Trail-Running Shoes Buying Guide

Mountain-ready, these Altra trail-running shoes are made for your on- and off-trail adventures. They've been updated to be lighter weight and more durable. Built-in scree sleeves keep out debris.
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View all Altra Men's Trail-Running ShoesBest Use | Trail Running |
---|---|
Trail-Running Shoe Type | Rugged-Trail |
Running Shoe Cushioning | Maximum Cushion |
Heel-to-Toe Drop (mm) | 0 |
Heel Stack Height (mm) | 33 |
Forefoot Stack Height (mm) | 33 |
Footwear Height | Ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Upper | Matryx |
Lining | TPEE sockliner |
Midsole | Compression-molded EVA |
Outsole | Vibram Megagrip |
Rock Plate | No |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 8 oz. |
Gender | Men's |
7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. Men's | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
UK | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
EU | 40 | 40.5 | 41 | 42 | 42.5 | 43 | 44 | 44.5 | 45 | 46 | 46.5 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51.5 |
Foot Length (in.) | 9.8 | 10 | 10.2 | 10.4 | 10.6 | 10.8 | 11 | 11.2 | 11.4 | 11.6 | 11.8 | 12 | 12.2 | 12.6 | 13 | 13.4 |
Altra’s unique FootShape™ toe box and zero to low shoes are built to place your foot in a natural position, with a stable and confident foundation to run on. When fitting, be sure to allow a full thumb’s width in front of your toes. If your feet are used to cramped toe boxes, Altra shoes may feel a little big at first. Give your toes some time to get used to the newfound wiggle room.
Altra offers a range of FootShape fits:
Original Fit: The fit that started it all, Original is the roomiest of the 3 options from Altra.
Standard Fit: The most common fit from Altra is right in the middle of Original and Slim.
Slim Fit: The slimmest-fitting Altra option still allows room for your toes to spread out naturally.
IS THIS SHOE TRUE TO SIZE? The product Features above will provide a suggestion if Altra advises you to size up or down in this particular shoe. If no such note exists, please order your regular size.
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I’ve worn out dozens of minimalist trail shoes. Lots of La Sportiva and Altras. On a whim, for my latest road marathon- I used Altras. They were perfect. Figured it was worth a try to check out their maximalist trail shoe. The ride is amazing. Rolls a bit more when side hilling. Gotta check your reflexes when bombing down a trail, as that extra fluff can unexpectedly catch a rock.
Wow. Yeah, these are keepers. I have been running socal mountains for years and have used most models. My previous favorites were the Mont Blanc Boas. Now these. Make these in a BOA and I'll take a few. BOA's like the new timp BOA's which I cant wear due to the cumbersome fit but that have an incredible tie down. Anyway. A firm yes on these.
I really wanted to love this shoe—it looks amazing and checks all the boxes for an epic trail runner. Unfortunately, it just didn’t fit my foot. I have a 4E width, and while I expected it to be a bit snug, the real issue wasn’t the width—it was the lack of volume in the toe box. It felt like trying to fit my foot into a Pringle can. What’s most surprising is that I own the Altra Torin in wide, and those fit beautifully—no volume or width issues at all. So I was shocked this trail shoe was such a miss. Honestly, I don’t understand why Altra doesn’t offer a wide version of this model. They’re missing out on a big part of their original audience—many of us are now turning to Topo or New Balance instead. It feels like Altra tried to cast a large net to appeal to everyone but in result lost many of their original buyers
loving these trail runners. I'm using them for backpacking. but so far they are my favorite Altras. II own everything from superior's, Lone Peaks and Timps. these actually have more room in the toe box and I'm loving the cushion. I will be buying more of these as i wear out the pair I already have.
Very stable despite the added cushion
Caveat: The Altra Olympus 275 is not your father's Olympus. As a longtime Olympus runner (first version--4 pair; 2.0--2 pair; 5--3 pair; and 6--1 pair; unfortunately, I felt the in-between versions to be a little too clunky), I watched all of the TRE reviews of the Olympus 275 with anticipation. My thinking was this might be the one. When I saw the early REI release, I jumped, and so far, I have not been disappointed. Quick comparison to 5th/6th version: definitely lighter. I had heard that the strobel board was removed to lower the weight and increase cushion. However, honestly, it looks the same as 5/6. Visually, the midsole appears the same as 5/6, but it feels softer and there is increased cushion. It took a while for my 5's/6's to break-in and reach the level of flexibility the 275 has out of the box. I'm looking forward to the next few months. The upper has a great fit through the mid foot while retaining the classic Altra toe box. I believe any durability issues associated with the previous versions may be a thing of the past. Underfoot, I sit a little higher in the 275 than previous versions. I have had Altras in the past that had a definite negative heel drop. I like the idea of the scree collar, but I was apprehensive that it would not snug up against the ankle and keep out dirt and stones. No worries there, and no rubbing either. Finally, Altra has increased the length of the Olympus tongue (I'm sure any weight gain as a result is minimal). The padding has a good top-of-the-foot feel. The laces work with the upper to give a solid lockdown. Anything I might change? At first not a fan of the color, but it does grow on you.
I skipped over the Olympus 6 because the ankle “pillow” they put in did not feel good so when I saw they took that out for this edition I had to try. So glad I did as the changes they made underfoot are wonderful! Hiked in the snow and my feet didn’t get wet either. I hope they take these design changes and apply them for the 7.
This is an awesome shoe! If you purchased the Olympus 6 like me and are not too happy with the super duper heel cushion, then upgrading to the 275 will be worth it. Right out of the box the shoes fit great. I took them on a trip over the weekend. Had no issues, no blister, no breaking in.
These weigh less and look cooler than the olympus 6 but during actual use the flap of spandex where the heel should be just collapses and leaves the remaining 1.5” of rigid upper material to saw into the base of your achilles tendon like a knife. Ever tried running a trail in river sandals? This is like that
Bought these for my husband. He loves them. Half size up fits better.