Altra Men's King MT 2

The Altra King MT2 is a great minimalist yet sturdy and rugged trail running shoe. It's light, grippy, and comfortable to wear on trail.

As a long-distance hiker and trail runner, I've used various pairs of Altra shoes over the years. In my experience, they don't last as long as other shoes, but I like the Lone Peaks and Escalantes because of the wide toe box and zero drop. They work very well with my feet and legs for long distance excursions.

A few months ago I picked up a pair of Altra King MT 2s when they were on sale. Everything about them looked great on paper. And I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised!  I like them and they have served me well for the past few months. 

For the most part they are like other minimalist low-top trail runners. They have a mesh upper that breaths well and dries quickly. The King MT 2s have a solid Vibram outsole that does very well on wet and muddy surfaces. There's a built in lightweight stone guard to protect from those little sharp rocks. And the King MT 2s have two gaiter attachment points so you can use them with Altra's gaiters (which also fit their other shoes). 

The King MT 2s are in some ways different than other trail runners. First, they are zero drop. Some people maybe can't do zero drop, but I adjusted to them long ago so they work well for me. (Side note: I also wear shoes with a 6mm or 8 mm drop to keep my feet flexible.) Second, these shoes also don't have much cushion so you can feel the trail underneath.  Furthermore, they have drainage holes on the bottom of the shoes so they dry quickly. However, they also get wet quickly because of the holes. 

Probably the most unique thing about these shoes is that velcro strap that goes over the top of the foot. You tie the shoe and then strap it on more securely with the velcro. The velcro also prevents the laces from coming loose if you strap the laces under the velcro. That's a nice touch! I admit the velcro makes putting these shoes on a tiny bit more cumbersome, but I do like the velcro strap. It makes the shoe become more one with the foot, so to speak. 

The only real negative I see with the King MT 2 is that I wish the toebox was wider. It is slightly wider than your standard shoe, but the King MT 2 has Altra's "standard" footshape instead of their "origninal" footshape. The "original" has the widest toe box in Altra and includes the Lone Peaks and the Escalantes. If the King MT 2 had the "original" footshape with the widest toebox, it would possibly be my favorite trail running shoe.  And if it had a wider toebox I would have given it 5 full stars.

All in all, if you want a minimalist, zero-drop, low cushion trail running shoe with a slightly wider than average toebox, I would recommend trying the King MT 2s. They probably aren't for everyone, but if you're OK with what they offer, I'm guessing you'll appreciate them. I do!

Background

I'm an avid long distance hiker and frequent trail runner. I've tried tons of different trail running shoes. After quite a few years on trail, I have shoe opinions and I really enjoy a good pair of trail shoes.