Customer Reviews Altra Olympus 5

Positives - The raspberry colour is really fun and fresh, and the cushioning is just right. Negatives - It's really bizarre why the tongue is made with stiff sharp edges. It cuts into my ankle with each step. Why not stick with a regular soft comfortable tongue? Also this is much too narrow in the toe box, it actually feels tight. I buy Altra for the signature wide toe box but this model doesn't deliver on that front.

I have hallux rigidus. No flexibility in my great toe. Wearing the Olympus 4's original toe box really allowed me to have normal activity. I bought 3 pair a year! I tried the 5'a with the same expectation. I can't wear it. The shoe is different. I went up a size and alas, I can't wear it. The pressure point on the toe is too much. I am very disappointed

These are hands down the best running shoes that I've ever purchased - they fit my feet perfectly. I have a wide forefoot (thanks to ski boots), high arch, high instep, and narrow heel and even hoka's weren't as comfortable. Not to mention I can easily fit my superfeet orthotics in them. I'm typically a 7.5 but size 8 in these fit perfectly.

I wanted to love these. I had just ordered the Olympus 4-I've been wearing the Olympic 2s for years as my running shoes so I was trying to upgrade. The 5 came out just as I ordered the 4 and when I put the 5 on to compare I immediately took it off to make sure I had the right size shoe. It was a stark difference in size when compared to my usual altra sizing. Super narrow and short. Disappointing, to say the least. Keeping 4s and am going to start hunting for a replacement company to try.

I use my Olympus for trail running mostly, and it performs great. It is wide, but that's part of the reason I like it. I'm not a super fast trail runner (not yet anyway), so if I were I could see myself wanting something a bit more form fitting and not as wide. But for where my skill level is now, it performs great. I recently wore the same pair for a 3 days stage race (58 miles total), and I never had a blister or hot spot. It's very grippy for different types of terrain and I have learned to just trust the shoe as I run downhill on some sloppy places. The one thing I will say is that I wish the Olympus came in brighter colors (bright yellow, maybe). Oh, and Altrano one needs a white trail shoe. I can see a white road shoe that you would bust out for race day. But a white trail shoe?! It would be stained the first day I took it out on the trail.

Holy cow. I am in LOVE with these shoes. I had never worn Altras before, but wanted to get a pair of lower / more trail runny shoes to wear for a three-week trek in Nepal. I ended up with the Olympus 5 and, now home from said trek, I don't think I will ever hike in anything else ever again. These shoes handled the 100+ HARD miles of the Three Passes with total class and comfort. The biggest compliment I can give is that throughout the whole trip, I never had to think about my feet. Never. I was comfortable all day, every day whether handling mud and silt and scree crossing glacier moraines or navigating the rocky uneven trails between villages. These shoes are definitely worse for wear after the trip, but it was also harder terrain than they'd find for a typical trail runner or hiker in the PNW. The only "issue" I found was that around 50 miles in they no longer liked to stay tied with a single bow but a simple loose double knot fixed that easily. I will be buying a new pair to have on hand, because I just loved these so much.

Have worn these shoes in town and have hiked in the desert and the High Sierra - just love them. When hiking 12 plus miles/day, recommend one size larger. Otherwise, half a size larger should be sufficient for regular workouts. No blisters (paired shoes with Injinji toe socks and farm to feet socks). Breathable. Truly fantastic shoes.

I run on gravel, dirt, trail & occasionally on pavement. I usually wear my Paradigm 6, (Mens Size 42, because I liked the men's color options better!) Or I wear my Outroad 2 if it's a bit wet or muddy, those are also a womens EU size 42 or US size 10. These Olympus 5 combine my two favorite shoes into 1! I bought a size womens EU 42, US 10 & they fit a little bigger than my Outroads, but they feel great! I do not find that they run small. I have the yellow/ orange color & they're so pretty! They remind me of a sunset! Perfect for country running! Also, I have 26 cm & 26.5 cm feet, high instep, low volume, medium to narrow width.

I typically wear On trail running shoes for my hikes over the rocky terrain in Phoenix, but after trying the Altra Olympus 5, I may be converting. At first try on the shoe fits true to size and looks bulky from above, but I actually got several compliments when I showed up to the trailhead to test them out. The cushion is soft, but my arch still felt supported and no rubbing after the 30 minute trail run. The trail I tested the shoes on is steep and rocky and I only lost grip a couple times, I would lose grip more often in my usual brand. Overall, if you can get past the bulky look and embrace the comfort of a wide toe box, these shoes are great for trails.

I am really liking the upgrade to the Olympus. The cushion is perfect.

Wow! Wow! Wow! These sneakers are nothing less than spectacular! As an avid runner, these sneakers check all of the boxes! They are the most comfortable sneakers I've ever put on, along with being incredibly supportive and sturdy. My feet are wide, and these sneakers fit perfectly. I've injured myself in the past doing trail running in the wrong sneakers; I am not worried about that with these! I cannot recommend these enough! I have already done both hiking and running in these magical sneakers, and all of it has been like being on a cloud of comfort.

For this review I sampled Altra's Olympus 5 Running Shoes. They are hands down the most comfortable shoes that I own due to their wide toe box. I am prone to bunions and this is exactly the type of shoe my podiatrist recommended to me. Not only that, but they're amazingly stylish as well and the colors are subtle but still a cute accent. The shoe itself is white with just a touch of blue pigment to make it stand out. The shoes are cushiony and protect your joints while running. My knees have never been so comfortable while I jog on the open road!! I will definitely be buying a second pair, there's nothing to improve because these shoes are actually perfect for me!!

I have been wearing Altras for YEARS and being a nurse, I alternate my shoes every 6 months or so. I have almost no arch and a wide toe box so the Olympus 5 fits my feet perfectly! I am typically a 9 in a woman's shoe and did have to size up to a 9.5 with this purchase. My local store is an authorized Altra seller so I was able to try them on before purchasing and so glad I did! I will agree with several reviewers that the tongue of the shoe is "sharp" but after wearing them in Las Vegas and walking everywhere for 4 days, the tongue seemed to be less of an issue. The Olympus 5 has the perfect amount of cushion and wiggle room, making this nurse's feet happy after the end of a long shift!

I really like the width and toe box of these shoes. They are great in all areas, except the tongue really bothers me. The edge is sharp and plasticky, and if you wear low socks it cuts into your skin and has given me blisters on my low calf/top of my foot. Would love these shoes and buy again if the tongues were just made of fabric and didn't have the sharp edge.

The Olympus 4's were perfect. But Altra changed the fit. First I had to upsize in the 5's. 1/2 size up is a little small and 1 full size up is a way too big. Also, the wonderfully wide duck-foot toe that makes Altra so special was narrowed on the 5's. So less wiggle room. And to top it off, the shoelaces are 2 inches too short to be functional. I had to order new ones online. Bottom line is Altra ruined a great shoe.

I really liked the show but as someone who love health and fitness and fashion these aren't great. They look very clunky and too youthful.

I have been a die hard Altra fan for years but sadly im going to start looking for an alternative. They started out being the first shoes I didn't have to break in. I loved the timp but they changed it so now it's too narrow. I Moved to the Olympus, which I've also loved. However my last pair is likely going to be my last purchase. They are definitely more narrow, they hurt across the top of my foot. The final straw is the shoe strings, I can't even tie it on my right foot it's so short. Forget being able to lace all the holes for support!!! Over the years I've probably bought 20 pairs , they were my go to shoe for just about everything. Their niche market was folks with wide feet and high arches, I think they've forgotten that. The market is drowning in narrow uncomfortable shoe selections. You had a very loyal market who like me are going to search for their go to shoe elsewhere.

Disappointing! I would have loved them if they had not run so small. I bought these thinking I always a size 11 and now I am stuck with unusable shoes

Why did you ruin the Olympus? The Olympus 4 was my favorite running shoe of all time. I had 3 pairs. I wore them every day for work and for play. They really helped me with my knees and feet. Why do you keep making your new shoes more narrow? Altra is known for their wide toe box that was UNIQUE. Now it seems you are just conforming to other shoe companies or else trying to use less materials to save on costs. Maybe your new shoe designer has narrow feet and could care less about your loyal fans with wide feet. I notice you have done this with your other shoes as well. The Olympus 5 is too narrow. Instead of keeping the wide toe box you changed it to a narrower "sock like" fit that is very uncomfortable and squeezes my forefoot. You also made the part above the ankle for gaiters too long and high where it rubs into my achilles and feels very uncomfortable. I have a wide forefoot and a narrow heel. However, your new heel is creased and it slips off my narrow heel. PLEASE BRING BACK THE OLD OLYMPUS 4 with the wider forefoot where you could wiggle your toes and the old round heel that did not slip and was not creased and the lower loop for gaiters. PLEASE STOP RUINING YOUR SHOES. Bring back the old quality and the original wide fit. That is your brand and that is what you are known for. Cutting corners to save money or to conform to other brands will lose you customers. People with narrow feet have tons of other choices. Your founder seemed passionate about making shoes for people with wide forefeet. No other brand made shoes like these where your toes could have natural movement. Now I will have to look for a new shoe brand. You do not need to redesign a shoe every year. If you want to make a shoe for people with narrower feet, then you should design a new shoe with a new name instead of ruining one for wide feet that was well-loved by your customers. I can see in the comments that many customers who loved the Olympus 4 found the Olympus 5 very uncomfortable. I hope you will take customer feedback seriously instead of listening to whomever is telling you to redesign your shoes so they are extremely uncomfortable. At the very least, you could offer a wide version if you are not going to make these with the ORIGINAL fit. GO BACK TO THE OLYMPUS 4 for next year!

The SAME lug continues to come apart from sole after less than a week! All I do is walk during my shift, so no trails have even touched these shoes. WHY are they coming apart in the SAME spot???