Altra - Rivera 3

I alternate between Altra Rivera 3s and Atreyu Daily Trainers (the newest model is the daily trainer 2). The Atreyus have a thicker sole and a 6mm drop, but nothing like what you’re talking about. They’re also lighter than most other shoes and feel very light. The new ones are only 7.7oz. Atreyu is a new company. They’ve only been around for 5 years or so. I absolutely love my pair.

4 pairs. I've heard that running in different shoes can help reduce injury risk, possibly by working different small muscles in each one. Seems to be helping me so far, as I used to be injury prone and I have recently been increasing my weekly mileage and speed work with no problems yet. Most of my shorter easy runs in Altra Rivera 2s, but this pair is pretty beat up and probably on its way out. It's a nice comfy zero drop shoe and I love it so much Longer (> 7 miles) easy runs in Saucony Triumph 19s. Higher drop and high cushion. Speed work in Saucony Kinvara 16s. Mid drop, extremely lightweight, love them! Other daily trainer is the Asics Gel Nimbus Lite. They're great at easy and quick paces. I also have a pair of Saucony Endorphin Pros that I haven't used yet but will hopefully whip out for race day It sounds like a lot but I got all except the Kinvaras used on Poshmark for less than $40 each. In great condition, too.

Been using Riveras on roads for a few years now, Superiors for the trails. The Rivera is a damn comfy road shoe.

I've been doing road runs with the Saucony Endorphin Speeds for a few years, they're great. They have an 8mm drop but I wouldn't disregard them or other >6mm drop shoes so quickly without at least trying them in store and on a treadmill. I ran exclusively in Altras for years and even with 8mm drop shoes my wear patterns are normal and the heels show less wear. You can work on your form and pick up your feet regardless if it's 5mm drop or 9mm drop. But totally fine if you don't want to try a >6mm drop shoe, I really liked the Altra Rivera but ultimately not as durable and long living as my Endorphin Speeds. I averaged around 400 miles in the Rivera before the upper fabric wore/blew out and could no longer keep my feet secure vs averaging >1,000 miles in my Endorphin Speeds.

Yeah I primary use the Rivera but maybe the escalante actually has some arch support ? My Riveras are basically flat on the inside lol

Yeah, on longer runs I’d like something that has some arch support. I also have really high arches (wet test I have nothing connecting my heel and forefoot)

Altra fanboy here. Between the Escalante Racer and the Torin lie the standard Escalante (my current shoe) and the Rivera (my former shoe). I ran through three pairs of Riveras, but decided I wanted to move toward less cushion, so I tried the Escalante. I'm on my second pair of Escalantes now and I love them, too. Since you've already got the Racers, I'd suggest giving the Rivera a try.

I loved the Rivera style which was discontinued. The Torins that I have now are horrible. Too tight and I had to buy a shoehorn to shove my foot into it.

For Achilles and plantar issues you usually want a combination of moderate heel drop, a stable midsole, and a roomy toe box. Super soft high stack shoes can sometimes feel good short term but they often increase strain on the Achilles if the heel drop is low or the foam is too unstable. Since you want lightweight, wide toe box, and low arch pressure, I would look at shoes like Topo Phantom or Ultrafly, Altra Rivera or Torin, or New Balance 880 in wide. Those have flatter arch profiles and more natural midfoot shaping. If high arches cause pressure, avoid aggressive arch contouring in the insole and consider swapping in a flatter aftermarket insole. For Achilles specifically a slightly higher heel drop usually reduces tendon load, so something in the 8 to 10 mm drop range is a safe starting point. Also make sure the heel counter is not too stiff or high since that can irritate the tendon during daily wear. Shoes help but rehab matters more. Calf strengthening and slow eccentric heel drops are usually key for long term improvement. Lightweight, wide, neutral, moderate drop, and a flat arch platform is the combination I would aim for.

If you haven’t completely blacklisted Altra, you could try the Rivera. It’s still zero drop with a little more stack height than the Escalante Racer, but it feels a little more like a traditional road running shoe.

Altra, love the zero drop too and have 6 pair of Torin that are only suitable for walking now. The recent editions of Torin weren't comfortable, so I went with Hoka. May have to try the Olympus.