Altra Men's Torin 9 Running Shoes

About This Item

Experience plush comfort and effortless daily performance in the Altra Torin 9, a road running shoe built to help you go farther with confidence. Responsive P35X™ cushioning, a roomy FootShape™ toe box, and a smooth zero-drop platform work together to create a natural and comfortable ride mile after mile. Whether you're logging daily runs or enjoying long walks, the Torin 9 delivers the comfort, fit, and durability you need to keep moving forward


Design:

  • Breathable mesh upper delivers an improved fit with a soft step-in feel
  • Updated heel shape and elevated tongue details enhance comfort and fit
  • Signature Altra Fit offers a roomy toe box for natural toe movement with a secure midfoot hold

In-Shoe Comfort:

  • P35X™ dual-density foam combines a softer inner layer and firmer outer layer for cushioned stability
  • Responsive underfoot feel helps create a smooth and energetic ride
  • Zero-drop platform promotes a natural movement pattern for everyday miles

Durability & Traction:

  • Vibram® XS DURA outsole delivers durable road-ready grip
  • Outsole is designed to be 8.5% grippier than the previous Torin model
  • Built for confident traction and smooth responsiveness on paved surfaces

Additional Details:

  • Best for daily runs and walking
  • Neutral support design
  • 28mm stack height balances comfort and performance
  • 0mm heel-to-toe drop encourages natural movement
  • Weight: 9.8 oz / 269 g
  • Brand : Altra
  • Country of Origin : Imported
  • Web ID: 26ALTMRUNNGDIGS6DJXVW

REVIEWS

3.6

61 Reviews

Huge Step Backwards

I was a serious competitive runner for 41 years. I now walk 5-8 miles a day. I can honestly say that the Torin 9 is the most disappointing shoe I’ve ever bought. There is nothing carried over from the 8. It’s unstable, and the fit is awful because the tongue is thick, lumpy, and the lacing system design makes it impossible to find a comfortable fit. I’ve owned many pairs of Torins over the years. The company’s trend toward making unnecessary changes every year is a true head scratcher.

Brilliant Shoe. Took Me A While To Catch Up.

The Altra Torin 9 is an exceptionally comfortable, thoughtfully engineered running shoe, although I initially questioned whether the engineers had been entirely sober when designing the lacing system. There’s an unusual gap in the lacing arrangement that struck me as either a manufacturing defect or a spectacularly misguided design decision. I spent an embarrassing amount of time examining it, adjusting the laces, and questioning the judgment of everyone involved. Then came my epiphany: it wasn’t a bug. It was a feature. Once I understood how the system worked, I discovered just how easily I could fine-tune the fit. Suddenly, the very thing I’d been criticizing became one of my favorite aspects of the shoe. Apparently, the engineers knew what they were doing. Imagine that. Beyond my self-inflicted lacing drama, the Torin 9 is terrific. The spacious toe box gives my toes room to spread naturally, while the midfoot and heel remain comfortably secure. The dual-density P35X cushioning delivers a wonderfully balanced combination of softness, stability, and responsiveness, without the mushy sensation that sometimes accompanies heavily cushioned running shoes. I’m particularly impressed with the Vibram XS DURA outsole, which provides excellent traction and looks substantially more durable than the relatively featureless soles found on many road-running shoes. The zero-drop platform feels natural underfoot, and the overall construction is outstanding. The Torin 9 has earned its place alongside my FWD Via 2 and Experience Wild 3+ in my three-shoe Altra rotation. Five stars for the shoes, and perhaps three for the fellow who initially couldn’t figure out how to lace them.

Nice Shoes For Zero Drop Fans

I bought these mostly for some light road running, where I appreciate the zero drop and perfect amount of cushion. I find them to be very responsive without being overly aggressive or snappy, which is my preference. I love the Vibram outsole which provides awesome traction when things get a little slippery. They do, by design, run narrower in the toe box than my all-time favorites, the Lone Peaks, but not so much that they are uncomfortable. Most of my runs/hikes or on trail, but when I do get out on the pavement these are my go-to's.

Disappointing Changes

The Torin 9 is a big departure from the Torin 8 (I owned 7 pairs of 8's). The Torin 9's lack of Heel structure, poor shoelace execution, toe box design, and unstable foot bed is disappointing. There seems to be a lack of structure in the shoe both in the upper and lower. For reference I am 6',2", 260lbs, and a 14 wide. It made me sad. I ended up ordering 4 pairs of Torin 8's as back up until I can figure out a new shoe to lock into. I took me a long time to find a shoe as good as the Torin 8, bummed to be on the search again.

I Expected More..

I've used the Torin 5 and 7 before and I think the Torin continues to have some issues, though the 9s have some good upgrades to. The vibram outsole is of course a nice touch. It makes the shoe work well in many types of terrain. I think the heel collar is much better than the last few versions. It's just soft and padded, and not too stiff. The new midsole is good, but there's nothing really special about it in my opinion, though I like that they went down to 28mm stack again. The problem I have with these shoes is the upper. It is way too tight across the top of my foot. it's ot too narrow (though I wouldn't say no to a little more width), it's just too tight, and it rubs against the top of my forefoot and takes away the comfort I look for in an Altra shoe. And I don't have a really high volume foot, so I suppose others could experience the same feeling. I have seen other reviewers comment on the same thing as well. The tongue is also very weird. To me the structure of the tongue feels a bit like a piece of wet cardboard, which bends and folds when I tighten the laces. I find this very disapointing because Altra have a lot of other shoes with perfectly fine, padded tongues, but the Torins always seem to have some issues with it. In every new Torin the tongue is updated, but it is never good. For me the concept of the Altra Torin is the ultimate daily trainer, so I really hope to see some of these continuing issues with the Torin get better in future versions.

Not What I Expected From Torin

I've been wearing Torin shoes for over 4 years. Since the Torin 6 I've had each edition. I run in them everyday and have loved them all. I recently ordered the Torin 9 hoping it would continue. Unfortunately I found the support to be lacking and the shoe to be very small compared to the 8. I can barely lace it up and would likely have to go a full size larger to fit in the height, but that would make the length too long. I'm so disappointed that I recently order a few pairs of the Torin 8 to get me through until their next redesign.

Torin 9 Not Quite As Great As Torin 8

I bought a pair of Torin 8's last year and absolutely loved them! I put over 650 KM on them. I bought a pair of Torin 9's Last month and am a little disappointed. First the laces are too short since I always use the last hole - I had to go out and buy longer laces. And I hate the leather lace loops. It makes lacing up a 2 or 3 step process. I have to agree with a couple of other reviews here that they feel tighter in the toe box than the Torin 8, although they are the same size (8. 5). The slightly softer sole feels good but not necessary as the Torin 8 was perfect for me. This is my 5th pair of Altra shoes and all around Altra is the best for me.

Pop Ups A-plenty

I wanted to shop your website, but I kept being interrupted by multiple pop-ups, including this review page. Better luck next time, I guess.

The Tongue Is Horrible !

I have 3 pairs of the Torin 8 's . Tongue is extremely comfortable . It doesn't move around or crunch up . Torin 8's slide right on . I slid the new Torin 9's on and immediately as I started tiring shoe laces tongue starts crunching up . Took me a lot of adjusting trying to tie shoes without felling the crunched up tongue . I really wanted to love these shoes . Torrin 8's slide on and tie effortlessly !

I Have A Love Hate Relationship W These

Love the wider (wider than other brand's) toe box. Love the zero drop. Love the cushioning. It would seem to be impossible to find these combinations in a style acceptable for me to see patients in any other brand. Zeros, Lems etc. At least the style is here OK. Hate the tongue. It gets folded somehow and is uncomfortable. I don't remember an uncomfortable tongue EVER. The durability is poor, the paint or whatever it is is coming off around the front. There is the word VIBRAM in bright yellow on the toe. WHY??? I'm not a nascar.. Please remove. And the color options are never great but that's all brands. Lastly, I am wearing an 11. I've NEVER worn an 11, always 10.5 in all other running shoes.

Winner!

I don’t think anyone enjoys getting back into running if you fall off the wagon. Especially as a stocky/shorter dude, I had to really ease into the process and slowly ramp up volume and basically rebuild my running technique over the last several hundred miles. I have gone through probably a dozen brands in the last few years and I’ll be sticking with Altras. I started with the paradigms a while back, and am currently breaking in my second pair of ronins. I am very pleased with the lack of complications that these shoes have presented. These shoes have complemented a well executed return to running regimen. I experienced a lot of ankle flexion pain and plantar fasciitis with some other major brands recommended to me during a gait assessment. Altras have definitely minimized complications and seem to be the most compatible for my build and technique. The insole has held up well (currently at about 260mi on these) and foam still seems pretty sturdy. Outsole wear seems pretty reasonable as well. These seem to hold tread a little better than my Alta lone peak trail shoes. Best part is, regardless of miles ran that day, I am not returning home with throbbing feet or in a rush to take them off asap. The toe box and tongue fitment is extremely comfortable to me. I would wear these to work if I could. The fabric does seem to hold dirt pretty good. I have had a hard time removing discoloration from rainy runs on the white fabric compared to other brands. A small complaint compared to all the positives. Will certainly be getting another pair when the time comes, or trying out the flow next.

Good Shoe For Daily Walks But Too Tight

This is an OK shoe for my daily walks but I have one problem with them that I have not had with other Altra models (Lone Peak and Experience Wild): this Torin 9 is too narrow. After a short distance, I feel my feet being squeezed about where the ball of my foot is. I've tried lacing them up using a bit of slack but that only helps a little. The main reason I like Altra is because of the extra width in their designs. I didn't think Altra would make a shoe that is too narrow. Other than the width issue, I like walking in these shoes.

Another Update On Torin 9

So after a size too small and hating the first torin 9 I tried due to bruised toes I purchased the torin 9 in mens going up half size for the width. Friday was a great run, despite fighting a cold ran 6 miles at 8:49 pace with the shoes out the box. Today still fighting a bug, I went out for a 10 mile run with 892 feet of elevation and this is where the Torin 9 shines. The grippiness of the sole makes downhill running effortless and not bleeding extra energy just to stabilize going downhill, shoes are super comfortable once you get the right size with perfect cushioning and the best traction I have ever had running on hills. I never realized until today how much energy it takes to stabilize muscles running downhill and the torin 9 was so nice. I hope this stays forever... It would be fun to see a max cushion version of this exact shoe zero drop just like this for recovery runs. Well done Altra

Disappointing

I have gone through 10+ pairs of the Torino 8s and really loved them. The Torin 9s have been a big disappointment. In the same size as the Torin 8s, the 9s feel like they are considerably narrower everywhere, toe box, midfoot, and heel. The toe box and top of the midfoot is especially tight and narrow. I've put about 50 miles on them so far and my feet hurt every time becuase of how tight and narrow they are. Another odd thing is the tongue size and shape. Is wraps around quite a bit of the top of the foot and when the laces are tightened bunches up in weird ways because of how much it wraps around the top of the foot. Another issue is the lacing holes. Instead of going through the shoe like normal, tabs are wrapped from outside to inside of shoes with lacing going under them. The tabs on the inside of the shoe with the new thinner tongue create horrible pressure spots on the foot. Really getting frustrated with altra as a brand these days as they seem to be straying away from what made them great, wide toe box and zero drop. With this new iteration of torin there really isnt any daily trainer road shoe with a wide toe box and zero drop.

A Walking Shoe, Worse Than The 8

If you buy these shoes, buy them in a wide. That being said, they are not a structurally sound shoe for pounding the pavement or treadmill. Definitely don't have the support of the Torin 8, which I run in. This shoe, at best, is a shoe that I would wear for walking around but I would never exercise in them.

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