Altra Torin 6 review

Who should buy the Altra Torin 6

The Torin 6 from Altra is a killer choice for runners looking for: 

• a max-cushioned running shoe that will mute out the ground feel 
• a daily trainer that will keep you stable and your foot locked in position
• a zero-drop platform for a more natural foot position

Who should NOT buy it

If you want extra room for your wide feet, we recommend the Altra VIA Olympus, which is a much more spacious shoe than the Torin.

Altra Torin 6 vs. 5

The new version features a few small but welcome updates: 

• The tongue is much softer.

• The heel cup has been made more form-fitting to prevent heel slips.

• It has a new set of laces that are longer.

• It's more durable because of its revamped upper.

Top-notch aeration

Despite some concerns about the tighter weave mesh of the Torin 6, it performs excellently in the breathability department. Assessing its ventilation with the help of a smoke-pumping machine, we rated it with a maximum 5 out of 5 score.

See how easily the light passes through the mesh material all over the forefoot.

The Torin 6 stays true to zero drop

We found this Altra shoe to be moderately cushioned. Based on our stack measurements, the Torin 6 packs 25.1 mm of foam in the heel and the same amount in the forefoot. This is more than 8 mm lower than average.

The Torin 6 stays true to Altra's claim of a zero-drop platform. Measuring the foam thickness, we made sure that it was equal in the heel and the forefoot (there was a 0.1 mm precision!).

It comes to life on the run

Although the shoe is most suitable for moderately-paced daily runs, we were glad to find that its ride is not bland at all! A little bit of responsiveness adds flavor to the shoe's ride.

Having applied a durometer measurement to the shoe's midsole foam, we got a reading of 23.6 HA. Neither too soft nor firm, this measurement sits right at the average of road running shoes.

Keeps you supported

Because the Torin's midsole is not a sink-in kind of soft, it has a touch of firmness to keep the foot stable, especially for the long haul.

Nice and flexible ride

All throughout our test run, this Altra shoe kept bending effortlessly where our foot needed it.

Back in the lab, we discovered that The Torin 6 has average flexibility compared to other running shoes.

Our manual test also confirms that the shoe is on the flexible side. On a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 is the most flexible, we gave the Torin 2 on longitudinal flexibility and 3 on the torsional one.

Snug and secure fit

The Altra Torin 6 has a generously spaced toebox but feels snug in the heel and midfoot. It didn't choke our feet but held them in place, especially when running sharp corners.

Although it's an Altra shoe, the Torin 6 has a standard fit. Meaning that it is not as wide as its counterparts.

However, it is by no means a narrow shoe. We measured the widest part of its toebox at 98.5 mm which is the same as the average. We also can't help but notice the wide rounded shape of the toebox which has zero tapering compared to most running shoes.

But if you are expecting the shoe to have the same toebox width as most other Altra shoes have (100 to 105 mm), the Torin 6 can be a disappointment.

Lockdown that won't let you down

Thanks to the much more contoured heel cup, our heels were held much better in the Torin 6. We were reassured by its slip-free lockdown during our test runs.

Interestingly, the heel counter on this Altra shoe is not very stiff. We assessed it as 2 out of 5 on our scale where 5 is the stiffest.

Torin 6 nails it with upper comfort! 

Because of the new, softer tongue, the Torin's upper got extra comfortable. One of our complaints from the past was the shoe's sharp tongue. But with the recent changes, we are no longer bugged by it.

Our caliper proved that the tongue on the Torin 6 is rather well-padded. We measured it at 5.4 mm, while the average for running shoes is 5.8 mm.