When it comes to all-day comfort on the trails, the Altra Olympus has been at the forefront of the conversation for quite some time. Now in its seventh edition, the Olympus is a standard in the max-cushion trail game, but that’s not the shoe we will be talking about today. The Olympus 275, which launched last year, now has a sportier little brother that is lighter, more breathable and tuned more for running, while still offering the plush comfort of the traditional Olympus.
Specs
Category: Max-cushion trail
Drop: 0 mm
Stack: 33 mm
Weight: 298 g (M10.5), 249 g (W8)
Lug depth: 5 mm
Available: now
Price: $225
Upper
The Olympus 275 came out last year as a more running-focused version of the standard Olympus, which, while extremely comfortable, is somewhat bulky and a little heavy. For those who want a lot of cushion but a more runnable package, there’s the Olympus 275. The “275” comes from the early Altra days, when the founders would bake shoes in ovens at 275 F, to be able to manipulate them for a more customized fit.
Altra Olympus 275 HiLo. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
The 275 has a very light engineered MATRYX upper (a special weave that contains kevlar fibres). This makes for a light, breathable and incredibly strong upper; this fabric is one of the biggest changes between the 275 and the standard Olympus, and it saves a lot of weight. The Olympus 275 HiLo comes in at 27 grams less than the Olympus 7–which might not sound like a lot, but it’s almost 10 per cent of the shoe’s weight, and it’s very noticeable. But even though it’s very light, the shoe doesn’t skimp on details. I love the addition of the rubber toe guard; I can’t feel it when running, but I like knowing it’s there to protect my feet in rugged conditions.
Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
I’ve found my 8.5 fits true to size. But in true Altra fashion, it has a very roomy toe box. If you love that roomy, anatomically-correct toe box that Altra is famous for, you’ll love the fit of this shoe. This shoe has Altra’s widest, style, which is called Original Fit.
Midsole
The Olympus 275 HiLo is focused on comfort and cushion. With 33 mm of Ego Max foam, this shoe feels very soft and plush, and it works particularly well when running at slower paces. In my testing I found myself settling into Zone 2 paces on the trails very comfortably. There are many shoes that feel faster, even in Altra’s own lineup, with the Mont Blanc Carbon and Mont Blanc Speed, but if I had to pick just one shoe to be outside all day in, I might have to pick the Olympus 275. Even after my testing was done, I’ve been wearing this shoe when walking on mixed terrain, and my feet are thanking me for it.
Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Usually with a shoe this soft, I’d be concerned about stability on technical trails, but I didn’t feel any insecurity, and I actually felt quite confident on uneven surfaces. While running, I was imagining myself as a monster truck equipped with big tires–rolling over rocks, roots, and dirt with comfort.
The 33 mm of foam in the midsole might not sound like a lot compared to some other trail shoe monsters out there, but because of the zero-drop nature of the shoe, the cushion feels very substantial. The zero-drop doesn’t feel foreign to me, but if you aren’t used to it, I’d recommend easing into it to give your lower limbs time to adjust.
Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Outsole
The outsole features the classic Vibram MegaGrip, with 5 mm lugs. No matter the terrain, I found it gave me plenty of grip. There is excellent rubber coverage on the outsole, with strategic cutouts leaving exposed midsole foam. I can imagine in extra-rugged terrain, the exposed midsole might take a beating, but the advantage is that the shoe is lighter than a comparable model. For me, the extra weight savings is well appreciated.
Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Grip is excellent on loose gravel, sand and dirt, but also on wet rocks. Vibram Mega Grip is the standard in trail running for a reason.
Verdict
The Altra Olympus 275 HiLo, is a really solid option for a max-cushion trail running shoe. Whether you’re a longtime Altra fan or new to the foot-shaped shoe world, I’d really recommend giving the new Olympus 275 HiLo a try, especially if you like a roomy toe box and a high-cushion feel.