REVIEWS
28 Reviews
AltraRun
These are trail running shoes. Should have done a little more research and not relied on Dick’s overview/surface type description.
Jan
I've had 3 prs of Olympus. Version 4 was great, Version 5 was heavy, stiff and let in all the dirt, Version 6 has fixed all that..thanks ALTRA
Beth
I have been wearing the Olympus 6 trail hikers for the last week. I have noticeable pronation and my knee has started to hurt. I've worn the Olympus 5s for the last 3 years, hiking 500 mile, multi-day trails and also wear my Olympus 5s for everyday walking. The Olympus 5s are amazing, the best shoes I've ever had. The Olympus 6s are a poor substitute, the support is definitely less causing me to pronate more which is impacting my alignment and causing knee pain. I'm off to buy up any Olympus 5s that may be left.
Maureen
I love these shoes! I had two pairs of the 5s. The rubber did come off on the bottom the first week but I superglued it back on. I hiked the Tour du Mont Blanc in these babies and they did great! Love the extra cushioning and durability. Will definitely buy them again for my next long hike. The extra cushioning prevented any foot pain. I'd say they lasted a whole summer of maybe 200 miles of hiking!
Teach Franklin
I have purchased a new pair every year. In these shoes I wear a 9.5 . In the lone peaks I wear a 9. The material is not very breathable. My feet feel hot during hiking. In previous Olympus they were more breathable. The footbed is comfortable and highly supportive. The outsole is well balanced and grippy. I never get blisters or hot spots in these shoes
Maddie
The Olympus 6 is so comfortable and actually feels like a true Altra wide toebox shoe. I've been wearing them everyday since I got them 2 weeks ago and I haven't had any issues. Plus the colors are great! The pictures don't do justice. Best Olympus yet.
Alex
I trained for the Leadville 50 mile in the Olympus 5 and switched to the 6 the week of my race. While these fixed all the hot spots my feet were getting, these felt a little stiffer in the toe box. I felt my foot have to work a bit harder to run in these. For the walking portions of my run they were just perfect. Granted I practically ran in these out of the box with only a 3 mi test run prior, I am going to keep training in them for my next 50 mile in September, Run Rabbit Run, because my knees were happy. I had fresh legs the day after. That is why I switched to the Olympus trail from the montblanc in the first place! Thank you for fixing the sizing! I had to go a size too large in the 5 which caused hot spots and now I'm in my regular size with no blisters. This is a much better fit! I had no ankle rolling issues, they really hug rocks just right and I felt beyond stable running down hill. At 30 degrees temp the sole felt a little stiff, but they got softer as the day warmed up. I could walk in these all day. Dying to try the new Montblanc Carbon next!
Asha
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] All I run in is Altra's, so I was stoked when Altra gave me this free product to try. The Olympus 6's look a bit like oversize clown shoes, however, they are SO comfortable I just love running in them! Recently, I was running up a muddy hill along Minnehaha Creek in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and some guy and his dog tried to run up the same hill, and he started sliding down it! I reached my hand out to help him get up the hill, and so he grabbed onto it, and the grip of these shoes was nearly strong enough to hold up him and me, but eventually he started to drag me down the hill with him, so I yelled at him to let go, as he propelled up. It was reaffirming to me though how well these Olympus 6's performed compared to other trail shoes - especially on the wet/muddy ground! These Olympus 6's have one heck of a grip! The colors are decent (I always prefer men's colors to women's, but the women's are okay on this model shoe). The heel is a bit large on me, and the shoes look silly on my skinny legs, but these really are super comfortable shoes that still feel pretty lightweight (all things considered) and really do perform well! For someone looking for a high cushioned shoe with good traction, I'd highly recommend the Olympus 6's. Thanks Altra for providing these shoes for free to me so I could review them. I sure do love them!
Meg life wonderful
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] ALTRA gave me these to sample. They are super comfortable. In the past I have only worn lone peaks in the past and I am so happy I tried these. They add a whole new layer of comfort and durability. I would 10/10 recommend them to anyone in the market.
Angy
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] ALTRA gave me this free product to try. I have been wanting to try the larger toe box but unsure about the low drop and the max cushioned and how my feet would react to that. I'm happy to report my feet are very happy in these shoes!! I especially love the "Gaiter Trap" on these shoes! No need to mess with putting my own hook/loop stuff, these have it securely built in. The stack height is larger than I'm used to so I thought I'd trip over nature but nope, not anymore than my normal clumsiness! The cushion is great to keep feet fresh while going the distance. The snug heel hangs on tight to help avoid slippage. The Vibram soles have the perfect grip to keep me upright on mud and wet grass and gravel!
Jennifer
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Hi! This is a review from a trail runner who prefers ground feel and minimal stack height! I've also completed several trail ultras and marathons (trail and road) in minimal footwear. I wanted to see how this particular max cushion, high stack zero drop shoe would perform and provide comfort given an injured left heal. I have also worked in run specialty shops. I was so happy to be selected to test the Altra Olympus 6 with my particular preferences. I gave this model 5-Stars because I would and will absolutely continue to rotate this model on training runs. Especially on buffed trails, for hill repeats, hikes and any time I'm feeling like I want a bit more cushion than I prefer. I would recommend this model over other high stack, max cushion models/brands bc of its responsiveness. Sizing and On Foot Feel: I requested a size 8. I am still torn if I would have felt even more secure and comfortable in a 7.5. Regardless of that, I love how they feel around the midfoot, feel secure. I just would like to get them a little more snug around the midfoot, hence why I think a 7.5 would have been perfect. Of course, I love the ample toe box space, so my toes can fully splay, but at the same time not getting smashed into the front of the shoe when going downhill. I should also mention the heel feels pretty secure as well, not too tight, but not loose, either. Under Foot Feel and Performance: This shoe is responsive and not over the top bulky. The cushioning is comfortable without being too "squishy". I think that, not too squishy feel, helps reduce the perception of being on such a thick stack. Which I was concerned about b/c I though I'd feel "wobbly" or have a sensation of slipping off the foot-bed. I didn't get that sensation, and that was a big positive! Activities I Tested the Olympus with: Walks with the dog, hikes, runs, hill repeats, and even a morning of race timing. Surface tested on; Trails that transition quickly between buffed and bEAST Coasty (rocks, roots, boulders). Hill repeats on a look out access road; transitions between asphalt and crushed stone surfaces. What I Enjoyed Most: I LOVED the performance of the shoes during hill repeats; security around mid-foot and the cushion for the downhill abuse on the soles of the feet. I will keep using them on those days. As well as for longer trail run days at a local nature preserve surrounded by miles and miles trails of every kind of surface. (ALTRA gave me this free product to try.)
Annika
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Wow! Love the tread, love the cushion. I feel like I can walk forever in them and vibram soles feel like a must these days. I found that after 9+ miles or 80°+ heat that the shoes started to feel hot. I wonder if that's because of the cushy tongue? Overall I enjoyed the cushion but I think I prefer less cushion on longer hikes so I can feel the terrain under my feet better. I haven't tested them on a scramble/scree field navigation yet, but I'm worried I might roll my ankle with this much cushion. These have become a daily driver for me. I use them for everything from the bike path to local trails and beyond. Grab yourself pair!
MJ
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] As a 34-year-old trail runner and hiker who loves exploring the Pacific Northwest's diverse terrains, I was really excited to try out the Altra Olympus 6. I'm 5'8" and usually wear a size 8, though I often find myself between sizes 7.5 and 8. I opted for size 8 in the Olympus 6, but it felt more like a size 7.5. Even though the shoe has a wide toe box, it snugged my narrow feet nicely, keeping my heel seated without any issues. I first took them out on my usual rugged hiking trail. Right away, I noticed how comfortable and supportive they were. However, the thick cushioning took a bit of getting used to. On more technical paths, I felt a bit less agile and had to focus more on my footing in rocky sections. The extra height from the cushioning made me feel slightly unstable on loose rocks. When I tried them on a cross-country exercise trail with wall jumps, the stability wasn't great on unpredictable landings, so I'd be cautious about jumping over creeks or similar obstacles. To give the Olympus 6 a real test, I headed out to some steeper, more technical trails. The Vibram soles did an amazing job gripping rocky and uneven surfaces. Overall, for anyone navigating the varied landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, the Olympus 6 is a solid and reliable choice. ALTRA gave me those free product to try- But this is my honest review!
Kim
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Altra gave me a free pair of Olympus 6 shoes to test and review. At first, I found them a bit tight and bulky, with a snug toe box that caused some rubbing on my pinky toe during the initial runs. I only had the issue with the right shoe. For context, I typically wear a women's 8.5W or a men's 7.5D in running shoes. However, 8.5 regular in the Lone Peaks fit great. I noticed that the toe box of the Olympus 6 felt narrower compared to the Lone Peaks, but wearing lightweight socks helped alleviate this issue. After running and hiking over 100 miles in the last 4 weeks on various terrains, I was surprised by how well these shoes performed. During a 16-mile trail run in the Porcupine Mountains, my feet didn't feel as tired as they usually do, thanks to the extra cushioning. The Vibram® Megagrip soles came in handy and prevented potential slips on loose gravel, muddy, and slippery trails. If you're considering longer, technical trail runs, I highly recommend the Olympus 6.
Laura
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I recently had the opportunity to test the Olympus 6 while thru hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail, thanks to Altra giving me a free pair to try. As a long time Altra wearer, I was excited to test out new shoes while actually backpacking, as I typically wear trail runners for hiking and I've noticed that trail running shoes can perform very differently depending on if I'm wearing them specifically for running or hiking. All in all, these performed pretty well. The high cushioning level was nice for longer 20+ mile days on variable terrain (including smooth dirt, as well as loose rock). The original footshape is great for having a wider toe box and plenty of space for the feet to move naturally. The shoes are highly breathable, but did end up having a lot of dust work through the mesh and through my socks. The Vibram tread was great for extra grip, but the section without Vibram tread definitely got shredded up in less than 50 miles. The heel cup did cause a lot of pinching around my heels though, which I've never had to this degree in an Altra shoe, as well as some burning around my heels (similar to the Timp 4). I put about 200 miles on the shoes in two weeks with constant use and the shoes held up pretty well all around. I'm looking forward to testing these out on trail runs next to see how the experience compares. If you're looking for a comfortable trail shoe, especially for thru hiking, the new Olympus 6 is a solid option.
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