Altra Zero Drop vs New Balance Minimus
Altra zero drop running shoes has always been one of the popular brands in the low heel drop shoe category. Recently though, other traditional brands have began to make inroads into this category and one of them is New Balance. In particular the New Balance Minimus range has attracted good reviews. I have write about them in my article on my new balance minimus shoes review. However, between altra zero drop and the new balance minimus, which is a better shoe for running?
#1: Fit
Both Altra zero drop and the New Balance Minimus has a roomy toe box, which is important in a zero drop shoe. This is because as your feet gets closer to the ground, your toes will need more space to be planted on and this is why both shoes have a very nice fit when you put them on for running.
#2: Cushioning
Although many runners liked the zero drop idea, they also prefer some form of cushioning to lessen the impact of their foot strikes. In this aspect, the Altra zero drop has the slight edge as it is very well cushioned. The actual cushion is of the firm type for the Altra zero drop and doesn’t give off any squashy sounds.
#3: Flexibility
A shoe is said to be flexible when it can be easily bent. This is important as a flexible shoe allow your foot to behave the way it is supposed to. If your foot is forced into an non flexible shoe, it will be confined to whatever shape the shoe allows for.
Altra zero drop has one of the best flexibility, much more than the New Balance Maximus. You can see it easily in the image photo. I don’t think there is any zero drop running shoe that can do better than this.
#4: Prices
New Balance has always been well known for its value for money shoes. Hence, when it comes to price, the New Balance MInimus offers a more affordable pricing, relative to the Altra Zero drop. The difference is about USD20-30 so it is not a big deal. However, if you have a limited budget, then New Balance is probably the choice for you.
Conclusion
My comparison shows that Altra zero drop is still the better option when it comes to 0 heel drop running shoes. The New Balance Minimus is not a better alternative but it loses out in the cushioning and flexibility department. However, if these two aspects are not important to you or if you are on a budget, then the New Balance Minimus is a great option as well.
