Altra Olympus 275 Review | Great Shoe, Terrible Fit

Our review of the new Altra Olympus 275, after having some pretty high praise for the Olympus 6.

The Altra Olympux 275 arrived looking flashy right out of the box in this bright coral and black combo and I could not wait to put them on and take them for a run.  Even with all of that cushion, they felt lightweight and very stable.  The outsole is similar to the Altra Olympus 6 with the Vibram® Megagrip. which has such great traction out on the trails.

The Olympus line of shoes is known for its extra cushion and is a zero-to-low drop shoe with a roomy toe box.

I ran a lot of miles in the Olympus 6 model.  I used them for sections of ultra races and loved the roominess and cushion.  

This shoe is a great choice for long runs/ultras where a runner would like the extra cushioning.  It feels really stable under foot, does not have a rock plate but offers nice protection from sharp rocks, and would be a nice choice for hikers who want a zero drop shoe.

Altra Olympus 275 Overview

Having just run three ultra races using the Altra Olympus 6, I was excited to see how this updated version would feel on my feet.  The Altra Olympus 275 is about 1.5 ounces lighter than previous versions which, for all day efforts, makes a huge difference! The Matryx® upper is a super lightweight, one piece woven material with Kevlar that feels supportive without creasing or rubbing on the toes or feet.

Why are these not called the Olympus 7’s you might ask?

The name is a nod to the temperature (275ºF) that Altra’s founders used to crank their toaster ovens while crafting the brand’s first prototypes in a Utah basement.  So, from the early days of basement innovation to design input now from elite trail runners Jeff Browning, Tara Dower, and Kyle Curtin… My expectations for this shoe were high!

The biggest difference between the Altra Olympus 275 and previous models is the scree sleeve to keep out debris and a new lace lock system.  They do not have the typical velcro and hook built into the shoe to attach a gaiter to them since they have this soft collar built right into the shoe.

Does this built in gaiter or “scree sleeve” and flashy new colorway make for a better trail shoe?  It certainly has some big names backing it up and so many trail runners love the cushion and support that the Olympus is known for.

I was curious how the scree sleeve was going to fit on my ankles and heels since I’ve been running in a few other brands offering these built in gaiter-type collars.  I like this feature but can’t say I love it. Altra did put some padding inside the heel cup to help prevent slipping and sliding and a nice loop to help pull the shoe on which is appreciated when the fatigue of running long distances kicks in or if you have a crew helping you with your shoes.  I do think they should have left the velcro and hook on the shoe for a taller gaiter, but for most runs the scree sleeve is sufficient.

If you enjoyed the last version of this shoe, the Olympus 6, then the fit and cushion feel very similar. 

Something I like as a runner is not having a model of a shoe change drastically in fit and feel.  The laces are thinner on the Olympus 275 and there is cushion around the heel below the scree sleeve. 

The upper is a Kevlar reinforced Matryx® which feels lightweight, never creased in uncomfortable places, and is known for its durability.  The shoes also have a nice toe bumper which is great in rocky terrain, especially for later in races or runs when you tend to not lift your feet up as much once the fatigue starts to set in.

I had to hold off before any more runs in the shoes due to the blister, but did run another 10 miler in them with less vert and they felt better.  I wore a sock with more cushioning around the heel.  I still felt a little pressure on the top of the foot and I think that if the tongue had more padding it would not be an issue.

The laces could use a little more stretch or thickness which could possibly help prevent them from digging into the top of the foot.   

The Vibram® outsole offers great traction and despite the amount of cushion, they do not feel too clunky. 

They are a great shoe for rocky terrain and long efforts out on the trails. 

I love the improved toe bumper, especially with the change with the Matryx® upper, this is a great feature to help protect the toes.  I ran only a few sections on pavement and flat dirt roads and they did feel a bit stiff on those sections, so I’d definitely stay on the trails with this shoe.  The outsole and tread are very similar in the 275 and 6 so no big changes there.

Altra Olympus 275 Fit

Altra is known for its wide toe box and roomy fit. The zero drop places your foot in a natural position with a solid, stable foundation.  I wore my regular running shoe size which felt great in the toe box but too loose in the heel. 

My first impression is that they felt roomy around the midfoot and heel, so I tightened the laces and added a heel lock for a more secure fit. As I re-laced the shoes, I noticed the lace-lock system which offers one loop further up near the ankle and off to the side which is a nice feature.  Some brands have removed these extra holes near the top of the laces when they added a built in gaiter or sleeve so I’m hoping this helps the shoe stay in place.  The padding in the heel cup was helpful and using a heel lock did improve the fit.  The scree sleeve is a nice feature, but if I feel like if I need to use a gaiter on a run, I’d probably want something a little higher up on my leg for more coverage.

My second run was up a mountain with about 6,000 feet of gain, so a lot of climbing.  I wore a thicker pair of socks hoping that would protect my heels and tried re-lacing the shoes to relieve pressure on the tops of my feet. 

About 5 miles in, I could feel my heels rubbing…worse on one foot so I tried to adjust things again without much success.  By the end of my 17 miler I had quite the blister on my heel.  It could have been the sock choice but I really had a hard time preventing my heel from slipping around during the run.

The tongue is not attached to the rest of the upper and could definitely use more padding. I feel this way about both the Olympus 6 and 275.  The Olympus 275 laces were thinner and felt like they were digging into the top of my foot.

Altra Olympus 275 Feel

I love the roominess in the toe box and these shoes are really comfortable with the cushion and higher stack height.  The midsole is a compression-molded EVA, so the feel is very comfortable.  It’s a neutral shoe but with a wide base that feels very stable underfoot.  

The scree sleeve does not make the shoe difficult to put on or take off since it does not rise up very high off of the shoe.

I only wore crew length socks with these shoes, and the built in gaiters on these models do make you think about your sock choice. The sole is stiffer than other trail shoes I’ve run in with similar features and does not have that bouncy, responsiveness feeling.  These shoes were designed to go the distance and to be a durable choice out on the trails.

The overall feel of the shoe is stable and secure over rough terrain, in both wet and dry conditions, over slick rock and loose scree.  The cushion feels nice and if it weren’t for the blister on my second run with them, I could see myself running a lot of miles in them.

These shoes would be my choice for a race distance of 50 or more miles, a long day in the mountains or canyon, or a day that would include a lot of walking/hiking.  Maybe I could have sized down a ½ size, but I really like the fit in the toe box and mid foot.  The heel was just a little loose even with the padding

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