Altra  Olympus 7 Trail-Running Shoes - Women's

After despising both the Olympus 5 ‘s stiff tongue and the Olympus 6’s collar/pillows, I’ve been waiting ages for the 7 to come out. The Lone Peak has been my go to for hiking since 2016, but I’ve been wanting more cushion for my bad knees and hips. The Olympus should be that shoe, but it always falls short. This model (7), however, comes close. The heel is finally locked in. No more heel slip. They got rid of the heel collar/cushions/pillows and opted for a more subtle cushioned collar. This is a major improvement and will allow for far less trail dirt/debris to end up in the shoe now that they don’t gape open around the ankles. They also fit better in the toe box…the 6’s had excess material there that creased even when stationary. These do not do that. As for the tongue, it’s an improvement over the Olympus 5. I had to fold the tongue over in that model so the sharp edges didn’t cut into the front of my leg. The new tongue will still be a problem for many. It is slightly padded, but it’s more like neoprene with heavy stitching along the top makes the ring feel rigid. It can rub the front of your leg if wearing thin or very low socks or going on long hikes in them. From my pictures, you can compare the Olympus 7, 5 and 4. The 6 was so bad, I refused to buy it. You can see the difference in tongues and the stitching that is likely to bother a lot of people. Overall, I do really like the shoe and I plan to keep it. The tongue may force me to keep these as my low mileage shoe, though.

I have been hiking and trail running in Altras since 2014. The Olympus 4's and 5's were great; then, unfortunately, came the 6. I'm happy to say Altra listened to us and got rid of that bizarre heel bump inside the 6. These 7's are PERFECTION. I've taken them out on 3 occasions so far. Technical trail, fireroads, and roads. Let me tell you, this one is it! I think I may stock up on this bad boy because I have a 200-mile ultra coming up next year, and I really think this is going to be THE shoe of choice for my training and that race. The 7's fit like a glove, provide the cushion I need for long runs, are breathable, and have the best laces. Seriously in LOVE!

These squeezed my little toe so hard it made my toes numb. They’re not made for wide feet I guess.

I got the 4mm drop and it’s super comfy! I am not lijing the zero drop though! Love the roomy toe!