Altra Olympus 6 Review

Upper

Loucas: "This is a rare shoe that, despite its very roomy fit (especially in the midfoot and toe box), still provides an adequately secure lockdown for my narrow foot. I don't get a 'going fast' lockdown, but do I even need to repeat that this isn't a going fast shoe? This is a running long, long distances shoe. Around my metatarsals, I have a bit of room to move inside, but not in an untrustworthy way. I can't think of another shoe I'd rather spend a day in—as in a full 24 hours or more. This is just a moving home for your feet.

Overall, this upper has an excellent balance of perforated mesh with protective durable overlays all around. Inside, it's gusseted, fully lined against fine grit, and well-padded. Which leads to the main downfall: the potentially too-padded, too-grippy Achilles pillow. I still think this is a good idea to improve heel lockdown and cushioning, but this is the only shoe that's ever given me a small heel blister, right at the top of my right calcaneus, overlaying the distal Achilles insertion area. To be clear, there's no Achilles discomfort, just a superficial small skin blister on the heel. I developed minor hot spots on both heels about an hour into a 4-hour run but emerged from that run without blisters. The next morning, I tested my luck on purpose by lacing right back up for a typical 5-miler, which sealed the deal to develop the blister.

My assessment is that it's just the thick padding of the bumper pressing into that area of my skin in combination with the very grippy suede-like texture of the padding; basically, it's too much of a good thing. I'm 100% certain that the irritation isn't from a seam. I believe that this aspect (the thickness and the grip) should break in nicely in relatively short order, and it's a simple matter to prepare my heels with a little foam tape or moleskin until they toughen up, but it's suboptimal for now.

This was a humid Southeastern summer testing period on technical mountain trails, but I got lucky with shaded, breezy, and relatively dry conditions, so I can't speak to breathability and drainage. The shoe seems on the thicker and heavier side, so it's not likely to be the best breathing upper, but I didn't experience any other discomfort or overheating, and I felt very well protected."

Midsole

Loucas: "For what it's supposed to be, the Altra Olympus 6's midsole is darn near perfect. It's just good, solid, comfortable, stable foam that soaks up rocky bumps and insulates my soles. No, it's not bouncy, lightweight, or overly soft, but it's just right, and I've always been in awe of how comfortable and unshakably stable the Olympus is. It's my gold standard for placing my feet down with confidence, practically forgetting that I'm on technical trails. It seems to absorb rocks that would poke and just makes them disappear while providing a predictable, comfortable surface for my feet to live on top of."

Outsole

Loucas: "Yep, familiar foolproof Vibram Megagrip gets the job done again. We shouldn't take for granted just how good it is. I credit the wide base and the split-channel heel for the stability as well. I'll stress that the midfoot area of unprotected foam is a feature and not a concern, as this helps to soak up rocks and trail variability in such a smooth way. I did pick up a pebble once in this foam area, but I wouldn't have known it was there except for it clicking against the trail surface as I stepped. I didn't get to test the Olympus in serious mud, but hours and hours of Appalachian wet rocks, roots, and natural stone steps caused zero problems for this shoe, as expected."

Comparable Shoes

Altra Olympus 6 vs. HOKA Stinson 7

Loucas: "With $5 and less than half an ounce difference from each other, these two are the closest-matched hovercrafts I could find on those two factors. The Stinson offers H-frame stability to take on the crazy inherent stability of the Olympus, but the Stinson stands 9 mm taller at the heel and 4 mm taller in the forefoot. Lastly, the Stinson has an average standard toe box and a not-too-technical all-terrain outsole, while the Olympus offers its Original FootShape toe box coupled with Vibram Megagrip."

Altra Olympus 6 vs. Nike Zegama Trail 2

Loucas: "Another $5 difference here (this time in favor of the Olympus), but the Zegama boasts a significantly lower weight at 1.7 oz for a men's size 9.0. That's about as much weight as three empty aluminum cans, or three CDs if you're old enough to have a collection like me. This feels like a matchup of the Zegama's vibe of a luxury SUV with an energetic engine versus the Olympus' vibe of a beloved no-nonsense get-it-done SUV. The former might have more bounce and fine fabrics, but the latter brings enhanced stability, better bumpers and fenders, better bucket seats (lockdown), and more legroom (toe box)."

Altra Olympus 6 vs. Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3

Loucas: "Who could resist a natural matchup of the two preeminent brands known for being shaped like feet? The Topo is a whopping 2.4 oz lighter and a stunning $25 less. Slam dunk? Not so fast. The Topo has a durable Vibram XS Trek EVO outsole with less technical lug shapes, so it's a bit more geared for smooth-trail hybrid durability compared to the enhanced stickiness and aggressiveness of the Megagrip setup on the Altra. With the same heel stack height, the Ultraventure employs a 5-mm drop, meaning 5 mm less foam under the forefoot compared to the Olympus. I'm certainly not mad at either option, and there's plenty to choose from here to differentiate according to your preference."