Shoe: Altra Vanish Carbon
Reviewer: Gary Manley, experienced runner, England Athletics Qualified Coach, Obsessed with running.
Date: April 2024
Summary: A quick shoe but arguably not a super shoe.
In a Nutshell:
- It is great for runners who want a quick shoe that is zero drop.
- The Vanish Carbon offers a partial carbon plate and super foam but probably not up to the level of some brands.
- It is quick but there are concerns around comfort and durability.
Upper:
- It's built on Altra's Slim Fit last, which means it's narrower than some of their other shoes known for a wider toe box. However, this doesn't necessarily mean it's narrow overall, in fact I can still fit in the 8 1/2.
- The upper uses a thin, breathable mesh that conforms to your foot.
- There are minimal overlays or padding, keeping the shoe lightweight.
- While not ideal for the absolute widest feet, I did find the Vanish Carbon surprisingly accommodating due to the thin, flexible mesh.
- The tongue can be fiddly to get in place and is very thin, I have however raced my half marathon PB in this shoe and it was fine. I have also had a slight issue with the fabric at the tip of the toes, it seems to have a chance of folding down and rubbing against your toes. I have had 3 pairs of these (.thanks vinted.) in 8.5 and had that issue in 2 of them, the size 9's I haven't had any problems with.
Midsole:
- Stack Height: The Vanish Carbon has a 33mm stack height in both the heel and forefoot, which falls into the category of a high cushioned shoe.
- Cushioning: It uses Altra's EGO PRO foam, known for being lightweight and responsive, providing a good balance between shock absorption and a propulsive feel. I hear others talk about their super shoes and although this is comfortable I don't feel a massive pop from it.
- Embedded within the midsole is a Carbitex carbon fibre plate. This plate helps with propulsion and energy return during toe-off, aiming to improve running efficiency. As I said I don't feel as much as others have reported but my feet are too fat to try other plated shoes so I don't have a comparison to make and do still love this shoe.
- A core feature of Altra shoes, the Vanish Carbon maintains a zero-drop platform, meaning the heel and forefoot are at the same height. This promotes a more natural foot strike for some runners.
Outsole:
- Material: It uses a rubber outsole with a strategic lug pattern.
- Traction: The lugs are low-profile but strategically placed to provide good grip on dry pavement and light rain. However, they might not be ideal for very loose surfaces like gravel or wet trails. It is great for roads however it can be a little slippery in the wet.
- Durability: The rubber compound is generally considered durable enough for high mileage road running. However, it does wear, especially in the heel and I am mostly a forefoot striker.
- Flexibility: The forefoot of the outsole is designed to be flexible for a natural toe-off and a smooth transition during your stride and I haven't found the shoe to inhibit my normal running pattern.
Performance:
- This shoe is best for races and speed work. I have set PBs at all distances from 1k through half marathon in this shoe.
- It is actually a show that works well at slower paces but should probably be kept for race day. On the plus side you don't have to change between the warm up and the race.
Value:
- Often on sale for around £100 and now the Altra Vanish Carbon 2 has been released there could be some good deals.
- If you want a zero drop, high performance shoe this is great. Also consider the Vanish Tempo, which I might actually prefer, even if it is maybe sightly slower.
Overall:
Overall this is a great shoe, especially for those that have wide feet and want to race hard. I have tried racing in the Altra Escalante racers (I had set my previous 5k PB in them) but honestly there is no going back. The shoe is fairly firm and I have raced a lot of miles in them but don't expect them to have the durability of a daily shoe and conserve them for race day, or once past it, speed sessions.
As I mentioned above the Altra Vanish Carbon 2 has come out and initial reports are promising that it is more like a traditional super shoe and maybe it will be quicker.
I do love that I can buy pretty much any Altra shoe in 8.5 / 9 and sometimes 9.5 and they fit great and feel great. I have never had that with another brand, I have tried Topo and they have too much of an arch for me and with non zero drop I get injured and with proper barefoot I can't run as fast.
