Altra

Olympus 6 Trail Running Shoe - Women's

Don’t size up anymore

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Size Bought:

6.5

Height:

5' 3"

Weight:

114

Loved the 5, my first Altra shoes. These 6s are just as great, perhaps less breezy and they don’t let in the rain. Lovely new color, the beige, and they are true to size unlike previous models in which I’d order a half size up. Comfy out of the box; I walked ten miles a day in them. Tread isn’t coming unglued in this version!

Love the new Olympus 6

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

Not as good as the Olympus 5s

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.

Awesome shoe!

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

I have worn the Olympus for the past five years. This is the best version so far. I had issues with the Olympus 5 and the tread coming unglued, but Altra has fixed that with the 6. I just wore these for the High Lonesome 100 for fifty miles, and they were awesome. The Olympus continues to be my favorite shoe!

Love the Olympus! Great for long distance hikes.

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!

This is my go to hiking shoe

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

My new favorite shoe!

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.

50 mile Leadville run

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!

Perspective on Max Cushion from a Min Cushion Lover

[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.)

Solid Option for Thru Hiking

[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.