altra-running-shoe-toe-box

When you look at a pair of Altra shoes it’s immediately apparent that something different is going on here. I’ll be honest, when I first saw them I thought they were funky-looking and perhaps a bit strange. Then I started reading about them and finding out why they looked the way they did. And, a good amount of reading and wearing them later, I’m a convert. And you will be too.

Seeing the Altra difference

The first thing that becomes apparent with Altra shoes is the Footshape Toe BoxTM. It’s wide. I mean, really wide. But it all starts to make sense. Most, if not all, traditional running shoes put your toes in a narrow, pointy toe box that resembles a ski boot shape more than anything. When you run, you’re not skiing, so why should your feet feel like they are? With Altra’s Footshape Toe Box, your toes are allowed to relax and spread out naturally and the big toe to remain in a straight position. Not only is this significantly more comfortable, it also enhances stability while you run. As Altra itself says “we’re simply giving your foot the working space it needs.”

While the shape of Altra’s Footshape Toe Box is probably the most striking feature of the shoes upon first glance. I still think the story behind the other revolutionary aspect, the fully cushioned Zero DropTM, might be even better. The founder of Altra, Golden Harper, has been working in the running industry for years. His family has owned a running store in the Wasatch Mountains for a long time. After seeing so many customers complain of various problems with shoes, and seeing the effects in person and in video analysis, he decided to change things up. And here’s where it gets good. He started melting off the soles of shoes in his toaster oven, and then removing the excess heel elevation. While the shoes at that point weren’t winning any beauty contests, the results were undeniable!

Melting shoes the old-fashioned way.

What’s interesting is that, years later, minimalist running shoes commonly employ a zero drop. Yet, for all the acknowledgment that this is a better position for your foot as a runner, nobody else is running a fully cushioned Zero Drop the way the shoe wizards at Altra are. All that means is that you’ve got all the more reason to come check out a pair of Altra shoes for yourself. We’re currently selling the Olympus 2.0, max-cushioning model, and the Lone Peak 2.5, in both men’s and women’s models.

Altra is the official sponsor of the Western States 100-mile endurance run this season, and it’s probably high time that you come check out exactly why so many high-level runners are making the switch to Altra shoes.