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From Fellrnr.com, Running tips
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|[[File:OlympusParadigmSideParadigmOlympusTop.JPG|none|thumb|x300px|Here is a comparison of the [[Altra Olympus]] and the Altra Paradigm from above.]]|[[File:OlympusBondiTop.JPG|none|thumb|x300px| Here is an external comparison of the [[Hoka Bondi]] and the Altra Paradigm.]]|- valign="top"|[[File:ParadigmOlympusInside.JPG|none|thumb|x300px|Here's the [[Altra Olympus]] and the Altra Paradigmfrom the inside.]]|[[File:ParadigmOlympusOutside.JPG|none|thumb|x300px|…and from the outside.]]|- valign="top"
|[[File:OlympusParadigmSole.JPG|none|thumb|x300px| The Paradigm (top) has less grip and more flexibility than the Olympus. ]]
|}
The Altra Paradigm is a [[Altra OlympusMinimax]] and the Paradigm are remarkably similar shoes(minimum drop, but I find myself generally preferring maximum cushioning) how that follows from their success with the Olympus. While the Olympus is It's a little thicker and heavier, its ability similar to work on and off road is useful, and its outsole is rather longer lasting. * The Paradigm is road only, where the Olympus will handle both road and mild trails.* The Olympus is slightly thicker and slightly heavier, but the difference is fairly marginal when you're wearing them.* The outsole on the Olympus is quite hard, and can lack traction on a treadmill at steep incline.* The Paradigm is slightly more cut away at the base of the heel to produce more of a rocker effect.[[File:OlympusParadigmRun.JPGHoka Shoe Review|none|thumb|x300px| I actually ran with an Olympus on one foot and a Paradigm on the other. It's a great way of comparing two Hoka One One]] shoes, but don't try this at home as and it's also a great way of getting injuredimproves on their design in many ways.]]
=Characteristics=
* '''Midsole'''. The midsole of the Paradigm is similar to the Olympus or One <sup>2</sup> Altra shoes. It's not quite as soft as the typical Hoka foam, but it's softer than the earlier Altra shoes were.
** '''Cushioning'''. The Paradigm is a softly cushioned shoe, though it takes a few miles from the initial firmness to wear off. This is common to most EVA foam.
** '''Drop & Shape'''. Like all Altra shoes, the Paradigm is zero drop, but this does not mean sole is flat. Instead, the thickness under the ball and heel is approximately the same thickness but there is a little bit of rise under the arch. For my foot this is enough to provide a little extra medial support to the ball of the foot, but not so much that it pushes up on the arch of my foot which would cause problems. The Paradigm tapers gradually from the ball of the foot to the front, unlike Hoka which tends to have a rather more abrupt taper at the very front of the shoe. The very rear of the shoe is cut away slightly, which may reduce the chance of accidental heel strike. The midsole does wrap around the lower part of the foot to create some additional stability. This helps overcome some of the problems you get with a thick sole creating a stilt like instability.
* '''Lacing'''. The flat laces work well and remained tied. Like many Altra shoes, I find the position of the uppermost eyeholes a little old, with the top hole too high and the next hole a little too low. The shoes come from the manufacturer laced in a way that indicates they think you should do a [[Lacing#The Heel Lock| "heel lock" style of lacing]], which I hate. I find that approach is very hard to get the tension right.
* '''Heel counter'''. The Paradigm has a surprisingly firm heel counter, but there are no strongly defined edges, so it should not cause a problem. The heel counter comes as far up the back of the heel as is normal for running shoe.
=Compared with Altra Olympus=
The [[Altra Olympus]] and the Paradigm are remarkably similar shoes, but I find myself generally preferring the Olympus. While the Olympus is a little thicker and heavier, its ability to work on and off road is useful, and its outsole is rather longer lasting.
* The Paradigm is road only, where the Olympus will handle both road and mild trails.
* The Olympus is slightly thicker and slightly heavier, but the difference is fairly marginal when you're wearing them.
* The outsole on the Olympus is quite hard, and can lack traction on a treadmill at steep incline.
* The Paradigm is slightly more cut away at the base of the heel to produce more of a rocker effect.
[[File:OlympusParadigmRun.JPG|none|thumb|x300px| I actually ran with an Olympus on one foot and a Paradigm on the other. It's a great way of comparing two shoes, but don't try this at home as it's also a great way of getting injured.]]
=Compared with Hoka=
Compared with the [[Hoka Shoe Review| Hoka range]], the Olympus/Paradigm is not quite as well cushioned, but has a much better toe box design. I also prefer the way the Olympus/Paradigm tapers the midsole towards the front of the shoe creating a more gradual rocker effect. The closest Hoka to the Olympus/Paradigm is the [[Hoka Bondi]], especially the Bondi Speed.
=A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes=
{{:Shoes-include}}
