So FAST on the trail

Having run Altra shoes for the better part of the last decade in my everyday wear, training, and hunting; when Altra's new Mont Blanc with the full-length Carbinex plate hit the market they immediately caught my eye. When they showed up on Guidefitter I thought, "man it would be so nice to be able to get away with a shoe like that in the backcountry versus a big heavy leather boot". Well, over 100 miles of backcountry hiking, hunting and trail running has shown my what this shoe is and what it isn't.

What it is:

The Mont Blanc Carbon is easily the most responsive shoe I've worn in the backcountry. This cushion and propulsion system built in just allows you to click down the miles with ease. I really enjoyed them for training and scouting hikes, and on-trail backcountry hunting. As long as I was on relatively stable footing and ground, the shoe and its overbuilt cushioning never had me wishing for a more robust boot.

What it isn't:

The Mont Blanc Carbon is not a technical off-trail terrain option when it comes to carrying heavy loads on your back as a backcountry hunter. When the terrain got steep and loose and my backpack got very heavy I found myself repeatedly trying to tighten the shoe down looking for more support and confidence.

Final thoughts:

This shoe isn't designed for those heavy, off camber mountainsides, especially off trail. But if scouting, training, or even hunting in an area that has a great trail system I don't think this shoe can be beat for its ability to just click away the miles providing confidence inspiring cushion and responsiveness above anything else. It's holding up nicely even with the abuse I put it through. I could see this shoe paired with another one of Altras options I love, the Lone Peak Mids, being my 1-2 punch for next year's backcountry adventures. I look forward to more trail running and training in this shoe this fall as the weather starts to turn colder. Altra nailed it with this shoe.