I wonder if they scare away animals on the trail or attract them. Those are bright.
I haven't been able to check them out yet. What I was hoping for was a lighter weight and a little more flexibility in the newer model. The color isn't a deal breaker, I can just get dirt on them.
Some quick first impressions... they are a serious trail shoe. They have a stiff, thick sole, with very little toe spring. At first I thought they were going to be hot with the new webbed fabric, but they are surprisingly breathable. They are pretty comfortable overall, and not restricting. They are shaped differently than the Superiors, but they almost seem to hold your foot in place better? They have arch support it seems minor but I noticed it and am considering mods to eliminate it. The grip on rocky, sandy surfaces is not as reliable as the Superior either.
Overall I am pretty happy with them so far. Its fun to be able to really bomb downhills and be able to step anywhere. I thought the superiors gave me that but there is a definite difference between groundfeel. The Lone Peaks have none.
A few comments about mine. I went into my local running store for new insoles and they didn't have any that would work. I tried the new Lone Peaks on and they felt great. I did end up getting 1 size larger then my old ones and that made a big difference on the comfort. Plenty of room now and I didn't get any toe rub on the tops of my toes. I like the new material. Even one size larger they seem lighter although still very heavy. Out of the box, I did 35 miles of my Grand Canyon hike in them and just got one hot spot on the inside edge of my foot. Completed the last 10 miles of the hike in sandals not because of discomfort, but the shoes were able to preserve my feet for that long and I felt like I didn't need added protection for the uphill. For shorter trail runs I would wear something different, but those shoes were perfect for this job.
Color doesn't matter. Nobody looks at your footwear when you are shod. Only one runner noticed that they were the new Altra Lone Peaks.
Abide, what do you think about the "tail rudders". I think they just kick rocks and dust up into my ankles. I don't bomb downhills, so in my case they might be unnecessary. I wanted your opinion before I take a knife to them.
I cut mine off and had fewer debris getting into the shoe. I did not notice any difference in performance.
I think we get spoiled as barefoot runners being close to the ground. The stack height does mean more risk to the ankles. Also, the weight. These shoes will be reserved for technical hikes, I'll go with something lighter for trail running.
I cut the whale tail off mine after just a couple runs...they flung dirt onto the back of my legs constantly.