My first impression of the shoe upon taking them out of the box was Nike Roshe Run Damen very positive. Altra has come a long way in terms of aesthetics, though based on photos I’ve posted on Instagram and Facebook the response to the One2 seems to be either A) beautiful! or B) they look like bowling shoes. I fall on the side of thinking that they look great.
As mentioned, the pair sent to me is slightly different than the production pair. Running Warehouse recently published a blog post about Nike Air Max 90 Womens the One2, and in it they have photos of what I assume will be the shoe with the production upper:
The main differences from my pair seem to be the smaller Altra logo, and the addition of an overlay around the back of the heel. The Nike Air Max 90 Mujer Rosas sole appears to be identical to the shoe I have, so the difference is apparently mostly cosmetic.
I’ve now run in the One2 three times for a total of 21 miles – a 5 miler, a 6 miler and a 10 miler, Nike Air Max 1 Damskie all on asphalt. The 10 mile run was my longest since last summer, so a good test for me. Based on these runs, I’d say this is probably the first Altra shoe I’ve worn that I’d be comfortable wearing for a marathon. Very impressed.
I’m going to assume based on what Golden told me that the upper will be structurally similar in the production model (seems to be the case based on the above images). It’s a minimal upper, Nike Air Max 270 Dames very few overlays, and relatively thin in construction. The material is very soft and pliable, not that plasticy material that a lot of brands are using these days (and Nike Air Max 90 Womens Pink that seems to often tear at flex points near the forefoot).
The One2 has a very thin heel counter – it’s not hard plastic, but there’s just enough there to give the back of the shoe some structure. This is definitely one that I’ll be adding to my list www.dannywinstanley.co.uk of shoes to recommend to people with pump-bumps (Haglund’s deformity).
The internal lining of the upper is very soft, almost sock-like. There is a thin insole with just the slightest hint of arch support. The upper overall is extremely comfortable.
First the specs – my pair weighed in at 7.5 oz (size 10.5), and I measured a stack height of 23mm (18mm sole thickness, 5mm insole thickness). This is a zero drop shoe.
When I Adidas NMD Womens first put the One2’s on my feet my reaction was “Wow, this is an Altra???” They felt downright cushy compared to other Altras I’ve tried, and for me this is a good thing. Nike Air Max 2016 Damen The feel underfoot is very comparable to the Saucony Virrata, maybe even the original Saucony Kinvara. And the reason why this is good for me is because those two shoes have been on my feet in my last three marathons (not at the same time!). Nike Air Presto Femme The One2 is like a Virrata with a super wide toebox and a less structured upper, and less of a lug-like feeling under the forefoot.