Altra FWD Via 2 Review | Max Cushion that Doesn’t Feel Too Soft

Our review of the updated Altra FWD via 2 with a 4mm drop, plenty of cushion and always the wide toebox.

What does a 19% improvement in softness and 15% increase in responsiveness feel like in a shoe?

Well, now I know (and you can too) if you try the new Altra FWD VIA 2. When I first slipped the shoes on, they felt just like the fresh 4mm drop Altras I’ve maxed out mileage on in the past. However, after several runs in the shoes, I think I’m starting to grasp why Altra is so excited about those stats.

For many years, Altra stuck strictly to zero-drop running shoes. In 2023, they released the first deviation: a ground-breaking, 4mm drop shoe. The first Altra FWD Experience paved the way for a few different iterations, some now discontinued, and led us to where we are now. 

The FWD VIA 2 is exciting because it features the Altra EGO™ P35 foam. Designed to hold up for epic training days and long runs, this technology is a welcome upgrade to the original generation’s EGO™FLO that many reviewers felt was a bit too firm. But are 19% and 15% really that much of an improvement? It took me a little while to decide, and I’ll share my journey with you. 

The Altra FWD VIA 2 is a moderate cushioned shoe without a max stack height. It’s a daily trainer road option for those seeking cushion and a wide toe box without a zero drop.

Altra FWD Via 2 Overview

The FWD VIA 2 has quickly become one of my top picks in my shoe lineup. Altra’s FWD VIA 2 features the beloved roomy toe box, broad base for stable landing and propulsion, and classic Altra outsole.

The 4 mm drop is nice, too. For those who are not zero-to-low drop shoe connoisseurs (and welcome to the club), a 4 mm drop is the difference in the height of the shoe from the forefoot to heel, equal to the height of two nickels. It boasts a cloud-like foam, Altra EGO™ P35, and a thick cushiony base.

The FWD VIA 2 also includes a super-soft and comfy upper fabric, unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before, and it’s offered in several nice colorways. When I slipped on the shoes for the first time, I expected them to feel like I was wearing mini mattresses on my feet that spring back with every step. Nope, wrong!

My first impression of the shoes is that they were disappointingly stiff and rigid, and that Altra missed the mark again. However, as a studious tester, I kept logging miles, and the shoe did break in, plus I started to think about it different.

Not as a max cushion, but cushion that moves.

First, I don’t think I actually want to run on foot-shaped mattresses. I want my shoe to allow my foot to move fully through all the articulation points necessary to keep every stride happy and springy, but without the shoe doing too much of the work for me.

I also don’t want to start a run in a bouncy pair of shoes and end the run wearing bricks.

Altra’s new EGO™ P35 foam made its debut in the Experience Flow 2. Some loved the comfortable feeling of the foam; others described it as “mushy” and too soft for speed workouts.

In the FWD VIA 2, I certainly don’t feel like I’m sinking into marshmallows that slow my stride with their sweet stickiness. I also don’t find a dramatic amount of energy return, but that’s fine by me. These shoes are enjoyable to wear as a daily trainer, they put a little bit of pep in my step, and they provide my feet a welcome bit of relief during these intense training weeks.

I am testing the Light Gray women’s shoes, pictured throughout this blog. But does anyone think this description fits? Certainly not me!

The box said “Gray” and I actually assumed it was just a packing error because these shoes are a lovely, mauve-y, pastel pink ombre and white with two of the tiniest gray accents. They are pretty and make me feel a little extra fancy when I wear them. The aesthetic details in these shoes are fun. The pink pull tabs have playful speckled white dots, and there is an oh-so-subtle difference between the white tones of the upper and tongue fabric.

I can tell someone had a lot of fun designing this colorway, and the artist in me says kudos! The same speckled paint effect and nuanced color decisions show up in the other colorways as far as I can tell from pictures online. 

Altra FWD Via 2 Fit

For me, the FWD VIA 2 are true to size and consistent with what I prefer in the rest of the Altra and Topo lineup. I enjoy the space to spread out my toes, allowing my big toe to straighten out and send me off strong in every stride. Even with the spaciousness, my toes feel secure.

The midfoot, arch, and heel are also quite comfortable. The fit is secure without feeling constrictive. Every important point is padded and secure without feeling too tight. Thankfully, Altra seems to have improved the laces, so I don’t have to do any special tricks to keep them from coming untied. 

The tongue is plush and very soft. I find that I have to intentionally pull it up so that it doesn’t scrunch up weirdly at the base of the laces. Once I get the positioning right with a 2-second adjustment, it feels great. 

Overall, the fit is a bit softer, but not the kind of softness that turns into a flat, squished pancake after several miles. The shoe feels stable and still quite firm, but with a little more springiness and flexibility than I’ve experienced in prior generations of Altra 4 mm shoes thus far.

Altra FWD Via 2 Feel

Before getting into the feel of the Altra FWD VIA 2, I have to explain why I was so excited to see the cute little cloud-shaped label showcasing the new foam when I opened the box. 

After logging many miles in Altra Escalantes, Experience Flow, and Experience Firm, I was still craving the feel of the Escalantes in a low, but not zero-drop model.

The Flow and Firm ultimately felt too stiff for me. The foam wasn’t particularly responsive, and it didn’t feel like the shoes were flexible enough for my feet to move the way they wanted. (I also learned that stability shoes aren’t for me, at least not right now, but that’s another story.) I wasn’t inspired to get another pair of Altras just yet, so I gave Topos a try. 

I love every low drop, neutral Topo shoe I’ve tried, until a recent experience. I wore my Topo Phantom 4 shoes for two back-to-back long, hard-effort runs.

Towards the end of the run on the second day, the shoes suddenly felt flat and stale. It turns out, I’ve logged a little over 300 miles in the shoes, and they may be towards the end of their lifespan, at least in terms of long runs. While I will still enjoy all of my Topos, I’m happy to have a pair of Altra road shoes back in my rotation.  (What’s the difference between Altra vs Topo? )

The FWD VIA 2 is filling that spot of a road shoe with enough cushion to keep the legs feeling good, but not so soft that I’m losing energy and not so much stack that I’m losing the feel of my run.

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I’m excited to see how many miles these shoes can take, and I am looking forward to where Altra goes from here.

What to read next?

• Best Altra Running Shoes
• Are Max Cushioned Running Shoes Bad For You?
• Best Topo Running Shoes