Altra fans have really had quite a lot to lay their eyes (and feet) on inrecent times, and it certainly seems that the American company has no intention of letting these months leading up to the end of the year pass without news. Over the summer weeks, we had a chance to try out the new version of the Olympus (named after the mountain where the Greek gods lived), the trail model now in its fifth edition and offering itself as a high-end model capable of providing even the most demanding trail runner with everything (or almost everything) he or she needs. But let’s go in order.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
The thing that immediately comes to you when you see the Olympus 5s for the first time, especially if you’ve dealt with other Altra models, is that they’re a bit…HUGE. That’s it, yes. You look at them, you realize there is something special about them, but you can’t immediately focus on why they seem so big. Then then you put them on your feet and realize that the tread is clearly visible over the edge of the upper, inside there is the usual extra toe space with Altra’s signature toebox, full arch support is felt throughout, and–that’s it! There is a very long heel split in half! This aesthetically identifiable solution is actually not new and was already present in the previous version of the Olympus, but it has been improved and made to perform even better, allowing for more support and grip on difficult, very wet terrain that would lend itself poorly to grip on the back of the foot. Even in the aesthetics of the upper and the padded tongue, direct evolutions of the previous version, those coming from version 4 will find many similarities, although all components have undergone a makeover and have been improved from a construction standpoint and on the performance front. Certainly noteworthy, then, is the revised heel spoon, with raised, wrap-around padding designed to give the shoe even more grip for the ankle-foot joint. Finally, the back trim, the elastic but durable laces, and the inscription with the latitude and longitude of Mount Olympus make this shoe absolutely unique, especially in its orange version.
UNDER THE SOLE — A LOT!
The Altra Olympus 5 are the most protective and cushioned shoes the American brand offers for the trail, but protection and cushioning do not, in this case especially, mean a heavy feeling underfoot. Of course, they are not shoes to run 100 meters on the track in, but they are certainly not born with that purpose. The goal of this model is to let you go as far as you want safely over the most diverse terrain. To do this, as we have also seen on the
Mont Blanc
, Altra relied on an absolutely benchmark brand when it comes to trail treads: Vibram. The Italian company’s notched rubber gives the Olympus a virtually perfect grip on every occasion, whether you are running downhill or uphill, sideways or going straight, in dry or wet conditions. The characteristic feature of this tread is a kind of Y that starts from the midfoot and goes all the way to the heel, splitting it in half as seen before. It is, this, a solution that allows for a support that is simultaneously rigid under the foot, but also able to smoothly make it perform the roll necessary to maintain proper posture and give it the right propulsive thrust.
IN CONCLUSION.
The Olympus 5 are extremely fun shoes for those who decide to run trails, whether they are absolute beginners or experienced runners. The safety with which they enable them to cope with all types of terrain, the stability and cushioning that result from their design, and-why not-the aesthetic solutions that make them appealing make them a versatile and multipurpose model.
You can find them in the best sporting goods and running shoe stores and on the Altra website at this
link
, at the list price of 180€.