Altra is one of those brands you either swear by or steer well clear of. Sure, the comfort is undeniable and that natural foot strike makes sense on paper. For some runners though, Altra’s classic zero drop shoes may feel flat and even a little uninspiring on the trails.
If you’ve ever been tempted by that signature foot-shaped fit but held back, or found yourself wishing Altra would just add a touch of drop to add some life to the trails, this might be the moment you’ve been waiting for. With a 4mm heel-to-toe drop, the brand-new Experience Wild 3 marks a notable shift in Altra’s offering.
Our team was thrilled to take the Experience Wild 3+ offroad to find out how it stacks up in an increasingly competitive trail shoe landscape.
Is this the evolution that could bring hesitant trail runners back into the Altra fold? And more importantly, does this shoe actually deliver some jittery “wild” to experience out on the trails?
Upper and Fit of the Altra Experience Wild 3+
What works for me
The Experience Wild 3+ definitely gave me that ‘wow’ effect when I first opened up the box. I’m not quite sure what I was expecting but it certainly wasn’t a flaming hot pink to match the wild description. All my hesitations about Altra dissipated. It’s funny how a colourway can do that. I couldn’t wait to take them on a spin. Colours are highly subjective but I find the whole Experience Wild range to be stunning. Kudos to the designers.
I found this model to be true to size and offering a very plush and protective feel with a well-padded tongue and heel collar. The signature toebox fits the rest of Altra’s lineup, widening at the front to avoid cramped toes. Other nice details include reinforced lace eyelets, a chunky toe bumper, a hook and loop gaiter attachment and the best pull tab loop I have ever seen to put your shoes on. I might actually use it!
Altra completes the upper with reflective laces that are handier than you think when you’re transitioning from trail back to road in the dim hours.
What doesn’t work for me
While the overall fit was very comfortable, I would have appreciated a much tighter lockdown on this shoe. The amount of padding makes this a complex endeavour. Added to this, I found that the lace material, a bit like tweed, doesn’t make it easy to give me a secure hold. This gave me some initial heel slippage, in time mitigated by fiddling with the extra eyelet.
I would also have liked a little lace band to keep laces from flopping around given their length. I stuffed my laces around my foot to keep them from grabbing things on the trail. Down boy!
Midsole and Ride of the Altra Experience Wild 3+
What works for me
The Experience Wild series uses their EGOP35 foam in the midsole for a moderately responsive but an adequately cushioned landing. With 32mm of foam at the heel and 28mm at the forefoot, this is by no means a high stack shoe. Still, I noticed a nice level of softness in the heel without ever losing ground feel at the forefront. The 4mm drop and late rocker give just enough propulsion for all those at the back complaining about the zero drop flatness.
The foam density and geometry make this a fairly balanced daily trainer option for forefoot and heel strikers alike. The firmer foam bodes well in terms of overall durability too. I can’t see this cushion compressing for quite some time. That’s a win!
What doesn’t work for me
The ride remains true to the Altra brand in providing a very natural and fluid footstrike that many will be drawn to. As a newcomer to the brand however, the midsole didn’t feel as bouncy as it was marketed as. It felt reliable but not particularly exciting to me. This keeps it in the daily trainer category for me, ideal for shorter miles or easier runs. I’m keeping these in the warm on tempo days.
Outsole of the Altra Experience Wild 3+
Grip and Traction
I had the opportunity to test the Experience Wild 3+, which differs from the Experience 3 in only one way: its upgrade from a MaxTrac outsole to Vibram Megagrip. While some reviewers noted limitations with the MaxTrac in terms of traction and durability, the 3+ presents a completely different experience. I found the outsole to be perfectly tacky, in all the best ways, and impressively durable across varied terrain.
The outsole features triangular lugs measuring approximately 4 mm in depth, enhanced with micro-spurs for added grip. These performed well on compact forest paths, roots, and rocks. I think the lug design could be refined to provide more aggressive bite. Still, positioned as a hybrid commuter to trail option, it transitions to road sections surprisingly well, remaining genuinely comfortable.
Vibram coverage is nearly full-length, with the exception of a decoupled groove through the midfoot. This design allows the shoe to better adapt to uneven terrain, improving flexibility and responsiveness underfoot.
Durability
So far, my pair is showing absolutely no signs of wear and tear. I have high hopes in terms of durability for this shoe. The mesh appears very abrasive resistant, the lugs hard wearing and the compression moulded midsole isn’t budging whatsoever. I could see this being in my rotation for many hundreds of kilometres of faithful trail running.
Conclusion
Value for Money
At €150 for the Megagrip Experience Wild 3+, this shoe lands at a very competitive price point in today’s trail market. Considering the upgrade to a premium Vibram outsole at this price, this is a strong value for money.
For this price, you get a highly durable build, from the abrasion-resistant upper to the hard-wearing lugs and a resilient midsole. Add to that a comfortable, well-padded fit, a versatile ride that balances ground feel with cushioning, and a design that transitions smoothly between road and trail.
For a reliable, do-it-all daily trainer that should hold up for many hundreds of kilometres, the Experience Wild 3+ offers excellent bang for your buck.
Fitting it into a shoe rotation
The Experience Wild 3+ slots in naturally as an easy daily trail trainer, a beginner trail shoe companion or a solid commuter option. It’s the pair you’ll reach for on easy runs, mixed terrain outings, and those sessions where you transition between road and trail.
To round out a trail rotation, you may want to complement it with a more aggressive, performance-oriented shoe. It could be something lighter, more responsive, and with deeper lugs for technical terrain or one for faster efforts such as the Topo Athletic MTN Racer 4, which has a similar toe box shape. If you like this shoe and regularly tackle long distances, a max-cushioned option like the ASICS Max series could also add extra protection for longer, cruising mileage.
Final Verdict
The Experience Wild 3+ feels like Altra is stepping into new “moderate drop” territory without losing its identity. The addition of a 4mm drop and Vibram Megagrip outsole brings just enough energy to win over those of us who found classic Altra models lacking joy and propulsion. This is not a shoe that dazzles with speed or explosiveness. Instead, it delivers comfort, and reliability across a wide range of terrain.
While this may not be the wildest ride out there, it’s there for fireroads, trail to road stints and for all the daily runs you can imagine. For runners seeking a natural-feeling ride with a touch more versatility, and a new outsole you can trust when conditions turn, it’s a great shoe to reach for.
Comparisons Against Similar Shoes
Altra Experience Wild 3+ vs. Topo Athletic Pursuit 3
These two are pretty similar in purpose, but also in overall comfort and plushness. They both have that signature wider toe box, Vibram outsoles and universal gaiter attachments. They also both show promising durability. Where do they differ? Well, the Pursuit 3 we just reviewed here on the channel costs €15 more than the Experience Wild 3+ but it’s arguably slightly grippier and more agile.
Testing these side by side on the same 12km run with 600m of vert the Pursuit 3 stood out for its ability to claw terrain up and downhill effortlessly. The Pursuit 3 also performed above its class in the thick bog. The Experience Wild 3+ outperformed the Pursuit 3 in trail to road sections where it felt comfortable to run and didn’t feel like you were wearing football cleats underfoot. The Experience Wild 3+ has a 4mm drop while the Pursuit 3 remains true to its zero drop promise.
Other People’s Takes on the Altra Experience Wild 3+
Thys’ Take on the Altra Experience Wild 3+
Esther captures the essence of the Experience Wild 3+ very well in her review. I have very little extra to add. I agree that the shoe definitely comes in as a neutral, beginner friendly, but still high performance trail option. The use of a Megagrip compound makes this one of the better tractions I have had in recent models. This definitely justifies that pricepoint. I would say the grip is even comparable to the Megagrip Elite compound that I have been running in recently with the Cascadia Elite from brooks.
I actually found the foam to be quite lively in contrast to what Esther thought. Altra has never really wowed me in their midsole compounds in the past. However, I found this one to give a nice balance of soft cushion vs stability. As a more recreational trail runner who hits flatter, more gravel-esque trails, I found myself even wanting to use these for some snappier, faster work as they are relatively light and neutral feeling. It’s hard to not compare when testing many shoes, and it would be very hard to justify saying that the midsole is comparable to some of the top-of-the-line models (Cloudultra/Cascadia), but that does not mean it is not an enjoyable ride nonetheless.
This is exactly why Esther was spot on in labelling this shoe as a daily trainer. It feels good, but not quite up to the level where you would really consider this anything else. It’s dynamic, easy to use, and good looking. The Wild 3+ could definitely be more lively, more aggressive, more stacked, but that’s not what it’s going for. Sometimes it’s nice to have a shoe in that daily segment that stays true to its use case. This is similar to the Pegasus on the road, simple, but dependable.
Overall, I share a very similar opinion to that of Esther. Perhaps as I am less ventured in the trail category, my experience was slightly more positive than hers. One of the strongest aspects of this shoe is its dependability. I would never hesitate to take these out on an easy trail mission, or even a walk, just as a nice all-rounder for daily miles on varied terrain.
