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Altra VIA Olympus 2

In production · road · Recovery / Long run / Daily · $170

Max-cushion zero drop: the plushest way to run foot-shaped.

Built for recovery, long run, daily, at a target pace of 9:00–12:30 /mi on road.

The spec sheet

Weight
297 g / 10.5 oz
Heel stack
33 mm
Drop
0 mm
Midsole foam
EGO MAX
Plate
—
Cushioning
5 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Rocker
2 / 5
Flexibility
3 / 5
Stability
3 / 5 (5 = most guidance)
Toe-box
Very wide
Sizing
True to size
Durability
~450 mi
Price
$170

How it rides

The foam

The midsole is EGO MAX, tuned very soft (5/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 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.

The plate

There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.

The geometry

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. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.

Fit, sizing & life

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 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.38 per mile at $170.

For the foams and plates Altra uses across its line, read the Altra brand guide.

How it compares

Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.

Weight

297 g / 10.5 oz

22 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

$170

10 pricier than the catalog median of 160

Responsiveness

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Cushioning

5 / 5

Catalog median 4 / 5

Energy return

3 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Durability

~450 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).

Closest alternatives

Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.

Altra Torin 8(2024)

287 g / 10.1 oz · 30 mm · 0 mm drop · — · $150

Zero drop, foot-shaped last, real cushioning. The widest comfortable road trainer.

Altra Torin 9(2025)

270 g / 9.5 oz · 32 mm · 0 mm drop · — · $160

Zero-drop, foot-shaped daily with balanced cushioning.

Altra Provision 8

289 g / 10.2 oz · 28 mm · 0 mm drop · — · $150

Altra's support trainer: zero drop, foot-shaped, with GuideRail stability.

Altra Torin ST

294 g / 10.4 oz · 28 mm · 0 mm drop · — · $160

Zero-drop stability Torin with GuideRail support and EGO Max foam.

Brooks Glycerin Flex

277 g / 9.8 oz · 36 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150

Soft, flexible take on the Glycerin for relaxed, unstructured miles.

Lineage & siblings