Most of the best carbon plate running shoes stick to a similar design, so when one bucks the trend it’s always an interesting development. The Altra Vanish Carbon 2 launches on March 27, 2024 and offers runners who prefer a zero-drop shoe a high-performance option for race day.
The same was true of the Altra Vanish Carbon, but I didn’t find that it delivered the propulsive speed required from a top super-shoe. Altra has made significant updates to the Vanish Carbon 2 to improve its performance, while retaining the key features of a more naturally foot-shaped toe box and a zero-drop stack height that’s the same at the heel and forefoot.
