Nike Women's Altea II Plus review

The Altea II Plus' are an improved version of the already excellent Alteas from 2005. Built on a woman's specific last, they have a noticeably narrower heel and less volume throughout than the same sized man's shoe.

Our rating

4.5

Published: June 24, 2007 at 11:52 pm

Our review
Superb stiff sole, snug fit and well featured woman's race-worthy shoe

The Altea II Plus' are an improved version of the already excellent Alteas from 2005. Built on a woman's specific last, they have a noticeably narrower heel and less volume throughout than the same sized man's shoe. In fact, on first trial the toe box felt tight and I thought I'd need a bigger size. But after riding in them I appreciated the close, slide-free fit and had no problems with the front end.

The top strap has an easy buckle closure, which holds the heel securely (better than the previous model) and takes nothing away from efficiency. Moulded plastic heel counters (pads) further reinforce the snug fit. All three straps sit comfortably across the footbones while the synthetic leather uppers resist stretching and have proved resilient against marks and toe scuffs. The sole is a stiff, full carbon composite that keeps stack height low, giving good connectivity with the pedal. I found them to be particularly slippery to walk on though, as the heel and toe pads don't have much grip. The shoe is compatible with two- and three-bolt cleats and handy markings aid set-up.

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