Trail-Running Shoes Buying Guide

Run all day and through the night in these Altra trail-running shoes. Their technical details are made for technical terrain. They have built-in scree sleeves for protection from debris.
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Imported.
View all Altra Men's Trail-Running Shoes| Best Use | Trail Running |
|---|---|
| Trail-Running Shoe Type | Rugged-Trail |
| Running Shoe Cushioning | Moderate 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® one-piece woven |
| Midsole | Altra EGO™ MAX |
| Outsole | Vibram® Megagrip with TractionLug™ |
| Rock Plate | No |
| Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 4.5 oz. |
| Gender | Men's |
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Huge advocate of the VIA Olympus 2; absolutely amazing fit. They did wear out a little more quickly than I would have liked, but the fit makes up for it. Decided to try the Hilo 275 to get more traction when the weather changes. Thinking these would be a similar fit to what made the Olympus 2 so amazing First off, these run 1/2 size small. The Olympus line is supposed to be the widest box among Altra shoes, but the Hilo 275 misses the mark. These aren’t the original fit that made Altra stand out; these have a standard toe box, very similar to the VIA FWD 2. Very disappointed that the overall toe box width and height are smaller. Pictures comparing the insoles.
I really like these shoes. One of My main reasons for buying these was to test the built in gator elastic thing that keep debris out of your shoe, the second is that I’m a big Olympus fan and this shoe has the same platform as the new Olympus. I’ve completed 3 decent hikes with easily over 12k vert/decent on at sections (Crabtree falls to the priest summit, tye river to the priest shelter and tye river and tye river three ridges loop/lolipop) and I did not take my shoes off to remove debris…the system works. The shoes are cushy just like all Olympus platforms and this model is good to go right out of the box, for me anyway. The traction is great
I've been using these on my Thru-hike for the last 150 miles. Which includes the White Mountains of NH (very rocky and difficult terrain). Great shoe! Incredibly light! Dries fast and very breathable. The ankle gasket is good, but less effective than gaiters. Small debris still gets in. Within the first 30 miles they got soaked, and the "Matryx" on the uppers started to peel off very quickly. This is an unnecessary part of the show anyways, and if anything, just made the upper slightly less breathable and looks tacky in my opinion. But also, I don't love the idea of leaving random plastic in the woods that fell off my shoes.
I have had a few versions of the Olympus. One of the regular ones and then two of the Knit Matryx versions. This HiLo version has only lasted ~50 miles before the Matryx font and some other details started peeling off the knit. And then by 100 miles the mid sole is separating from the upper. Luckily this all happened within 30 days so I am returning them. My older non-HiLo knit shoes have none of this wear and are in better shape despite approaching 600 miles.
Most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn. These are the first pair of Altra’s I’ve owned and I will be a customer for life. I have a very wide forefoot and I can honestly say these are the first pair of shoes I’ve ever owned where my toes have been able to comfortably spread. After minimal break in period I wore these for a 100k ultra and it felt like running on clouds the whole day. To add, the little built in gaiter worked extremely well (I never had debris in my shoes) and had absolutely no slip on steep technical and muddy trails. Would recommend these shoes to anyone!
Hiked a bunch of mountains and scenic areas in Colorodo last week in these 275 HILOs. even nicer than my 275s. These are super light, comfortable for my wide toe box area, and cushiony. @Altra, please don't stop making black on black options because those work best for an office environment.
Have only worn the Olympus 6 previously. I like the Matrix upper and love the volume in the toe box! Feels more spacious than the 6, especially the height. The pillow in the heel of the 6 didn’t bug me like many others but the lockdown was not great. Much better fit and lockdown on these. I have a very narrow heel and like a looser tie on my shoes because of neuromas and get no heel slip. A more plush feel. More comfortable step in feel. Great so far, hopefully they hold up over time.
These might be my new favorite Altras. I have Lone Peaks, Superiors, Timps, and now the 275 Hilo. The weight reduction is significant, these weigh less than my Superior 4's, despite the increase in support and cushioning. The new tread works well in dry or wet conditions, and is a big step up from previous Olympus outsoles. Previously they had a large foam patch with lugs, and this wore out quickly, as well as the forefoot lugs. The spacing and design of the new lug pattern seems to be built to last. The upper is exceedingly comfortable, despite being so robust and durable. A built-in scree sleeve is something I would hope to see on more shoes moving forward. The width is also spacious and comfortable, and I found the upper to stretch and expand with use. Overall, they're a great shoe and possibly my favorite yet.
Been running in Altras for more than a decade, and these are some of the best shoes I have ever run in, road or trail. The Vibram sole is perfect, it has the traction up and downhill, on loose dirt or slick rock. Midsole has just the right cush, and it’s made out the same EgoMax that I got 700 miles out of in the Torin 8. Oh, the gaiter is rad too.
Have only ever worn Lone Peaks, but wanted a shoe with more cushion for my 44 yo body. Super impressive grip on all surfaces and very stable as well. Lighter weight than expected (maybe why some reviewers perceive them as cheap?) idk, not me, I loved them right out of the box and even more now that I’ve put some miles on them. Absolutely ZERO heel slip, which is almost always an issue for my feet. Tons of room in the toe box like always with Altras. I ordered a half size larger than usual since I plan to backpack in these and they fit great, would have been happy with my normal size as well for day hikes. The built in gaiter is great, not quite as tight as would be needed on long hikes to keep 100% of pebbles out, but I’d wear gaiters on those trips regardless. The soles are a little stiff for how flexible the uppers are, noticeable when traversing steep grades horizontally, but overall I’m super happy with these shoes. Wish they offered more/better colors, but the black look great, especially covered in dust!


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