Taking the Hettas Alma Tempo out for test runs has been fun. The Pebax plate and dual density supercritical foam made each step feel like it was launching me forward into the next one.
I was especially surprised by how much I enjoyed taking them out for spins around the track, and even though they are a firm to mid cushion shoe, my feet felt pretty happy even after longer efforts while wearing them.
Hettas is a relatively new performance running shoe company based in Vancouver, Canada. Their mission is a little different from most running brands. They design their shoes specifically around women’s biomechanics rather than adapting a men’s shoe to fit a woman’s foot.
The Alma Tempo is their everyday performance trainer, built for everything from tempo runs and track workouts to long training runs and race day. If you prefer a firmer, more controlled ride over a soft, marshmallow kind of cushion, I think you’ll really appreciate how this shoe feels.
Our Verdict
The Hettas Alma Tempo blurs the line between trainer and racer. It’s comfortable enough for regular training but lively enough to line up at a starting line wearing it. The Alma Tempo has a lot going for it: a fun, responsive ride, excellent grip, and impressive stability. I genuinely loved how it performed underfoot.
If you prefer a plush, highly cushioned ride or need a snug, race-like fit through the heel and forefoot, this probably isn’t the shoe for you. The Alma Tempo shines for runners who enjoy a firmer, more connected ride and whose foot shape matches the upper. If the upper had fit my foot better, this is a shoe I could have happily trained and raced in. For runners whose feet match the shoe’s fit, I think the Alma Tempo has the potential to become a real favorite.
Who Is It Good For?
- Wide Feet: No. The Alma Tempo is only offered in a standard width. And I wouldn’t describe the midfoot section as overly roomy.
- Heavier Runners: Depending on personal preference, yes. Heavier runners who may prefer a max cushion shoe or super plush shoe will not find that here, but these shoes offer a mid-cushioned, supportive, and stable ride.
- Long Runs: Yes. If the Alma Temp fits your feet well, these shoes could perform well over a long run.
- Front of the Pack: Potentially, yes. The Pebax plate adds a bit of a lively, springy feel that helps propel you forward. These shoes seem well suited to training days as well as race days.
On paper, the Alma Tempo checked a lot of boxes for me. A Pebax plate instead of carbon, dual density supercritical foam, a durable CPU outsole, and a moderate 33mm stack height all sounded like ingredients for a responsive, versatile shoe.
It promised a firm but energetic ride that could handle both daily training and faster efforts.
As you’ll read in this review, the ride itself absolutely lived up to my expectations. In fact, there were moments when I genuinely loved running in these shoes. But a running shoe is only as good as the way it fits your foot, and that’s where my experience became a bit muddled.
Hettas Alma Tempo Overview
The Alma Tempo made a mixed first impression on me. I wasn’t immediately sold on the fit or the overall look of the shoe, but I was genuinely excited to try a performance shoe from a company that’s designing specifically for women.
Once I started running, the ride ended up being enjoyable. The plate and responsive midsole made every run feel energetic, and I especially loved taking these shoes onto the track.
I just wish the upper had fit my foot as well as I liked the ride, and I wish the material felt a bit more ventilated and breathable.
I tested the Alma Tempo on easy runs, tempo efforts, and everyday training runs up to 10 miles. I also ran in them on various running surfaces to get a feel for how they handled different locations.
The Alma Tempo is a relatively new model, so there isn’t a previous version to compare it with.
As far as other shoes in the Hettas line are concerned… if the Alma Cruise is built for comfort and the Alma Speed is built for racing, the Alma Tempo is the do-it-all shoe in the middle, designed to handle everyday training with enough snap for workouts and race day.
So what can you expect from this up and coming female focused company? Well, let’s get into the details.
Hettas Alma Tempo Specifications
- Brand: Hettas
- Usage: Daily Trainer
- Previous Model: None
- Weight: 8.3 oz
- Stack Height: 33 mm
- Heel Drop: 10 mm
- Colors Offered: 3 options available (Chambray Blue & Green Glow, Blanc de Blanc & Burnt Coral, and Black & Chambray Blue)
- Not Available in Wide
- Available on hettas.com for $198
I generally like the look of the Hettas Alma Tempo. The shoe looks athletic and perky. Overall, I feel like it has a clean, no-nonsense aesthetic.
The TPU mesh upper has a somewhat glossy and film-like appearance. I’m not a huge fan of the large, translucent segments inside the mesh pattern.
On the other hand, it’s kind of fun to choose socks that show through the shoe and add a little personality to your running ensemble!
Quick Take
Pros
- Energetic responsiveness
- Versatile
- Comfortable flexible plate
Cons
- Not very breathable
- Excess volume of material in forefoot
- Loose heel
Hettas Alma Tempo Fit
Before I get into how the Alma Tempo fit my feet, there’s one important thing to mention. I normally run in a women’s size 8.5, but I tested a size 9 because Hettas states on its website that its shoes “run small” and recommends ordering a half size up from your usual size. (The exact wording is: “Runs small. We recommend ordering a 1/2 size up from your regular size in other sporting brands.”)
That said, I followed Hettas’ sizing recommendation and tested the size 9. So, as you read my thoughts on fit, keep in mind that it’s difficult to know whether any fit observations are characteristics of the shoe itself or simply the result of sizing up.
I followed the company’s guidance, and here’s what I experienced.
The first thing I noticed after trying on the Alma Tempo was that I could see exactly how far the tips of my toes were from the front of the shoe.
Because the upper is translucent over the entire forefoot, I could clearly see all the open space between the tips of my toes and the end of the shoe, and it immediately concerned me.
The extra space seemed excessive, not just the typical room your toes need to breathe and expand while running. We’re talking well over a thumb’s width of space. However, I do absolutely love a nice, roomy toe box… so I held out hope that maybe all the extra space was a good thing.
The forefoot had much more volume than my foot needed. Rather than hugging my foot, the TPU mesh floated above it, creating noticeable wrinkles and excess material over my entire forefoot area.
The midfoot was probably the best-fitting part of the shoe. It wrapped my foot securely without feeling restrictive. My foot felt nicely supported underneath, and the sides held my midfoot just right. I didn’t need to adjust the snugness of the laces much at all for the middle section to fit nicely.
I always say the perfect shoe tongue is the one you never notice. Unfortunately, I did notice this one.
The edges of the tongue felt somewhat inflexible and plastic-like. Not stretchy or soft. And the top of the tongue wasn’t molded with a natural curve to match the contour of the top of my foot as it transitions up into the ankle.
Instead, it felt like the stiffness along parts of the tongue were fighting against the natural shape of my foot. The top of the tongue also pressed slightly into the front of my ankle.
Since the top edge isn’t rounded, I was curious to see whether I’d continue to notice the tongue once I started running.
Next, we come to the heel. My heels are pretty average, and I generally don’t have much trouble getting a secure fit in most running shoes. While I do often like the feel of a heel lock lacing technique for a little extra security, I rarely struggle with significant heel slippage.
That wasn’t the case here. From the very first step, I could tell there was simply too much movement in the heel. The fit felt noticeably too loose.
I’ll talk more later about how that translated during the run, but I experimented with three different lacing methods: the default factory lacing, the runner’s loop heel lock lacing, and one additional lacing technique.
Ultimately, none of them completely solved the problem. My heel continued to slip in every configuration.
To Hettas’ credit, there is a nicely padded ring around the inside of the heel collar that adds comfort. Unfortunately, even with that extra padding, it wasn’t enough to keep my heel securely in place. My heel was always on the move to some degree.
Dual Insoles
Something unique of note: the Hettas Alma Tempo includes two different insoles, allowing runners to fine-tune the fit and underfoot feel. It’s a unique and cool touch that you don’t see very often.
One pair of insoles was a bit more plush and took up a tiny bit more space inside the shoes. While the other was a bit thinner and felt more firm.
Neither drastically changed how the overall fit played out. But in my situation, the thicker insole was helpful with my sizing issues.
Hettas Alma Tempo Feel
There is a lot to love about how the Hettas Alma Tempo feel underfoot! I absolutely loved the feel of the Pebax plate. This type of plate is more flexible than a carbon plate, and I really enjoyed the comfortable and consistent energy return with each step. The Pebax plate is highly resilient and very lightweight. Great stuff!
You still get a nice little spring forward when you push off, but the ride feels smoother and more natural. It has enough responsiveness for tempo runs and faster efforts without feeling harsh or overly rigid.
The midsole is made from a firm dual-density supercritical foam. That sounds complicated, but what it really means is that the shoe has a softer layer to cushion your landing and a second firmer layer underneath to keep you stable and moving efficiently.
The supercritical foam is engineered to be light while offering excellent durability and energy return. It has a peppy feel without being squishy.
The Hettas Alma Tempo has a 33mm stack height and a 10mm drop. Don’t let the stack height fool you. This isn’t a squishy feeling type of shoe.
It has enough cushioning to protect your legs, but the ride is firm, responsive, and performance oriented rather than plush. The 10mm drop will feel familiar to runners who have trained using popular daily trainers like the Brooks Ghost, Brooks Glycerin, Saucony Triumph, or Asics Gel-Cumulus. But the Alma Tempo has a noticeably firmer, more responsive ride than any of those shoes.
One of my favorite things about these shoes was the CPU outsole. The grip on the Alma Tempo was fantastic! I ran in them on concrete, asphalt, gravel, dirt, and a running track.
They handled every surface well, but I have to say, they were so much fun to run with on the track. I really loved how they felt on that surface.
The stable, grippy outsole was easily one of the standout features of the shoe. After my testing, the outsole showed very little wear, which makes me feel like it should hold up well over the long haul.
A small detail I appreciated was how quiet these shoes were. They landed softly and never made much noise, even on pavement.
Once I started running, I immediately noticed how stable the Alma Tempo felt. My feet never rocked from side to side, and every landing and toe-off felt smooth and consistent.
I always trusted that the shoe would support me underfoot with each stride. What surprised me most was how lively it felt.
This isn’t a soft, squishy max-cushion type shoe, yet it still had a comfy bounce that made the ride feel fun and energetic. I wasn’t expecting that from a firmer shoe, and I absolutely loved it. I appreciated that the shoe seemed to support my arch well without feeling anything like an official stability shoe.
I took the Alma Tempo out for runs up to ten miles, and they felt just as supportive and lively at mile ten as they did at mile one. I would have been happy to take them even farther, (and even considered wearing them for my upcoming half marathon), but the fit issues ultimately kept me from wanting to wear them over even longer distances.
Unfortunately, the upper fit problems kept getting in the way of what was otherwise an excellent ride.
My heel never felt truly locked in, and with every step the ankle collar would open up and collapse outward because there was simply too much room around my ankle.
Oddly, while the heel felt loose, the top of the tongue was pressing into the front of my ankle and the top of my foot, especially as I picked up the pace. It never felt particularly soft or comfortable.
Another issue was the excess volume in the forefoot and the amount of space between my toes and the front of the shoe. I love a roomy toe box, but this crossed the line from roomy to loose.
My foot slid around more than I was comfortable with, especially on hills and around sharp corners. That movement made me concerned about developing hot spots, and it kept me from fully trusting the shoe when I wanted to pick up the pace. I never felt completely planted.
Lacing became an experiment. With the standard lacing, my heel felt like it was lifting with every stride. I then switched to a runner’s loop, which helped a little, but the laces were barely long enough for me to tie a double knot afterward. (I always double knot my shoes before running.)
Even then, the tighter lacing caused the laces to dig into the top of my foot because the tongue didn’t provide padding in the right spot where the pressure was greatest.
The option that worked best for me was a third lacing method. Instead of using a traditional runner’s loop, I simply skipped one eyelet and laced directly to the top hole before double knotting. It gave me the best balance of added heel security, lace comfort, and enough lace length to tie the knot the way I like.
Hettas does include a second set of green laces (fun, fashion option), but they’re the same length as the white ones, so they didn’t solve the issue.
I was hopeful that swapping insoles might improve the fit. The thicker insole felt a bit plusher when running and filled some of the extra space inside the shoe, while the thinner insole created a firmer ride. In the end, though, the overall fit didn’t change much for me.
My foot still moved around more than I was comfortable with, especially when running on hills or making sharp turns.
It’s been pretty warm here in the Pacific Northwest, and I found myself wishing the upper was a bit more breathable. Considering how lightweight the shoe is, I expected it to ventilate better. Instead, my feet felt warmer and sweatier than they do in some of my other running shoes.
Our team has tested a ton of daily trainers, here are a few similar ones: The post The Hettas Alma Tempo Gets a Lot Right, But It’s Not for Everyone appeared first on RunToTheFinish.Similar Shoes to the Hettas Alma Tempo
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