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Running a vibram outsole on a lot of different shoes would be a cool experience, for sure. I just don't think I could justify the cost for a pair of shoes I'll need to replace completely after a few hundred miles anyway.

Having spent more time running on wet, hard surfaces than any other kind, I can say that the outsole on the LP7 is pretty mid-pack compared to other shoes. They are usable on any occasion but certainly far from top-tier (not at all as good as vibram).

Thank you for watching. Glad I could use this video to share the beauty of Juneau beyond its borders.

It would probably be totally foolish to try to race the route without poles, but since we're just out running for the fun of it, poles make it feel less fun. Besides that, I don't own any running poles anyway.

Herbert is SO cool!

Thanks again!

I wish I would have done a better job of researching and including those details within the video itself, but it's really hard to know without having your own record of the race. I would guess that there's about 15 mi with somewhere over 5000ft of total ascent/descent.

That is so not acceptable. Even when the quality of some pairs seems okay, quality control across the whole batch is still disappointing.

Thanks, Alex. It's great when you can find music that contributes well to a video.

Thanks! It was my great pleasure to share.

And Coach Stearns is pretty rad too, right? ...and Herbert.

We wished you were there too!!!

wardrobe design: you

Thank you, daughter.

That is disappointing! I feel like quality control is an even bigger problem for Altra than durability.

Until somebody I really trust tells me that the Timp upper is getting hundreds of miles without ripping, I won't trust any Timps to have durability. Also, the flexibility isn't for everyone, but the toe box in the Mont Blanc is way more comfortable, and there's a little more cushion in the midsole of the Mont Blancs at essentially the same weight. Truthfully though, it's that I know I love what I'm getting in the Mont Blanc, and I don't trust Altra to match it in the Timp 5. I'll be happy if I ever find out I'm wrong.

@@KentMearig I say making more models and "upgrading" them is a business strategy to make people buy more stuff just to try it

@@z0uLess Accurate!

Same. Shoes that don't make room for my toes are off the table for me now...makes it almost impossible to find mountaineering boots.

​@KentMearig I understand the need for certain shapes of boots and footwear in general, but I definitely agree with you 100% . Before my ACL reconstruction , I was an avid outdoorsman. That changed obviously smh. I'd still enjoy hiking etc but the instability I feel in my knee from boots with a higher heel and narrow toe box just doesn't work any longer. I believe Altra has a few untapped areas .. a true hiking boot ( love to see an Asolo collab or Scarpa ) and work wear.. zero-drop is amazing .

Not sure if this is a serious or rhetorical question, but one answer is that the trails I run, even though they are quite technical, rely on the grip of the rubber compound in the outsole 10 times more than the traction from the lugs.

My friend and I were just talking recently about how he bought two new pairs of Mont Blancs so that he wouldn't have to feel stingy about wearing his current pair as often as he wants. For me, the stockpiling is worth it!

@@KentMearig great point. There is small a part of me that feels bad for running in them because I want to save them. For what, I don’t know. Perhaps having another pair would resolve that weird idea.

I got really close to putting out a full review video for the LP8s after 200 mi, but I'm trying to move this channel in a different direction. The Lone Peaks are definitely still in my rotation, but I basically only prefer them over the Mont Blancs when I know it's going to get really wet and I have less than 8mi on the run. I also prefer them for hiking in just about any situation, and I think they're up to about 250mi with no real problems in the outsole or upper and plenty of life left in the midsole.

@@KentMearig Thank you very much. Great reply!

Couldn't agree more! Miles 100 to 500 in any pair of Mont Blancs has been the best trail running of my life.

Is it a fast shoe?

@@DevelopingNL That's a tricky question to answer. The Mont Blancs are definitely a light shoe, that helps them feel fast to me. I would say that the midsole falls short of the energy return in elite racing shoes, but I still think it feels bouncy and fun compared to most alternatives once they're broken in. Zero drop shoes don't have the mechanics for speed, but the Mont Blancs have enough of a toe rocker to keep you moving forward.

I run about 90% of my miles in the original Altra Mont Blanc. I'm about to start using my 6th pair, and I'm averaging close to 650 miles per pair.

@@KentMearig ah ok, what shoe do you use for general walking in ? I was using Altra running shoe to walk in but started to cause problems because of the stack height

@@truman3.0 I wear Escalantes when I’m at work, and I use the Lone Peaks for most hiking when I don’t need boots or sandals.

Your comment means a lot to me when it comes to finding motivation for the work behind these videos, even without the high view count.

I only ever fly drones that are under 250g, so there is some wiggle room around rules for "full size" drones. Additionally, I mainly fly during off season, off times, and from locations that are less visited. I know that there is a remote plane association that tells people they can't fly drones in the Mendenhall Visitor's Center area, but I haven't actually ever been told the same by forrest service employees.

I think the durability with the Lone Peak 8s is going to be sufficient to make them a legitimate recommendation for anyone prioritizing fit. Mine are well over 200 mi now with minimal signs of wear. If fit is the first goal for a road shoe, I think the Escalante might be the safest choice, but it's not the most feature rich compared to modern shoes from other brands or even Altra's pricier options.

#1 commenter this small channel has ever seen! Thanks, Alex, and yes, I'm already dialing the load down this week to make sure I'm building into summer carefully.

So true! I really wish Altra wasn't killing this shoe in favor of a shoe I will never buy...unless it also comes down in price to $99 someday.

You too! I got some great footage of a mountain run today that hopefully won’t just die on my hard drive.

Things change, but some wonderful things stay the same. I really appreciate you sharing those memories!

So glad you enjoyed it!

Well, spring in the forrest is stunning anyway. Thanks for taking the time to comment. I don't think about locking focus as often as I should. I also adjusted my camera setting recently to hold the target more tightly, and that will also help.

Your comments are always so kind. Thank you! I'm hoping to have much more to share over the next few months.

@@KentMearig I look forward to every video, especially the running one :)

Hope UAS turns out to be a great fit for you! Definitely let me know when you get to Juneau. Summer is usually a great time for me to connect with people.

Might have been better to just ask if you wanted to go for a walk!

i can't wait for leaves on the trees

Thanks for being one of the rare viewers who will watch more than shoe reviews!

When it comes to risk, I always think back to something in a book I read that says if you never miss your flight, you're wasting your life showing up too early to the airport. Thanks for watching!

Lone Peak 8s aren't going to have the absolute best traction on wet surfaces in Thailand, but I still think they're a great travel/exploration shoe, comfortable and capable.

Why run when you can ride, right? I guess getting your own feet moving is pretty great sometimes too.

I've run in a couple versions of the Timps, my main and strong complaint being that they have had HUGE durability issues in almost every iteration. For that reason, I have stocked up on the Mont Blanc and not made any attempt to acquire the latest update to the Timp line.

Always my pleasure. I can't wait to try and get back out there to hopefully relate that beauty more meaningfully.

I'm assuming you're familiar with the Escalante from Altra, and maybe you've tried them. I definitely wouldn't describe them as having a matching fit to the lone peak, but they might be as close as you can get.

The Escalante Racer is a much better fit than the Escalante 3. If you can find the older Altra Viho that fit like the Lone Peaks. You could also try the Paradigm.

And your attention to the channel is always appreciated.

Thanks for those detailed insights, Alex. I'm actually enjoying the 8s on runs more than I thought i would, and I'm really hoping that I can get 400 mi out of the upper because that's about all the life I've ever been able to get out of the midsole anyway.

It is also strange that they have used the EGO midsole material in roughly the same amount in all the versions since the 5, but with different feel.

Thanks for the feedback. I worked pretty hard on the captions, so hopefully those helped.

Yeah, the LP line is in no ways a high cushion shoe, and the built in stone guard only goes so far.

The new Olympus would work well for you.

@@stevenshorten6184 hopefully the sizing is similar to LPs

I would say that these new 8s definitely carry over some of feel of the 7s, but maybe it's dialed back a little bit toward the earlier versions.

You rock! Thanks so much.

Thanks! Hope I can wrap my mind around putting out videos with a message that matters to people.