Our verdict
Pros
- Responsive on faster runs
- Stable on uneven surfaces
- Comfortable for long days
- Lightweight
- Form-fitting wrap
- Spacious toe box
- Visually appealing
- Soft and stretchy upper
Cons
- Not a real zero-drop!
- A bit slimmer than the average Altra
- Firmer than the Rivera 1
Audience verdict
Comparison
The most similar running shoes compared
+ + Add a shoe | |||||
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Audience score | 84 Good! | 86 Good! | 84 Good! | 87 Good! | |
Price | $130 | $140 | $130 | $130 | |
Pace | Daily runningSpeed training | CompetitionSpeed training | Daily runningSpeed training | Daily running | |
Arch support | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | |
Weight lab Weight brand | 8.6 oz / 243g 8.5 oz / 240g | 7.9 oz / 224g 7.9 oz / 224g | 8.3 oz / 235g 10 oz / 283g | 8.4 oz / 237g 9.5 oz / 269g | |
Lightweight | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Drop lab Drop brand | 2.8 mm 0.0 mm | 1.1 mm 0.0 mm | 0.4 mm 0.0 mm | 1.4 mm 0.0 mm | |
Strike pattern | Mid/forefoot | Mid/forefoot | Mid/forefoot | Mid/forefoot | |
Midsole softness | Soft | Balanced | Soft | Balanced | |
Difference in midsole softness in cold | Big | Normal | Normal | Normal | |
Toebox durability | - | Good | Decent | Good | |
Heel padding durability | - | Decent | Bad | Good | |
Outsole durability | - | Good | Good | Good | |
Breathability | - | Breathable | Moderate | Moderate | |
Toebox width at the widest part | Medium | Wide | Medium | Wide | |
Toebox width at the big toe | - | Wide | Wide | Wide | |
Stiffness | Flexible | Flexible | Flexible | Flexible | |
Difference in stiffness in cold | Big | Normal | Normal | Normal | |
Torsional rigidity | Flexible | Flexible | Flexible | Flexible | |
Heel counter stiffness | Flexible | Flexible | Flexible | Flexible | |
Heel lab Heel brand | 24.6 mm 26.0 mm | 22.5 mm 24.0 mm | 28.4 mm 28.0 mm | 23.8 mm 24.0 mm | |
Forefoot lab Forefoot brand | 21.8 mm 26.0 mm | 21.4 mm 24.0 mm | 28.0 mm 28.0 mm | 22.4 mm 24.0 mm | |
Widths available | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | |
Orthotic friendly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Season | - | SummerAll seasons | All seasons | All seasons | |
Removable insole | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Ranking | #357 Bottom 20% | #161 Bottom 38% | #209 Bottom 20% | #142 Bottom 46% | |
Popularity | #368 Bottom 17% | #186 Bottom 29% | #199 Bottom 24% | #81 Top 31% |
Who should buy the Altra Rivera 2
Take the Rivera 2 from Altra if you're:
- just transitioning to zero-drop running shoes (If you are not sure if these are right for you, see our guide on the heel-to-toe drop)
- looking for a solid all-rounder that can handle daily training and tempo paces
- wanting to buy a pair of running shoes that can double for gym training
- searching for a roomy shoe that welcomes foot swelling after long miles
Who should NOT buy it
If you don't mind paying extra for a snappier ride that's more performance-oriented, we advise getting the Vanish Carbon instead.
And if you want more stack for recovery days, and anything slower, the Altra Torin 7 is our suggested better option.
Altra Rivera 2 vs. 1
The midsole and outsole of the Altra Rivera 2 carry over the same components from the first iteration. The changes employed by the second version are mainly focused on fit:
- a softer, more pliable upper for a more accommodating fit
- a snugger heel, addressing the heel lock issues of its precursor
Heel drop is NOT zero!
All Altra shoes are recognised for having a 0 mm heel-to-toe drop. Surprise, surprise!
Our lab measurements have shown that the Rivera 2 has a heel drop of 2.8 mm (heel stack height 24.6 mm minus forefoot stack height 21.8 mm).
We also noticed that this shoe doesn't have a flat feeling on the foot either.
Feel the ground
With 24.6 mm of stack in the heel, it is much lower than an average 33 mm stack height. For that reason, we think that the Altra Rivera 2 is perfect for those who prefer ground contact to generous cushioning.
Cushioning is not too firm!
This is a tricky shoe because it feels a tad firm but our lab measurements show that it is quite soft!
The midsole scored 15.0 HA on our durometer. The average softness of all the shoes in our lab? 24 HA. This makes the Rivera 2 2x softer than an average running shoe.
We think that it's the shoe's low stack and solid rubber outsole that make it feel firmer.
Rivera 2 changes a lot at cold temperatures
When exposing a shoe to the cold (freezer for 20 minutes) we check 2 things: softness and flexibility.
1. For softness, we use an HA durometer. Rivera got 46.7% firmer after the freezer test (on average, shoes get 21.5% firmer).
2. For flexibility, we use a force gauge. Rivera got 138.2% stiffer! For reference, the average change for all the shoes in our lab is 39.4%. This, however, does not mean it got stiff. After being exposed to freezing temperatures, it is still more flexible than most other shoes.
Keeps you steady
We attribute this to the Altra Rivera 2's broad forefoot and grippy outsole.
On both flat and rugged surfaces, the shoe encourages stable strides. What also helps are the lugs that are a bit deeper than the average (3.9 mm).
Won't weigh you down
The Rivera 2 (8.1 oz or 229g) is light both on paper and on the road. For reference, the average speed trainer weighs in at 8.6 oz or 245g.
Comes to life during fast runs
Picking up the pace in the Altra Rivera 2 feels quite energetic and rebounding.
Roominess: nor your average Altra level
Although it's dubbed as Altra's "least roomy" running shoe, we still found it to be a spacious one, compared to the average.
Our calliper shows an average measurement of 98.6 mm in the widest part of the forefoot. However, the overall toebox volume provided our toes with enough wiggle room.
Adapts to the natural shape and contours of the foot
The Rivera 2's upper has some give and wraps around the foot quite comfortably and securely. To top it off (literally and figuratively), the tongue is very generously padded at 7.9 mm!
With its higher heel collar, rearfoot lockdown is improved. The midfoot fit is also spot-on.
The Rivera 2 is too flexible
On the run, this really hurt the snappiness of the shoe, hindering its full potential during faster efforts.
Looking at the lab measurement, we were astonished - the Rivetra 2 is 2x more flexible than the average shoe! We needed as little force as 13.6N to bend the shoe, while the average force needed is 29.5N.
Our manual tests also confirmed this: the Rivera 2 scored 1/5 (1 being the most flexible) on our tests, both for longitudinal and torsional flexibility.
Lacklustre ride during mellow days
This is especially noticeable for recovery runs and anything slower. During landing, the heel feels very firm, and the ground feel is more pronounced, which can be bothersome and even dull.
Great for every day!
We actually found this Altra shoe to be perfect as an everyday sneaker as well! All thanks to the Altra-level comfort.
OK for night runs
Sure we had some really shiny-in-the-dark shoes in our lab (like New Balance 1080 v12), but Altra Rivera 2 also has some reflective elements. Too bad it's only in the back and not on the sides, but they definitely help in low-visibility conditions.
A step up in the looks department
We found the visual aspect of the Altra Rivera 2 to be quite appealing. It is not as flashy as many other trail running shoes and some of its colorways even have a classy vibe.
Gone are Altra's toy-like designs of the past!