry conditions.

One interesting spec is that the Timp 1.5 is slightly (0.2oz) lighter than the original Timp, and weighs almost exactly the same as the new Lone Peak 4.0 despite having an added 4mm of cushioning. This is partially due to the absence of a Stone Guard footplate in the Timp, but in our experience the Stone Guard isn’t missed. We wore the original for two days and nights at the Hardrock 100, and underfoot protection was completely fine; we’re looking forward to similarly long outings in the 1.5.

The Altra Timp 1.5 is now available at www.altrarunning.com.

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Donald Buraglio

Donald is a physical therapist, California native, barefoot aficionado, and father of three with more than 25 years of experience in endurance sports. He was a collegiate rower at UCLA, then dabbled in marathons and Ironman-distance triathlons before falling in love with ultras in the early 2000s. His favorite locations to run include Marin County, CA, and the Sierra Nevada mountains, and he loves exploring America's National Parks. When he's not training for ultramarathons, he enjoys hiking or slacklining with his family in Monterey County, CA.

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2 comments

Bill Sharp 12/20/2018 - 2:09 pm

Very informative review. I did not have a problem with the wear in the upper, but maybe I’m not as tough on shoes as the reviewer. The one problem I did have with them last summer in a 52 miler was probably personal to me, but I’d be interested if it applies more broadly: My insteps hurt quite a bit after the 52 miler and I think because it did not have quite enough motion control for me. I apparently was pronating harder than the shoe could prevent.

Vance 12/20/2018 - 5:13 pm

It’s duratread on the outsole not maxtrack

Comments are closed.

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