The Altra Torin 9 is an Everyday Trainer With a Revived Low-to-the-Ground Ride
The Torin 9 returns to its roots, but with a bouncier midsole and a new Vibram outsole.
The Torin 9 returns to its roots with a bouncier midsole and a Vibram outsole.
Altra road running shoes have come a long way over the past decade, thanks to advanced materials, improved aesthetics, enhanced traction, and even a few models that have a 4mm heel-toe drop—thus breaking the zero-drop mold that the brand has built its reputation on.
But the Torin, the brand’s popular smooth-riding everyday trainer with a low-to-the-ground vibe, has made a name for itself by staying relatively the same through the years.
The new Altra Torin 9 isn’t a reinvention, but instead more of a refinement of the formula that’s already earned a loyal following among zero-drop runners. Rather than a dramatic overhaul, Altra stuck to the fundamentals that make the Torin what it is: a spacious, foot-shaped toe box, a zero-drop platform, and a smooth ride built for comfortable, high-mileage running.
What’s changed is how well those fundamentals are executed. A new dual-density midsole foam, Altra’s first-ever Vibram road outsole, and a more secure upper all point to a brand still sharpening its craft rather than resting on it. The result is a lighter, slightly lower-to-the-ground shoe that looks more modern, fits more precisely, and rides more smoothly than any Torin before it, while, yep, you guessed it, still feeling unmistakably like a Torin.
Price: $160 (women’s / men’s)
Approximate Weights: 8.5 oz. (women’s size 8), 9.8 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 0mm; 28mm (heel), 28mm (forefoot)
What’s New: The Torin 9 brings a handful of meaningful changes over its predecessor. The biggest change is the midsole, as Altra swapped its EGO Max material for a new dual-density foam called P35X, which Altra says is a compression-molded olefin block copolymer (OBC) blend. The stack height dropped from 30mm to 28mm, giving the shoe a more connected, ground-feel ride, while the overall weight comes down nearly half an ounce. It also has a redesigned heel collar, a new Vibram outsole, a revised engineered mesh upper and a cleaner, more modern aesthetic.
Fit/Feel/Ride: The Torin 9 fits true to size with a narrow heel, medium volume in the midfoot, and a very spacious forefoot. It’s available in two widths—Standard (which I wear-tested) and Wide—but both are built on the standard FootShape last with a roomy toe box. The step-in feel serves up a soft and relatively sparse sensation, not opulent but not bare-bones, either. As you lace the shoe up, you feel the soft, medium-thick midsole and the smooth, seamless tongue and padded, reinforced heel. The tongue isn’t gusseted, but the laces and the stretchy engineered mesh upper do a great job of wrapping around the foot to provide a secure fit at the midfoot/saddle.
The new midsole and lower stack height have provided a big upgrade to the ride. It’s soft, bouncy, smooth, and stable, as it has been in previous Torin models, but it feels a bit more energetic this time around and not mushy like the Torin 8. It feels vibrant and lively at all paces, even though it’s not exceptionally responsive. Although it’s not a minimalist shoe, it might feel that way if you’re used to maximally cushioned shoes. Either way, it offers great proprioceptive feel for the ground that will dictate your stride, especially as you roll through the forefoot.
Why It’s Great: It’s great because it’s moderately cushioned with a hint of the springiness that maximally cushioned shoes have, but without the bulk under your feet. That lets you feel the ground instead of the muted, distant feeling you get while rolling through a stride in higher-stacked shoes. The new P35X dual-density foam gives it a soft, bouncy, stable ride that stays lively over the miles, rather than going flat and lifeless the way the previous midsole tended to. I like the proprioceptive feel for the ground it provides, but I like it most for short to medium-length runs. (My longest runs in the Torin 9 have been about 8 miles, mostly becuase I prefer slightly more foam under foot for 10- to 20-mile runs.)
Why You’ll Love It: Its roomy, foot-shaped toe box and zero-drop platform also make it appealing to runners chasing a more natural stride, including those easing into zero-drop shoes for the first time and wanting a gentle, forgiving introduction. Between its light weight and reliable outsole traction, it holds up equally well for long runs, easy recovery days, and even casual wear off the run, thanks to a flat, cushioned platform that’s comfortable for walking. It won’t satisfy runners looking for a snappy, speedy sensation, but for those who value comfort, natural foot movement, and durability over outright speed, the Torin 9 is an easy shoe to rack up miles in. It did some up-tempo running in this shoe, but I felt like I had to work for it more than some thicker, bouncier and more responsive shoes.
Why You Might Not Like It: There are plenty of benefits to running in a zero-drop shoe like the Torin 9, but if you’re used to running in shoes that have a 4mm to 8mm offset, it might take some time to transition. Running on a level platform (no matter the height off the ground) could mean you’ll stretch your calf muscles and Achilles slightly more than you typically do.
Pros: The Torin 9 features a lightweight Vibram XS Dura outsole—the first time Altra has used a Vibram outsole on a road running shoe—and it provides good grip on dry and wet pavement and concrete.
Cons: The tongue isn’t gusseted, and I found that it can slide a bit and sometimes buckle during a run, but that never negatively impacted the performance of the shoe. Extremely narrow-footed runners may find the toe box too roomy and sloppy compared to what they’re accustomed to.
Contributing editor Brian Metzler is the Content Director for UltraSignup.com, who has raced every distance from 5K to 100 miles. He has wear-tested more than 2,000 running shoes and is the author of “Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture and Cool of Running Shoes” (2019) and “Trail Running Illustrated” (2021). He has raced just about every distance from 100 meters to 100 miles, but he’s most eager to share stories about his experiences pack burro racing in Colorado and riding trains to run trails in Chamonix, France.
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