At 76 I’m not about to undertake an 800km hike. Nonetheless, your videos appeal to the 19 year old dreamer buried inside me!

To be fair, as someone who has worked in running specialty for twenty years of my life, the shoes at the end of the day are trail runners, running shoes. Running shoes typically have a 300-500 mile life span. And that will vary on user, their size, their form, and the surfaces they are on. It’s safe to say that most shoes will last longer than that, but you won’t be getting what they originally were offering in terms of support and cushion. When folks would return a pair of shoes to me after hundreds of miles with some tear in the mesh where their toenail kept popping up, I would return it and give them a new pair, but with the reminder that this would likely happen again, the shoe isn’t designed to do more than what it did. Sure you could add stronger overlays, but overlays add weight, they reduce flexibility and they heighten the chance of blisters and rubbing. Just some thought :) also! If you rotate shoes every other day, both will last longer. EVA and cushioning materials need a chance to “ bounce back”.

My Olympus 4's have lasted nicely. Fastpacking and trail ultrarunning. I've been on trails all over Finland, Italian Dolomites and Lapland. The first pair has 900km and just a small hole on top. And the second has 300km and good as new. Very happy

I have know 250 miles in my Altra Olympus 4 and they look perfect from the top. One year ago I watched your and lots of other videos about this shoe and I was sceptical if they can hold long. That's the reason why I count the miles I wear them. They have not one hole in it. I use them for running and hiking and they look just like new. As you can see there are people with maybe a more gently walking and running style and these people have no issues. I've got also the Altra Escalante Racer and they look perfect from the top too. And I have over 400 miles in them.

I hiked 1800 miles in Brooks Cascadia 13’s which have a rock plate. I have hiked countless miles in Altra Lone Peaks. For someone my age the zero drop was a concern, but I have not had any issues with my Achilles. As for durability I change shoes every 400 miles, so most of my shoes do not have any issues. The tears in the sides usually come from placing my foot in between two rocks. I am currently wearing Altra Superior’s which come with a rock plate insert which you place under the insole. Thank you for all the great videos! Happy Hiking!

Nice review! I have three pairs of these, and thus far, I have put on around 600km on my first pair, and the upper is now only starting to wear through. The second pair have around 150km on them, and have zero wear and tear, so for me, the durability is fantastic. Like you mentioned in your review, these are also the perfect shoe for me, so I will continue to stock up on them when I can until such time they release a newer version.

Over been considering this shoe too replace my Timp 2.0. Timely and helpful, thanks.

Love my Olympus!! Will never go back to anything else!! You rock🤘🏻

I have these shoes for two years now and I am very happy with them. I switched to them after I was diagnosed a problem with my hip, for therapy a began to walk and jogging on trails in the woods. I was comfortable from the beginning, it was a completley different experience from the start because of the foot shape. The zero base was something to get used to, but once you have it will make a very positive difference. Walking and light jogging in uneaven terrain never felt better, I do not use other shoes ever since. And my pair did not desintegrate, they look really ok after 2 years of use 2 to 3 sessions a week. But I am just an average user, not really hardcore, but a lot of distance is made cross country with sticks and wet stones and I never had such good grip in wet and muddy conditions with any other shoes, not even hiking boots. I like the regular non Goretex version, because if you get wet or damp feet the dry very quick and in hot conditions you stay much cooler, where as the Goretex heat up and are not as breathable, plus they are heavier. So I will use them more, I even ordered a pair of Olympus 5s - because the sole of my 4s will not last another year I guess, but they have made more miles than any of my other shoes - because I used them so much. My hip and knees recovered well so it was a success for me. I hope this helps..... Ah and just to say I am from Switzerland and the hiking was done in the Alps so you can consider that difficult terrain I guess 😉 and I do not use hiking boots if possible but that is a perference

Great review. I've been hiking in Lone Peaks for about 5 years without any big issues. Then last year bought the Altra Superior (even less cushioning) for running. But since then I've been having some knee/hamstring issues. Have recently purchased these Olympus for the fact they have more cushioning, as well as a pair of NB Hierro V6 Xwides, and a wide model of the Hoka Speedgoat 4s, so actually bringing some drop back into my shoes and change things up to see if that will help my knee/hamstring problems. Will still go to Lone Peaks (or maybe the Olympus) for hiking.

I have the Olympus trail running shoe. I have 550 miles on them and they still look great. No tears on the mesh. Probably need to buy new ones in the next 100 miles or so. I love them!!

I hiked the Colorado Trail in Olympus 4’s this summer. The upper started to split where it bends on both feet by the end but the shoes were just incredible to walk in. I had absolutely no foot problems- no pain, no hotspots, no blisters. Also, the shoes were wonderfully ‘grippy’ throughout which gave me a lot of confidence when carrying a pack on steep downhills. For me - they were just fabulous.

Nice video! I love altra shoes and these are no exception. I have run 200 miles in my Olympus 4 and no holes in the mesh at all. It actually holds up very well. Even the Timp 2 which several complain about durability i've reached at least 300 miles in with no mesh breakdown. Just outsole wear which is to be expected. Good luck on your through hike! 💥👊🤠

Very good information, thanks

I've been wearing the Lone Peak 4.5 and now the 5s. I ordered the Olympus 4 but they're a touch too narrow for my wide foot especially after a day of hiking. I hoping to find a them in wide and then I'll definitely get a pair for my 2022 A.T. hike. Love your videos!

Hey Thanks I also have been hiking with the loanpeaks and the timps with the same results but the superior 5 seem to be holding up they are the ones for me but nevertheless great video and info brother keep on humping

I love my olympus 4, helps alot with my bad knees.

Love Altras and their zero drop. Been hiking in the Timps and Lonepeaks the past 3 years and can't imagine using another brand.

Interesting review! Some month ago I was looking for a trailrunner for hiking, trail and park running. I choose a Dynafit Ultra100, had to take it one size bigger than usual, but I'm very happy with it after 200 km. Can wear it 12h and more a day without problems. Drop is 6mm, it has Pocoma instead of Vibram which has a slightly reduced grip on wet rocks but very little abraison compared to the Megagrip. Comfort is absolutely great and its not so expensive cause its on sale very often.

Would love to try them. But I'm loving the Salomon XT-6 so much right now

Another great vid from you. Interesting the idea of "working up to" zero drop. I picked up Altra Lone Peaks a few years ago, when I was 62 or 63 (I don't have meaty feet) and went straight to hiking ten miles and a few thousand vertical feet in them. They felt great (although I do tend to catch the wide toe box on rocks more than in any shoe I've had, causing me to trip, especially when fatigued). No adjustment time needed, but I guess we're all different. (I had been hiking in Merrell Moabs, which are fine but, to me, heavy, and the weight seems to wear on my feet.) The Altras wore out after a few hundred miles. (Same wear pattern as yours; Shoe Goo here too). If Altra wants to be a leader in through hiking footwear for the long term, they're going to need to up their durability game. I found a pair of virtually brand new Lone Peak 4.5s for $40 on the REI used rack and have them stored in the closet for later. I'm currently using Salomon Odysseys Triple Crowns (8 mm drop), and I really don't notice a difference. At least, I don't think I do. But because shoes are so different from each other, it's hard to know. We'll see on a five-day trip culminating in Mt. Whitney this summer. After 10 or 12 miles in the Altras with a pack, my feet felt truly great. We'll see if the Odysseys match that. Tall order.

I’ve gotten a consistent 500-600 miles on the Olympus 4 shoes. On rugged granite scrambles and trails over sharp rocks and through water they take more of a beating and need changing sooner. For me comfort is king so I just plan on changing the shoes at least every 500 miles. I need the width and zero drop so they are the only shoe for me. I love them.

I've had that problem a lot with my Asics running shoes in black that I wear to work. Tearing out different spots, but I find that duct tape on the inside occasionally redone, works great

Wow, that's a bummer, I owned several Altras (Lone Peak 3.5, 4, 5 and Timp) and didn't have much problems with the upper, still there were durability issues with the cushioning. I loved Topo Athletics as an alternative because of their similar approach (wide toebox, little drop), but they are hard to get in Germany. I recently bought the Lone Peak 5 because I heard about the durability issues being fixed (Ego midsole, better attachment of the sole to the shoe) and so far they are doing good (about 200km of hiking on rough terrain). Maybe check out the Topo Ultraventure, I heard lots of great things about them and I used a similar shoe called the Terraventure for quite a while and really liked them. Doesn't seem realistic, that the Olympus will hold up well enough to consider taking them on a long throughhike,...

I just got a pair last week! On sale too! Did one 4 mile hike and was a bit surprised I had some foot ache afterwards. At least now I know why. They did feel amazing on sharp rocks. I will be keeping track of my miles on them!

Thanks for this video. The durability and price are concerning for these shoes. Personnally, I bought the 3.5 you can find at about 100 euros.

Hi Chase. Great review as always. I'm not a fan of Ultra durability, but that said, they are not hiking shoes. Maybe check out Ecco hiking shoes. Expensive but very durable. They go 5 times further than Ultras and are relatively light and uber comfortable. Specifically check out Ecco Biom C-Trails.

Great review Chase. They definitely look Thru Hike WORHTY...

I love my pair. First pair of shoes that don't cause my little toes to squish and hurt. Didn't have any problem with the zero drop. Only complaint is they aren't rugged enough for desert hiking. They are awesome going down steep gravel areas. Haven't slid once.

Good honest review. Sick of expensive trail shoes, I decided almost a year ago to buy decathlon trail running shoes : kiprun trail race 4. I believe that this specific model isn't produced anymore, but the principle still applies. In my opinion is very simple: after using it in both trail running and hiking over hundreds of kilometers, they have never failed me. No blisters, no slippage, no breakage. The best thing I can say about a piece of gear is, it just works. It cost me, at the time, 60 eur. Being one of the most expensive models from decathlon, but very cheap compared with most brands. Aren't we paying to much for brand and novelty, instead of simple well built trail runners?

Thanks Chase. I use Ultra 4.5 and I love them but on steep hills my toes jam forward and I get blisters under 2 toenails. I will try these because of that white piece that ties into the heel. That may stop my feet from sliding. I also wear the Injiji toe socks now and no more toenail blisters. Thanks.

I am 72 years old and have just completed the 800kms of the Camino de Santiago Frances route in 30 days carrying a 20lb pack. I have booked my flight to Lisbon for the 5th of May 2022 so as to walk the Camino Portuguese. Next month I am walking the Caledonian Way.

Old trail runner getting back into what I call hogging, a combination of jogging and hiking. Long time ago I was a trailer runner, more recently mountain biker. Couple crashes as I'm getting older on my mountain bike are making me rethink that. Fabulous review, I'm going to try some Hoka Torrent 2s for sure. They feel similar in the store, but they're a lot cheaper and have a 5 for a drop. I'm going to try the new balance at some point but I can't even find them in stock anywhere except in a bright red:-)

It is a great shoe. I use if for long Ultras and ruck races.

Wow man that’s crazy. You can see straight through the upper in parts of your video as well. It looks super thin. I’d like to see the Olympus in person. I’m still rocking the Timp 2 atm.

Love your vids. I don't hike nearly as much as I used to and was just starting to switch lighter trail runners and for more casual dayhikes these days I'm using really minimal zero-drop runners (I've lived in barefoot shoes for about 8 years now) .... But I have to take pause (cuz I'd considered Altras a couple times) and think back to when I'd (we'd) hike in boots, of varying degrees of toughness/support/breathability etc.... Back then I always preferred a good pack/trail boot, usually leather for the main reason that a boot would become one with your foot and you were buying quality (welted sole construction) that'd last for many seasons on seasons of use. There sure are huge benefits to the minimal footwear so many prefer nowadays (myself included to a large extent) but hiking footwear is now bought for a season, sometimes a bit more and often even less.... A bit of throwaway culture wiggling it's way into what once used to all about durability. Whatever company can crack the durability/stability/groundfeel code is going to sell a lot of shoes.

Hi, great videos thanks! I couldnt quite hear which model NB you prefered though....? which shoes are you most happy with now? thanks again!

I recently bought the lonepeaks 5 and the confort is amazing. But I feel that they won't last as long as my previous salomon xa lite which I have used for the GR11 and many more shorter hikes (they are quite dead now but served me well for more than 1500km). Your video confirms my feelings, but we'll see what will happen on the montain :p Maybe Altras are just luxury shoes in which you feel great but need to change every couple hundreds kms xD Cheers

I'm gonna try a pair

I’ve just bought these a couple of days ago. Those durability issues are very concerning which is a shame. I am using mine as a transitioning shoe as I want to convert to zero drop. Have you ever considered doing a video on how to transition effectively? That would be really helpful. I’m starting with 3 miles a day in them and that seems to be fine. Don’t want to push my luck to soon though!

Great review .... on the Olympus 4..... I have been wearing Altra Lonepeak 4's for many years nd love the Lonepeak but after talking to other pro runners they moved to the Olympus 5..... mind you a few have had issues with the 5..... ie Sole falls off.... just wondering if you have had any sole issues with the Olympus 4 / 5

I was considering buying these but then I steered towards the lesser-known Topo Ultraventure and I'm really happy with my choice.

Maybe Joe Nimble shoes are a good follow up if those don't last. They have a trailrunning shoe with a roomy footbox and also zero drop. But they are even more expensive

I have run and hiked in many Altras and all have worn out prematurely unfortunately. Have switch to Topo and they last me about double the distance to Altras. they have models with 0 drop as well as up to 5 mm

I wear Altra Escalante 2.0s for work as a CNA, which have a stack height of 24mm, and I feel they are "too cushiony"... So I'm going to try out some LEMS Chillums going into the new year 🤞🤞 Keep in mind that I am +60lbs (+25kilos) overweight. I can't imagine 33mm 😳

Hoping the Topo MTN Racer 2’s are going to be the ones that bring durability to the Altra recipe.

Was just looking at this issue with my Lone Peaks and am thinking that if it came to it it might be possible to get a hypalon patch kit normally used for dingies. Crazy maybe but worth a try?

Hi Chase, I do my running and hiking in shoes from British company Inov8. For many years and I’m pretty happy with them. Did you have a chance to try these? Cheers, Jaroslav

I like them

Great video. Walking the Camino de Frances September 15th 2020. 500 plus miles. Will this shoe last? cushioning...and mesh exterior have been cited as possible issues. Thanks.

I got 230 (ish) miles on a pair of Olympus 4s before the midsole was pancaked. The Ego foam is not as good as the new Quantic midsoles. I loved the shoe up until they just didn't bounce back...literally. But that was on the Florida Trail and it's dreaded road walks...back on trail they were still alright to use, but on any harder surface they just weren't worth it. On the other hand, the Timp 3 was fantastic as I had one pair go 480+ miles and another do 260+. The problem that everyone is having with the Timps is the overlay pealing off...and that did start to happen, but it didn't affect performance on the trail. Also...that's after dragging them through stuff like Bradwell Bay. I'm hoping the next Olympus will upgrade the midsole foam, till then I'm staying with the Timp 3.

Topos get those tears as well. It seems that it depends on the trail how soon they show up. I've had 8 pair of Lone Peaks and if I'm in the sierras they tear fairly early but in the forest of Norther CA and Oregon they last longer so I think I'm just kicking rocks with the side of the shoe. Ive had 700 miles in one pair of Lone Peaks and only 350 in another and everything in between. The rockier the trail the shorter the life.

I’ve just ordered the scarpa raid approach shoes with vibram megagrip sole and a rock plate,I tried my hoka torrent 1 and although initially comfortable after 3 days on mixed mountain terrain they just did not have the durability and protection for me specifically in the toe box.

I am still using my Olympus 3,5 and been completely satisfied, a new model by Altra, called Alpine is what I am looking for, but I can not find any reviews on it

I find that I get high wear on the inside heel area. Have you had this problem and any suggestions on how to repair it to maximize the use of my shoes. Thanks for the videos.

Thanks for sharing Chase, couple of months ago I got lone peak 4 rsm, Beside daily use, I just did over 100km, four day hike in Carpathians and they performed great, especially with snow and frequent raining. I was thinking about getting something for hot days without membrane, particularly olympus 4 because I heard they have amazing cushion but now I guess I will wait and think it over, perhaps...lone peak 5?

I wear the Altra Timp 1.5. It has zero lift and the widest toe box in the Altra line. How would you compare the two? I also use their gator too. I like the zero lift because it is easier on my achilles. I also love the sole design! I grips when you need it. Your foot print is wider and because of that your weight is better distributed overall. Whether carrying a pack or not!

Hi Chase thx for the video. I have been struggling with a Morten’s Neuroma injury but the only shoes I’ve been able to wear this year is Altra’s and I’ve got a pair or Paradigm 6 and have even started to hike in them to but now it seems I might be able to start running again but my budget don’t aloud me to buy boots and running shoes. Now I was wondering what you think about the MONT BLANC Man. I mean they are kind of light :) and have in my opinion a better soul than the Olympus 4 as it hasn’t got that exposed foam soul and they water resistant. I think they might make a good running/hiking shoe what do you think. And thx appreciate your opinion

I'm opting for the Topo Athletics Ultraventer Pro's for this coming summer season, it has all the features you touched on including a rockplate, but has a slight drop. Trekinn has a good selection. I personally don't like wide heel sole portions, the Hoka Speedgoat is a another example of that.

Thanks for the video. Would you be so kind as to explain to me the benefits of using gators? Thank you, Mark

The black part of the sole is not vibram. It's Altra's midsole material. My Olympus 4 got a lot of thorns stuck into the black part when I ran through a rough section of trail.

i got 2 sets of lone peaks (4 Mid and 5) and both show extensive wear after 300-500k on alpine terrain. still planning to wear them on a through hike of the gr11 this year since i don't want to switch shoes that close to the hike... is there any chance to get new shoes on the gr11 in case my altras will not hold up the whole way?

Was there a follow up video to this?

Ha, ha, ha my blue Altras are there. I’ve just finished my 500km thru-hike and can concur with Chase, great shoes for hiking even in more technical terrain but the upper mesh is ripping. I will go back with them to the shop and ask for replacement or refund. Other than that I love Altras!!!

I have a pair, 3 years old? Durable enough, but the heal bed was like a semi circle and the most uncomfortable thing that I’ve ever experienced. I solved it however but putting hiking specific “supper feet” innersoles in the shoes. I wouldn’t buy them again, too much cushioning at 31mm. I find them unstable because of the height and far from nimble because of the massive wide and high chunk under my feet. 20-25mm is ideal for me so I would, despite durability issues, go for another Altra.

I should have went for this over the lone peak, I’m realizing I need a vibram sole. The lone peaks don’t have enough grip for me.

Hi! I fix my trailrun shoes with dental floss. I found black one. So it sort of blends with the fabric.

I had a similar fail on a pair of Nikes I bought for walking, blew out the top. I rarely buy Nikes but this was a (too good to be true) deal.

how many centimetres is the widest size of the insole in the toebox area from your size?

My altra outroads wore down in exactly the same spot. The altra upper just doesn't seem to be durable.

Thanks for the review! Have you heard of Topo Athletic shoes? They also do wide-footbox, low drop (3 or 5mm, not zero unfortunately) shoes, vibram outsole, some have a rock plate, and have a better reputation than Altra for durability... I've had the Terraventure 2 for two/three years and have been very happy with them!

I love altras, and I can always find a great discount by hunting older models in weird colors. I've never spent more than a hundred bucks that way.

Hey. Interesting hearing your thoughts on choosing a shoe for the HRP. I remember at one point you were keen on Vivo barefoot - why did you decide against them for this?

Mine is coming apart not even 300km in. Strictly used for trail running. Super slippery and wanting to change to something different. Only good thing was foot comfort on longer 30k runs

Warranty claim?

Impossible shoe makes a light weight safety shoe with a breathable mesh made of kevlar. I think Kevlar is the perfect fix for this.

Durability is an issue with all Altras, even though they seem to be getting better with each new shoe, I wear Lone Peaks for daily walks and love them, I walk about 40kms per week and have never got a niggle of a pain or injury.

Shoe update please?

I have previously tried altra's but only lasted a few km's. Poor construction. I now use Asics trail runners in 4E width, a nice balance of wide toe box and quality construction.

I am interested. How is it with these not being waterproof? If you step in puddles when you are hiking or have to cross a river would they just dry up again or if you are travelling and hiking for weeks on end are you better off going for a fully waterproof boot like GORE-TEX?

So how were they?

Over a 1000 miles out of mine and still going

Have hiked in the altra lonepeak before. Found out they are not durable and I even had to tape the upper together (even though i was only doing a 100mile hike). For this years thru-hike i am trying the brooks cascadia 15 and eventhough they are not 0 drop they seem to be excellent and very durable :) I work in a running store and these felt far superiour to the other shoes, especially for hiking!

exact same for me :(. It-s been like this for years and I do not undestand why they don't fix it.

Can you tell us how they survived the HRP?

I bought the lone peak 4.5 last year and after

Dang, sorry to hear about those shoes. For that kind of money you expect not to be replacing them in a month.

Well, did they last?

The durability issue is the reason why I prefer Salomon or Adidas trail runners.

You can buy altras on sale, perhaps unusual colors............i like to add a heel cup..........xxx

Do any of you have problems with the toes on altras getting holes way too quick?

I’m thinking about getting either Olympic 4 or hoka speedgoat . Any suggestions? Thanks!!!

Did you consider Hoka Speedgoat 4? I realize that they’re not zero drop but hey’re available in wide, which I’ve used everyday in all conditions for the last year. I probably have 500+km on them and other than the sole showing some wear they look nearly new! I bet the uppers would be hard to cut even with a knife. No Altras fit my wide foot but after seeing countless examples of their poor durability I’m glad I’ve never bought a pair.

I switched to Topo Athletic and I’ll probably never go back. For my foot, the Topos are noticeably more comfortable and more durable. They also have the wide toe box and zero drop.

That's unfortunate. I have around 1000km on mine since late last august. And besides being dirty and the lugs being worn down from winter running, they look brand new. Recently picked up the lone peak 5 and they have been fantastic so far. Around 300km on those now

Second pair of 4.0 falling apart before 150km here :(

HI! thank you for the review. so i just put about 130 miles on my pair of this exact shoe and all of a sudden when i went to tie them up for today i busted the second eyelet hole from the forefoot making the shoe completely unusable. are you having any issue with the eye hole chain? especially since you're going on a long trip can you make an update after your trip? i submitted a warranty claim and customer care report cause i feel like no one has had this issue so it must be a defect. at least i hope.

Try the lone peaks from altra they are way more nicer to hike then that model

I was more expecting some kind of barefoot shoes from ya^^

I'm using lone peaks and love the zero drop, why did you not go for the lone peaks?