Altra Provision Review

We are pretty big fans of Altra here at AGHTR. We have tested the Lone Peak and Instinct, and I have also bought the Adam and hear good things about the Samson. Recently, the guys at Altra sent me a pair of their new Provision in a 10.5. These are a unique shoe, taking what works from the well-known and popular Instinct and adding some features that at first may seem counter-intuitive to what Altra is all about, but I have an open mind and I love the look of these very cool shoes.


I am referring to the removable varus wedge found in every box of Provisions. This full-length insert goes under the footbed and tilts the foot slightly out to the side, helping combat pronation. As a company interested in natural running )wide toe box, level, zero-drop platform, etc.) I wonder why they would include such a feature, but some folks may find it comfortable.  I especially like that it is optional and isn't built into the midsole, giving the wearer the choice.


The Provision is basically the same shoe as the Instinct when you remove the wedge (which I did). The other difference, though, is the stiffer midsole material used in the Provision. My only complaint about the Instinct is that it is a little stiff, so I was wary of a stiffer version. In the end it felt pretty much the same to me, though. If course, I only spent a little time in them as they were just a little too small for me. So, I called in a favor and lent them to my Dad to test. He wears a half size smaller than me and he also stole my Instincts and still has them, so I know he loves the Altra fit as much as I do. Here is his review:

Krissy Moehl Interview: Above Average Athletes

Krissy Moehl is one of the all-time great ultrarunners, not just female ultrarunners, but ultrarunners generally.  Not only is she a dominant 100-miler, she has also conquered some of the hardest 50k and 50 mile races as well. On top of that she works with up-and-coming hydration gear manufacturer UltraSpire, is an active ambassador for Patagonia, and is the race director for the famous Chuckanut 50k. 

She gives back to the sport at every turn, travels the world smiling and reinforcing a positive image for American ultrarunning worldwide, and serves as an inspiration for runners everywhere.  She agreed to answer our Q and A, and I was thrilled to have her here, as she is one of the nicest, most humble people you'd ever like to meet.  Thanks, to Krissy for taking on Above Average Athletes!