I own or have owned the Escalante (1.5 I think), Torin (4.5 and 4.5 Plush) and Lone Peaks (2, 4.5 and 5s). The Escalantes were horrible. They didn't last long before wearing out and I'm used to replacing shoes every three months or so. I think they made it six weeks before falling apart.
Unlike other shoes with a woven upper they let my feet slide around on the lower way too much. Even when I regulated them to weekend walking around town duty they were borderline dangerous.
The Torins are nice. If you like a lot of cushion try the 4.5 Plush. If you run a lot and don't have feet issues the Plush might be a bit too soft.
I hated the first Lone Peaks I had and gave them away. I hated the 4.5s until I put an insole in that added a little rock protection. After five miles either trail running or hiking my feet would really take a beating. After adding the insoles I can go twenty miles easy with no discomfort.
The 5s I've only had for a couple of months and have only been worn while my 4.5s are drying out but with the changes Altra made I haven't had to add an aftermarket insole to them.
I personally really like some of Topo's models.
https://www.topoathletic.com/
I think they do a good job of finding the balance between performance and durability and they offer low drop models (3mm-5mm) if one isn't ready for zero drop or is easing into it.
I currently run between twenty and one hundred miles a week, ninety percent of which is on dirt. Until recently I was running twice to three times as much but have dialed it back to prevent unnecessary injury and wear and tear on my knees and feet.
Originally Posted by Clusterfrack
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