In production · trail · Trail / Long run / Recovery · $230
Max-cushion hiking shoe on the Olympus platform with Vibram grip.
Built for trail, long run, recovery, at a target pace of 10:30–14:30 /mi on trail.
Altra tuned this midsole very soft (5/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 33 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as calm at 2/5 responsiveness.
A rock plate sits between the foam and the outsole to spread the load of sharp stones and roots. It is protection, not propulsion — it does not add pop, but it keeps the underfoot bruising out of long days on technical ground.
A 0 mm drop is close to level. That loads the calf and Achilles more than most runners are used to, so ease into it. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. The forefoot is stiff, so it rolls rather than bends — a lever, not a slipper. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
The toe-box is unusually roomy — foot-shaped rather than tapered, which suits splayed or bunion-prone feet. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 500 miles from the outsole, about $0.46 per mile at $230.
For the foams and plates Altra uses across its line, read the Altra brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
400 g / 14.1 oz
125 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
33 mm
3 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
0 mm
6 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$230
70 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
5 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~500 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Altra line it is heavier than the brand's median (294 g / 10.4 oz) and sits taller than its median stack (30 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Altra Olympus 6(2024)
354 g / 12.5 oz · 35 mm · 0 mm drop · Rock · $175
Max-cushion zero-drop trail shoe with Vibram Megagrip for long rocky days.
Altra Tushar
390 g / 13.8 oz · 28 mm · 0 mm drop · Rock · $210
Burly waterproof hiking boot for heavy packs and rough trails.
Altra Timp Hiker
365 g / 12.9 oz · 29 mm · 0 mm drop · Rock · $190
Cushioned waterproof hiker built on the Timp's trail platform.
Altra Olympus 7 Mid GTX
401 g / 14.1 oz · 33 mm · 0 mm drop · — · $230
Waterproof zero-drop mid boot on Vibram Megagrip for rough, wet ground.