I hiked in the Altra Lone Peak 9+ for a month. They're the best version yet

CNN

19-05-2025

The Altra Lone Peak series has long been one of the best hiking boots on the market and a fan favorite. However, I swore off the trail running shoes after testing a pair a few years ago that broke down in mere months. That is, until now. Altra released a new version — the Lone Peak 9+ — that has sticky Vibram soles and (supposedly) better durability. So, to find out if these shoes are truly worth it, I put them to the test. Here's how they did.
Altra Men's Lone Peak 9+ Trail Running Shoes
Some of the comfiest hiking shoes I've ever worn, the Altra Lone Peak 9+ should be at the top of any hiker's list.
Altra Women's Lone Peak 9+ Trail Running Shoes
The Lone Peak 9+ feature Vibram Megagrip outsoles, which provide fantastic traction and durability. Roomy toe boxes and supreme comfort
When I first put on the Altra Lone Peak 9+ and walked around my neighborhood park, I quickly remembered why I loved my first pair. The wide toe boxes and soft uppers create an incredibly comfortable fit. I test a lot of hiking shoes, especially in the spring and summer, and the new Lone Peaks are seriously some of the most comfortable I've ever tried.
The biggest reason for their comfort, and why they're so popular, are their roomy toe boxes. If you've never worn a pair of Lone Peaks (or Altras) before, you might not notice how pinched together your toes can be in normal shoes. But in the Lone Peaks, the wide shape gives your feet much more room so you can spread out your toes.
Giving your toes more room isn't just comfortable; it can also be a huge help while hiking. I never noticed this in other hiking shoes, but when wearing the Lone Peaks, I can splay my toes and use the muscles in my feet to more easily adapt to uneven terrain. Instead of mindlessly stomping over rocks and roots in tall, leather boots, the Altras allow you to feel and move with the ground. This feeling might not be for everyone, but I love it.
Even though your feet have more room to breathe, that doesn't mean the Lone Peak 9+ are oversized. They fit true to size in my tests, so you don't have to worry about sizing up or down.
Zero drop and just enough cushioning
Another reason people love the Lone Peaks line is their zero-drop design. Most shoes have cushioning that positions your heels slightly higher than your toes. The difference in height between the heel and toe, measured in millimeters, is often referred to as a drop. Altra's Lone Peaks have zero drop, meaning your heels and toes are at the same height. If you've never worn zero-drop shoes before, it could take a little getting used to, but the design is supposed to mimic barefoot walking and help strengthen your foot muscles.
I actually like wearing zero-drop and barefoot shoes, as the experience does help me feel more of the ground while I'm walking, running or hiking. This design is another reason why hiking in the Lone Peaks just feels right. Paired with the wide toe boxes, you can feel every rock and obstacle you step on. If all that doesn't sound pleasant to you, that's totally fair. But for me, the experience makes me feel more connected and interactive during hikes. Plus, the Lone Peak 9+ have enough cushion that I haven't had any issues with pain while scrambling. It's not for everyone, and even if it sounds intriguing, it will take some getting used to after throwing on your first pair.
Impressive traction
Roomy toe boxes, a zero-drop design and a cushioned feel are all features found in the Lone Peak 9. So, what makes the 9+ different? Simple: Vibram Megagrip. If you aren't familiar with Vibram, it's a company that makes super-sticky rubber that can be found on all sorts of shoes and boots. The brand has different compounds with varying degrees of traction and durability, and it's featured on everything from hiking shoes and sandals to top-tier rock climbing shoes.
Vibram is a big name in the outdoor gear industry, and just like how people associate Gore-Tex with waterproofness, the same goes for Vibram and traction. Megagrip is the brand's high-performance compound that strikes the perfect balance between traction and durability, and it's what the Lone Peak 9+ has on its outsole.
When testing these shoes, I paid close attention to the traction since the inclusion of Vibram is the big new thing with the Lone Peak 9+. And since I've worn tons of shoes with Vibram soles in the past, I was expecting a lot. Fortunately, the 9+ didn't disappoint. The grip from Vibram's rubber and the 3.5-millimeter lugs of the Lone Peak were a match made in hiking heaven. They bit into dirt on the trail extremely well and provided a solid amount of stickiness while scrambling up rocks.
The outsoles performed extremely well in wet environments too. Would I wear them on pure scrambling adventures? No, probably not. But if you're looking for hiking shoes that perform incredibly on trails and can hold up to the occasional rock-hopping, the Lone Peak 9+ are fantastic.
Durability
Here's the big question: Are Altra Lone Peaks durable enough? It's hard to say. The first pair I bought years ago started getting holes after only a few months of casual hiking. I'd estimate I put less than 100 miles on that pair before the shoes started breaking down.
To test the Lone Peak 9+, I've been wearing them daily while walking my dogs and running errands to gauge their comfort and feel, and I've worn them on several rugged hikes and trail runs. On the trail, I've probably logged around 50 miles in them so far, and if you add on my daily errands, I've spent a decent amount of time in these shoes. After all that, I'm very pleased to say they still look mostly brand-new.
There are a couple of scuffs on the toe boxes from me tripping (more on that later), but the uppers are showing no signs of tearing or delaminating from the midsoles, and the lugs on the outsoles still look as fresh as when I got them. Can I guarantee the material will last another 100 or even 50 miles? No. But they do feel much sturdier than my first pair. And if they do start breaking down, I'll update this story with my experience. But for now, I can tentatively give Altra props for making its flagship shoes more durable and long-lasting.
Not a ton of stability
After spending more than a month hiking and running in these shoes, my biggest concern with the Lone Peak 9+ is their stability. Since they're low-cut, lightweight shoes, there isn't much structure to help stabilize your feet and ankles. This isn't necessarily a mark against them, as no pair of lightweight shoes like the Lone Peaks will have as much support as taller leather hiking boots.
If you like to move light and fast, the Lone Peaks are a great choice; however, if you tend to roll your ankles a lot, you might want to look elsewhere. Another tip is to slowly increase your mileage and hiking difficulty if you're buying your first pair of Lone Peaks. You'll want to get used to the zero drop and low cut before you go on any extreme hikes or trail runs that could put your ankles at risk.
I learned that lesson the hard way during my testing period. I've worn Lone Peaks in the past and wear zero-drop shoes regularly in my everyday life, so I thought I'd be fine to pop on the Lone Peak 9+ for a long trail run. I ran over 13 miles on Boulder's Mesa Trail in Colorado, which has a solid amount of rocky and rough terrain, on just my second wear of the new shoes. Unsurprisingly, the next day I woke up with a slight strain in my foot, most likely from the lack of ankle stability in the shoes.
This isn't to say runs like these aren't possible in the Lone Peak 9+. Plenty of people love them for running, just don't be stupid like me. Give yourself time to get used to the shoes and build up the muscles in your feet and ankles before launching yourself into a punishing or technical adventure.
Wide toe boxes aren't precise
The width of the toe boxes are probably the Lone Peak 9+'s best feature, but like most design choices, it has a downside. For walking and hiking on a maintained dirt trail, the comfort you get from the extra room is unmatched. Even when stepping on small rocks and other obstacles, you can splay your toes to help balance and push off better than you'd be able to in normal hiking boots. However, the massive toe boxes can get in the way if you're trying to step on to a small ledge while scrambling.
There were a couple of times while I was scrambling up and down boulders at Carter Lake outside of Berthoud, Colorado, where I couldn't quite place my toes exactly where I wanted to on a slabby boulder because of their big toe boxes. There's a reason why the best rock climbing shoes cram your toes into a small point, after all. It's a niche example, but it's another reason why the Lone Peak shoes shouldn't be your go-to if you're planning on scrambling up rock faces.
There is a more common experience you might come across on your first few hikes wearing the Lone Peak 9+, though, and that's tripping. I found myself catching my toes on random rocks and roots quite frequently during the first couple of times I went hiking because the toe boxes are so much wider than standard hiking shoes. But after a few wears, you'll be able to adjust and remember to pick your feet up slightly more than you're used to.
Not my favorite for running
It's no secret that newcomers to zero-drop shoes should take it slow, and that means no running until you're used to the feeling. However, even outside of their zero-drop design, I don't love the Lone Peak 9+ for running, whether on the road or the trail. They don't have a ton of cushion, with a thickness of just 25 millimeters, and on my trail runs and neighborhood road runs, the pounding on my feet was a lot more tiring while wearing the Lone Peak 9+. If you want a similar pair better built for running, check out Altra's more cushioned options like the Olympus 6 or the Via Olympus 2.
The closest comparison to the Altra Lone Peak 9+ is obviously the Altra Lone Peak 9, as they're identical except for the outsoles. The 9+ use Vibram's Megagrip rubber, while the 9 have Altra's MaxTrac outsoles, which don't perform as well in wet terrain.
The Lone Peak shoes aren't the only wide-toe-box shoes that Altra makes either. All the brand's shoes have tons of room for your toes, along with a zero- or low-drop design. While the Lone Peak have solid cushioning for hiking and some trail running, if you want a more plush ride for packed gravel or even the roads, Altra's Timp 5 are another of my favorites. They still have zero drop, but they come with four more millimeters of cushioning underfoot.
On the other hand, if you want less cushion and a more barefoot feel, check out our full guide on the best barefoot shoes. We loved the Vivobarefoot Magna Lite WR SG for hiking, though they have a higher cut and a sturdier build than the lightweight Lone Peak 9+.
The Altra Lone Peak 9+ are some of the most comfortable hiking shoes I've ever worn, plain and simple. Their wide toe boxes and zero-drop design that made the Lone Peak series famous feel as good as ever in the brand's latest iteration. But what makes the 9+ stand out are their Vibram outsoles. They are grippy and durable, and perform well in various conditions.
The Lone Peak 9+ are almost for everyone. If you like to do technical scrambles or you're worried about ankle stability, look elsewhere. If you want new trail running shoes to use next week and you've never tried zero-drop, look elsewhere. But if you want a pair of hiking shoes with excellent traction and that are so comfortable you'll want to wear them on and off the trail, I can't recommend the Altra Lone Peak 9+ enough.
The following FAQs were answered by Kai Burkhardt, author of this guide and CNN Underscored's outdoors editor.
What's the difference between the Altra Lone Peak 9 and 9+?
What's the difference between the Altra Lone Peak 9 and 9+?
The Altra Lone Peak 9+ have Vibram Megagrip outsoles, while the Lone Peak 9 have Altra's proprietary Maxtrac outsoles. Vibram Megagrip is some of the best rubber on the market, offering a great balance of traction (even in wet conditions) and durability.
Are Altra Lone Peak 9+ waterproof?
Are Altra Lone Peak 9+ waterproof?
No, the Altra Lone Peak 9+ are not waterproof. If you want a similar pair of hiking shoes that are weatherproof, check out the Lone Peak 9 Waterproof (which comes in low and mid cuts) or the Timp 5 GTX.
CNN Underscored editors thoroughly test the products we review and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have a skilled team of writers and editors with many years of testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted.
For this product review, CNN Underscored's outdoors editor Kai Burkhardt spent over a month hiking and running in the Altra Lone Peak 9+. He tested them on varying terrain, judging their comfort, traction, stability, durability and more.