Your Mont Blanc videos convinced me to give Altra another chance. Half size down it’s my holy grail trail shoe. Heel cup is just like Nike Vaporfly. Feels loose but locks down when running.
I appreciate the honest look back James. The lack of overlays would be a deal killer for me. Not sure how I feel about the BOA system on the new Altra's, I'll be curious to see what you think when you get them.
Yup, there’s a lot more need for protection on your trails! Will keep you posted re boa. Thanks buddy (on a different note, finally work out the creak on my gravel bike …also spent about a week trying to swap free hubs, gave up and just bought new DT Swiss gravel wheel - oddly silent !)
You can tell you really this shoe James. It is the Altra that I think I personally would like the most. I would like to give them a try at some point in the future. 😎🤘
Hi James. Another great vid on the Mont Blancs. I have a couple of things I would add to your review and one big irony. First of all I love the Altras too and also have the Lone Peak as my other go to. I tried the Mont Blancs even though the majority of reviews out there are not favourable and as you have also mentioned ended up going half a size down which made the fit defo better. The shoe is really comfortable as you say but where it really falls down for me has been the heel fit. This has also been mentioned in many other reviews so no surprise here from me. I was also in the Alps about a month ago to recce the UTMB and boy was I glad I took my other Lone Peaks as the heel slip on these so so bad I they gave me the biggest blisters I’ve seen in years, after just one day, and I hardly ever ever get blisters. These were the size of 50 pence pieces so weren’t nice. Funny thing was I did plenty of longish run with them here in the UK and they were fine in that regard. But considering these are called Mont Blancs are were designed for the purpose of dealing with climbs and technical terrain (in the Alps) that can take hours as opposed to minutes then Altra really need to address this and Im not sure the BOA addition will fix this. I have heard some other online reviewers saying that they tape their heels up which helps with the heel slip but as I say I haven’t had to do that ever and because of this have gone back to either the Lone Peaks which in my mind aren’t really designed for crazy distance. I also recently bought the Hoka Speedgoat 5 (after giving Hoka the boot after the SG4) and in all honesty is way better. Yes it has a drop of 4mm but that actually if anything helps on the uphills. Whilst I was in the Alps most people kept asking why I wasn’t using La Sportiva’s or similar as zero drops just aren’t right for that kind of mountainous terrain. I also use La Sportiva Akasha which is also an amazing shoe but just didn’t have them there with me then but would probably agree with that statement that zero drops aren’t right for those kind of climbs and decents. Because of this Im not totally sure I would ever buy the MB’s again unless they address the heel slip issue and have you seen how the new BOA version is gonna cost!! Im therefore looking forward to what they eventually do with the MB v2 before I change my mind.
Hi, thanks for the comment .. yes, being called the Mont Blanc one would assume it would suit the terrain perfectly but not quite… The speedgoat is a great shoe - did 1000s km in my sp4 in wide - I may try and get the new one in wide but that said, I still love my Mb, and for me still fits almost perfectly (especially for my trails) Thanks again
Saucony Exodus Ultra. I suspect the best trail shoe I've run in. Saucony never turned my head in the past, but these are just fantastic. I ran a 50k in gnarly Spanish hills and again in soggy Irish trails, and it's a super comfortable speedster for the long haul. It has a roomy toebox, perfect upper, an excellent lockdown and fit on the heel and midfoot. I wanted to try the Mont Blanc, but the reviews were so poor that I planned to wait for the Boa version, but in the meantime, the Exodus ultra came along. I bought the Speedgoat 5 as well, but it is just indistinct mushiness compared to the pop and spring of the Exodus ultra. Your suggestion to go down a size made me think again about the Mont Blanc.
Would have to be the Hoka Speedgoat 5 as its more responsive than previous versions and less mushy overall so clear winner so far. Only having a 4mm drop is also a bonus. I also use La Sportiva and love what they've done with the Akasha II. Only hope is that Altra fix the MB for v2.
Yay for another Altra review, James! It's interesting that us Altra purists are some of the few reviewers that actually like the MB. So much hate online. Great vid!
Great, honest review about these Altra Mont Blanc, James! I need to try some Altra running shoes in the near future, although they are quite expensive and seem to have some issues...
@@movemorenowjames The part of the heel going so high on your Achilles is a little strange at first. However, the problem that I had with last years Olympus was to get a proper fit, the laces would be almost touching together on the top of the foot. Thats no longer an issue! The midsole seems much more lively than last year IMO. I do typically run in Newtons so I might have a different opinion than others but I really do enjoy running in them. The outsole has been changed slightly for the mud collection issue. I have yet to find that out but lets hope the changes work. Thanks!
Nice- been waiting for this video. On my third pair. My only real reference is the Hoka Speedgoat 4. To me, these shoes are a GREAT shoe in the making. I can see in two iterations this being a top competitor in the ultra scene. All pairs were worn for ~300 miles (482km). What went first was the tread followed by some splitting of the upper from the midsole near my right big toe. This happened in one shoe pretty severely and then the other pair showed some slight tearing towards the end of life. I strike upper-mid to forefoot on the lateral side of my foot and roll forward for toe off. There is always significant wear on where I land on every shoe- this shoe didn’t shoe any extra wear. Midsole is still useable but due to higher mileage generally won’t run in them- more of a hiking or wear around shoe now. Outsole was fantastic for where I live(SOCAL) with lots of dry fire roads and some technical single track with loads rock, dirt, sand. No issues unless things got very steep with loose sand. Midsole is responsive with a little give for cushion. It feels fast when getting moving and cushioned when moving slower. While hiking, the shoe wasn’t too mushy. Even with a fairly high stack height, there is still decent trail feel while still being able to “monster truck” over things. Upper is feels good. Very breathable. Like the stretch, but did have issue. With longer runs, the shoe loosened due to the stretchy nature of the fabric. It didnt get to a point where I had to retie the shoe, but the fit was a bit looser. It could be a positive point as the foot expands during longer runs though. Laces- big negative for me. The round shape dug into my feet. I prefer a flat lace. Toebox- great for me. I have a standard foot shape. The toebox allowed for enough room to splay while not being too loose when navigating technical terrain. Ankle collar- this seems to be a hot topic for this shoe. I sized down a half size and the shoe still fit well. This also made the heel collar a bit more snug. On top of wearing slightly thicker socks (injinji ultra) I never had an issue with heel slippage. I don’t use the runners knot but switched the laces from coming under and out the last eyelet to over and under the last eyelet. It seemed to cinch the material better. Overall durability to price ratio- I think this teeters on the top expensive for the durability. I was hoping for about 350-400 miles for these shoes for the price. I’m sticking with this shoe though because the zero drop along with the outsole and midsole performance has been great. There’s a few small things to work out, but I can see this shoe being a top contender in the ultra scene in a few iterations.
Nice feedback … and totally agree. It is on the expensive side for what it is plus there are a few issues, that said… still love the feel and it’s worth it Thanks, appreciate the detailed comment
Great to see you back, I’m currently loving this shoe as well! But I must admit if the wife shows empathy 😱😉”for me” and I purchase the BOA Mont Blanc I hope a lot of the issues can be resolved. But having to purchase off the internet “I’m wondering do I need to size down” like the laced Mont Blanc? Take care and again great to see you back and again Congrats on the 4th place 🎉💯🤙🏽
Is there such a thing as the perfect shoe?! If there was, I guess we would all wear it and we wouldn’t care about all the rest!! :) I’ve been happy with my Olympus 4’s this year so far as my long run trail shoe. I’m very tempted with the boa mont blanc but I do normally wear a wide fit shoe. I’m hoping perhaps that the boa system will keep them nice and wide but perhaps the reality is, they may start to narrow for me. We shall see!
@@movemorenowjames I always here great things about the Saucony Brand from runners I respect and they actually do have ONE shoe that fits a wide and its there new road shoe so I think I will probably go for that one once my current road shoes are done for the year. Have you ever tried Saucony's ?
I dont like how the Lateral sides "Altra" logoed overlays effect the fit of left and right shoes differently because of the direction of the logo. I might try the Boa version to see if that is not an issue with that version.
Your Mont Blanc videos convinced me to give Altra another chance. Half size down it’s my holy grail trail shoe. Heel cup is just like Nike Vaporfly. Feels loose but locks down when running.
Hi Brandon, Great to hear - thanks. Yes, it does feel similar to the Vapor fly .. very different shoes though!
Surprised at how much the tread has worn down, I am a fan of the Megagrip soles, they've always performed really well for me. Loving the shirt James 🌺
Thanks Martin ! The tread definitely doesn’t like hard packed trails too much and road will kill it.
Just discovered your channel, thanks for tese long-term reviews, so helpful. Just got some for £90
Ah thanks, sorry for the late reply!
I Love that shirt more then the Mont Blanc 😁
Ha, thanks !
I appreciate the honest look back James. The lack of overlays would be a deal killer for me. Not sure how I feel about the BOA system on the new Altra's, I'll be curious to see what you think when you get them.
Yup, there’s a lot more need for protection on your trails! Will keep you posted re boa.
Thanks buddy (on a different note, finally work out the creak on my gravel bike …also spent about a week trying to swap free hubs, gave up and just bought new DT Swiss gravel wheel - oddly silent !)
@@movemorenowjames DT Swiss makes some great stuff!!! Hows the MTBing coming along?
@@TrailSage it’s good … I am relaxing more on the bike . I might try and do a workshop / weekend course type thing learning the basics (properly)
You can tell you really this shoe James. It is the Altra that I think I personally would like the most. I would like to give them a try at some point in the future. 😎🤘
Cheers Ben … if there’s any background knee or hip pain or issues, going zero might help - it did for me years back
Hi James. Another great vid on the Mont Blancs. I have a couple of things I would add to your review and one big irony. First of all I love the Altras too and also have the Lone Peak as my other go to.
I tried the Mont Blancs even though the majority of reviews out there are not favourable and as you have also mentioned ended up going half a size down which made the fit defo better. The shoe is really comfortable as you say but where it really falls down for me has been the heel fit. This has also been mentioned in many other reviews so no surprise here from me. I was also in the Alps about a month ago to recce the UTMB and boy was I glad I took my other Lone Peaks as the heel slip on these so so bad I they gave me the biggest blisters I’ve seen in years, after just one day, and I hardly ever ever get blisters. These were the size of 50 pence pieces so weren’t nice. Funny thing was I did plenty of longish run with them here in the UK and they were fine in that regard. But considering these are called Mont Blancs are were designed for the purpose of dealing with climbs and technical terrain (in the Alps) that can take hours as opposed to minutes then Altra really need to address this and Im not sure the BOA addition will fix this. I have heard some other online reviewers saying that they tape their heels up which helps with the heel slip but as I say I haven’t had to do that ever and because of this have gone back to either the Lone Peaks which in my mind aren’t really designed for crazy distance. I also recently bought the Hoka Speedgoat 5 (after giving Hoka the boot after the SG4) and in all honesty is way better. Yes it has a drop of 4mm but that actually if anything helps on the uphills. Whilst I was in the Alps most people kept asking why I wasn’t using La Sportiva’s or similar as zero drops just aren’t right for that kind of mountainous terrain. I also use La Sportiva Akasha which is also an amazing shoe but just didn’t have them there with me then but would probably agree with that statement that zero drops aren’t right for those kind of climbs and decents. Because of this Im not totally sure I would ever buy the MB’s again unless they address the heel slip issue and have you seen how the new BOA version is gonna cost!! Im therefore looking forward to what they eventually do with the MB v2 before I change my mind.
Hi, thanks for the comment .. yes, being called the Mont Blanc one would assume it would suit the terrain perfectly but not quite…
The speedgoat is a great shoe - did 1000s km in my sp4 in wide - I may try and get the new one in wide but that said, I still love my Mb, and for me still fits almost perfectly (especially for my trails)
Thanks again
Let me know your best shoe of 2022 so far …and why?!
Saucony Exodus Ultra. I suspect the best trail shoe I've run in. Saucony never turned my head in the past, but these are just fantastic. I ran a 50k in gnarly Spanish hills and again in soggy Irish trails, and it's a super comfortable speedster for the long haul. It has a roomy toebox, perfect upper, an excellent lockdown and fit on the heel and midfoot. I wanted to try the Mont Blanc, but the reviews were so poor that I planned to wait for the Boa version, but in the meantime, the Exodus ultra came along. I bought the Speedgoat 5 as well, but it is just indistinct mushiness compared to the pop and spring of the Exodus ultra. Your suggestion to go down a size made me think again about the Mont Blanc.
@@brianogrady9883 yes, definitely will go for the boa. The exodus did look appealing… can’t quite remember what put me off but maybe the drop? 8-6mm?
Would have to be the Hoka Speedgoat 5 as its more responsive than previous versions and less mushy overall so clear winner so far. Only having a 4mm drop is also a bonus. I also use La Sportiva and love what they've done with the Akasha II. Only hope is that Altra fix the MB for v2.
Yay for another Altra review, James! It's interesting that us Altra purists are some of the few reviewers that actually like the MB. So much hate online.
Great vid!
thanks Tim, yup… still flying the flag high for the MB!
@@movemorenowjames if it ever works out, we should meet up in England or Germany for a joint vid. 👌
@@TDMiller sure .. that would be cool
Great, honest review about these Altra Mont Blanc, James! I need to try some Altra running shoes in the near future, although they are quite expensive and seem to have some issues...
Thanks … you should , go for an older model that has been discounted! Thanks Mihai
I have the new Olympus,
The fit is far better than last year and they truly don’t feel heavy on foot.
Thanks Joshua … I have seen some pretty cool colour ways for the new Olympus! So the fit is better ? How does the midsole compare ? Thanks
Do you recommend sizing up on the new olympus?
@@movemorenowjames The part of the heel going so high on your Achilles is a little strange at first. However, the problem that I had with last years Olympus was to get a proper fit, the laces would be almost touching together on the top of the foot. Thats no longer an issue! The midsole seems much more lively than last year IMO. I do typically run in Newtons so I might have a different opinion than others but I really do enjoy running in them.
The outsole has been changed slightly for the mud collection issue. I have yet to find that out but lets hope the changes work.
Thanks!
@@bilaltahir9978 I went with my usual size and have had no issues.
@@Nelsonjosh24 thanks for the update
Nice- been waiting for this video. On my third pair. My only real reference is the Hoka Speedgoat 4.
To me, these shoes are a GREAT shoe in the making. I can see in two iterations this being a top competitor in the ultra scene.
All pairs were worn for ~300 miles (482km). What went first was the tread followed by some splitting of the upper from the midsole near my right big toe. This happened in one shoe pretty severely and then the other pair showed some slight tearing towards the end of life. I strike upper-mid to forefoot on the lateral side of my foot and roll forward for toe off. There is always significant wear on where I land on every shoe- this shoe didn’t shoe any extra wear. Midsole is still useable but due to higher mileage generally won’t run in them- more of a hiking or wear around shoe now.
Outsole was fantastic for where I live(SOCAL) with lots of dry fire roads and some technical single track with loads rock, dirt, sand. No issues unless things got very steep with loose sand.
Midsole is responsive with a little give for cushion. It feels fast when getting moving and cushioned when moving slower. While hiking, the shoe wasn’t too mushy. Even with a fairly high stack height, there is still decent trail feel while still being able to “monster truck” over things.
Upper is feels good. Very breathable. Like the stretch, but did have issue. With longer runs, the shoe loosened due to the stretchy nature of the fabric. It didnt get to a point where I had to retie the shoe, but the fit was a bit looser. It could be a positive point as the foot expands during longer runs though.
Laces- big negative for me. The round shape dug into my feet. I prefer a flat lace.
Toebox- great for me. I have a standard foot shape. The toebox allowed for enough room to splay while not being too loose when navigating technical terrain.
Ankle collar- this seems to be a hot topic for this shoe. I sized down a half size and the shoe still fit well. This also made the heel collar a bit more snug. On top of wearing slightly thicker socks (injinji ultra) I never had an issue with heel slippage. I don’t use the runners knot but switched the laces from coming under and out the last eyelet to over and under the last eyelet. It seemed to cinch the material better.
Overall durability to price ratio- I think this teeters on the top expensive for the durability. I was hoping for about 350-400 miles for these shoes for the price. I’m sticking with this shoe though because the zero drop along with the outsole and midsole performance has been great. There’s a few small things to work out, but I can see this shoe being a top contender in the ultra scene in a few iterations.
Nice feedback … and totally agree. It is on the expensive side for what it is plus there are a few issues, that said… still love the feel and it’s worth it
Thanks, appreciate the detailed comment
@@movemorenowjames I’m in the same place. All it’s small issues aside it’s been a fantastic shoe!
Great to see you back, I’m currently loving this shoe as well! But I must admit if the wife shows empathy 😱😉”for me” and I purchase the BOA Mont Blanc I hope a lot of the issues can be resolved. But having to purchase off the internet “I’m wondering do I need to size down” like the laced Mont Blanc? Take care and again great to see you back and again Congrats on the 4th place 🎉💯🤙🏽
I would personally size down 1/2 for both the Mb and boa …. !
Thanks for the feedback and comment
Love your shirt. Where did you get it?
Can’t remember actually … it’s an old one
I’ve never seen anyone cut a table cloth and wear it. But good on you for repurposing.
Thanks … there’s a few more like that !
Is there such a thing as the perfect shoe?! If there was, I guess we would all wear it and we wouldn’t care about all the rest!! :) I’ve been happy with my Olympus 4’s this year so far as my long run trail shoe. I’m very tempted with the boa mont blanc but I do normally wear a wide fit shoe. I’m hoping perhaps that the boa system will keep them nice and wide but perhaps the reality is, they may start to narrow for me. We shall see!
I am constantly searching for the golden shoe !
Thanks Phil
@@movemorenowjames I always here great things about the Saucony Brand from runners I respect and they actually do have ONE shoe that fits a wide and its there new road shoe so I think I will probably go for that one once my current road shoes are done for the year. Have you ever tried Saucony's ?
@@trailrunningphil yes, the kinvara was the shoe I did my first ultra in … also, big fan of the peregrine but just not quite wide enough
How does it perform on muddy trails?
How much faster is the MB over the LP on a 10km trail run?
Hard to say …all depends on running style and economy and preference!
I dont like how the Lateral sides "Altra" logoed overlays effect the fit of left and right shoes differently because of the direction of the logo. I might try the Boa version to see if that is not an issue with that version.
Just inspecting my MBs , don’t think the boa will have the same … thanks Travis!
Tried to comment, but it got deleted?
Weird … was nt me!
Hi, I disagree 😬. just made my first 13 km with the BOAs! They make the Mont blanc perfect
Jealous !!! Nice …I am looking forward to that shoe!