Customer Reviews Altra Olympus 6

These are my daily drivers. I started with lone peak 7. Loved them. Got a pair of 8s. Loved them. Got Olympus 5s and omg. The most perfect shoe. If I had known I wasn't going to be able to get them again, I would have stocked up. I loved the grey and green. I got the new 6s. They're alright. The outside of the sole has two big gashes after less than a month which is unfortunate for such an expensive shoe. They are the most comfortable, though. Idk if I'll ever go back to a regular shoe. I'd still give them a 9/10. Almost a perfect shoe.

These are my third pair of Altras, but first pair of Olympus. I was a little hesitant with these after what others had said about blisters, but after a 20 mile break in run in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, I'm really happy with the fit, cushioning, and traction. Zero blisters! I am a little worried about how long these shoes will last though as the sole has already started separating from the toe on both shoes after 20 miles. Hopefully they will hold together, but I'm otherwise happy with the fit and performance.

Great shoes but I a true 12.5 in ALL my other shoes but I got a 12.5 in these and the are a tad bit too short. Other than that they are perfect

3rd pair of Olympus shoes. Big fan of the 0 drop with some cushion. I had my meniscus removed and these shoes work great for me. My only feedback is the color of the "sand" shoes. The pictures on the website are not exactly representative of the true color of the shoe. The pictures on the website show a two toned off tan color. However in person, they are a monotone grey. I have a hard time telling the difference between the two shades and the color ought be retitled "shale grey". I personally think the color on the website is way more rad than the grey I received. Otherwise these are awesome shoes and I'll probably continue buying them as long as they're in production!

Love the upgrades from the Olympus 5. Better tread pattern, more comfortable tongue, comfortable heal. So far love the shoe

The sneakers were used for light runs in mountainous terrain with little elevation change. The mileage distribution was approximately 50% on asphalt, 40% on compacted trails, and 10% on rocks. The total mileage was about 500 kilometers. My weight is 85 kg, and with gear, it's 90 kg. The first issue was with the heel counters, which wore out behind the heels after about two months. I patched them up with adhesive patches. The second problem was a small hole near the pinky toe on the right shoe, caused by accidentally hitting a metal door edge. Over time, the hole grew larger, and I managed it with reinforced tape. The third issue appeared at the 300 km mark, with holes forming in the flex area of the toe box on the left shoe. Over time, a second hole developed, reducing foot stability. I stopped running in them at 500 km when the tread was almost completely worn out. Perhaps these sneakers are designed only for park runs or two to three races per season. My next pair will likely be something with a more durable upper. The cushioning and foot support are nearly perfect. A couple of times, they saved me from injury when I accidentally hit rocks on descents.

Purchased the Olympus 6 to replace my version 5 about 3/4 of the way through my training for my ABC 50 mile race. I love the ride I get from the Olympus. The return I get from the sole makes my feet happy. The shoe is very stable on rough technical terrain. The updated grip is also great. The V6 runs about 1/2 size smaller than V5. I have gone through about 10 pairs of Olympus all the way back to V2. As I said I love, love, love, my Altra Olympus' but I'm hoping that in V7 you can go back to the slightly lower cuff around the outside of the ankle. The new version with the more padded cuff hits my outside ankle bone and I had to switch back to my V5 at about 25 miles into the race after running some off camber hills. My only other suggestion would be to trim some of the weight that has been increased over the last few models. I wear a size 15 and the weight adds up when you get into the long miles. Thanks for making an awesome product and I look forward to my next pair.

Great shoe but they squeak loudly every step.

Used for walking around my neighborhood and at work in an airport. They made an effort to improve the material in the heel area but its just not right. The 6 is more breathable than the 5. Laces are definitely better. Colors still suck

Altra overall this is an improvement from the 5.0 but one enhancement would really help. I use currex run soles (for years) - the new heal cup design caused a big heel blister on a ten mile trail run one one foot and redness on the other - I think the tolerance is low margin for error. If that heel cup started just a wee bit higher up it would be the difference. I will be testing without the after market insoles but don't know that I can do that for longer ultras. If you are looking for an all day / all night trail runner and don't use after market insoles this is your shoe.

Beefed up compared to previous generations. A bit heavy as a result, but looks to be more durable. Time will tell. Comfortable cruiser for long distance trail runs. I had to go half size up due to the padding in the heel collar. I recommend others do the same if they feel cramped.

I bought these shoes after running many miles on several pairs of Lone Peaks. I am older now and a bit heavier now so I was needing more cushion. This lead me to the olympus model. I did notice that they are more narrow than the lone peaks, and run a bit small, so I bought the men's version which fit well. I ran 13 miles on rocky trails for my first run in these, and they felt great! My feet were a bit sore since they were brand new, but that was pretty demanding for a first run in them! I think.they are going to feel awesome once they break in a bit more. Very happy with the extra cushion.

I just finished the PCT, went through at least three pairs. The shoe is too narrow and low in the mid foot. The design does not allow the mid food to expand, big flaw. This shoe needs to either be widened for come in a wide version. Universally from other hikers as well, the Olympus is too narrow. The insole heal edges dig into your heal tendons causing potential tendon damage and in some cases a large 2" blister on the inside of your heal. The shoe construction is good, durable minimum 500 miles.

I've owned 20+ pairs of Altra's, mainly Torin's over the years. I love this shoe and use it primarily for outdoor F3 workouts in which we cover lots of different terrain and do some high impact work. Over the years, the shoes have narrowed a bit, but this one is pretty true. I did find however that the heel pad is problematic and actually removed it to make room. The grip is amazing and the only complaint I have is that the sole at the heel is quite wide. I've caught it a time or two in the last few wears. I have a sz 15 foot, so I can't be picky, but these will be a definite repeat.

Really like most of the updates over the Olympus 5, but like a lot of others have said, the heel pillow is placed in a super odd spot. It feels like it's not holding my Achilles in the right spot so it's contributing to heel slip issues. If it was moved up a bit it would hold in the right spot and my foot would locked in. Would also love to see about 2 more inches in the laces! Going to wear these for a few more days to see if the heel pillow breaks in some, but majorly bummed so far. Hopefully the heel settles some and the lock in gets better! If they fit your foot and that pillow hits the right spot, these will be incredible.

The heel pad is awkward at first, causing your heel to not feel fully locked in. They should reduce the size or move it up slightly to fix this. However, after about 4 runs the pad broke in and was no longer an issue. Love the wide toe box and mix of cushion/stability in this shoe.

I love the fit, tread, and cushion just like I did on the Olympus 5. Two things that I would alter; move the heel gaiter trap lower on the heel so the gaiters can do their job better and remove the heel cup fabric insert. I have to tie them "just right" or the fabric insert rubs below my ankle. Otherwise, these are my favorite shoes.

First hike they felt very stiff and unresponsive. I actually took a bad fall. They are better now. I exclusively hike in them. The low lip of the shoes results in a lot of rocks in your shoes. I have to wear them with Altra gaiters.

Altra gave me these shoes to try. I received these nearing the end of training for my first ultramarathon. They had a few smaller test runs. I live in the whites so the terrain is very technical. While I don't love them for the technical stuff the Olympus 6 was great on the mixed terrain of my ultra race. Maintained trails, grass, and packed dirt roads. The cushion is a bit firmer but very stable which came in handy as my ankles are not the most stable. The roomy fit is ideal for me as I have a high volume foot and a tendency to swell. I asked for half a size up because I am in-between sizes and that was a good call. Overall a pretty solid trail shoe. Would recommend to someone with similar feet who is looking for that all terrain cushioned experience.

I received these shoes for free from Altra as part of their gear test. I have live and work in an area where trail running and hiking are passions of many of my coworkers and clients. I have worn Altras in the past (Torin, Lone Peak, Superior) but never had the opportunity to try the Olympus so I'm happy to share my thoughts. First impression is they look great! Appearances matter of course. They have a ton of cushion including around the Achilles tendon which can be a hot spot for many. I tested them on flat terrain, gentle rolling dirt hills as well as steeper rocky trails. I found the landing soft with little to no feel of the rocks and sharp points underfoot. The natural foot shape allows the toes to spread and adapt to all surfaces. I felt no pain or discomfort on level surfaces over any distance I wore them. Some drawbacks include little lateral stability which led to feeling quite a bit of rolling at times. The heel cushion could impact the fit around the back of the foot as I did notice it create some mild tension on my heel cord. Also the width of the toe box did allow the foot to slide forward when on steeper downhills. I'm sure this could be managed with socks or tying them differently. Overall this is a great shoe that I look forward to using more. Seems great for experienced trail runners and hikers but not too technical for those less experienced.

The Altra Olympus 6 is a great hiking shoe, and is perfectly alright for running! I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a well cushioned trail shoe that can do almost anything. As a quick disclaimer, Altra gave me this product for free to try out, but all opinions are my own. My first test of the shoe was on a backpacking/climbing trip on the North Shore of Lake Superior. The approach to the campsite was a steep hike up a ridge with a pack full of camping and climbing gear, and the cushioning and wide base made it perfect for carrying a heavy load. Later that night, I ran down and back up the same ridge, and the pure bulk of the shoe felt a little clunky. Throughout the weekend, I spent hours in the shoe, belaying, rappelling, and just hanging out at camp. Over the next few weeks, I took the shoe out for some more runs and hikes, varying from easy 3-4 mile hikes to longer trail runs up to 15 miles. The shoe really shined on longer hikes and easy runs, but underperformed on the faster efforts, mainly due to the pure bulk of the shoe. The Vibram outsole was incredible, gripping to wet rock, muddy trails, and only slipping a little on more technical bits. The upper fit a little narrower than other Altra offerings (like the Lone Peak), while still being wider and more accommodating than most other trail shoes out there. After about 40 miles, the shoe is still in great shape! My main complaint was the color way that Altra sent to me -- the white upper stained right away in even the slightest mud. When all is said and done, I'm excited to get more miles out of this shoe, mainly as my go-to long distance hiking shoe, while occasionally pulling the shoe out for some easier running efforts on less technical terrain. I'll definitely be taking this shoe on some backpacking trips this summer! As someone who works in the outdoor retail space, I'll likely recommend this shoe to customers and friends that are looking for a solid hiker that can do it all.

I usually run in stiff, low-drop, medium-cushion shoes on trails that often include lots of technical scrambling on the Front Range in Colorado. The Olympus 6s are completely different: large, maximalist, comfortable shoes that can hang on rocky technical terrain but really shine for long runs on gravel and less technical trails. They're perfect for long, slower paced, hard-pack runs with some rocky sections. Altra provided me with this pair of Olympus 6 shoes to test. So I put them through a set of runs that I thought could test their abilities in various ways: "Run" 1: I used the Olympus 6 to hike on trails and bushwack through brush and talus between scrambles. I put them in my backpack and scrambled in approach shoes. 4 miles, 2000ft of vert. I ran short sections to get a sense for the shoe. I found that they were comfortable hiking quickly in difficult terrain, both on and off trail. Running, I found they made me think of a full-suspension mountain bike: you can run right over small rocks and uneven terrain, and these shoes just soak it all up. Run 2: Altra put Vibram Megagrip on the outsoles, so I pushed them to the limit by scrambling the 2nd Flatiron, the most popular 5.0 in Boulder. The full run is roughly 30% hard packed trail, 30% technical rocky terrain, and 40% sandstone slab, and all of it is very steep: 1300ft of elevation gain over less than 1.5 miles, one way. This is not the right terrain for these shoes. It's fair to say they performed surprisingly well considering their intended use, but the massive stack height makes them too unstable to really trust them for scrambling, and they're too heavy to move quickly and precisely on technical downhill. They performed quite well on the hard-pack, both uphill and down. Run 3: My favorite pure trail run is in Eldorado Canyon. This was the perfect run for these shoes: sustained but not incredibly steep elevation gain, 6.5 miles, 1130ft of vert. Pure gravel sections, gravel with big rock chunks, hardpacked dirt, and short stretches of very rocky technical running. They performed very well, and I came out of the run with a couple of segments where I felt really good about my pace. I feel like a longer run on this type of terrain is exactly what the Olympus 6 is designed for. Fit and Comfort: I found the Olympus 6 to be true to size. While lacing up, it's a really comfortable shoe. The upper is breathable and stretchy and hugs the foot well, the heel cup fits well (for my foot, at least), and the gigantic toe box lets your toes splay out very nicely. When running, the massive stack height comes into play, and then I'd say it actually feels a little bit less comfortable because of the slight wobble it introduces and the overall gigantic profile of the shoe. They're also pretty heavy, but feel surprisingly light considering the features: cushioning, tons of underfoot surface area, and some stability features. Stride and Stability: Altras are popular partly because of the claims associated with their zero-drop platform. The idea (part of the idea, anyway) is that a zero-drop or low-drop shoe punishes us when we heel-strike, and encourages a forefoot strike instead. This type of feedback is supposed to improve a runner's stride over time, and I've personally experienced this in Altra road shoes. However, putting a massive stack height under the foot seems like it would dull any of the sensitivity required to really communicate anything about your stride or foot strike to your brain and this is hard to extract from my overall feeling that the Olympus 6 just doesn't really feel like a zero-drop shoe. It feels like a high-stack, low-drop shoe to me. There's one other interesting note here: on certain terrain, particularly when running downhill on semi-technical terrain, I've found that the instability of the high stack height forces me to shorten my stride, which is actually a good thing since I tend to over-stride on the downhill. Is this a good thing overall? Hard to say, since I also feel like I've come close to rolling my ankle in the same circumstances because of the massive, soft cushioning underfoot. This lack of stability is somewhat offset by the absolutely massive outsole. Grip: The outsole is not entirely Megagrip; some of the central lugs are actually a much softer foam. The exterior, along with lines that approximate the locations of your toes, are strips of Megagrip. I've found the material is nice and sticky. The lug pattern works very well for gravel or semi-technical rocky terrain, and decently well for mid-technical rocky trails, but this is not the shoe I would choose for highly technical trail running or scrambling; the shoe simply isn't agile enough, is too heavy, and has too much wobble. I'd be interested to try one of Altra's lighter shoes with Megragrip, like the Timp, in the future. Durability: I've run 25 miles in these shoes, with about 5000ft of vert on a variety of terrain. I haven't seen anything start to delaminate or fail in other ways, but only time will tell whether Altra has addressed the durability issues of previous generations of the Olympus.

Altra gave me the Olympus 6 for free to test. I put this shoe through the wringer. 28 mile hike/run on Mt Greylock in MA and a 40 mile trail race in West Virginia where I encountered wet, rain, mud, and extremely technical terrain with a lot of elevation change. The good: held up unlike previous versions. Grip is outstanding. Wide toe box is indeed foot shape unlike Altra's new direction deviating from their roots on other models. Toes can splay. Comfortable after breaking them in and utilizing ankle lock lacing techniques. The not so good: just a tad short in my opinion. I'm an 11 all day in every model. I would go up to an 11.5 in this model if I bought another pair. To reiterate, just a tad short. The 11 work, I'm talking a quarter inch at mostmaybe less. The pair they sent me had some stitching coming apart out of the box. Didn't cause an issue, but quality control should've flagged it before sending it out. There's some new heal cushioning pad that caused me some irritation at first, but not after breaking them in and adjusting my lacing. The heel tab/loop came folded in for some reason on one shoe (packaging I assume). This also caused irritation on my heel, but shouldn't be an issue if quality control takes a peak before sending out. Overall: I love this shoe and I hope the quality and durability are better moving forward as the last few pairs I've owned(Olympus 5, Timp 4 & 5) were not. I also hope Altra stops narrowing the toe box of other models, puts Vibram mega grip on all trail models as Max Trak is just flat out sub par, and treats their customers better when the durability fails well short of what a shoe should last at their price points.