ATRA team member Sarah Barber reviews Altra’s Experience Wild 2 trail running shoe. Product was provided at no charge for the test and review.
If an award existed for “Most Versatile Trail Shoe,” Altra’s Experience Wild 2 would win. This sturdy workhorse is the captain of the football team, the homecoming queen, and the valedictorian all rolled into one. That’s a bold assertion on my part, but after three-and-a-half months of wear-testing the Experience Wild 2, I stand by my claim.
My usual timeline from product received to review published is several weeks, but I’ve been so busy running in these kicks that I haven’t taken a break to write about them. They’ve blended into the background of my life like a habit that doesn’t need quitting. That alone says a lot, as it’s rare for a brand with which I have no history to suddenly take up residence in my closet as though it’s been there all along. Normally, the tester products stay near the front door, primed for outings, subject to constant scrutiny, and never guaranteed to be worn for more than a few cautious miles. But the Experience Wild 2 is different.
Despite their reputation for anatomically correct footbeds that encourage a healthy toe-splay, I haven’t been drawn to the Altra brand…until now, that is. Don’t get me wrong—I have nothing against zero-drop (Born To Run is my favorite book), but I’ve been happily trotting around in shoe models with 4-8 mm of heel-to-toe drop for decades. What is it my grandpa used to say? “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
Experience Wild 2 Low drop
However, Altra’s entire Experience line is designed with a low drop instead of no drop, and that knowledge had my curiosity-meter pegged. What would it be like to step outside my well-worn preferences and trust a shoe brand with such a devoted following? I laced up the Experience Wild 2 with a mix of skepticism and anticipation, expecting a brief fling—maybe a single run, maybe two. Instead, these shoes and their 4 mm drop have become my new obsesh, their presence motivating me out the door in the morning as though they were a second cup of coffee.
Momentum and propulsion
The Experience Wild 2 is built for momentum with a rocker sole to encourage propulsion and just enough midsole foam for a stable-yet-cushioned ride. Tipping the scales at 8.8 ounces, this shoe is a smidge lighter than most Altra models, making it an efficiency booster for longer days on the trails. And if your high-mileage day includes some pavement, good news: a recent 27-mile mountain running route pitched 8 miles of flat asphalt at me mid-run, and I found the Experience Wild 2 surprisingly game for the task. In fact, when my training takes me to roads, as it does on occasion, I think I’d choose the Experience Wild 2 over a standard road shoe!
Perfect balance
But its true purpose is trails, and that’s naturally where the Experience Wild 2 shines. I prefer a stiffer, more responsive vibe versus a pillowy squish, but I don’t need to feel the details of every jagged rock beneath my feet. The Experience Wild 2 serves up the perfect balance as an everyday all-rounder. I don’t have a high-volume foot, so I’ve found myself happiest when I snug up the lacing over my arches, but the benefit of the wider toe box cannot be downplayed. Ever had a neuroma? Those of you who have will understand. If left to their own devices, neuromas tend to worsen with time, so it makes sense to avoid compressing the metatarsal bones and allow spreading each time the foot impacts the ground. Altra’s philosophy is founded on this principle—don’t need a podiatrist to co-sign that!
Bottom line
The Altra Experience Wild 2 is a pair I’ll keep in stock. And I’ll go one step farther with a backup pair ready to go in case Altra makes updates for next year. Again, as my grandpa said, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
Editor’s Note: Read more articles and reviews by Sarah Barber here.
