Altra Paradigm 7 review

In the lab, we think that the Altra Paradigm 7 is an excellent option for:

• Altra enthusiasts seeking a daily training shoe that also provides a stability boost.  
• Individuals comfortable with the $170 cost who are interested in making the switch to low-drop running shoes.
• Runners looking to add variety to their workouts with a low-drop shoe, or beginners eager to kick off their running journey on a safe note with a minimalist option.

If you usually run in shoes with 4-12 mm of drop, be cautious when switching to zero-drop shoes like the Paradigm 7. A sudden change can easily lead to injury. In our view, you might be better off with a regular daily trainer that also offers stability features, such as the Saucony Tempus or the ASICS GT 2000 11.

If you're looking to go faster or longer, the Paradigm 7 might not be your best Altra option. The Torin 7 is quicker and more agile, although it doesn't offer as much stability.

If you are into marathon training, consider the VIA Olympus. We felt that its rockered shape makes for easier transitions, especially when your legs start to feel tired in the longest runs.

The heel of the Paradigm 7 has a stack height of 27.6 mm.

While that might sound low to some people, it's worth pointing out that Altra designs its shoes to be zero-drop. This means they're really made for midfoot and forefoot strikers who don't need a lot of foam at the back of their feet.

In the forefoot area, we measured a stack height of 27.5 mm. That's plenty for almost all runners and makes this a solid choice for a zero-drop stability shoe. It also serves as an excellent entry point for those new to the Altra brand.

If the forefoot stack gets too high—like over 30 mm—the risk of causing instability goes up a lot. 

Altra is famous for making zero-drop shoes, and the Paradigm 7 is no different. We measured a tiny 0.1-mm drop in this shoe. That's basically zero when you consider small variations in manufacturing. So, you're getting what you'd expect!

Zero-drop shoes come with their own pros and cons. We cover this in more detail in our guide about heel-to-toe drop.

We measured the insole and found it to be 4.4 mm thick. It's just a pretty standard insole.

Altra had a variety of midsole materials to pick from and they chose to go with Ego Max. This is a mix of EVA and TPU that feels comfy but not overly soft. That's actually a good thing for a shoe designed for stability!

We measured the softness of the material at 19.4 HA using our durometer.

We put the shoe in our freezer for 20 minutes and then tested its softness.

What we found wasn't promising—the softness level shot up to 29.8 HA. This means the shoe gets much firmer in cold conditions.

The softness jumps up by a whopping 53.8%, something you'll feel the second you start running.

But let's be honest, this isn't a shocker. Foams based on EVA always turn rock-hard in the cold.

The Paradigm 7 isn't the roomiest shoe Altra offers at 99.1 mm.

We found that it's made on what Altra calls their Standard last. But if you need a bit more space, they do offer a wide size.

Altra's big toe area is an out-of-this-world 86.7 mm wide.

It's an absolute win for anyone needing extra room for toe splay because of its rounded toebox. Believe it or not, it's nearly a centimeter wider than what you'll find in most running shoes!

Designed to be a top-notch stability shoe, we expected the Paradigm 7 to give us a secure feel from the moment we stepped into it.

We're happy to say it totally lived up to our hype.

Remember, this is a mild stability shoe, not a heavy-duty option. We see it as a daily trainer with some tweaks for extra support, and that's why it got a 3 out of 5 in our test at the lab.

Most runners will find it really stable, though. But if you have serious stability issues, you'll need something more specialized, like the Hoka Gaviota 5.

The same ideas come into play here. Shoes designed for people who need a lot of support usually get a 4 or 5 in this test. In contrast, we found that the Paradigm 7 scores just 2 out of 5, putting comfort ahead of stability.

We found that the absence of plastic in the heel cup makes the shoe's heel flexible. To put it simply, it's not so much a stability-focused daily trainer as it is a daily trainer with some added stability.

We measured the midsole width and found it to be pretty average, coming in at 113.8 mm in the forefoot area. Making it any wider would have added unnecessary weight, so we think this is a good choice.

We noticed that the heel is a bit wider than what you usually find.

Why did Altra do this? Well, since it's a zero-drop shoe, they understand that even forefoot strikers might land on their heels at times.

A wider heel (92.0 mm) provides that little extra stability for the Paradigm 7.

Built for comfort on daily runs or even just walks in the park, the Paradigm 7 is impressively flexible. Those cutouts in the outsole really do their job.

In the lab, we found that it took just 21.7N of force to bend the shoe to a 90-degree angle during our stiffness test.

But when we tested it again in cold weather, things changed. We had to apply 36.1N of force to bend the shoe to that same 90-degree angle. So yeah, the cold definitely makes the shoe stiffer.

It's a 66.7% change, and that's not a small deal. It seems to come down to the shoe's EVA-based foam, as we said before.

For a $170 shoe, Altra really needs to step up their game here.

The strategy really worked wonders. Weighing in at a mere 9.3 oz or 264g, the Paradigm 7 is among the lightest stability shoes you can find in the market.

If you're shelling out as much as $170 for a daily trainer, you'd expect it to have good breathability.

In our lab tests using a smoke-pumping machine, we were pleased to see that the Paradigm 7 scored a perfect 5/5 for breathability.

Under closer inspection, we observed that the shoe has multiple areas designed for better airflow. This is a smart design choice since many shoes only focus on the toe area for breathability.

To get a better look at the toebox, we used our microscope.

The Altra Paradigm 7 has large holes for maximum breathability, but they also added a white, thin fabric layer underneath for extra comfort and durability.

After checking breathability, we turned our focus to durability by firing up the Dremel in the lab.

We observed that the toebox area held up quite well! The white fabric layer we talked about just before did its job. That's a 3/5 from us.

The heel didn't hold up as well as the toebox, scoring only a 2 out of 5 in our tests.

If you usually get holes in the heel of your running shoes, this is something to watch out for.

When we look at the outsole, the first thing we do is measure how hard the rubber is.

For the Altra Paradigm 7, we found that it scored an 83.6 on the hardness scale. This is a bit harder than what we usually see.

We've confirmed that Altra uses a tough rubber for the outsole. So, did it hold up well?

We powered up the Dremel one final time and were thrilled to discover that the tool left only a tiny 0.5 mm dent. That's truly amazing and a clear sign this shoe is built to last!

At just 2.7 mm, the rubber isn't super thick, but it seems like Altra's designers knew that was enough for a durable shoe. Why add unnecessary weight?

We're glad to see that the Paradigm 7 comes with some shiny reflective pieces. Honestly, that should just be standard stuff in any expensive daily trainer!

The tongue has a good amount of padding at 5.6 mm. This keeps the top of any foot nice and comfy! 

The Paradigm 7 doesn't come with a heel tab, but we found that getting your feet into the shoe is still pretty straightforward and easy, even without one.

The tongue may move a little bit while running because it's not gusseted, meaning it's not attached to the sides of the shoe.

We think that's a letdown, especially for a shoe that costs $170. Hopefully, they fix this in the next version.

Taking out the insole was a breeze for us because it's not glued. But remember, like we mentioned before, this shoe has a unique shape. So, if you're thinking about swapping in an insole from another brand, it might not be a great fit. 

If you've got custom-shaped orthotics made just for this shoe, though, you should be good to go without any issues.