Review of the Altra Rivera Running Shoes
The latest addition to my Altra collection.
Intro
... or is there a need for an intro? I've been blogging about Altra for quite a while, explaining why I transitioned to forefoot running, and why I (mainly) stick to Altra running shoes.
Now, being an afficionado does not mean I'll buy the latest shoes when they are released - a good example is those Rivera, which I bought 2 months ago, even though Altra just released the Rivera 2. I bought them as I needed to replace an old pair (I need a new pair on average every 3 months), and with the new model, they were on sale, which was a good deal!
Rivera
Color
I went for a shiny orange, and they really look gorgeous, judge by yourself:
Comfort
The Rivera are mainly meant for road running, and a bit of trail.
They are light and really comfortable, and upon trying them for the first time,
I had the exact same feeling as with my very first pair of Altra (Impulse).
Also, unlike some of the other Altra I own, the laces are the exact correct
size, not too short nor too long.
Running with them
I am using the Rivera for my intervals session, and also during the runs where I know I will need to speed up a bit (e.g., Fartlek).
The fact that they're ultra light means you barely feel them, which I feel is important when doing intervals - you want to focus on your workout, not on what you are running with :)
Compared with other Altra pairs like the Paradigm, the upper part is made of mesh fabric, which helps with the weight, but also means the shoe feels a bit fragile (or at least that's what I feel). I guess it's a tradeoff between weight and robustness.
As usual with any Altra, the "Zero Drop" (which they renamed to "Balanced Cushioning" for some reason) is of course part of the Rivera - to be honest, I don't think I could come back to a regular running shoe, with a >10 mm drop.
Other than that, I am not paying too much attention to all the marketing stuff that Altra added (Altra EGO, Neutral InnerFlex) - I am not saying there's no interest, but rather that I'm more interested in how good a shoe is in terms of comfort, cushioning, etc.
Wrap Up
I really like those Rivera. As with my other running shoes, I am dedicating them to a specific purpose (intervals, or workout for <15 kms), as they're a perfect fit for that in my case.
Tags: Running