Our verdict

Whether we go fast or take it easy on our training runs, the wanting to buy a pair of is a do-it-all daily trainer that's lively and energetic. It also delivers a natural-feeling run with its zero-drop design. On top of this, we established that it's a trusty pick for runners who want a light, well-cushioned running shoe that can gobble up long miles on the road.

Pros

  • Spacious toe box
  • Stable on uneven surfaces
  • Comfortable for long days
  • Lightweight
  • Form-fitting wrap
  • Altra Torin 7
  • Visually appealing
  • Spacious toe box

Cons

  • Not a real zero-drop!
  • A bit slimmer than the average Altra
  • Firmer than the Rivera 1

Size and fit

Size

wanting to buy a pair of is half size small (15 votes).

oz / 196g?

1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Compared to 382 running shoes
oz / 237g
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

Who should buy the wanting to buy a pair of

Toebox width at the widest part Altra if you're: 

  • Stiffness in cold Stiffness in cold (Jens Jakob Andersen Altra Rivera 2)
  • a softer, more pliable upper for a more accommodating fit
  • wanting to buy a pair of running shoes oz / 283g gym training
  • searching for a roomy shoe that welcomes foot swelling after long miles

wanting to buy a pair of outdoor run

Who should NOT buy it

If you don't mind paying extra for a snappier ride that's more performance-oriented, we advise getting the Vanish Carbon instead. 

Flexibility / Stiffness Add a shoe is our suggested better option. 

wanting to buy a pair of lab desk

wanting to buy a pair of vs. 1 

The midsole and outsole of the wanting to buy a pair of carry over the same components from the first iteration. The changes employed by the second version are mainly focused on fit: 

  • a softer, more pliable upper for a more accommodating fit
  • a snugger heel, addressing the heel lock issues of its precursor

Heel drop is NOT zero! 

All Altra shoes are recognized for having a 0 mm heel-to-toe drop. Surprise, surprise! 

Forefoot stack height on wanting to buy a pair of

Our lab measurements have shown that the Rivera 2 has a heel drop of 2.8 mm (heel stack height 24.6 mm minus forefoot stack height 21.8 mm).

We also noticed that this shoe doesn't have a flat feeling on the foot either. 

Heel stack height on Rivera 2

Feel the ground 

With 24.6 mm of stack in the heel, it is much lower than an average 33 mm stack height. For that reason, we think that the wanting to buy a pair of is perfect for those who prefer ground contact to generous cushioning.

Cushioning is not too firm!

This is a tricky shoe because it feels a tad firm but our lab measurements show that it is quite soft!

The midsole scored 15.0 HA on our durometer. The average softness of all the shoes in our lab? 24 HA. This makes the Rivera 2 2x softer than an average running shoe.

We think that it's the shoe's low stack and solid rubber outsole that make it feel firmer.

Rivera 2 changes a lot at cold temperatures

When exposing a shoe to the cold (freezer for 20 minutes) we check 2 things: softness and flexibility. 

Freezer test for Altra 2

1. For softness, we use an HA durometer. Rivera got 46.7% firmer after the freezer test (on average, shoes get 21.5% firmer). 

2. For flexibility, we use a force gauge. Rivera got 138.2% stiffer! For reference, the average change for all the shoes in our lab is 39.4%. This, however, does not mean it got stiff. After being exposed to freezing temperatures, it is still more flexible than most other shoes.

Keeps you steady

We attribute this to the wanting to buy a pair of's broad forefoot and grippy outsole.

Outsole on Rivera 2

On both flat and rugged surfaces, the shoe encourages stable strides. What also helps are the lugs that are a bit deeper than the average (3.9 mm).

Lug depth on Rivera 2

Won't weigh you down

The Rivera 2 (8.1 oz or 229g) is light both on paper and on the road. For reference, the average tempo trainer weighs in at 8.6 oz or 245g.

All the pieces of wanting to buy a pair of cut in half

Comes to life during fast runs

Picking up the pace in the wanting to buy a pair of feels quite energetic and rebounding. 

Roominess: nor your average Altra level

Forefoot width on Rivera 2

Although it's dubbed as Altra's "least roomy" running shoe, we still found it to be a spacious one, compared to the average.

Our caliper shows an average measurement of 98.6 mm in the widest part of the forefoot. However, the overall toebox volume provided our toes with enough wiggle room. 

Rivera 2 front view on trail run

Adapts to the natural shape and contours of the foot

The Rivera 2's upper has some give and wraps around the foot quite comfortably and securely. To top it off (literally and figuratively), the tongue is very generously padded at 7.9 mm! 

Tongue thickness on Rivera 2

With its higher heel collar, rearfoot lockdown is improved. The midfoot fit is also spot-on. 

Higher heel collar on Rivera 2

The Rivera 2 is too flexible

On the run, this really hurt the snappiness of the shoe, hindering its full potential during faster efforts.

Looking at the lab measurement, we were astonished - the Rivetra 2 is 2x more flexible than the average shoe! We needed as little force as 13.6N to bend the shoe, while the average force needed is 29.5N. 

Our manual tests also confirmed this: the Rivera 2 scored 1/5 (1 being the most flexible) on our tests, both for longitudinal and torsional flexibility.

Lackluster ride during mellow days

This is especially noticeable for recovery runs and anything slower. During landing, the heel feels very firm, and the ground feel is more pronounced, which can be bothersome and even dull. 

Uphill run in Rivera 2

Great for every day! 

We actually found this Altra shoe to be perfect as an everyday sneaker as well! All thanks to the Altra-level comfort.

wanting to buy a pair of studio shot

OK for night runs

Sure we had some really shiny-in-the-dark shoes in our lab (like Stiffness in cold), but wanting to buy a pair of also has some reflective elements. Too bad it's only in the back and not on the sides, but they definitely help in low-visibility conditions. 

A step up in the looks department

We found the visual aspect of the wanting to buy a pair of to be quite appealing. It is not as flashy as many other trail running shoes and some of its colorways even have a classy vibe.

Rivera 2 in running

Gone are Altra's toy-like designs of the past!