Altra Olympus 6 Review

The Olympus 6 has a 33mm stack height and weighs in at 13 ounces - THIS SHOE IS THICC. One thing I really appreciated about the cushion is that I could still feel the ground. I think this is at least in part due to the spilt that runs from midfoot to heel, something that isn't available on the Timp or Lone Peak line. This seemed to aid with stability in lateral movement while still offering plenty of comfort - stability without stiffness.

In addition to the cushion, I'm a fan of the extra wide outsole/heel. As someone who has spent most of my running days heading in a mostly straight line, transitioning to trail running has shown me that I have some deficiencies in my ankle strength. I'm working on improving that, but knowing I have some extra stability from these shoes gives me a little extra peace of mind. Like most trail runners, I've rolled ankles countless times. I'm currently coming back from a sprain and was initially a little hesitant to get on a rooty trail, but I feel pretty confident running in these shoes. 

Disclaimer: While these shoes offer additional stability, wearing them WILL NOT improve your ability to distinguish between stick or snake. 

My favorite part of Altra shoes as a whole is the wide toe box. The Olympus 6 has the signature FootShape toe box Altra fans have come to know and love. There's plenty of room to spread your feet out, meaning fewer blisters, black toe nails, etc.

Like the Timp 5, the Olympus 6 uses the Vibram Megagrip outsole. In other trail shoes, I've always felt a little iffy running on wet surfaces, especially rock. These shoes have awesome grip on all surfaces. And if you're on a surface that is more prone to kicking up debris like dirt, rocks, or sticks into your shoes, you're in luck. The Olympus 6 is equipped with the GaiterTrap system - a velcro patch on the back of the shoe and a hook at the base of the lacing.

Now for the part I don't love. I completely understand the why behind including the achilles pillow. I just think this one misses the mark for a couple of reasons. First, it makes the heel feel shallow, like your foot is going to slide out. This has never happened to me on the trail, and the lacing really keeps your foot locked in, but the FEELING that it could is there. The more I have run in them, the more confident I am, but that feeling is still in the back of my mind. The second problem with the achilles pillow is that it has created a debris barrier. If you're not wearing gaiters, you're inevitably going to end up with debris in your shoe. Simply turning it upside down and shaking out other Altra shoes has worked in the past for me; however, the smaller stuff seems to get stuck in the pillow. A minor inconvenience, but one that bothers me.

Overall, I'm a fan. The one issue that I can't address is some durability challenges with the Olympus 5. A lot of people claimed that the 5s began to break down pretty significantly after as little as 100 miles. I'm nearing 75 miles, and mine barely have signs of wear. No guarantees that there won't be problems down the road, but so far they are holding up very, very well.

If you're a fan of trails and tons of cushion, give these a try!