WhenI first donned the Altra Rivera 2, I felt a familiar sensation: the one I felt 10 years ago when I wore their distant cousins, namely the Altra Adam: unlike the Rivera 2, however, those had zero cushioning and offered zero compromise. Altra’s signature shape has remained unchanged throughout the years: the wide toebox, the low profile, the wrap-around feel of the upper. Yet I also felt something new: an incredible comfort, that’s what it was. While the Rivera 2 does not have a particularly thick midsole, it manages to be one of the most comfortable shoes I have ever tried.
Another feeling you get from wearing them is that of being slightly off balance backwards (but don’t worry, it disappears as soon as you run in them). Of course, this is just an impression due to the fact that we are used to wearing shoes with a minimum heel, usually between 6 and 10 mm. And if they seem low to you, know that the foot is one of the most sensitive parts of the body, and it notices – and how it notices – if something has changed in what it has underneath.
The shape of the Altra Rivera 2 leads you to run on the forefoot, thus negating the need to rest on the heel. After all, the entire Altra philosophy was born precisely from natural running, so with a wide toebox (the toe of the shoe, wider than normal to allow the toes to open up and better distribute loads) and no drop. Such geometry naturally shifts the stance forward, preventing heel landing and allowing a more natural running dynamic to develop.
What has changed-and by a lot-is that these Altra’s are more “gentle”: they grant a lot of comfort, have a wide shape that lets the foot relax, allowing it to move (while remaining firm, of course). They are shoes that anyone can run in and not just those with very trained feet who are capable of running without any cushioning, as the Adam required.
Worn
As mentioned, the Rivera 2 are shoes of rare comfort. I’m not talking in this case about the footing alone-very soft and comfortable-but about the entire upper, made of a mesh that feels almost padded from how soft it is, while being well breathable. And that’s not all: there are other details that make it one of the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever tried. The tongue is padded (oh, the good old padded tongue) and is a generous size, as is the soft collar, which accommodates and holds the foot firmly to the shoe.
There is everything you need to forget what you have on your feet, or to suspect-with a smile on your face-that you have stepped out with very high-tech slippers on your feet. All that remains is to go out for a run.
On the road
The main suspicion I have when I run in a very comfortable shoe is that comfort is such a powerful strength of it that it overshadows all others and that, above all, the shoe’s responsiveness or lightness is sacrificed to comfort. This is not at all the case with the Rivera 2, which instead proves to be very responsive and very light (250 g for men and 197 for women) on the feet. As I mentioned earlier, this is not a model with excessive cushioning, so the first thought is that the softness will be negated by “stepping” in it and running. Instead they respond very well while maintaining an incredible balance between dynamic response and comfort. In other words: there are shoes that are comfortable but slow (because they absorb too much) or shoes that are more responsive but not particularly comfortable. This is not the case with the Rivera 2, which instead strikes a perfect balance between dynamic performance and comfort.
Finally, there is another aspect to consider when running in such unstructured shoes (in the sense that they leave the foot very free and bandage it elastically): that in the long runs they lack support, eventually tiring. If in fact the shoe does not intervene by supporting the foot in the latter stages of a long run (when the legs are most tired) generally only good/very good athletic training can prevent mental and physical collapse. In other words: if a shoe is unprotective, only a very trained leg and foot can travel long distances. The Rivera 2s, on the other hand, are an interesting hybrid between a racing shoe (with little or no support) and a very protective shoe. And from the two extremes they take the best qualities: from the former lightness, from the latter good protection.
So who are they for?
A well-trained runner already accustomed to natural running (i.e., we repeat, forefoot-shifted) can find the Rivera 2s excellent companions for fast workouts and even challenging long runs. In contrast, a runner with average training (most, that is, the amateur runner from 3 to 4 outings a week) can enjoy an extremely comfortable shoe that is very lightweight and suitable for longer workouts, perhaps not very long ones.
One last, friendly tip: Rivera 2s are so comfortable that it is hard to resist using them even for walking or everyday use. It is said of a comfortable shoe that it is like a slipper, and they are. With the difference being that you can mostly run with it, and how very well you can run with it.
You can buy the Altra Rivera 2 in the best specialty stores or on the Altra Running website for 130 euros.
