Altra FWD Via Review: Moving FWD Into a New Era of Altra

All shoes are reviewed by the Fleet Feet tester team, which represents a wide variety of goals, foot shapes, running locations and terrains. Reviewers pound the pavement, climb the hills, tackle the trails, then come together to compare notes. Debates ensue over the feel of the cushioning, the purpose of the shoe, and how it compares to last year’s model. While each reviewer has their own individual preferences, we hope that capturing our debates will help you make an informed decision.

For over a decade, Altra was known for only offering zero-drop running shoes–shoes in which the heel and forefoot are completely level with each other, which was a revolutionary concept at the time. Last year, Altra introduced their first ever four-millimeter drop shoe and since then have created a whole line of four-millimeter drop shoes.

We like to think of Altra’s zero-drop shoes as the spiciest salsa available and the four-millimeter drop shoes as a mild-to-medium option. Most runners and salsa enthusiasts would feel more comfortable starting with the mild-to-medium option before venturing into the spicy stuff, if they feel so inclined.

I’ll be honest, I will probably never run in a zero-drop shoe just like I’ll never sample Mrs. Renfro’s Carolina Reaper Salsa. I’m happy keeping my feet–and my tastebuds–right where they’re at. The Altra FWD Via, available October 1, offers a happy medium for me with a low-to-medium heel-to-toe drop and loads of their new midsole foam, EGO™FLO.

Can the Altra FWD Via give us some FWD momentum? Read on to find out.

The main story behind the Altra FWD Via launch is the debut of Altra’s brand new foam, EGO™FLO. This supercritical foam is nitrogen-infused, meaning it’s comprised of many little cells. This allows the foam to offer more responsiveness at a lighter weight than traditional midsole compounds. Just imagine your feet landing on millions of tiny air bubbles!

“The EGO™FLO cushion offers a little bit of plushness and bounce while remaining just firm enough that the softness doesn’t feel like running in quick sand,” says Travis, a hard core Altra enthusiast. “It also has a little rocker construction to it, making it roll forward very well, giving me a little “FWD” momentum.”

However, I found the foam to be too firm for my tastes. If you’ve read any of my other shoe reviews, you probably know that I’m addicted to plush cushioning. The EGO™FLO foam didn’t offer the soft, compressive step-in feeling I like in my running shoes. The FWD Via has a pretty high stack height of 37 millimeters in the heel and 33 in the forefoot, but because the cushioning felt so firm it didn’t feel like a max-cushioned option to me.

While Travis and I disagree on how the cushioning feels, we both agreed that the four-millimeter drop feels easy and natural to run in.

“For me, low drop shoes have always been my favorite because they feel natural but my calves don’t feel as tired as they do in zero-drop shoes,” Travis explains. “For my recovery runs or daily base runs, I’m definitely going to keep the FWD Via in my rotation!”

We’ve also both dealt with ankle injuries recently–Travis twisted his and I’ve been dealing with tendonitis–and found that the shoe seems to agree with our cranky ankles thanks to a wide base for stable landings and a wide toe box that allows our toes to splay naturally.

The Altra Via Olympus debuted in 2022 as Altra’s max-cushioned road shoe. We tested the first iteration and noted that it felt quite a bit firmer than we expected. We didn’t review the Via Olympus 2, and Altra confirmed that the FWD Via will be replacing the Via Olympus in their lineup going forward.

The most noticeable change from the Via Olympus to the FWD Via is, of course, the four-millimeter drop. But the shoe has some other noticeable changes as well that I feel comfortable categorizing as upgrades.

First, the FWD Via weighs much less than the Via Olympus 2–over a full ounce less, to be exact. Shoe designers were able to accomplish this despite adding more cushioning in the heel.

“I was really surprised with how lightweight the FWD Via felt in comparison to what I was expecting,” says Travis. “For a premium cushioned daily trainer with a decent stack height, it wasn’t the brick that I was expecting it to be!”

Second, the introduction of Altra’s new supercritical EGO™FLO foam adds an element of innovation that simply wasn’t present in the Via Olympus 2. The new foam helps the shoe feel more flexible, at least compared to the Via Olympus I tested in 2022.

Overall, as long as you don’t mind the change from a zero-drop to a four-millimeter drop, the FWD Via is definitely an improvement.

We took a look at some comparable models to see how they stack up against the Altra FWD Via. Here’s what we found.

The Altra FWD Via, Brooks Ghost Max 2 and On Cloudmonster 2 are all their respective brand’s max-cushioned, neutral offering. The three shoes are similar in stack height and heel-to-toe drop, and trend towards firmer cushioning. Their wide bases of support and slightly lower drops offer some inherent stability, as well.

The main differences will come down to the fit and underfoot feel. All three shoes use gentle rocker shapes for smooth transitions, but the FWD Via’s wide toe box is what really sets it apart here.

Thanks to its four-millimeter drop, the Altra FWD Via is a great choice for runners who want to experience the benefits of Altra shoes but aren’t quite ready to run in a zero-drop shoe. A spacious toe box makes the FWD Via a perfect choice for those with wide feet, bunions or those simply seeking some extra wiggle room.

The thick stack of EGO™FLO cushioning creates a firm ride with a bit of ground feedback. If that sounds up your alley, be sure to give the FWD Via a try at your local Fleet Feet or order online.