Great review and great news. So happy to see Altra putting out a original foot shape road shoe. It has been a long time coming and I can't wait to get a pair.
Absolutely! Would love for Altra to offer that, I did try the last Torin in a wide and just didn't do it. Orginal foot is the best option.@suspicionofdeceit
Thanks, Steve Moore. Even though I run 3000 miles away on the opposite coast, your clear review, LetsRunMoore's excellent rep, your 30 day return and your discount code, made me risk a pre-order. The process was super easy with no BS. Can't wait for newest shoes ever. The Altra Via Olympus in blue.
I love my paradigm 6's. I can wear them allll day.... Amusement Park, NYC, traveling etc.. Don't matter. They are comfy for days and i have no "fatigue". I might scoop up a pair of these and try em out.
Returned mine last week. The midsole is just too stiff for me compared with the Torin 6 and Paradigm 6 (which use the same material, just diff stack height). I was really surprised how stiff it felt. I'm gonna stick with the Torin & Paradigm until the Torin 7 comes out.
Really like that shoe! Olympus is the best for long trails- this is the road version! Good step. Even the rocker style is nowadays a must for that rollin feeling
Strange that we should be happy that Altra finally release OG fit shoes, while they suppose to have all models in such fit...this is why we love altra, right? Not for sim fit....
2:29 I just picked this up over the Torin 6 because the original fit is perfect for my foot. Standard fit (Torin) is better than my Hoka Kawanas by miles, but the Olympus is a dream. I get it Altra needs to offer slimmer fits but the kinda forgot their original base it feels like.
Interesting watch as I’ve always tended to low stack height. In my experience I would definitely recommend runners go to a physio and get proper gait analysis as I was always put in “stability” shoes for my overpronation but always suffered with ITB and knee issues. My physio put me in an Escalante and I’ve never been so injury free. Interestingly too my friend was taken out of her Hoka with that “roll through” by the same physio as it was causing her tibia issues as it was “slowing” and exacerbating her form which caused post tibial issues (If I recall term correctly). Great review as always, Steve!
I appreciate your support! It's always nice to get a proper analysis and try on different shoes. Something that works for one person may not work for you.
When you said "to wear to work", it made me wonder if there are any max cushion shoes with a steel or composite reinforced toe that are super comfy? I hope Altra keep upping the cushion on their shoes. Well done and to the point, thanks for the video!
If your doing work that requires any kind of lifting the worst thing you can do for your back and knees is wear high stack max cushion shoes. If you are lifting heavy things at work, anything that is close to a 0 drop or skate sneaker bottom with modest to little cushion gives you a more stable platform and therefore less strain on the back and knees.
Does look comfy. The first Dual is one of my favorite shoes of all time. These look more like the Hoka Bondi than the Dual which at the time was slatted as a racing shoe not a big fluffy cushioned shoe. Also I believe I recall the Dual was a good amount lighter weight than these and a very special gift of collecting rocks in the bottom. And, yes that Dual 1.5 heel counter & ankle collar was just unbelievably bad. These look very promising. Thanks for the really.
I bought the VIA Olympus to treat my plantar fasciitis with the wide toe box and the good cushioning including my custom-made insoles plus exercises. However, I am still running in my Timp 4, which I bought for the same reason a week ago. I'm getting pain on the outside of both feet at the moment. I don't know whether it comes through the still quite tight centre shoe or that I may have laced too tightly. Also, red spots such as an allergic reaction have formed in the places that were not covered by the short socks. I hope that settles down again. I first switched to my old worn-in shoes to let everything fade away.
Hi is this a good long distance hiking shoe? I was an oboz sawtooth fan and had done a lot of long trails with it until they changed it and now I've been bouncing around a little bit I'm getting ready to do a couple long hikes in the next few weeks and hoping this you can take me 500 mi or so before I need a new pair. I have tried the lone peak and liked it a lot I tried the Hoka not quite as much and the topo which I think is a great shoe but just did not fit my feet correctly
Love the multi-camera setup, the amount of shoe B-roll, and the paint GFX, but consider having your editor chill out with the transitions a little bit. Clean cuts from you on camera to a shoe close-up are fine. I find the sound effects really distracting… instead of wondering if a midsole is right for my foot, I find myself wondering “Why does it sound like Iron Man is powering up a laser gun?” Overall, I really like the value you guys have added to your videos in the past few months, and I value your Altra/Hoka insights tremendously. Keep up the good work Steve!
Love this channel's reviews but have to admit I thought exactly the same thing. I'll still continue to tune in regardless but would be totally fine with a "less is more" approach. On a related note, thanks for taking time to review this shoe, Steve! It looks like a little more shoe than what I'd typically go for (currently kicking out in the pair of Escalante 3s that I bought from y'all earlier this year, and they're showing almost no wear after 250mi!), but I'm open-minded, so I'll be keeping an eye out for additional opinions as they come out. Who knows, maybe these could work as my dedicated LR shoes?
Thanks for the feedback Mark. I appreciate constructive criticism, and we're always looking for how to improve. And I'll say, I even said to myself, am I overkilling it with the transitions and sounds? Now I know. Thanks again, we'll get better with every shoot/edit.
@@Josiah.McGuckin Thanks for the feedback. Constructive criticism is always welcome. We'll get better each time. And by the way the Escalante 3's rock! Glad you're enjoying them.
My only concern is the outsole durability: I'd love this to be super durable like the Paradigm and Provision and not super flimsy like the Torin 5. The outsole durability will make it or break it for me.
It is definitely a fair concern. Time will tell but I know that they have heard that feedback on some of their models. Fingers crossed this will be a higher mileage shoe that stands the test of time.
This looks a lot like a Hoka with a better fit. I do wish Altra would work at making their shoes a little lighter. I think this would be a hit at sub 10 ounces.
I know, that would be awesome, I think it would just break down too fast. We see that in some brands that try to go too light and cushioned with not enough substance and they just flatten out quickly. It’s a fine line between sort of airy and light and still durable.
I guess I am one of the small percentage where I have Hallux Rigidus in both big toe joints as well as metatarsalgia pain and I have wide feet. So this shoe is important to me as I have been having a very difficult time finding a shoe to work for me. The wide toe box is great, I like that it feels firmer than the Hoka Bondi 8, the Nimbus 25 and NB More v4. Also, I need a rocker type shoe, carbon would have been preferable, but they don’t come in wide versions. I have the Bondi 8 and when I power walk for 2 or more miles, the balls of my feet burn and ache under certain metatarsal joints and my big toe joints ache from too much flexion in the toe area. My issue with the Altra Via Olympus is that the shoe store sized me up half a size too big and I got a blister on the heel of my foot and I get pain in top of my feet no matter which shoe I have tried. Man at the store suggested elastic laces so I am going to try that. He also re-laced the shoes to take the crossover of the laces out in the middle eyelets to take pressure off top of my feet some for now. It has helped. I have not had the pain in ball of foot so far in the Olympus. The Olympus feels cushioned enough for me, with the too squishy feel of the shoes I mentioned. I am not a runner, I walk briskly for exercise and come down hard on my heels and these are absorbing the impact just fine. No shoes are going to stop the pain in my big toe joints while walking, but the pain is much less so far. I really need surgery to correct the problem at some point.
It was the closest shoe Altra has had prior to this one. The Paradigm has more stability and is more narrow than Olympus/Via Olympus. The Olympus, Paradigm and Via are the most cushioned shoes Altra has.
Well I risked a pre order and sadly even tho they were shipped on oct 29 they still have not arrived and when I called about it the response was “um well um well umm. Sadly I have to wait another 3 day and then maybe
I've been wearing my Olympus 4s on the road (as well as trails) because they are so comfortable. Looks like these might be a good upgrade. Those colors for women though - ugh.
I hope that this Altra via Olympus does not perform like the Hoka Bondi or New Balance More V3. Those shoes just feel too unwieldy and ponderous to me with far too high foam. I don’t need anything more cushioned than the On Running Cloud Monster. I do love that upper foot shape and the zero drop.
The instep or shoe height midfoot is too short; it cuts into the top of your foot. It also needs to have a deeper more secure heel; my heel feels like it’s going to slip out.
The only reason to use cushioned shoes is for ultra marathons, if you aren't running a 50 or 100km you need to get a grip and just strengthen your feet up. Wearing shoes like this for casual wear or short distances you are driving a pickup truck to the corner store.
Not really. The Paradigm has the standard foot shape, the Via has the Original. The Olympus is also original, which is why they named it the Via Olympus and not the Via Paradigm. In addition, the Paradigm is a (soft) stability shoe, this is a neutral shoe. Also, the stack height on the Paradigm is 30mm, this is 33mm like the Olympus. So while it does resemble the Paradigm, there are some pretty significant differences.
@@logan7161 paradigm was not a stability shoe also. paradigm was just exactly the road olympus or vice versa. they even had the same design (og guide rail)
These are garbage. Absolutely no idea what is the purpose of that “plush looking shoe” rather than an actually plush shoe. The reviewer is lying that these are unbelievably cushiony. 😂 These are so bad that you wonder whether they’re capping in their other range as well. The only good thing about altra is the wide front shape which is how every shoe should be. Other than that the sole tech is 💯 garbage.
Great review and great news. So happy to see Altra putting out a original foot shape road shoe. It has been a long time coming and I can't wait to get a pair.
Absolutely! Would love for Altra to offer that, I did try the last Torin in a wide and just didn't do it. Orginal foot is the best option.@suspicionofdeceit
Thanks, Steve Moore. Even though I run 3000 miles away on the opposite coast, your clear review, LetsRunMoore's excellent rep, your 30 day return and your discount code, made me risk a pre-order. The process was super easy with no BS. Can't wait for newest shoes ever. The Altra Via Olympus in blue.
Finally Altra! Original foot shape road shoe! Stick to what Altra is supposed to be! Thank you!!! Great review.
I love my paradigm 6's. I can wear them allll day.... Amusement Park, NYC, traveling etc.. Don't matter. They are comfy for days and i have no "fatigue". I might scoop up a pair of these and try em out.
Gosh, I would really love to try those... when their longevity has been confirmed AND they go on sale one day!!
Very interesting shoe on paper, It looks like a combination of the Paradigm 6 and the Torin 6. I hope it lives up to the $170 price tag.
I can’t wait to try this. I’m loving the Torin 6 and I think I’ll like this too.
Returned mine last week. The midsole is just too stiff for me compared with the Torin 6 and Paradigm 6 (which use the same material, just diff stack height). I was really surprised how stiff it felt. I'm gonna stick with the Torin & Paradigm until the Torin 7 comes out.
Really like that shoe! Olympus is the best for long trails- this is the road version! Good step.
Even the rocker style is nowadays a must for that rollin feeling
Steve, any chance you'll do a comparison with the Bondi 8? Seems like Altra has the Bondi square in the crosshairs with this model.
Strange that we should be happy that Altra finally release OG fit shoes, while they suppose to have all models in such fit...this is why we love altra, right? Not for sim fit....
2:29 I just picked this up over the Torin 6 because the original fit is perfect for my foot. Standard fit (Torin) is better than my Hoka Kawanas by miles, but the Olympus is a dream. I get it Altra needs to offer slimmer fits but the kinda forgot their original base it feels like.
totally agree that Altra should put their effort into their Original Fit shoes
It would be nice to show or compare the toeboxes of the altra seen from above. Thanks!
New to the channel. Lots of great information. Question...Going Europe for 18 days. Can you recommend a shoe for long walks/climbing stairs.
Interesting watch as I’ve always tended to low stack height. In my experience I would definitely recommend runners go to a physio and get proper gait analysis as I was always put in “stability” shoes for my overpronation but always suffered with ITB and knee issues. My physio put me in an Escalante and I’ve never been so injury free. Interestingly too my friend was taken out of her Hoka with that “roll through” by the same physio as it was causing her tibia issues as it was “slowing” and exacerbating her form which caused post tibial issues (If I recall term correctly).
Great review as always, Steve!
I appreciate your support! It's always nice to get a proper analysis and try on different shoes. Something that works for one person may not work for you.
When you said "to wear to work", it made me wonder if there are any max cushion shoes with a steel or composite reinforced toe that are super comfy? I hope Altra keep upping the cushion on their shoes. Well done and to the point, thanks for the video!
Reebok has a few such shoes with their floatride energy foam, fusion flexweave or something.
@@Koos_R I'll look at those, thanks!
If your doing work that requires any kind of lifting the worst thing you can do for your back and knees is wear high stack max cushion shoes. If you are lifting heavy things at work, anything that is close to a 0 drop or skate sneaker bottom with modest to little cushion gives you a more stable platform and therefore less strain on the back and knees.
@@jefreywith1f924 I didn't know that, I'll check that out.Thanks for the info!
Does look comfy. The first Dual is one of my favorite shoes of all time. These look more like the Hoka Bondi than the Dual which at the time was slatted as a racing shoe not a big fluffy cushioned shoe. Also I believe I recall the Dual was a good amount lighter weight than these and a very special gift of collecting rocks in the bottom. And, yes that Dual 1.5 heel counter & ankle collar was just unbelievably bad. These look very promising. Thanks for the really.
I just ordered the navy colorway today! from you guys!
How do they compare do the Bondi 8
I bought the VIA Olympus to treat my plantar fasciitis with the wide toe box and the good cushioning including my custom-made insoles plus exercises. However, I am still running in my Timp 4, which I bought for the same reason a week ago. I'm getting pain on the outside of both feet at the moment. I don't know whether it comes through the still quite tight centre shoe or that I may have laced too tightly. Also, red spots such as an allergic reaction have formed in the places that were not covered by the short socks. I hope that settles down again. I first switched to my old worn-in shoes to let everything fade away.
Can you comment on how soft/firm these are?
Hi is this a good long distance hiking shoe? I was an oboz sawtooth fan and had done a lot of long trails with it until they changed it and now I've been bouncing around a little bit I'm getting ready to do a couple long hikes in the next few weeks and hoping this you can take me 500 mi or so before I need a new pair. I have tried the lone peak and liked it a lot I tried the Hoka not quite as much and the topo which I think is a great shoe but just did not fit my feet correctly
Love the multi-camera setup, the amount of shoe B-roll, and the paint GFX, but consider having your editor chill out with the transitions a little bit. Clean cuts from you on camera to a shoe close-up are fine. I find the sound effects really distracting… instead of wondering if a midsole is right for my foot, I find myself wondering “Why does it sound like Iron Man is powering up a laser gun?” Overall, I really like the value you guys have added to your videos in the past few months, and I value your Altra/Hoka insights tremendously. Keep up the good work Steve!
Love this channel's reviews but have to admit I thought exactly the same thing. I'll still continue to tune in regardless but would be totally fine with a "less is more" approach.
On a related note, thanks for taking time to review this shoe, Steve! It looks like a little more shoe than what I'd typically go for (currently kicking out in the pair of Escalante 3s that I bought from y'all earlier this year, and they're showing almost no wear after 250mi!), but I'm open-minded, so I'll be keeping an eye out for additional opinions as they come out. Who knows, maybe these could work as my dedicated LR shoes?
Thanks for the feedback Mark. I appreciate constructive criticism, and we're always looking for how to improve. And I'll say, I even said to myself, am I overkilling it with the transitions and sounds? Now I know. Thanks again, we'll get better with every shoot/edit.
@@Josiah.McGuckin Thanks for the feedback. Constructive criticism is always welcome. We'll get better each time. And by the way the Escalante 3's rock! Glad you're enjoying them.
My only concern is the outsole durability: I'd love this to be super durable like the Paradigm and Provision and not super flimsy like the Torin 5.
The outsole durability will make it or break it for me.
It is definitely a fair concern. Time will tell but I know that they have heard that feedback on some of their models. Fingers crossed this will be a higher mileage shoe that stands the test of time.
Hello there, I didn’t find Saucony in your website!
yooo these look amazing
My friend with paradigm 5.... I let him try my Torin 6 WIDE, he was blown away (👍). Just looking for more colors with WIDE 11.5
This looks a lot like a Hoka with a better fit. I do wish Altra would work at making their shoes a little lighter. I think this would be a hit at sub 10 ounces.
I know, that would be awesome, I think it would just break down too fast. We see that in some brands that try to go too light and cushioned with not enough substance and they just flatten out quickly. It’s a fine line between sort of airy and light and still durable.
@@RunMoore That's a great point.
I guess I am one of the small percentage where I have Hallux Rigidus in both big toe joints as well as metatarsalgia pain and I have wide feet. So this shoe is important to me as I have been having a very difficult time finding a shoe to work for me. The wide toe box is great, I like that it feels firmer than the Hoka Bondi 8, the Nimbus 25 and NB More v4. Also, I need a rocker type shoe, carbon would have been preferable, but they don’t come in wide versions. I have the Bondi 8 and when I power walk for 2 or more miles, the balls of my feet burn and ache under certain metatarsal joints and my big toe joints ache from too much flexion in the toe area. My issue with the Altra Via Olympus is that the shoe store sized me up half a size too big and I got a blister on the heel of my foot and I get pain in top of my feet no matter which shoe I have tried. Man at the store suggested elastic laces so I am going to try that. He also re-laced the shoes to take the crossover of the laces out in the middle eyelets to take pressure off top of my feet some for now. It has helped. I have not had the pain in ball of foot so far in the Olympus. The Olympus feels cushioned enough for me, with the too squishy feel of the shoes I mentioned. I am not a runner, I walk briskly for exercise and come down hard on my heels and these are absorbing the impact just fine. No shoes are going to stop the pain in my big toe joints while walking, but the pain is much less so far. I really need surgery to correct the problem at some point.
Isn't the Paradigm the road version of the Olympus, I was told that by my seller, before this shoe here?
It was the closest shoe Altra has had prior to this one. The Paradigm has more stability and is more narrow than Olympus/Via Olympus. The Olympus, Paradigm and Via are the most cushioned shoes Altra has.
I think the Duo was 8.2 oz. for a size 9 men. 11 oz. sounds pretty heavy.
Will these come in a US Men’s size 15?
Jimmy likes these shoes.
Well I risked a pre order and sadly even tho they were shipped on oct 29 they still have not arrived and when I called about it the response was “um well um well umm. Sadly I have to wait another 3 day and then maybe
Yeah gave up on altra Olympus because the shoes were to tight for me. New balance more is just a better fitting and softer shoe for me.
I've been wearing my Olympus 4s on the road (as well as trails) because they are so comfortable. Looks like these might be a good upgrade. Those colors for women though - ugh.
Me too n totally agree ugh!
What date does it drop???
I hope that this Altra via Olympus does not perform like the Hoka Bondi or New Balance More V3. Those shoes just feel too unwieldy and ponderous to me with far too high foam. I don’t need anything more cushioned than the On Running Cloud Monster. I do love that upper foot shape and the zero drop.
The instep or shoe height midfoot is too short; it cuts into the top of your foot. It also needs to have a deeper more secure heel; my heel feels like it’s going to slip out.
I wiah they would made more escalante type shoes, not more zero drop Hokas.
The only reason to use cushioned shoes is for ultra marathons, if you aren't running a 50 or 100km you need to get a grip and just strengthen your feet up. Wearing shoes like this for casual wear or short distances you are driving a pickup truck to the corner store.
Is this available in Europe?
If Altra and Hoka had a baby
Funny that you never mentioned the Paradigm, which is what this shoe is.
Not really. The Paradigm has the standard foot shape, the Via has the Original. The Olympus is also original, which is why they named it the Via Olympus and not the Via Paradigm. In addition, the Paradigm is a (soft) stability shoe, this is a neutral shoe. Also, the stack height on the Paradigm is 30mm, this is 33mm like the Olympus. So while it does resemble the Paradigm, there are some pretty significant differences.
@@logan7161 paradigm used to be og.....
@@logan7161 paradigm was not a stability shoe also. paradigm was just exactly the road olympus or vice versa. they even had the same design (og guide rail)
@@logan7161 paradigm was also always 33mm....
Hopefully the sole will be as stiff as some of the Hokas.
Stiffer… not squishy… early rock… it’s faaaaast
…why am I intrigued by this shoe ??
I just wish they put more effort into continually evolving the Escalante Racers while keeping them wide
Can brands stop copying Hoka already.. Sheesh. If you walk in someone's footprints, you won't make any of your own or smth like that.
I don’t think comfort I think ugly
No one will want to use a shoe that won’t cause bunions? Hehe it’s what we all need
These are garbage. Absolutely no idea what is the purpose of that “plush looking shoe” rather than an actually plush shoe. The reviewer is lying that these are unbelievably cushiony. 😂 These are so bad that you wonder whether they’re capping in their other range as well. The only good thing about altra is the wide front shape which is how every shoe should be. Other than that the sole tech is 💯 garbage.
Is this softer than Vanish Tempo?