Some companies like to offer different choices for men and women when it comes to shoes and apparel. Sometimes models that are available to men are not available to women and vice versa with each sex being offered their own special load outs with different styles and names. However, the Lone Peak 3.0 Neoshell Mid is available in both men’s and women’s sizes with minimal design aspects tailored to properly fit our differing body types. So I’m happy I can say this shoe is available to everyone! The NeoShell

Altra Zero Drop Running Shoes for Men and Women at Altra Zero Drop Running Shoes for Men and Women at

The Altra Lone Peak 3.0 NeoShell Mid is a lightweight, durable, and overall comfortable shoe. The external NeoShell layer provides excellent waterproofing even keeping dust and other small particle debris from entering the shoe. The ankle support is effective and more importantly, comfortable. Despite using an identical design to that of it’s more breathable brethren, the NeoShell Mid’s midsole was noticeably more stiff, feeling somewhat less cushioned than its non-waterproof counterpart. Still, the midsole design, combined with the snug ankle fit and the spacious toe box, mean the NeoShell Mid keeps your feet happy for miles and miles.

CONS

Comfort is a subjective thing that has a lot to do with fit, body type, and the specific types of hiking you do. The Lone Peak's roomy toe box, moderate cushioning, and minimal support works for many hikers. When it works for you, the Lone Peak can feel like your favorite slipper with trail traction. For others, though, that big toe box may be uncomfortable or feel sloppy on technial terrain. Personally, I found the Lone Peak pretty comfortable on easier trails but not on steeper, tougher trails. That being said, plenty of people absolutely love that comparatively loose fit and max toe room.

Altra Lone Peak All-WTHR Low - Review - Trail And Ultra Altra Lone Peak All-WTHR Low - Review - Trail And Ultra

This was a longer term review spanning the better part of a year. I was able to take the Lone Peak 3.0 NeoShell Mids into a wide variety of conditions logging nearly 200 miles in the shoes. They endured miles on sandy beaches, snow-capped mountains, and arid foothills in southern California as well as the damp, rainy October weather surrounding Scotland’s 96 mile West Highland Way (WHW). PROS Available for Both Women and MenGaiterTrap: Hook-and-loop tab allows strapless gaiter attachment that prevents debris from building up beneath the shoe. The soft midsole and roomy toe box made for a sloppy-feeling boot on technical and off-camber terrain. Wearing these for hours at a time on the foot was almost unnoticeable, so even though they did not win in this metric, they were so close that we gave them a very high mark in regards to their overall weight. Water Resistance eVent fabric and thin upper allow the Lone Peak to breathe better than most other waterproof shoes.

Altra Running - Europe | Official Website Altra Running - Europe | Official Website

Being so lightweight, the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR has given up some durability by using such thin materials. Many users have reported durability issues with these boots and feel that they do not last particularly long before materials begin delaminating. We also saw reports of wear occurring due to rubbing, which in turn can cause the waterproof eVent liner to fail, often around the top of the metatarsals. Altra Lone Peak All-WHTR Mid 2 are a lightweight water resistant boot perfect for fast moving hiking and trail running, whatever the weather. Altra says:

Building off their uber-popular trail runner, Altra’s namesake mid-height hiking boot is light, breathable, and comfortable right out of the box

We also are not super impressed with their performance in slippery conditions. The tread is very shallow, so they do not gain good traction in scree or mud. Weight The same lacing design that makes it easy to achieve a secure ankle fit can make the NeoShell Mid a struggle to put on at times. Since the shoe utilizes eyelets instead of hooks for the ankle lacing the shoe laces are more or less permanently laced up the ankle. This makes it so that the tongue is not easily repositioned to make way for your foot without first taking time to loosen the laces around the ankle a great deal. While this is an admittedly minor complaint compared to the benefit this lacing design provides, I would be lying if I didn’t say it wasn’t annoying at times. Cost Trailclaw: Canted lugs positioned strategically beneath the metatarsals to provide traction at toe off. We’d be remiss not to provide a comparison to Salomon’s wildly popular X Ultra 4 Mid GTX hiking boot. Both the Altra and Salomon boast aggressive outsoles, waterproof constructions, and come in both low-top and mid-height options. However, the similarities end there. Whereas the Lone Peak has a very roomy fit and wide toe box, the X Ultra runs a bit small and is better suited for narrow feet. The Salomon is also heavier than the Lone Peak at 1 pound 11.2 ounces, although this translates to a sizable increase in both support and durability—two areas where the Altra fell noticeably short. For technical trails or hiking with a heavy load, the Salomon is far and away the more capable boot. If you prefer the trail runner-like personality or have particularly wide feet, however, the Lone Peak has its place.