Altra just released the updated Experience line of shoes. For those curious about Altra but don’t want to make the leap to a zero drop, this line is for you with its 4mm drop.
Joining the line up of the Wild 3 and Flow 3, is the Flow ST. Now this is not an entirely new shoe, just renamed. The Flow ST, the stability version of the Flow that used to be known as the Experience Form.
Years ago, it was recommended to me to try out Altra or Hoka shoes for their wider toebox and rocker bottoms. The zero drop made me nervous, and I thought Altra was really for trail runners.
Fast forward 6 years, and I had no idea what I was missing.
Am I an Altra convert for my needs? We will see! Let’s take a look at this mid cushion stability shoe.
Who is it Good For?
- Wide Feet: They do not come in a wide width but the foot shaped toe box is very roomy and stretchy.
- Heavier Runners: We like the arch support, but aren’t sure about the cushion feeling like enough.
- Long Runs: The cushioning and light weight of these make them comfortable to wear for hours.
- Front of the Pack: Light enough to pick up the pace without top tier foam or a plate.
This shoe is great for those spending a lot of time on their feet who may also need a little extra stability in their arch.
Altra Experience Flow ST Overview
Opening the box of the Altra Experience Flow ST was the bright spot needed in a dreary Minnesota February. The bright white and reddish orange details nearly glowed. And the weight of them seemed too good to be true.
Putting them on felt like slipping in to my favorite pair of sweats. My foot slipped in with ease and was immediately hugged by the engineered mesh upper and padded tongue.
After ooing and aahing as I stepped around the house, I honestly could not wait to get these out for a walk. Unfortunately for me, but fortunate for this review, there has been some nasty thaw-refreeze creating some slippery conditions outside.
Thanks to those ever changing conditions, these have been tested out on walks on the treadmill, outdoors, daily errands, snowy surfaces and total knee replacement PT.
The updated engineered mesh upper is mostly one solid piece, specifically at the toe box. There are no thicker reinforced areas or seams, just a wonderful stretchy surface.
There is plenty of room for your toes to spread out both to the side and up and down. This is in part thanks to the unique foot shaped toebox that Altra is known for. As someone with bunions and a wider forefoot, I found this extremely unrestricting and comfortable.
The medial side of the upper has a bit of extra material at the arch giving structure and stability.
The GuideRail below this is raised on the medial side to gently correct and support your foot from pronating too much. I felt this right away when putting the shoe on, but it feels more like an arch support that a overly corrective feature.
Underfoot keeping things super light weight is the newly updated P34 foam. While our team felt the Flow 3 was firmer than previous iterations, I found it perfect.
Combined with a wider base, my feet appreciated how soft the cushioning was. It is not a sinking softness but more of a memory foam so I felt like I still had some ground feel.
I am also happy to report, the rubber outsole performed well on wet and snowy sidewalks.
The tongue is not gusseted and is only attached at the base. However, there is a loop in the middle to run your laces through that keep it secure.
Coach Stacey: Interesting that she found the Flow ST to be such a nice cushion. I think this really speaks to expectations! Having loved the 2 I thought the 3 was too firm. But it may also come down to usage, where the foam is just right for walking, but maybe not what I’d choose for longer runs.
<strong>Altra Experience Flow ST Specs</strong>
- Weight: 7.36 oz women’s, 10.6 oz men’s
- Stack: 32mm
- Heel toe drop: 4 mm
- Available in 6 colors
- Not Available in Wide
- Available on Altrarunning.com for $145
The white/coral colorway is bright and eye catching. Also, dog feet catching – my dog decided to put her muddy paw on top of the beautiful solid white upper the first time I wore them. Lucky enough, they cleaned up pretty well. There are 2 other light options as well as a black or blue if you prefer to hide the dirt on your shoes a bit.
Quick Take
Pros
- Roomy, stretchy upper
- Gentle stability
- Super lightweight cushion
Cons
- Non-gusseted tongue
- Rocker geometry not very pronounced
- Not as soft as past models
Altra Experience Flow ST Fit
My usual size felt perfect right out of the box. I love the Altra foot shaped toebox which was great around my wider forefoot.
My heel was nice and secure, no wiggles or rubbing. The heel counter and tongue are both well padded and hit at just the right spot.
Our team of testers on the other 2 shoes recently released in the Experience line felt the midfoot was a little snug (at least in Altra terms). For me, compared to the Nike Vomero 18 GTX that I have been walking around in, there is plenty of room.
In fact, the midfoot seems to have some really nice arch support without pinching or putting any pressure anywhere else.
Altra Experience Flow ST Feel
When walking in other stability shoes I have had some heel rubbing that gets uncomfortable after awhile, particularly in the Nike Structure 26 and Saucony Hurricane 25.
I’ve assumed this has come from the corrective nature of a stability shoe so I was waiting for this to potentially happen with the Flow ST. Fortunately it never did. I felt the stability more in a gentle way towards the middle.
The cushioning is an absolute joy. Not too soft you sink into while still giving a decent amount of ground feel.
I have also really appreciate the 4mm drop. These are the lowest drop I have spent a lot of time on my feet in so I was curious if I would notice or if I would have any issues with a break in period.
I did in fact notice but there was no need to break them in or get my legs used to it. Just pure comfort.
Similar Shoes to the Altra Experience Flow ST
Looking for another stability shoe with moderate cushioning? Here’s our comparisons from other lines:
- Topo Ultrafly 6 – great foot shaped toe box, great cushion
- Hoka Arahi 8 – Mid-cushioned stability shoe that’s great for being on your feet with a higher drop at 8 mm.
- Saucony Guide 18 – A little softer, also very mild stability control, not as wide of toe box
What else would you like to know in our Altra Experience Flow ST review? We’re note always huge fans of stability shoes, but this one checks a lot of boxes! I know I will be getting a lot of wear out of these as I continue to add miles to my walks and knee recovery.
If you are looking for a stylish option with arch support to walk in or be on your feet all day, the Altra Experience Flow ST will treat you right. It won’t have a soft enough cushion for a lot of folks, but has a gentle stability we appreciate with that great toebox.
</b>Our Verdict<b>
Under Armour Velociti Distance Review | A Shoe Designed for Long Runs
Great review! I have been doing run specialty for decades and it’s interesting to see the pervasive trend with every run specialty shoe vendor in pivoting away from the overly rigid(& heavier) medial posting construction that EVERYONE did in the past into a kinder. gentler more user-friendly, forgiving support category. Remember the Saucony Redeemer? That and about every other heavy duty “motion control” models are ancient history. Overwhelmingly every company has pretty much given up on heavy, firm stability shoes. What do I hear fron my running customers too regularly? Ywo things: 1. “What are all these shoes so high??!”(stack height) and 2. “Why are so many of the colors offered overwhelmingly white/light color combinations?” Apparently about every runner lives in fear of their shoes getting dirty!(Gasp!)
Great review! I have been doing run specialty for decades and it’s interesting to see the pervasive trend with every run specialty shoe vendor in pivoting away from the overly rigid(& heavier) medial posting construction that EVERYONE did in the past into a kinder. gentler more user-friendly, forgiving support category. Remember the Saucony Redeemer? That and about every other heavy duty “motion control” models are ancient history. Overwhelmingly every company has pretty much given up on heavy, firm stability shoes. What do I hear fron my running customers too regularly? Two things: 1. “What are all these shoes so high??!”(stack height) and 2. “Why are so many of the colors offered overwhelmingly white/light color combinations?” Apparently about every runner lives in fear of their shoes getting dirty!(Gasp!)