Altra
, the U.S.-based brand established just over a decade ago, has its own way of looking at running. A more natural approach to running has guided all his production since the company’s founding.
We talked about Altra in the last episode of Outlaw, our podcast, and realized that-no doubt-it deserves a closer look. So, here we are.
The story is good. Altra was founded by two runners, childhood friends Brian Beckstead and Golden Harper. They had noticed during their training sessions that when they ran barefoot on the grass, their running was natural and smooth. But when they slipped their shoes on, things changed.
So they began modifying the shoes to recreate conditions to allow the foot to work as naturally as possible. How? First by deconstructing them by heating them in a toaster oven to remove part of the bead and bring them to have zero drop.
In fact, we know that a zero differential between the heel and toe of the shoe puts the foot in a position to naturally cushion the impact with the ground in a fluid motion: the toes open to increase the landing surface, the forefoot absorbs the landing, and then the rolling and take-off phase begins.
It all began like this. And, following this philosophy, the evolution of Altra shoes continued toward a natural and comfortable approach to running with the addition of new technologies always with a “natural” approach.
Let’s try to understand more.
Footshape™ Toe Box
“Toes open,” we said, but to do so they need a shoe with a sufficiently wide structure. Altra then developed Footshape™ toe box technology that allows the toes to relax and stretch naturally and allows the big toe to remain straight, thus providing maximum stability and strength.
The toes in this way are actively used in running, reducing the overpronation that is typical of heel-to-toe stance. In this way comfort and stability are greatly benefited.
This aspect is much more important than the drop itself and is the correct evolution of it. In fact, Footshape™ Toe Box puts the foot in a position to express itself mechanically in the way it was “designed” to: absorb shock, increase balance, and push through every component. For this very reason, this technology is present in different ways in the different Altra models, with three different fits that allow the foot to move in accordance with the shape and use of the shoe. And this applies to both female and male feet, with their differences.
Balanced Cushioning™
And here we return to where we started. In fact, all Altra shoes are built on the Balanced Cushioning™ platform that positions the heel and forefoot equidistant from the ground.
Adding, however, dedicated cushioning precisely for this more natural type of footing. In this way, the landing has even less impact on the musculoskeletal system and is optimized. Of course, the level of cushioning, given to the EGO compound, varies from model to model to suit the needs and type of each runner thanks to the three variants EGO, EGO max and EGO pro.
For info: https://www.altrarunning.eu/it/