Escalante 5

The ride is firm and low, and you feel the road through it. Most reviewers found it a little livelier than the Escalante 4, with a discreet bit of spring, but nobody calls it soft. It bends easily under the forefoot and there's hardly any rocker, so your feet do the work of rolling through each step. That suits midfoot and forefoot strikers at steady or quicker paces. Heel strikers get a sharper landing, and one lab test found the transitions abrupt for exactly that reason.

There isn't much of it, and that's deliberate. Our spec sheet has 25.9mm at the heel and 23.7mm at the forefoot: enough for an easy 5K or 10K, thin on longer efforts once your form starts to tire. If you like the Altra fit but want more under you, the Experience Flow 2 sits higher with a 4mm drop. The Torin 9 is a closer relative than its name suggests, since on paper its stack and weight are almost the same as this shoe's.

It's a neutral shoe with no guidance features, yet the low, broad platform feels steady because you sit close to the ground. Lab testing rated its stability highly. Nothing stops your foot rolling in, though, so overpronators who need support should look elsewhere.

The knit upper has improved the most. Reviewers found it breathable, quick to dry and comfortable enough to wear all day. The tongue sits higher and is easier to set, although it isn't gusseted and one lab review found it slid about during runs. One tester also had the laces come undone, so a double knot is worth the extra second.