Altra Olympus 4 Trail Running Shoes

The Olympus 4 has been revamped for more support, stability and traction on any terrain. A breathable mesh upper is coupled with a flexible and responsive midsole whilst a Vibram Megagrip outsole ensure traction in varied conditions.

Breathable Mesh Upper

Engineered mesh uppers will encase each foot in breathable comfort. Lightweight and highly breathable for all-temperature comfort, the mesh acts as a lightweight second skin, providing a supportive and comfortable fit. Its perforated construction allows air to fully permeate the entire upper, letting your feet breathe when the temperature starts to rise or your training session heats up. The upper is also highly durable thanks to synthetic overlays which swathe the upper for increased support. The abrasion-resistant overlays provide enhanced durability to reduce the risks of chafing and irritation. The upper construction also features foot-shape technology which allows the toes to be relaxed within the shoe. It allows them to spread out naturally with the big toe remaining in a straight position for additional comfort, speed and stability. An Altra-exclusive GaiterTrap has been updated to a new 4-point system to keep an attached gaiter even more secure than before, thus preventing debris from entering the shoe. Completing the upper is a lacing system which locks down the midfoot to reduce in-shoe slippage so you can enjoy distraction-free strides.

EVA Midsole

A full-length platform of EVA resides underfoot for lightweight, responsive cushioning. Generous, soft and durable, it spares your joints as you strike down onto hard, unforgiving surfaces. Exceptionally lightweight, the EVA ensures long-lasting cushioning to keep you comfortable on long-distance days. EVA is extremely firm, which will absorb shocks instantly and effectively, preventing them from causing any damage to the sole of the foot. The energy produced from this will also be returned as rebound, which will give you an added spring in your step. Completing the midsole is a zero-drop platform which cushioning levels at the heel and forefoot are the same. This allows the feet to have a more natural alignment with the ground and provides you with added stability so you can run faster and further for longer.

Vibram MegaGrip Outsole

Underfoot, the Vibram Megagrip outsole has been completely redesigned to provide better traction on a variety of trail surfaces and conditions. Vibram MegaGrip has been used in the construction of the outsole to provide exceptional grip and traction over a plethora of surfaces. The outsole offers an incomparable combination of grip and durability which helps define Vibram MegaGrip as the ideal high-performance rubber compound for extremely demanding activities such as trail running, hiking or hill walking. In the 4, the Vibram rubber has been widened in the heel to increase stability and the middle grooved has been wided for better traction in wet conditions. Completing the outsole are flex grooves which work to increase traction and grip of varied surfaces. The grooved have been cut out of the midsole to reduce overall weight and ensure traction when running. They offer a multi-directional grip that flex as you move for more speed and a better performance.

About Altra

Altra started in the back room of a speciality running store in the Wasatch Mountains, United States of America. The store noticed they were getting runners from all over the country visiting and complaining of knee pain, shin splints and recurring foot pain. One person in particular noticed this, Golden Harper the founder of Altra. Golden studied running injuries in college and combining his knowledge of injuries and a video analysis at his store made it easy to see and more understandable that traditional running shoes promoted poor form and excessive impact.

This switched on the lightbulb in Golden Harper's head and made him want to help runners achieve their best without pain as well as run and live healthy, happy and naturally. Early concepts were made in a toaster oven and were created to try a new way to reduce the injuries of Altra's customers. The toaster oven served a purpose of melting outsoles off of traditional running shoes and then Golden removed the excess heel elevation. This helped Altra to start creating zero drop running shoes.

The zero drop was just one of the steps taken to return runners feet to their natural position, Altra built a distinctive footshape toe box specifically to help alleviate foot problems. It also enhanced stability and comfort while providing a more powerful push-off.