Altra Superior 7 Man - Dark Gray

(Instructions for choosing the right size and "Petri's Product Description" see below. NOTE! Size and color inquiries: info@petrisbarefoot.com)

Zero drop - Wide toe space - Light - Moderately flexible and little thicker sole - VEGAN

Nimble. Quick. Lightweight. If you want to feel connected to the trail, look no further. A classic shoe in Altra's trail running repertoire. New tongue construction and Ghillie lacing is designed for a more comfortable fit at step-in, while new tooling offers increased flexibility. It’s still got a MaxTrac™ outsole for grip, but refined the outsole lug shape and placement for even more traction. A low-stack midsole keeps it lightweight yet cushioned enough to feel protected. It’s got zero drop for natural foot position and plenty of room to help your toes move more freely, with a secure midfoot. Stay light. Stay comfortable. Stay Out There!

FEATURES

• Best For: Trail running, hiking (Petri's note! Goes also in the city and on asphalt)
• Drop: 0 mm
• Upper: Textile mesh
• Midsole: Compression-molded EVA
• Outsole: MaxTrac™
• Weight: 263,6 g
• Cushioning: Mid/low (Petri's Note! Altra's least cushioned model)
• Stack Height: 21 mm (Petris measurement 22 mm) 
• Footshape: Standard

What’s new

• New tongue construction for enhanced comfort
• New tooling to help increase flexibility
• Refined outsole lug shape and placement for extra grip
• Ghillie lacing, designed to improve fit

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SIZE

NEVER CHOOSE YOUR "OLD SIZE" if you haven't worn the exact same shoe before! Sizes vary between different models even from the same manufacturer and the size of the shoes you've worn before may have been wrong in size, etc. - there are many possibilities for error.

Also, note that manufacturers' own size charts are often far from accurate. Also, too often only one size chart is used even though the same sizes for different shoe models actually differ from each other, etc.

To find the right size, do the following -

1) First check the length of your feet according to the following instructions. Measure with an assistant if possible (Note! Read the shoe model description below to make sure that you are choosing the right shoe for yourself!):

1. Place the paper on a hard floor next to a wall and step on it BAREFOOT, making sure that your heel slightly touches the wall behind you.
2. Mark the end of your big toe or the outer part of your toes on the paper and repeat the procedure with your other foot. (Note! Make your foot as long as possible to make the measurement easier, keep all your weight on the foot being measured)
3. Finally, measure the distance from the edge of the paper to the end of the big toe or the outermost part of your foot at 90 degrees angle to the paper and write it down for yourself.

2) Add about 1-1.5 cm of room to the measurement of your longer foot you got above to get the required shoe size (inner length of the shoe).

3) Choose the right size from the table below, but also take into account the things below the table! We have checked the inner dimensions of this model at PETRI'S BAREFOOT as follows -

Superior 7 Man's inner lengths:

EU 42: 27 cm

EU 42.5: 27,7 cm

EU 43: 28 cm

EU 44: 28,6 cm

EU 44.5: 28,8 cm

EU 45: 29,3 cm

EU 46: 29,7 cm

EU 46.5: 30,1 cm

EU 47: 30,5 cm

4) Check the length of your foot again. The longer foot is the one you are looking for! The correct size rarely matches the full EU size.

1. If you have a wide foot compared to the shoe model, always choose the larger size if you are between two sizes. This applies especially to those with a significant width and/or chest in the middle of the foot in relation to the shoe.
2. If you have a narrower foot, you can consider a smaller size as long as there is at least 0.8/1 cm of extra space.
3. If the arch of your toes differs significantly from the arch of the toe of the shoe, you should choose a larger size if you suspect that one of your toes may touch the front of the shoe at a point other than the longest point of the shoe.

5) Finally, if you can't decide, you can always order two pairs of shoes of the same model for fitting. However, remember to return the wrong size soon because someone is probably also waiting for them, thank you!

PETRI'S PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Altra Superior 7 is exellent for the first (thick-soled) barefoot shoe or a friend of the thinnest barefoot shoes. As a running shoe, it is naturally great for running, especially on trails and terrain. The Superior also rolls moderately on asphalt, even though it's not an actual road shoe - if you're looking for more of them, check out the Escalante.

Superior is not bad for walking in the city or on the hard floors of the store either - you don't feel the the pattern of the outole when walking. Superior is a grippy shoe even on snow in winter. In light rain, the shoe doesn't absorb water from puddles very easily. The wide sole also provides safety for fitness and family games outside. It also goes with jeans as a sporty look.

On a scale of pure barefoot shoe - hybrid model - thick-soled barefoot shoe, I count the Superior 7 in the "thick-soled barefoot shoe" category.

Superior 7 vs Lone Peak 9+ comparison

We included the new Superior in our collection because it is now quite different from the Lone Peak model, unlike the previous versions. Here are our observations:

1) The Superior 7 is clearly narrower in every way than the Lone Peak 9+. However, this is good news for many, because the new Lone Peak starts to be too wide for a narrow foot, especially in the middle part of the shoe, which already affects the fit. On the other hand, the Superior 7 will also fit wider foot if you want a tighter fit and maybe also choose one size larger - a larger size is still not awkward on a wider foot. Note anyhow - the new Superior is not good for a much wider foot.

2) The Superior 7 is less cushioned than the Lone Peak 9+. Altra states that the sole thickness in these models is 25 mm for the Lone and 21 mm for the Superior, but our own measurements gave the Superior 22 mm. Yes, you can still notice the difference and if you take the insole off, you start to get more and more of a barefoot shoe feel. A better ground feel can be a nice thing, especially in the terrain. Of course, many people also prefer a more cushioned shoe.

3) The new Superior is lighter than the Lone Peak. The shoe has less structure than the Lone and therefore a surprisingly big difference in weight. In EU 43 size, the Lone is 327.7 g and the Superior 263.6 g - especially if you run competitively, this can be a significant factor!

4) The Superior is a softer shoe, especially at the beginning, than the Lone Peak. The thinner sole of the Superior and the different material in it mean that the shoe is not as torsionally stiff as the Lone peak, especially at the beginning. More barefoot shoe-like in this sense.

SUMMA SUMMARUM: In many ways, the Superior is like the perfect intermediate model between the Lone Peak 9+ and the Escalante 4. A soft and well-fitting off-road shoe, and the price is not bad either. 

Petri's NOTE! - we have not yet tested the durability of the Superior (in terrain) compared to Lone Peak, and on the other hand, the grip compared to Lone is still a question mark. You can give feedback at: info@petrisbarefoot.com  

Suitability for barefoot shoe beginners

With these shoes, you can safely get to know how the natural zero drop in the shoe affects your movement and how the wide toe space frees your toes! According to your own experience, if you want, you can buy the pure barefoot shoes after a few months/half a year, when you have used Altras and hopefully strengthened the muscles, tendons and fascia of your feet with a suitable foot workout. (NOTE! Note the narrower last of the Superior compared to the Lone Peak!)

Suitability for experienced barefooters

This is a great pair of shoes if running in the terrain appeal to you and/or for long walks or family games on asphalt! Save your feet on a hard surface, but still provide the same important things as real barefoot shoes in the form of zero drop and good toe space. (NOTE! Note the narrower last of the Superior compared to the Lone Peak!)