This is why I keep coming back to your channel. You said it perfectly: I too thought the timp5 looked perfect on paper, so it's good to know that in the real world there are still some concerns. I feel like I will make a far more informed purchase should I pull the trigger, thanks to your honest feedback. Thank you 👏 Re: uncomfortable laces, I have a couple of hacks that I had to employ with my olympus and MtKings that might help. 1. Replace the laces with Salomon speed laces, I find they distribute the pressure more evenly, and if necessary 2. Removing the innersoles creates more volume and brings the sides of the upper closer together (more wrap), reducing the length of lace pressing down across the top of the foot. Looking forward to your next vlog and the long term review.

Saw Gary Thwaits's review the other day. It had me intrigued. Keep us posted on the wear on those overlays mate. 😎🤘

Just ran in the timp 5 with my Correct Toes spacers, and they did amazing. Such a blast to run in... so grippy and climbs like a dream. Tons of fun in the mud. They nailed it.

appreciate your initial thoughts ...solid stuff

Great insights, James. I've done about 90k in them so far and got another longer run planned this weekend, to really put the outsole to the test. I like the midsole, but I have the impression the outsole is making the shoe stiffer, making it less flexible compared to the 4. My toes get completely battered and bruised in them, despite having plenty of space. It's my impression that my feet can't flex properly, putting extra strain on my toes, if that makes sense?

Great video :) Wearing Altra over the years is like being in an abusive/toxic relationship - I keep going back to them even though they continue to have poor durability and they abuse my wallet :) I have some ASICS in wides and standard coming as well as Saucony and I think it might finally be time to jump brands. Hoka has never worked (they are for stork feet so narrow) and Topo sounded great on paper but not happy with them on my feet, too narrow in the mid foot and always poor heel lockdown in Topo.

Just received mine an hour ago. Got 9's because my other Altra's are 9's. They are tight. If I'd seen this first I would have gone up half a size. If I take the insole out they feel better so maybe a thinner insole? People with wider feet buy Altra's so why do this? So thanks for the good review.

And I was right, again, I made a wise decision to skip the Timp 5 because of the upper and the heel cup, mainly the upper, and to go for another pair of Mont Blancs, with wich I am super happy and confident, since my last pair of Mont Blancs lasted one year and counting, and, as worn out as they are, I can still use them on the road, no problem, and will go straight for the Mont Blanc Carbon, which have already dropped to 220 euros. Thanks for the review and for saving me some euros and some dissappointments 🤣. Cheers !

I was sold on Altras till I heard so many reviewers mention the poor durability which is unacceptable for their price. If they have any business sense at all they will learn from customer feedback and address that but the material literally coming unglued after a couple of runs doesn't inspire confidence. The upgrade to Vibram Megagrip is a huge bonus and with what's available in the market now I won't even consider trail shoes without it. These shoes have a lot of great specs and are extremely promising, I've narrowed my shortlist for trail shoes down to the Timp 5 or the Topo Pursuits! Both look great...thanks for the review and I hope these work out for you. An update after a few hundred would be great, just sayin'! Cheers...

I wanted these so bad, but I returned them. It was really snug but the biggest issue was the lack of space at the bottom of the laces. It was reinforced at that point and that was really uncomfortable, even without the insole. If the material was a bit more stretchy it would be ok. The first time an Altra doesn't fit my foot, a real shame.

Great review thanks. Why the hell can’t Altra sort out the durability issues on this shoe??!!??.

Same - delamination of that upper overlay for me after 10 miles of running. The midsole is fine, outsole MUCH better, but agreed on the fit. I think some of the issue is the stiffness of hte new mesh. It's plasticky, firmer, no give. I hope it loosens up a bit but I don't think ALTRA have dialed this in at all.

Love altra, but durability is awful. Interested in the direction inov8 are going with their footshaped shoe. Might wait on the timp 5 and see what inov8 come up with, the new trail fly looks tempting.

That's a shame about that width with all those other improvements. That would put me off running an ultra in them. Shame as I love my Timp 4's which your videos persuaded me to get!

I hope you have a good luck with the durability on that model I think since they came out was not good I had friends that bought one. It fell apart like real quick call the manufacturer. They actually send them out a new one and that wouldn’t fill up far quicker.. I think those were earlier releases, so I’m not sure, but it wasn’t a jewel

Great review! Wonder how it compares with the new Altra experience wild

3 runs and already pealing. Looks like the timps uppers are going to be problematic once again.

Still running in them two months later? If so, have they broken in at all? Have yet to take them out but walking around the house they definitely seem to have some upper tightness that would be totally fine if it softens.

Nice location in video..is it city park or wild forest?😮

I'm confused why you had issues with width in the toebox. Isn't this one of the widest shoes on the market especially when you compare it to something like the Hoka Speedgoat, isn't the toebox in the Speedgoat much narrower? Are you still having issues with it?

Hi. Have you tried the new 'foot shaped' Inov-8 shoes? I'm interested to know if they really are as wide as Altras.

Another low volume narrow shoe from altra. The timp 4 was a perfect fit for me, the 5's are completely different. Shame

Buy a pair of Norda 001. And they’ll last you the whole year! Toe box is fine is fine in them!

Looks quite narrow for an altra shoe.