FAQS

Every pair of Altra shoes comes with a 30-Day Trial Runs are Guaranteed Promise. Once you receive your shoes, we'll give you 30 days to walk, jog, run, hike, and explore before deciding if they're right for you. If you're still not completely satisfied, send them back for a full refund. No questions asked. Please note and keep your tracking number on the return label for your records until your credit has been processed. See our returns page for more details.

*Returns are available to US-based customers only.

At Altra, we stand behind our products and are glad to assist you if you have any issues with the quality of our shoes.

Altra provides a 1 year warranty on any manufacturing defects from the date of purchase on shoes that were purchased from altrarunning.com or an authorized Altra retailer. Altra warranty program does not cover defects due to improper fit, normal wear and tear, damage due to misuse, alteration to the product, or negligence. Product covered by the Altra guarantee will be replaced at Altra’s discretion.

Learn more on our warranty page. 

The following are NOT covered by the Altra guarantee:

·         Fraying due to abuse

·         Deterioration as a result of water abuse

·         Sole wearing out or worn through

·         Color fade

·         Cuts, scratches, burns, etc.

·         Damage caused by negligence, misuse or alteration of products

Learn more on our warranty page. 

Altra recommends cleaning your shoes as soon as they are exposed to dirt. Hand wash with a damp cloth and mild detergent. Do not machine wash or machine dry. Stuff them with a towel or a shoe saver product like Stuffitts™. 

Click here to see the Men’s and Women's shoe size guide.

Click here to see the Men’s and Women's apparel size chart.

Altra currently has a wide variety of styles for our consumers, some of which contain leather and some of which do not. That said, even in those styles which do not contain leather, it is difficult to verify that all components including dyes, finishes and adhesives do not contain any animal-derived content which is why these products are not labeled “vegan”. If any products are completely vegan in the future, this will be labeled on the products and our website.

We currently do not sell replacement laces. Our customers have had good success finding replacements in local run retail locations found on our store finder as well as online at www.shoelacesexpress.com and www.lacelab.com.

Yes, we offer a 15% discount to all active-duty military members and veterans. Reach out to our customer service team to request a military discount promo code to be used at checkout.

We currently do not offer gift wrap or gift options. We do offer gift cards.

Does the address you typed match the address on file with the credit card company? If you still encounter a problem after you’ve verified that the address matches, please chat customer service in the chat bubble for further assistance.

Yes, orders can be shipped to a different address than the billing address. Once you get to the checkout page, enter your shipping address. You can then enter in the billing address that is tied to the credit card you are using.

Online price adjustments can be made within 30 days of the original purchase to receive sale pricing if the exact size and color are currently in stock.

We begin processing your order immediately upon receipt. Therefore, your order cannot be modified or changed once it has been placed. Keep in mind, we offer free 30-day returns for your convenience.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express credit or debit cards. We also accept PayPal through our online order process.

All Altra Running shoes are eligible. However, apparel and accessories (such as socks, hats, and Trail Gaiters) are not eligible.

HSA/FSA accounts were created so individuals could use pre-tax money to pay for expenses used to treat, mitigate, or prevent a diagnosed medical condition. Because HSA/FSA dollars are pre-tax money, you’re getting more purchasing power for your dollar. Rather than paying taxes on income and then paying with after-tax dollars, qualified customers can use pre-tax funds to invest in their health.

An individual can contribute up to $4,150 pretax to their HSA per year, or $8,300 for a family plan (an additional $1,000 if you are over at least 55 years old). Individuals can contribute up to $3,200 pretax to their FSA per year (with an additional $500 in employer contributions allowed).

Health savings accounts (HSAs) and flexible spending accounts (FSAs) are programs that allow you to set aside pretax dollars for eligible healthcare expenses. If you’re not sure whether you have an HSA or FSA account, please check with your employer or insurance company.

Yes. If you’d like to use your regular credit card, simply select that in Truemed checkout. After your purchase, Truemed will email you instructions on how to submit the receipt to your HSA/FSA administrator for reimbursement.

The items in your Truemed Letter of Medical Necessity (“LMN”) are now qualified medical expenses in the same way as a visit to the doctor’s office or pharmaceutical product is.

There are thousands of studies showing food and exercise to often be the best medicine to treat and even reverse disease. Exercise qualifies as a qualified medical expense when paired with an LMN. Food supplements, and other wellness tools that address the root cause of a health issue or prevent an illness, and/or doctor authorizations tie the need. Your Truemed LMN offsets a tax liability to the dollar once the provider has deemed them medically necessary.

There are no fees to you, if you are shopping with a Truemed partner merchant (like Altra Running).

If you receive a reimbursement denial, Truemed can help! Gather all the key details, including the denial letter, and send to your HSA/FSA Administrator immediately. Then, follow the steps in this article and Truemed can help you appeal your denial.

You can use your HSA/FSA dollars all year long. However, FSA dollars expire at the end of the year, and unused money may not roll over into the next year. Make sure to spend the rest of your FSA dollars before December 31st — use it so you don’t lose it!

Generally, it takes 24 hours. In some cases, Truemed’s provider team will require additional time to issue a Letter of Medical Necessity based on the needs associated with an individual qualification survey. If you aren’t seeing your letter in your inbox, check spam, then reach out to us at support@truemed.com for help.

Unfortunately, Truemed’s service is for individuals who have HSA or FSA accounts (or plan to fund one during enrollment). We encourage you to ask your employer about information on your HSA or FSA!

Unfortunately, Truemed is currently only available in the United States.

Klarna is a global payment solutions provider that works with retailers to provide customers the smoothest online shopping experience. Klarna is in over 170,000 online stores and has more than 70 million users globally. Learn more.

Klarna Terms of Service

*CA resident loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Financing Law license.

Select 4 interest-free installments to split your purchase into four payments, charged every two weeks beginning at the time your order is confirmed (usually the shipping date). No bills are sent - you can simply sit back, relax, and enjoy your purchase. View complete terms.

* At this time, the "Pay Later in 4" option is not available in New Mexico. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Payments are collected bi-weekly from the debit or credit card you provide at the time of purchase.
All scheduled payments are communicated to you by email and you can review your purchases by logging in at https://app.klarna.com/login

Klarna Terms of Service

There are no interest charges with Pay later in 4 installments, and no fees when you follow your automatic payment schedule. 

A Late Fee of up to $7 may be charged if an automatic payment cannot be collected. Please refer to the Klarna Terms of Service for more information.

When you pay in 4 interest-free installments, Klarna may perform a soft credit
check. This type of check will not impact your credit score or show up as a hard inquiry on your
credit report.

Klarna Terms of Service

You can reach Klarna anytime at https://www.klarna.com/us/customer-service/ or by downloading the Klarna App for 24/7 chat.

Klarna Terms of Service

We do not currently ship outside the United States.

Orders shipping to a PO Box or APO address will ship via USPS, all other orders are shipped with FedEx or UPS

Yes, orders shipping to a PO Box or an APO/FPO address, can take a little longer for delivery to get as they will ship out using USPS. These orders cannot ship out using express or overnight shipping. 

Tracking numbers are assigned to packages when they ship. Once they’ve shipped, you’ll receive an email which includes a tracking link, along with your order information. From the tracking page, you'll be able to see your estimated delivery date and can sign up for shipping and delivery notifications.

Rates:

• Free standard shipping : delivery in 5-7 business daysNo weekend delivery
• 2 day: delivery in 2-3 business daysNo weekend delivery$16.95                    
• Overnight: Delivery by next business dayNo weekend delivery$21.95

Saturday and Sunday orders ship on Mondays. 

Overnight and Express orders

Orders must be placed by 1:00 pm ET Monday-Friday to be processed and shipped the same day. Overnight and Express delivery are not eligible for P.O. boxes. Please note that we do not ship overnight on weekends or holidays. 

Overnight orders placed on Friday before 1:00 p.m. ET will be delivered on Monday.

We ship orders on business days. "Business days" are Monday through Friday, and exclude federal holidays within the United States. Holidays include Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. 

Deliveries to PO boxes and APO addresses ship via USPS. All other deliveries ship via UPS.

Legal title to purchased product transfers to the buyer at the point of shipment. 

If you received an item that was damaged during shipment, please contact our customer service with your order number. 

Before accepting your order shipment, inspect the carton and the contents for any potential damage that may have occurred during shipment. It is normal for the carton to show some wear; however, if damage to your product(s) did occur, follow these steps:

·         If the damage is minor, accept the package but make a note of the damage on the shipping receipt, sign and date it. The delivery person should also sign the slip and leave a copy for your records. Contact our Customer Service team immediately.  

·       If there is extensive damage to the carton, refuse the order and Contact our Customer Service team immediately. 

We will make every reasonable effort to reorder the item or credit your purchase in a timely manner.

Returns are accepted within 30 days of purchase, with or without the original packaging. Please see the returns page for more info on how to submit a return. Once the return is received, your refund will be processed back to your original form of payment. 

Refunds may take up to three weeks to process due to the time often required for shipping and bank processing. 

We would be happy to get you a new label for your online return. Please contact customer service.

First and foremost, they should feel ridiculously comfortable, like house slippers! They should fit like traditional athletic shoes from the heel to the ball of the foot, but your toes should feelfree/unrestricted/like they can move freely (this is a good thing). We like to say, “If they don’t feel too big in the toes at first, they’re too small!”

Altra shoes have a roomy toe box, for comfort, balance, and strength. With room for your toes to spread out naturally, your big toe can remain in a straight position. This encourages improved stability, power, and most importantly, added comfort. Unlike most traditional shoes, Altra shoes let your feet be feet. 

Altra shoes are built on a Zero-to-Low Drop platform. This platform positions the heel and forefoot an equal or minimally raised distance from the ground, aiding in optimal alignment, cultivating better form, and encouraging a low-impact landing. 

Transitioning to Altra shoes is easy and will depend mostly on the cushion level you choose. The more cushioning, the shorter the transition period. We recommend you wear your Altra shoes on easy efforts for week 1, moderate efforts for week 2, and go to long or hard efforts for week 3, unless you feel more adaptation time is needed. 

If you’re truly worried about transitioning from a high-drop traditional shoe to an Altra shoe, consider starting with one of our Low Drop models. 

Simply put, the more you use them, the more they will wear. Most of our shoes will last between 300 and 600 miles, depending on your chosen activity.

You sure can. With a Zero-to-Low Drop platform and roomy toe box, Altra shoes work with insoles by putting them on a stable and natural base. As a rule of thumb, insoles will work better with our higher volume shoes. 

Our shoes are built to help people find their natural landing zone and avoid over-striding. For most people, their natural landing zone is close to midfoot or with their full foot hitting the ground when running barefoot on a natural surface.

Our shoes were originally created specifically to help runners learn to land more naturally and avoid injury. Simply putting the shoes on will improve your landing by moving your step forward a bit to a more natural, light heel touchdown.

Putting your foot in its natural position with the heel level and the big toe extended locks the bones of the arch into place and allows your arch to strengthen and support itself.  

If you’re looking for shoes designed to help with overpronation, check out Altra shoe models equipped with GuideRail™ technology. 

Studies continue to show that higher cushioning levels primarily helps for the foot and lower leg ailments (below the knee). Simply put, if you have a foot ailment, additional cushioning can help protect the area. On the other hand, wearing shoes with lower cushioning levels can help alleviate joint pain in the knees and up.

We believe that using shoes with a Zero-to-Low Drop platform can be a long-term solution to Achilles injuries. If you currently have an Achilles injury, we recommend following our transition guidelines and taking additional time as needed to help strengthen your Achilles. Remember, always listen to your body (and your doctor). 

Low cushioning? Sure. Minimalist? Nope. (Yes, there is a difference.) Even our lowest cushioning shoes are not “minimalist” shoes. Most of our shoes have the same amount of cushioning (or more) than traditional athletic shoes. This allows our shoes to combine the cushioning and support of traditional shoes with many of the benefits and comfort of a natural foot placement.

That’s because your shoes have a Zero-to-Low Drop platform. This means that your shoes are even or minimally raised from heel to forefoot to place your feet in a more natural position. This allows you to use your lower calf and foot muscles more dynamically than they are used to and could be the reason for the soreness. It isn’t a bad thing; your muscles are ultimately getting stronger and will adapt after a few runs.

Because our shoes have a roomy toe box and are not technically “wide”, they are standard width at the ball of the foot. The main difference is that the toe box gives your toes room to spread out naturally. If you’re looking for a little extra room within your midfoot, some of our models are available in a “Wide” option. 

Yes. Altra shoes have a roomy toe box, for comfort, balance, and strength. However, the rest of the shoe is standard width. 

Each Altra shoe has its own unique characteristics and personality! Check out our Shoe Finder to see which one is the best fit for your foot.

Just like in any sport, we believe that learning the fundamentals of good, natural running form will help runners perform better and stay injury free. Our roomy toe box and Zero-to-Low Drop platform help keep the foot in its natural position and encourage a natural, low-impact running technique. Learning good habits out of the gate can make running less painful, more enjoyable, and more sustainable. 

Altra no longer carries footwear in specific kids’ sizes. However, some of our smallest shoe sizes may be equivalent to youth sizes.