Published: July 25, 2022.

SCORE: 8.8/10

Weight: US M10 – 7.9 oz/225 grams).

Heel-Drop: A zero drop (stack height of 33mm)

Shoe Type: Neutral carbon plated

Sizing: True-to-size

Pace: Fast and moderate

Surface: Track, road, trail

Pros

• A narrow Foot Shape toe box for excellent fitting
• Breathable mesh
• Lightweight
• Bouncy and speed-ready midsole
• Smooth and stable ride across terrains
• Sleek upper

Cons

• Slipping and bulging tongue but can be corrected with tight lacing
• Possible heel irritation during prolonged running or training sessions

Introduction

Carbon plates have proved to be effective for enhancing running speed, running efficiency, and overall shoe performance, particularly in elite sports competitions. Now brands are racing to make carbon plate shoes. The innovation has resulted in shoe brands having neck-to-neck completion. In such a situation, only those shoe brands that do the extraordinary win.

Interestingly, Altra has mastered the art of taking up such innovations and modifying them to create unique running experiences for runners. For instance, since the inception of carbon shoes, there have never been neutral carbon fiber running shoes except for the usual stacked-up midsoles with heel drops or the low stack carbon racing shoes. 

True to its mission, Altra saw the opportunity and is ready to go head-to-head with various super shoes but in a unique way. Altra launched the Altra Vanish Carbon 2022 neutral running shoes (with zero heel-drop).

The zero heel drop carbon plated running shoes demonstrate Altra's knack for running shoes and how it values the natural way of running. This statement is believable, especially if you are conversant with Altra's 'foot shape' toe box design.

Hence, Altra always sticks to its founding principles despite the new wave of carbon-plated super shoes. According to Altra, the focus is to give runners an excellent running experience, and it did precisely that with the Altra Vanish Carbon shoe. Moreover, this shoe is like a breath of fresh air.

Take Away: The Altra Carbon is a race-ready carbon-plated neutral shoe, excellent for race day and tempo run sessions. The rocker geometry and compliant carbon plate make running fun.

Altra Vanish Carbon Instant Impression

I bought the Altra Vanish Carbon because I wanted to try something new. Of course, it is the first carbon-plated running shoe with a zero heel drop. When I took it out of the box, I was impressed with the unique design and the less weight. However, I was skeptical when I had it on because the foam felt stiff, and the rocker geometry made my toes stand above the ground.

Altra Carbon Vanish proved me wrong when I took it out for a ride. The seamless transition was second to none. The rocker geometry fits my midfoot striking style. 

The Ego Pro Midsole felt responsive and somewhat bouncy on the road. I did a 13 miles training run from easy to moderate and fast paces and cool downs. The responsiveness of the carbon plate was profound, especially at moderate and fast speeds, yet with a significant ground feel. Altra did well to maintain the natural running experience.

Altra Vanish Carbon Upper Component 

The entire design of the Altra Vanish Carbon is based on the "Slim Foot Shape Fit," making it the narrowest Altra shoe model. Altra also took a minimalistic approach when designing the upper. The mess is thin with plenty of perforations. You can feel the air permeating into the shoe. The front area of the Altra Carbon has airy fabric-like mesh material. The heel area has thin and stretchy fabric to help lock down the heel while keeping the shoe as lightweight as possible.

The narrowness creates a snuggly fit all-round the foot. Still, Altra left a generous amount of room around the toe area to allow the toes to splay out unrestricted.

The tongue and heel counter have minimal padding to provide a featherweight.

The comfort of the Altra Vanish Carbon is apparent, with no traces of bagginess. Everything about the upper is okay except for the tongue construction, which is not gusseted yet thin. The issue is that it folds or strips down whenever I am running. The generous volume of upper material causes this issue.

Resolving the problem entails spending some time to correct the fitting, including ensuring that the tongue lays flat across the midfoot before locking it down with the laces. I do exactly that and I tend to experience the large tongue making a curve around the midfoot.

Hence, adjusting the laces pretty tight, makes the midfoot to hold well, and prevents the tongue from  bulging.Besides, I always experience snugly fitting around the instep after taking time to play around with the laces and the tongue.

I also like the comfort of the upper layer. The inner layer of the heel counter has a sufficient cushion, and the heel collar is huggy, thus enhancing foot lockdown from the heel to the toes. Still, Altra should have done better with the tongue and the laces. At least make the tongue gusseted, and give it a bit of padding and structure. Though I can change the laces to my preferences, the rigidity of the laces is not impressive.

I still recommend Altra for doing a recommendable job with the upper. It is breathable, has aesthetics, and takes the shape of food. Besides, the "Slim Foot shape Fit" befits it as a competition shoe. Again, the mesh is simple and streamlined and has no unnecessary overlays. 

Altra Vanish Carbon Midsole Component

The upper layer of the Altra Carbon sits on an EGO pro midsole. The new EGO midsole from Altra has done well since its inception. It has provided fair competition to brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma, and New Balance. It is robust yet with significant cushioning and pronounced bounciness and responsiveness. Therefore, the Ego Pro is one of the liveliest midsoles in the market. The robustness makes it exceptionally stable.

There is a lot of engineering going on in the midsole. It shows how far Altra went to ensure that this shoe performs to its optimum level. According to Altra, the midsole has three layers. There is one EGO Pro foam on top, a carbon plate in the middle, and EGO Pro foam below to conceal the carbon plate.

Altra has also ensured that the upper layer of the midsole curves upwards to create an impression of the insole sunk into the midsole. Practically, the foot sits securely and stable in the shoe. I think the design choice by Altra is commendable.

The carbon plate, EGO Pro foam, rocker forefoot, and Slim Foot shape Fit combine well to provide a nappy, stable, and comfortable ride. The most important thing Altra did was to settle for a neutral midsole.

At first, I thought Altra gambled with the neutral carbon plated midsole until I was proven wrong. The EGO Pro foam felt quite soft underfoot. Altra CARBON Vanish exhibits a unique character by how the rocker forefoot and Carbitex plate function. The rockered forefoot makes the zero-drop feel fade. Hence, I felt that the forefoot was more raised than the heel in the initial stages.

Well, it sounds weird, but guess what? The designers will confuse you more. I did some research and concluded that the forefoot design was intentional. According to Golden Harper, the founder of Altra shoes, the installed carbon plate lacks a toe spring because it creates unnatural toe positioning.

Instead, Altra Vanish Carbon utilizes a technology he refers to as a 'toe taper' whereby the forefoot is exaggerated to make a perceived pivot behind the toe. I think Altra borrowed this design from the late-stage Meta-rocker design of the Hoka Gaviota 3. Still, this one is extensive, profound, and more efficient.

While in the Gaviota, 3, the late-stage meta-rocker creates a flat landing, the 'toe taper' rocker of the Altra creates something like a perpetual motion because of the seamless transition. It feels peppy even at moderate paces.

The Outsole

The outsole is concocted with a somewhat thick rubber grip spreading across the forefoot in an eye-catching format while exposing a significant amount of the midsole foam. Altra was careful enough not to interfere with the responsiveness of the midsole, retaining good traction.

I have run on wet and dry pavement, a light trail path, and a road, and I have never needed to slow down. I thought the exposed midsole foam would not handle the crushed rocks and gravel. Instead, I started noticing signs of wear and tear at 100 miles. The stable outsole makes running better and more exciting.

Altra Vanish Carbon Overall Performance

The carbon plate stands out in the Altra Carbon. It is responsive and adapts to a runner's strides to guarantee steadiness. The Altra assures me both excitement and confidence. There is stability regardless of the terrain or running surface.

I have done all types of running intervals with the Vanish carbon, and I think it is one shoe a runner should not underrate. The tempo run is quite explosive and effortless. The neutral, low stack and responsive carbon plated midsole makes a recovery run easy and exciting. I have not experienced soreness when running with Altra Vanish Carbon.

The Altra Vanish carbon is unique because it is not as sensational as the Nike Vaporfly and Endorphin Pro 2 racers because of the measured stiffness that syncs with the ground impact. This translates to a feeling of stability even at high speed. This explains why I used it for tempo runs.

Overall, the midsole is comfortable and has sufficient energy return, making Altra Vanish Carbon race ready. I am excited that it performs well in all kinds of runs, including easy marathon efforts, and helps rack up miles. I noticed the Ego Max has a bouncy and responsive feel on the road.

Final Thoughts 

Altra Vanish Carbon is a race-ready running shoe for a race day. It is an excellent choice for temp or long-distance running because of the plush cushioning and responsive midsole. The rocker geometry makes the long runs enjoyable, and the carbon plate is compliant when you want to pick up paces. It's also lightweight and breathable to keep the legs fresh over long running periods.

Altra Carbon fits runners looking for a lower neutral drop for a natural foot strike. This shoe can be pricey, but its quality matches the price. Besides, it doubles up as a daily training and racing shoe and has a durable midsole that can withstand hundreds of miles. Therefore, it offers more than most carbon-plated racers. Altra can fit into the categories of Puma Fast-R and Asics Metaspeed Edge. I think many will not like the laces, but runners can fix this by swapping them.