The Wasatch Jacket
$199
A fully waterproof jacket, the Wasatch offers waterproof zippers, taped seams, thumb loops, and 4-way stretch ZeroH2O fabric, making it ready for any conditions nature can throw at you. It breathes using venting under the arms and has a semi-fitted design to move with you on the run.
The Wasatch jacket is an amazing technical jacket for high output activities, such as running. The 4-way stretch fabric is enhanced by the soft poly blend, making it so that it doesn’t feel like a piece of plastic over the skin. After putting a 100 miles in the rain with this jacket and some more miles in the cold, we felt a few improvements could be made. The fit is appropriate more for a large thin alien with a huge head, thin torso and long arms. Even when cinched a lot the hood was not stable on a fast run. It would be a great option for a fast backcountry ski with a helmet.
What it really needs is front drawstrings to keep it on your head. The jackets optimal use is during rain or snow, not when the hood and zippers are relaxed. The collar of the jacket is quite annoying when not fully zipped, both the hood and the collar flop around. That said, these are minor glitches that can be easily remedied on future iterations. In all the jacket is a winner. We loved it on nasty or cold days and look forward to the second and improved version of it.
Smith Boot
$130
This full grain leather mid-boot is made for the everyday work week. Made of full-grain cowhide and built on the classic Altra foot-shaped last, the 24mm stack height will offer plenty of comfort for anyone who might spend their workday on their feet. The Smith Boot comes in both black and brown. Brent had this to say about them:
“I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this shoe. It’s stiffer than expected. The oiled type leather look is really an eye catcher and the stitching over the toe gives this Boot a bit of an industrial flair. They break in nicely too and the upper gets quite supple. This boot works really well in a professional setting, casual with jeans or if you are a
90’s dork like me, you could throw some cargo shorts their way and a slouchy flannel and make it work. What has two thumbs and loves this shoe?? Me!! I highly recommend it.”
Cayd
$130
The Cayd is the ultimate in classic leather comfort. This shoe is about as close as Altra is going to get to the skate industry, but they are doing it in style and comfort. Made of full-grain leather and built on a 22mm stack height, this ultra comfy shoe looks great in the office or around town. Craig had these words to say about it.
“It’s nice to be able to walk around in a pair of Altras that aren’t last season’s running shoes. Great with a clean pair of jeans or even with a pair of shorts, the Cayd seems to fit right in. I probably wear it to work once a week and have never felt underdressed. I spend a lot of time on my feet also, so this shoe offers more than just good looks. I’m really psyched about it.”
Vali
$110
The Vali is closer to the running line than any other of their Everyday shoes but offers the ultimate comfort of a full knit upper. In black, gray, and red, these shoes are just stylish enough to wear around casually and comfortable enough to keep on all day.
“This shoe is absolutely one of the most comfortable pieces of footwear I have ever laced up. The knitted upper breathes extremely well while the rigidity of the sole provides some nice stability. This shoe pairs really well with jeans, casual slacks, and shorts. It’s amazing as an all day shoe. I wore these for 3 days straight at Disneyland and on the fourth day at Universal Studios and my feet were happy all day. They are dressy enough that they can be worn at work and you don’t get busted for wearing running shoes…but if you had to book it, you could easily drop some miles in them!”
To see more of what’s new from Altra, head over to their website: http://altrarunning.com
Just found this brief review of the smith boot! What was your experience with sizing? I know sometimes they are wonky. I am typically a 10.5 in Altra for reference. But i know with casual shoes, you can sometimes drop down a half size?
Thanks!