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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Altra Olympus Review}}
The [http://www.zappos.com/altra-olympus Olympus] has rapidly become one of my favorite running shoes, though the [[Hoka Clifton]] has eclipsed it by being lighter and better cushioned. It has the soft cushioning that is like the best of the [[Hoka Shoe Review| Hoka range]], combined with zero drop and a nice wide toe box. It's remarkably flexible given its cushioning, with an outsole that works well on the road. Like the Hokas, the cushioning means the shoe works well on rocky trails as well. Like other Altra shoes, the tongue area is wider than most shoes, reducing the pressure on the top of your foot. The weight is similar to a Hoka, but somehow feels lighter than a Hoka when I'm running. Like the Hokas, the midsole thins at the front and back to create a rocker effect, and this is a little more noticeable than the Hokas. I felt this worked well, though I've talked to runners who have found the rocker a little disconcerting. You can see the difference in the slice through the two shoes, with the Hoka tapering in front of the ball of the foot and the Olympus starting to taper much further back. {{H:WhatToLookForInShoes}}
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=Characteristics=
* {{H:WhyBuy}}. You're after a [[Minimax]] shoe that fits your foot. You might be better with the lighter weight and better cushioned [[Hoka Clifton]] however.
* {{H:cushioning}}. The midsole of the Olympus is not quite as soft as the typical Hoka foam, but it's softer than the earlier Altra shoes like the Torin were.
* {{H:drop}}. Altra is known for their zero drop and the Olympus is no exception. However, while the thickness under the ball and heel is approximately the same but there some rise under the arch. This gives some medial support to the ball of the foot, but it does not push up on the arch in a way that causes problems. The Olympus tapers gently and evenly from the ball of the foot to the front, which is quite different to the Hoka which has an abrupt taper at the front of the shoe. Like many [[Minimax]] shoes, the rear of the midsole is cut away to create a bit of a rocker. However, rather unusually the outsole extends back, which may be an attempt to absorb heel strike. The midsole wraps around the lower part of the foot improve stability, reducing the stilt like instability you can get with a thick sole.
* {{H: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.
* {{H:heelcounter}}. The Olympus has a surprisingly firm heel counter which is reinforced by the midsole foam rising up around the lower part of the heel. However, 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.
=Comparisons=
Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition.
==Olympus and Hoka Clifton==
Comparing the Olympus and the [[Hoka Clifton]]:, the Clifton wins on light weight and superior cushioning.
* Similarities
** {{H:price}}. Both are expensive, but tend to have a good lifespan.
[[File:OlympusParadigmRun.JPG|none|thumb|x150px| 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.]]
==Olympus and Hoka Bondi==
Comparing the Olympus and the [[Hoka Bondi]]:, the Bondi has slightly more cushioning, but the Olympus wins out for comfort.
* Similarities
** {{H:price}}.Both are expensive, but tend to have a good lifespan.
** {{H:trails}}.Both will handle rocky trails quite well, but not mud or slick rocks.
* Advantage Altra Olympus
** {{H:shape}}. The Altra Olympus has a better toe box.
** {{H:weight}}. The Altra Olympus is lighter.
* Advantage Hoka Bondi
** Nothing{{H:cushioning}}. Both are thickly, softly cushioned but the Bondi is a little better.
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