Perhaps one of the most highly anticipated shoe updates, the Altra Olympus 2.0 fires on all cylinders. They nailed it! I don't wear maximum cushion shoes very often (I do have the original Olympus.) but I knew I was going to dig this shoe a few miles into my first run with it. If you want a max cushion shoe but find Hoka models to be too narrow for your forefoot look no further than the Olympus 2.0. You have to also be into, or at least indifferent to, a zero drop platform (all Altra models are zero drop) but the forefoot is so roomy your toes will thank you a million times over as they splay out naturally without constriction.
The biggest change to the updated Olympus is a grippy Vibram sticky rubber outsole that greatly enhances traction, taking the Olympus from hybrid road/trail status to full-fledged trail bomber. The other change is a softer, more flexible upper that gives the shoe a much more comfortable feel. Both of these changes have brought the weight of the shoes down to 11oz, not ultralight, but with so much cushion, protection, responsiveness and grip underfoot, you won't even notice.
I ran this shoe on pavement, dirt roads, groomed trails, steep trails, technical trails, dry terrain and through snow, mud and slop thanks to a recent storm that dropped a rare coating of snow on the Owens Valley floor and although it is meant to excel as a trail shoe, it performed well under all circumstances.
Take a look at the Olympus if you want a max cushion trail shoe with the roomiest of toeboxes and want to tackle anything from a single day push or a multiday fastpack of the Evolution Loop or simply want a plush, protective ride for your everyday trail and dirt road runs.
Olympus 2.0 specs:
- 11oz
- 36mm stack height in heel & forefoot (0mm drop)
- Velcro gaiter trap on heel counter
- max cushion trail shoe
- grippy Vibram sticky rubber outsole
