Arc'teryx Altra 65 Backpack Review

*You can also read this review and many others at http://www.gearthirty.com/blog/2012/05/03/gear30-review-arcteryx-altra-65-backpack/.  You can also find information on hiking, climbing, and paddling destinations; how-to articles; and local, national, and world news from the outdoor industry.  Please check out www.gearthirty.com.

When I was younger, my focus was on going as light and as fast or far as possible.  It still is when I'm by myself or with a buddy, but I tend to go backpacking with my wife a lot these days.  Don't get me wrong, I love going backpacking with my wife.  I enjoy it more than going by myself or with a friend.  But, I tend to not go quite as far or as fast, and definitely not as light.

When I was about to get married, I thought that bigger and heavier loads may be in my near future, so I decided it might be a good idea to get a backpack that could handle bigger and heavier loads in comfort.  After a bit of shopping around, I bought the Arc'teryx Altra 65 pack.  I thought about getting the 75, but after seeing it in person, I just couldn't imagine myself filling it up (or being able to carry it if it was full).

The Facts and Stats

Technical Features

• Lightweight

Construction

• Twin removable aluminum stays for durable support
• Pivoting hipbelt with Load Transfer Disc™ provides increased agility and stability
• Top grab handle
• Padded bottom

Pack Suspension Configuration

• Arc'teryx AC² (Advanced Composite Construction) suspension system
• GridLock™ shoulder strap adjustment system
• Anatomically shaped shoulder straps
• Modular sternum strap
• Breathable shoulder straps and hipbelt
• Adjustable shoulder straps
• Thermoformed triple-density hipbelt

Pack Loading & Closure Configuration

• Top loading
• Panel loading
• Extendable collar with drawcord for additional capacity

Pack Lid Configuration

• Removable/ extendable top lid with two zippered compartments

Pack Compression Strap Configuration

• Four compression straps - two on each side
• Padded compression wings allow additional storage configurations

Pack Attachment Configuration

• Micro daisy chains

Pack Pocket Configuration

• Map pocket
• Stretch-mesh stash pockets on hipbelt
• Kangaroo pocket with top compression strap
• Two stretch-mesh pockets

Pack Hydration

• HydroPort™
• Modular hose clip
• Internal hydration pocket with zip

Zippers & Fly Configuration

• Full length U-zipper access
• Laminated zipper protector, doubles as a compression storage flap

Reinforcements

• Reinforced high wear areas

Integrated Features

• Key clip

My First Impressions

When I saw this backpack for the first time, I thought, "Wow, this thing is big.  65L? Really?"  I hadn't used a backpack bigger than 50L in years, so this thing seemed huge.  This pack seemed one-and-a-half times bigger than my other 50L packs.

My next impression was that the craftsmanship was beautiful.  This backpack was so clean and seemed so well-made.  The materials that were used seemed top-notch.  The design of the pack offers a lot of versatility and features, but it still seemed sleek and simple.

I then put the pack on my back with some weight in it, and that's what impressed me most.  I often have problems with hipbelts rubbing my hips raw or bruising my hips.  This pack felt more comfortable than all the rest right off the bat.    

Hiking the Routeburn Track, New Zealand.  I am wearing the Arc'teryx Altra 65 

The Features and Pictures

The Arc'teryx Altra 65.  This pack is great for backpackers that want to carry a lot comfortably.  Not ideal for climbers.  The pack is large, compresses well, and carries well.  There is a large zipper panel that allows one to view every content of the main pack bag at the same time.  The zipper is protected all the way around by six straps; two on each side and two on the bottom.

The zipper is protected by the the padded flap along the side.  There are a total of four zipper pulls on the zipper.  The two compression straps along the side tend to compress better and more evenly than pretty much any pack I have ever used.  This is because they pull from the compression flap that runs almost the whole length of the pack.

The Harness.  The hipbelt is a thermoformed and uses three layers of different foam.  All that means is that it is already shaped to fit snug around the hips without any uncomfortable creases or pressure points.  It works.  I do wish that the lumbar section of the hipbelt (that fits in the small of the back) was a little more pronounced.  When I carry heavy loads, the majority of the weight is focused on the iliac crest (top of hip bone).  If the lumbar pad of the hipbelt was more pronounced, more of the weight would be distributed to be supported by one's rear end as well as the iliac crest.

The hip belt is attached to the suspension by this "load transfer disc".  This disc allows the weight to be distributed to the hipbelt and allows the hip belt to pivot and the hips move freely.

The hip belt is pre-curved which allows one to tighten the hipbelt without uncomfortable creases.  There are few backpacks that I have used that haven't hurt my hips or rubbed them raw in places.  That is partially due to clothing I have worn with the backpack, but it is also partially due to the hipbelts used.  This hipbelt hasn't caused those problems. 

The Shoulder Straps are attached by velcro and this "gridlock" system.  

A better look at the Gridlock system.  Because the hipbelt is fixed, the torso adjustment is here at the shoulder straps using this gridlock system.  The shoulder straps can be adjusted shorter or longer by about two inches and laterally by about two inches.

This stretch mesh pocket is on the hipbelt and is big enough for an energy bar or two.

The front kangaroo pocket adds a lot of volume to the pack and allows a place for wet items that are separate from the rest of the pack.

This pocket is big enough for my tent.  You can get an idea on how big that is by the picture above.

Stretch mesh water bottle pocket.  It has a bungee around the top to secure the bottle.

The big zipper panel.  It is protected by six straps so that the pack can be stuffed tight without the zipper failing.

This is what it looks like with the panel open.  Every inch of the main packbag can be reached with the panel open.  You can also see the suspension laminated together.  Two aluminum stays going from the shoulders down to the load transfer disc and a stiff backpanel help support heavy loads.

This internal pocket is for hydration bladders.  It's not very wide and may fit slender 2-liter bladders, but it's not big enough to fit any of my bladders (camelbak and Osprey 3-liter bladders).  Having the weight on the side of the pack is not a wise design, in my opinion.  I like to have my heaviest stuff (water, food, etc) in the center of my body, not on a side panel.  I do like this pocket for storing small stuff.  It allows me organize my gear without using a ton of ditty bags and stuff sacks.  I just throw my hydration bladders at the top of the main packbag so it's easy to get to when I need to refill it.

Hydration hose port on the outside.  It's well protected with hypalon but I still think it's useless.

This top strap over the opening of the packbag is adjustable from both sides and is great for strapping on a rope or other items that won't fit inside.

One zippered map pocket is found under the lid.

Two big pockets on the top lid are protected by waterproof zippers.  This pocket is the smaller pocket.  It is quite large.  This pocket alone is as big as many other packs' whole lid.

The other, larger pocket.  It's big enough to fit a lightly insulated midlayer, rain jacket, food, etc.  The lid is big.

The inside of the pack is made of bright material which makes it easier to see items at the bottom of the bag in lower light.

The Gripes

This pack is not ideal for climbing.  Simple.  It's not a climbing pack.  There are not good ways to attach climbing gear except for a rope.  Also, the hipbelt is so big that it makes a harness unusable.  If you take the hipbelt off for climbing, it's hard to pack because it doesn't fold well.  Finally, you can't look up with a helmet on.  It's simply made for backpacking, not climbing.  

The Verdict

I have used this backpack for a week with trad climbing gear and a rope, tent, food, sleeping bag, stove, etc. all on the inside.  I have used this pack for four days of backpacking in New Zealand where it rained half the time.  My gear stayed dry the whole time.  It fit more than I needed every time and carried it comfortably.  

The problem with the pack, for me, is just what I said earlier.  It's not ideal for climbing.  

I'd give this pack 4.5 out of 5 stars.  I like the size and the comfort of the pack with heavy loads.  It's often too large and I am tempted to pack too much, but for big, gear-intensive trips or for a person backpacking with their family (and carrying a lot of the family's gear), it's a great pack.  I wouldn't want it to be my only pack because I use this pack on about 1 out of 5 trips.  But for gear-intensive backpacking trips, I'm really glad I have it. 

Ogden Climbing Festival 5 Recap

Here are some pictures from the 5th Annual Ogden Climbing Festival held over the weekend.  Other pictures of the event can be found at http://www.facebook.com/pages/GEAR30/238664089522909

GEAR:30 was at the Gear Demo for their public debut.

Many vendors showed up with gear to demo, including Mad Rock, Scarpa, Black Diamond, Red Chili, and Revv NRG.  It was a fun time.

At the Boulder Comp the next morning.  

We had a strong female showing.  There weren't necessarily a lot of females that climbed, but they were all strong.

Curt and Denver helped organize and judge the comp.  Curt is a huge help every year, marking all the routes on each of the boulders with chalk.  This year it rained over night, so he had to remark each of the routes early Saturday morning.

Eric Zschiesche cruising routes that few others seemed to get up

Sawyer Wylie, a friend of mine and blogger at http://wasatchtales.blogspot.com/. 

Shane Bryson.  This traverse is rated at a V8 or so.  Shane went on to take first place in the comp for the open category.

Eric Zsciesche came in 2nd place in the open category.  He always brings a lot of positive energy to these events.

Staff from The Front Ogden climbing gym taught a children's bouldering clinic.

Peter Croft taught a climbing clinic/Q&A session.

It was super fun to have Peter out.  Later that night he gave a slideshow presentation and told some great stories.  It was a really good time.

Peter signing posters before his presentation.

For more (and better) pictures of the Festival, check out the OgdenOutdoorAdventure Facebook page here and the GEAR:30 Facebook page here

5th Annual Ogden Climbing Festival update

The 5th Annual Ogden Climbing Festival is winding down, with just one more event tomorrow morning. Tomorrow morning there will be a boulder field clean up and trail maintenance.

There was a good turnout to yesterday's gear demo and today's boulder comp, bbq, climbing clinic, Peter Croft presentation, and after party at The Front climbing gym.  I took a lot of pictures, but I left my SD card in a camera that currently isn't in my possession, so I can't download any of the pictures.  They will be coming, probably on Monday.

We had a pretty good turnout at the Redpoint Boulder Comp, but not as many as in years past, unfortunately.  I guess some people don't love bouldering on our Quartzite.  We did have a few really strong climbers show up, however, with Shane Bryson taking first place in the Open category.  Eric Zschiesche came in second place.

I don't remember the results for the other categories, unfortunately, but I hope to get them in the next day or two so I can post them.

The climbing clinic with Peter Croft was a lot of fun.  We were able to ask questions and pick his brain about all things climbing.  I was lucky enough to talk to him for about 15 or 20 minutes after we had cleaned everything up and got some beta on the Evolution Traverse in the Sierras, a climb that has been on my "to do" list for quite a while now.  Peter was a super friendly guy and it was a real pleasure getting to know him a little bit.

Peter's presentation tonight was great.  He shared some amazing pictures and funny stories with us.  He told a story of climbing the Nose with Eric Zschiesche, and Ogden local.  A lot of people in Ogden know Eric for his eccentric, happy-go-lucky personality and friendliness, but I think it was a bit of an eye opener to learn that Ogden has a climbing legend in our midst (other than Jeff Lowe).  I often see Eric while out climbing and he is cranking as hard as ever.  He's climbed multiple 5.13s here in Ogden in recent months.  Super cool guy.  Anyway, it was a really fun night hearing all those stories

I hope to have some pictures of the events posted within the next day or two.

New Website, GEARTHIRTY.COM

This is a public service announcement for everybody that is interested in the outdoors.  Myself and a few other outdoor athletes from Ogden have joined forces and have a new website to offer how-to information; gear reviews; outdoor news; local trail, climbing, skiing, and whitewater conditions; etc. for everybody interested.  This website is in conjunction with a new GEAR:30 Facebook page and, eventually (September 2012), a new brick-n-mortar specialty retail shop in Ogden, Utah, also called GEAR:30.

Though the website is up and running, we are still working on transferring content over from other sites that we have been running for the past couple years.  Come visit the website, www.gearthirty.com .  We hope to be a great resource for everybody that loves the mountains, whether you are an Ogden local or live on the other side of the world.  We will be working hard to keep content fresh and up-to-date.

I will continue to do just what I've been doing with this blog, but the content of this blog will also be found at www.gearthirty.com along with a lot of other content from other great sources.  I will continue to do gear reviews on as much good gear as I can get a hold of, whether it will be carried in the GEAR:30 store or not.  Our Facebook page will also be an easy way to stay current on what is happening in the outdoor world.  Visit us at Gear:30 Facebook

With all that said, I'm heading off to work at the 5th Annual Ogden Climbing Festival.  Come visit GEAR:30 tonight from 5-9pm at the Gear Demo at Weber State University's Weber Rocks climbing wall.  Petzl, Black Diamond, La Sportiva, Red Chili, Evolv, and many others will be there.  We will be giving shirts, hats, stickers, and climbing rope, and many other prizes and giveaways have been donated by all different vendors, including Arc'teryx backpacks, shoes, harnesses, etc. Should be a super fun weekend!

Ogden Climbing Festival this weekend

The 5th Annual Ogden Climbing Festival will be going on this weekend, April 25-29.  Some of the activities that will be going on during the festival are as follows:

April 25-27 - AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Course

April 27 - Free Gear Demo from 5-9pm at the Weber State Weber Rocks Climbing Gym

April 28 - 10am-12:30pm Red Point Boulder Comp outside (weather permitting) at the Ogden boulder    field 

                 12-1pm Free Red Bull BBQ

                 1-3:30pm Free Climbing Clinics, including a clinic from Peter Croft

                 6:30 Peter Croft Keynote Presentation

                 8:30-11 Event After Party at the Front Ogden Climbing Club with free food and beverage provided by Roosters

April 29 - Boulder Field Cleanup and Trail Maintenance

Come Join us.  It is always a good time!

Here are some pictures of the 2010 and 2011 OCF.  2010 Pics are outside, 2011 are inside due to snow.  These photos are courtesy of Ogden Outdoor Adventure.  www.ogdenoutdooradventure.com

Maggie pulling the crux move

Will Gadd came out to boulder with us for the day and then gave a presentation that evening.  What an awesome guy! 

The Gear Demo at Weber State.  Black Diamond, Petzl, Evolv, The Front Ogden, and a bunch of other sponsors showed up with their gear for people to try out.

Ogden Outdoor Adventure proprietor and radio host Brandon Long with Beth Rodden.  Beth came and taught us how to make salsa.  The baby is a little star struck.  She gave a great presentation the next night.

2011 climbing comp was inside at The Front Ogden due to snowy weather.  There was a good turnout.  Hannah here was one of the many hard women to compete.

Jed Lowe showing the rest how steep climbing is done.  Don't remember if he won or not.  He usually does.

Here's a video of last year's climbing festival:

http://www.standard.net/media/video?clipId=5740418&topVideoCatNo=112028&autoStart=true

For more detailed info on the climbing festival check out this website:

http://www.weber.edu/outdoor/Ogden_Climbing_Festival_2012.html

Daniel, Tim, and the rest of the Weber State Outdoor Program always organize a great festival and with help from a lot of sponsors, this year should be better than ever.

Feathered Friends Spoonbill. Not a review, just a heads up.

This is not a review.  I have not yet used this bag.  These are just observations.  Consider it me thinking out loud.

I was browsing some web sites this morning and came across the Feathered Friends Spoonbill two-person sleeping bag.  It was unveiled in 2007.  Not sure why I didn't notice it until now.  I have been toying with the idea of building a two person quilt for backpacking with my wife and for alpine climbing with a partner.  Though I don't enjoy sleeping in the same bag or quilt with another man, it is a lot more efficient to share body heat than to have two separate sleeping bags.

There was a line in the Spoonbill description that I found really intriguing:

"This bag has been tested extensively on Denali for the past five years and the feedback has been that it is plenty warm on that mountain for the athletes who were using it."

The bag weighs 2lb 11oz in a regular length.  That's the same weight as their Snowbunting 0 degree, 1-person sleeping bag, which is not warm enough for Denali for a single person, at least not without wearing other insulating layers as well.

The Spoonbill has approximately 5" of loft, about the same as FF's 20 degree sleeping bags.  But, then you add a heater sleeping next to you and the warmth and efficiency of the bag goes way up.  I've read a couple reviews of it being closer to a 10 degree bag and Feathered Friends says that their testers show it to be closer to a 0 degree bag.

I'm sure Feathered Friends' Denali claim totally depends on who the people are inside the bag.

Here are some stats:

• Fill Weight: 23oz
• Average Total Weight: 2lb 11oz
• 850 or 900 fill power goose down
• Width: 104" of girth at the shoulders, 90" at the hips, 68" at the feet
• Two, fully-adjustable hoods (adjusting one hood shouldn't affect the other person)
• Comes with either a NanoSphere shell or an Ultralight Pertex Endurance Shell
• There is no down on the bottom; one must rely on their pads for warmth.  Compressed down on the bottom doesn't do much anyway.
• $700-$850, depending on length and shell material.  Ouch!

Why I think this is a good idea

Let's consider the possibility that this bag is warm enough for Denali.  That means with two people it's warmth is comparable to a 0 degree bag, approximately.  A 0 degree bag from Feathered Friends will cost you about $550-$600 and will weigh about 2lb 11oz.  A comparable Western Mountaineering bag will cost about $580 and weigh around 2lb 11oz.  If you multiply this by two bags, then the weight is hovering between five and six pounds.  Just one Spoonbill weighs 2lb 11oz and is big enough for two people.  That's a weight savings of almost three pounds.  And for the unlucky person that gets to carry the bag, they're still only carrying the same weight as they would be with a 1-person 0 degree bag and would be saving a pound of weight, compared to carrying their own -20 bag.

Now let's consider that this bag is not warm enough for Denali by itself, but it is if you wear an insulated jacket and pants as part of your sleep system.  You may still sleep more comfortably because the bag is roomier than a normal sleeping bag.  I'm not sure about you, but when I sleep in my down jacket, I can't zip up my sleeping bag or it's simply too snug for comfort.  I struggle in a mummy bag without extra layers.  Having a two person bag, though still snug, I would guess would be more comfortable with those extra layers.

Finally, one of these bags is a lot cheaper than two of the others.  $750 for this bag is a lot better than about $1200 for two of the others.

The Potential Downsides

I can see a few potential downsides to this bag.  First of all, as a backpacking bag for use with my wife, I don't think it could get any better.  As an alpine climbing bag with a buddy, I'm not so sure.  Just the thought of cuddling with another guy all night is enough to make me consider carrying the extra 3 pounds we'd be saving.

Here is one of the funniest things I've read on the subject, by Kelly Cordes:

http://www.patagonia.com/us/patagonia.go?assetid=50207

The other downside is that it may not be as versatile on a solo trip.  I guess you could unzip one side and fold the extra sleeping bag over like a burrito, but probably not as light or as efficient as a single person bag for a solo trip.

Either way, I'm still strongly considering this option for my wife and I and am debating its use as a 2-man  alpine climbing bag when going really light is necessary.

These pictures were taken from Feathered Friends' Facebook Page.  Hope they don't mind:

Notice there's no insulation on the bottom of the bag.  When you sleep on down, the down is compressed and loses its insulating value.  Therefore, it's pointless weight.  Sleeping pads are the key to insulating from the ground.

3-D Hoods

2lb 10.5oz according to this scale.

Two Ogdenites on Everest

Two guys from Ogden are on Everest this spring.  My buddy at OgdenOutdoorAdventure.com will be posting their dispatches on his website.  Check it out here:

http://ogdenoutdooradventure.com/2012/04/24/ogden-on-everest-dispatch-1/

Transitioning to Forefoot and/or Minimalist Running Shoes Part 2

Let me say, at the outset, that I am not a running coach.  Any knowledge that I have on this subject come from personal experience, not from any formal training.  Therefore, please take these comments as my own suggestions, not as expert advice.

Here is a brief summary of my history with running:

Throughout my life I have enjoyed being active.  I played various team sports until I was 12, at which point I started mountain bike racing, rock climbing, and running.  I ran long distance races competitively until I was 19 and then moved to Europe for a couple years.  For the last four years I have run off and on; mostly off because running was too painful and I enjoyed biking and climbing more.

Two years ago, while working at a local shop, the desire to run came back.  I was talking to some friends of mine and my boss, who is an ultra-marathoning nut, overheard me complaining about running injuries and how I wish I could still run.  He invited me to go running with him and told me he'd coach me on how to run with a forefoot strike.  I took him up on it and within a few weeks running became enjoyable again.

My Transition

My transition to a forefoot strike started about two months before my first run with my boss.  I have always worn "supportive" shoes with "good arch support".  When I wasn't wearing shoes I was wearing Chacos with "good arch support."  Over the years my feet had become very weak.  About two months before this run, I bought a pair of Sanuk shoes (oh wait, they're not shoes, they're sandals).  They were some of the most comfortable shoes I'd ever worn and they were on sale.  Sanuks, however, do not have "good arch support."  Man were my feet sore.  For the first three weeks or so, every time I would wear these Sanuks my feet would get sore.  The soreness came because the muscles in my foot were getting a workout and weren't used to it.  It's no different than sore arms after lifting weight.

I wore these shoes more and more and wore other shoes less and less.  As my feet strengthened, I noticed that I enjoyed shoes and sandals that had little support.

The trail run I went on with my boss was six miles long and in the snow.  He taught me that I was overstriding which was causing me to land on my heels.  He also explained that it would be very difficult to run properly in shoes with a big, built-up heel.  Because most shoes have a 12mm drop (the heel is 12mm higher than the forefoot), he'd cut a 12mm wedge out of the heels of his shoes to help him run properly.  So, I shortened my stride and quickened my cadence.

Next he taught me that I should have good posture when I'm running properly.  Because of the big heels of my shoes (and laziness), it was difficult to always have good posture.  But, I rolled my shoulders back, stuck my chest out, and focused on having good posture.  This became much easier once I got shoes that have a zero drop.  

He also taught me that my arms should be pretty compact by my side, swinging forward from the shoulder, not across my body.  I was already doing this much.

Finally, he told me it would take a little time to get used to the new technique and to stick with it.  I did, and after a couple weeks, my knee pain was gone.  As the weather warmed up, I started running on the grass at a park without shoes on.  I did this to help make sure my technique was proper (when I run without shoes, I naturally use proper technique; my posture is good, I forefoot strike, etc) and to help strengthen my feet.

One other thing that was helpful was that I read the book Born to Run  while I was making the transition, which helped me stay motivated to run.  After reading that book, I was convinced that I could eat some chia seeds, lose the shoes, and run 200 miles.  Now I'm convinced that snickers taste better than chia seeds, that marathons are plenty long (though I will do 100 miles at some point), and that, with proper running technique, I can at least run pain free.

Transition Pains

As I transitioned to a forefoot strike, my knee pain went away, but other pains came.  First of all, the day after my first run, I could barely walk.  My calves were so sore!  I hadn't given my calves that good of a workout in a very long time.  This, however, was just muscle pain from a good workout, not joint pain.  I stuck with the running and, after about three weeks, my calves were used to the running

My boss mentioned that it's best to transition slowly, starting with a short run and getting progressively longer as your body gets used to it.  I would suggest this, otherwise you do risk injury by straining weak muscles that have not yet adapted to the new strain.

Another transition pain was from plantar fascitis in the ball of my foot.  I think this was caused by older, poor-fitting shoes.  With the additional pressure on the ball of my foot and a shoe that was too narrow in the forefoot to allow my toes to splay properly, the tendons in my foot started acting up and I soon had pain shooting up my foot every time I would long on a rock or tree root (or even a slight mound) with the ball of my foot.

The more I wore these running shoes, the worse it got.  Eventually I threw the shoes out and got a pair of Altra Instinct running shoes (of which I have already written a fair amount) and the pain slowly went away.  It took about a month for the pain to totally subside.

Now I am super picky about the shoes I run in and wear.  These Altras are so comfortable they have turned me into a snob.  There are few things I am pickier about now than my running and hiking shoes.

Transitioning Tips from Altra

Considering my running "coach" is one of the founders at Altra, I often look to them for information about technique and transitioning.  This is what their website has to say about it:

Transition to Zero Drop Footwear

Most Running Shoes are built on a 2-to-1 heel-to-toe ratio (Twice as thick in the heel as the forefoot). Zero Drop footwear by ALTRA has been built on a 1-to-1 ratio (The heel and forefoot are the same heights off the ground).
A lifetime of wearing an elevated heel has neutralized your Achilles and lower calf and THEY NEED TIME TO REDEVELOP!
Depending on your foot and calf strength, many runners will experience some lower calf tightness due to the natural loading effect of running with Zero Drop. Getting into Zero Drop Shoes will be an adjustment for many. Please read the appropriate directions depending on your shoe.

Minimalist Zero Drop Shoe Transition Guide

How to transition from traditional running shoes to Altra's Zero Drop and minimalist shoes… Running Minimalist or Barefoot Transition Program for Average Feet (i.e. Occasionally walk around barefoot; doesn’t wear supportive insoles)
This program is built for runners & walkers who have average foot strength in order to help them transition to barefoot, minimal (i.e. Adam/Eve), or cushion Zero Drop (e.i. Instinct/Intuition) footwear. Candidates are people who use their feet a fair amount, exercise regularly, don’t wear overly supportive shoes or insoles, and those who may occasionally walk around or run barefoot. I suggest doing the following program as part of regular exercise routine. Simply take some time during your workout in your minimalist footwear or bare feet.
For your first outing, go 1 mile wearing your minimalist shoes or barefoot. The following day, evaluate your level of comfort*. If you have no soreness, then add a ½ mile to your routine the following day. Continue running one day, evaluating the next until you get a bit sore. Once you get sore, you’ve found your base line and foundation to build from. Once you find your baseline, simply add a few minutes every couple of days to your routine and continue to evaluate on a regular basis. Within a few short weeks, you should be able to run long distances with no problems.
*The key to being successful in phasing in a minimalist routine is to evaluate your level of comfort and to find a base line to build from. If you get to the point during your workout where you feel uncomfortable, you have probably gone too long and will most likely be a little sore the next day. This is the premise for the whole program.

Closing Thoughts

This is me again, not Altra:

Listen to your body.  If there is pain, that's your body's way of saying that something is wrong.  In my experience, it is much easier to stay motivated to make the transition if you start slowly to help minimize the pain.  If you transition too quickly and you feel a lot of calf soreness, you are less likely to go out the next day for another run.