Altra Torin 8 vs Torin 9
Updated September 10, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
Whichever your size still exists in. The Torin 8 is discontinued at retail, so remaining pairs sell against a thinning size run, while the Torin 9 has a full one. The Torin 8 also lists $10 lower.
- Altra Torin 8Sizes running outMen's at AmazonWomen's
- Altra Torin 9Men's at AmazonWomen's
Availability last checked Sep 10, 2026. Prices and stock change without notice.
Every spec, side by side
| Spec | Torin 8 | Torin 9 |
|---|---|---|
| FIT AND WEIGHT | ||
| Weight | 9.3 oz | 9.2 oz |
| Widths | D, 2E | D, 2E |
| Upper | Jacquard mesh | Mesh with a reshaped heel and a taller tongue |
| The pointed heel collar the 7 and 8 carried gives way to a conventional counter. Reviewers report the midfoot is snugger again this year, and one who has tested the 6, 8 and 9 says the tongue still slides to the outside of the foot, three generations after that complaint started. | ||
| CUSHIONING GEOMETRY | ||
| Heel stack | 30 mm | 28 mm |
| Two millimetres out, which reverses the 6-to-7 increase and puts the Torin back where the 5 and 6 sat. RTINGS measured 25.3 mm at the heel against 27.6 mm on the 8, so the cut is real and about the size Altra claims. | ||
| Forefoot stack | 30 mm | 28 mm |
| Drop | 0 mm | 0 mm |
| MATERIALS | ||
| Midsole | Altra EGO MAX, updated compound | P35X dual-density |
| The first midsole change since the 5. P35X pairs a firmer outer rim with a softer core, and every reviewer describes the result as firmer and faster than EGO MAX. RunToTheFinish put the warning plainly for anyone who bought the Torin for its old ride: the firmness is going to turn off many casual runners looking to put in longer miles. | ||
| VALUE | ||
| List price at launch | $150 | $160 |
| Up $10 at launch. Altra had already moved the 8 to a $160 list mid-cycle, so on the shelf today the two carry the same price and only the 8 discounts. | ||
| OTHER CHANGES | ||
| Outsole | Altra rubber with bone-shaped cutouts | Vibram XS DURA |
| Altra's first Vibram-branded road outsole, exclusive to Altra for six months, and the direct answer to the 7's outsole record. The press release claims 8.5 percent more grip than the 8. A 20 percent figure circulates in aggregator write-ups and traces to no source; 8.5 percent is the number Altra published. | ||
Weighing whether to switch at all, rather than which of these two to buy? What replaced the Altra Torin 8 covers the verdict on the update, what loyalists made of it, and the closest alternatives from other brands.
Buy the Torin 8
Sizes running outDiscontinued at retail. Amazon carries what remains, so treat an in-stock size as a closing window, and expect prices to swing.
Availability last checked Sep 10, 2026.
Buy the Torin 9
Stocked at AmazonAvailability last checked Aug 8, 2026.
Questions runners ask
- Which is lighter, the Altra Torin 8 or the Torin 9?
- Neither by a meaningful margin. Both weigh about 9.3 oz in a men's US 9.
- Did the price change between the Altra Torin 8 and the Torin 9?
- Yes. List price went up $10, from $150 to $160. Street prices differ: the older shoe usually sells under list once its successor ships.
- Do the Altra Torin 8 and Torin 9 come in the same widths?
- Yes. Both run in D, 2E for men's sizes, so a width that fit in the Torin 8 carries over to the Torin 9.
- How do the stack heights compare?
- 30 mm heel and 30 mm forefoot on the Altra Torin 8, against 28 mm and 28 mm on the Torin 9. That is 2 mm less under the heel and 2 mm less under the forefoot. See the stack height note in the table above: the published figures changed convention mid-lineage.
- Is the Torin 9 still the newest Torin?
- Yes. The Torin 9 is the current Altra Torin, listing at $160 at launch.