The Altra Experience Flow 2 is a low-drop running shoe that still has echoes of the minimalist era, but in a slightly different key. Altra's core design principles are its roomy toe box, zero heel-to-toe drop, and low stack heights; the brand made compromises to all of these for the Experience Flow 2. Start with the toe box: there is still plenty of room for toes to splay when planting your foot, but the forefoot of the shoe is not as noticeably flared as Altra's legacy models, such as the Escalante. Perhaps the biggest departure for the brand is the 4 mm heel drop, which is still on the lower end among today's road running shoes, but categorically different than all of Altra's other product lines. The midsole in the Experience Flow 2 is a new compound that Altra calls EGO PWR, which feels softer than other Altra shoes and is surprisingly light. That said, the new foam doesn't yet deliver either enough cushioning or energy return to be considered highly efficient.
Our Verdict
The Altra Experience Flow 2 would be a poor choice of shoe for a marathon. The meager cushioning offers your legs little protection from the repeated pounding of such a long distance, and the energy return is inadequate to give you any kind of boost.
Shoe bottoms out very quickly.
Midsole doesn't return energy well.
The Altra Experience Flow 2 could be alright for running a shorter race. Its semi-minimalist design keeps the shoe's weight down, and the firm, low-to-the-ground forefoot would almost feel like a traditional racing flat if the toe box weren't so wide.
Firm forefoot gives solid ground feel.
Midsole doesn't return energy well.
The Altra Experience Flow 2 has disappointing energy return. Although Altra boast that the EGO PWR foam developed for this shoe is more efficient and bouncier, it's still not particularly lively.
Midsole doesn't return energy well.
The Altra Experience Flow 2 has sub-par cushioning. By Altra's standards, this is a taller shoe; compared to the current market, however, the Experience Flow 2 sits close to the ground, and the EGO PWR is just not soft enough to absorb the impacts of serious running.
Very thin midsole.
Shoe bottoms out very quickly.
The Altra Experience Flow 2 is an amazingly stable shoe. Here, the relatively short stack height is an asset, keeping the shoe's center of gravity low. Although Altra added a slight heel drop, they also broadened the heel platform to offset the higher stack. The firm and relatively thin midsole helps give the shoe impressive ground feel, helping to maintain a solid connection between the earth and your foot. Unlike other Altra shoes, the tongue of the Experience Flow 2 is partially gusseted, helping secure your foot in place.
Firm forefoot gives solid ground feel.
Relatively low stack height keeps shoe stable.
Performance Usages
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We bought and tested the Altra Experience Flow 2 in men's US size 9, as noted on the label for our pair. The pair we purchased is the Navy colorway, but you can also buy this shoe in other colors, depending on your region. The Experience Flow 2 is only available in standard width for both men and women. The design section applies only to the exact model we tested, but we expect other size variants to perform similarly. For the women’s version of this shoe, the exact results may differ slightly because Altra uses its "Fit4Her" design, with a slightly narrower profile and female-specific shaping and geometry.
Popular Running Shoe Comparisons
The Altra Experience Flow 2 is the running shoe you end up with when a brand that was born out of the minimalist trend tries to adapt to the superfoam era. As one of the few remaining relics of the "barefoot" running craze, Altra's brand identity remains closely tied to its zero-drop platform. It is one of the few brands that is more recognizable by the shape of its shoes than by the logo emblazoned on them. Topo Athletic has since taken a page from Altra's spacious geometry, and the Topo Phantom 4 and Topo Specter 2 offer a similar anatomical toe box, but on a much more cushioned platform.
The Experience Flow 2 is most similar in geometry and midsole to the Phantom 4, but the Topo shoe has a taller platform. The Experience Flow 2 thus sits alone in an awkward middle range that most of the legacy brands have vacated. The last of the lightweight daily trainers with a similar stack height were the Brooks Hyperion 2 and the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4, but both have been replaced by significantly taller successors (the Brooks Hyperion 3 and New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5, respectively). The Experience Flow 2 appears to be Altra's attempt to hedge its bets, offering a shoe that remains unique in today's increasingly crowded market, yet departs from some of the brand's core principles.
As for the rest of that Altra lineup, the Altra Escalante 4 remains the most minimalist of Altra shoes, with the lowest stack height and least cushioning. It is the shoe for anyone who still prominently displays "Born to Run" on their bookcase. The Altra Torin 8 retains the trademark zero-drop platform, but its midsole is slightly livelier, rebounding similarly to the Experience Flow 2, albeit with less protection under the heel. The most maximalist shoe, by Altra standards, is the Altra VIA Olympus 2; it's a better-cushioned trainer that seeks to maintain the same roomy toe box and zero drop geometry on a platform that is high stacked by the brand's standards, although at 35mm high, it's still shorter than most classic daily trainers.
For other options, check out the best running shoes we've tested.
The Altra Torin 8 and Altra Experience Flow 2 are, respectively, the older sibling who took up the family business and the younger one who tried to make its own way, but is still undeniably the same family. The Torin 8 carries Altra's signature zero-drop platform and a relatively minimalist upper with no gusseting that is typical of the brand's other shoes. The Experience Flow 2 breaks the mold and introduces a 4 mm heel-to-drop, with a semi-gusseted tongue that helps secure the foot and helps make the ride of the Experience Flow 2 more stable, despite having those few extra millimeters of stack under the heel. The Experience Flow 2 is also lighter, and its EGO PWR foam is a touch softer than the Torin 8's EGO Max midsole.
The Altra Escalante 4 and Altra Experience Flow 2 look like two different stages in the evolution of barefoot running. The Escalante 4 is the no-frills, quasi-minimalist shoe for which the brand is known, with a very low stack height and no heel drop. It has a roomy forefoot that gives your toes room to splay, but the heel platform is quite narrow, and combined with the thin, firm midsole, makes this shoe extremely unpleasant for heel strikers. The Experience Flow 2 is slightly more developed, with a bit more cushioning and a 4 mm heel drop. The toe box remains roomy, and the heel platform has not only been built up but also extended outward, with a wider base that helps make it a more stable shoe. For minimalist runners who know they want the least shoe possible underfoot, the Escalante 4 is the obvious choice. For runners who are Altra-curious but hesitant to go full zero-drop, the Experience Flow 2 could be a good compromise.
The Topo Phantom 4 and Altra Experience Flow 2 are two similarly shaped running shoes that share an expansive toe box, designed to allow toes more room to splay. The Topo shoe is built on a taller platform, and it has significantly better cushioning, especially in the heel. The Experience Flow 2 is not as low to the ground as other Altra shoes, but it is still significantly lower than the Topo Phantom 4, and it is also much lighter. The combination of lower stack height and firmer midsole makes the Experience Flow 2 the more stable of the two shoes.
The Brooks Ghost 17 and Altra Experience Flow 2 are still two very different shoes from two very different brands, but are an interesting study in contrasts and convergence. The Experience Flow is Altra's first shoe to abandon the brand's zero-drop design, introducing a modest 4mm heel-to-toe offset that makes it slightly more accommodating for heel strikers. At the other end of the spectrum, Brooks' daily trainers have long had one of the highest heel drops of any brand. However, as other legacy brands reduce heel drops, Brooks has slowly followed suit, decreasing the heel drop from 12 mm in the Brooks Ghost 16 to 10 mm in the Ghost 17. The Ghost is still a much more comfortable shoe for heel strikers, and the Experience Flow 2 is better for forefoot strikers, but neither is at the extreme end.
We've recently started buying and testing running shoes with a very data-oriented approach. While we're just getting started, our methodology already has dozens of tests to help you make the right purchasing decision for your needs. Not only do we use high-end equipment to gather objective data, but we also order multiple sizes of the same shoes for team members to be able to log in miles. This real-world testing is done at various paces and conditions, and with different types of workouts, to cover all the bases. This allows us to verify our results and ensure they align with what you might feel with a specific pair.
Test Results
The Altra Experience Flow 2 is one of the lighter shoes in Altra's lineup, despite being higher stacked than the Altra Escalante 4 or Altra Torin 8.
The Altra Experience Flow 2 stands out as having the biggest heel-to-toe drop of any shoe from Altra. That said, 4 mm is still very slight compared to virtually any other brand.
Compared to the majority of running shoes, the heel of the Altra Experience Flow 2 has poor energy return. However, it is livelier than other Altra shoes, like the Altra Torin 8 or Escalante 4, and combined with its gentle rocker, the Experience Flow 2 at least gives heel strikers some assist forward onto the toes.
The energy return in the forefoot of the Altra Experience Flow 2 is actually not bad. Although still a thin layer of foam, the EGO PWR does seem able to pack some bounce. Not only is it more lively than any other Altra shoe, but it has better rebound than some higher-stacked premium daily trainers like the Brooks Glycerin 22 or Nike Vomero 18.
The heel cushioning is inadequate for repeated heel striking. The shoe is already not the most absorbent when walking or jogging, but as you land harder, it becomes increasingly less protective. The heel is at least more cushioned than the Altra Torin 8 or Altra Escalante 4, but heel strikers who still want the same roomy toe box would be better served by the Altra VIA Olympus 2 or Topo Phantom 4.
The forefoot cushioning in the Altra Experience Flow 2 is not bad, although the same dynamic holds true as in the heel: it becomes much harsher the more force you apply. That might be fine for lighter runners doing strides, or an occasional burst of speed, but this is not a comfortable shoe for sustained intensity for most runners.
The heel of the Altra Experience Flow 2 is on the firmer side, which will be quickly felt by runners used to classic daily trainers like the Brooks Ghost 17 or ASICS GEL-CUMULUS 27, and might feel downright harsh to runners accustomed to premium daily trainers like the Nike Vomero 18 or HOKA Bondi 9.
The Altra Experience Flow 2 has a very firm forefoot, which, combined with the relatively low stack height, gives the shoe quite a bit of ground feel and lateral stability.
The forefoot of the Altra Experience Flow 2 has inadequate cushioning for long runs, and it bottoms out faster than even the Altra Torin 8, becoming increasingly harsh, especially after 10-15km. That said, it does no worse than some classic daily trainers, such as the Brooks Ghost 17 or Nike Pegasus 41.