Altra Olympus 5 Hike Mid GTX - first impressions

[FRM]

I’m a big fan of Altra and their zero rise shoes. I’ve worn Lone Peaks Mids in their various iterations my last 4 walks on the Camino. However walking the Portuguese, with the never ending cobble stones, had me wishing for a shoe with more cushioning. So for the first time in years I purchased a different style Altra: the Olympus 5 Hike Mid GTX. They are a relatively new style. I’ve had them about 2 weeks, maybe 50 miles +/-. Here are my take always so far.

1. They have significantly more padding in the soles. The Olympus stack height is 33mm vs 25 mm in the Lone Peak. An increase of about 30%. It is noticeable from the first time you try on the shoes. I’ll no longer need to buy a replacement insert as I did with the Lone Peaks. You don’t feel every little stone you step on.

2. They are a bit heavier (3.6 oz) but still lighter than most mid boots. I’m guessing the extra padding and leather uppers account for most of this.

3. The Olympus 5 Hike are stiffer and needed more break in time than the Lone Peaks. The shoe in general feels more substantial, but still more trail runner like than not. The Lone Peaks felt broke in from the start.

4. A few of the reviews I read discussed a seam at the ankle, where the sewn in tongue ends, as being uncomfortable. My left shoe had this problem on one side. It appears that where 3 different materials meet on seam was incorrectly sewn with too much material gathered., bulging portion of the seam (slightly bigger than a grain of rice) that pressed into a bony part of my outer ankle. After my first few miles with the shoes it was pretty painful. I ended up trimming this off with a pair of toenail clippers. not sure that was a good idea, time will tell.

4. Other things- had to return my first pair and order a half size larger than I wear in the Lone Peak mids. I have the brown Olympus 5 Hikes with the day glow orange shoe laces. They border on hideous, but if for some reason my feet are separated from my body they will be easy to find .

I start from Pamplona in 3 weeks and will update this after I’ve had a week or two of serious walking.

Best,
frm

 

[CaminoNickolas]

curious how it goes. unsure which altras ill do the CP in this April

 

[BombayBill]

I went from several Caminos on a new pair of Lone Peaks every year to Altra Olympus (low rise) last year. Definitely more cushiness. They don’t dry quite as well but I’m happy with them. The LPs wore out after 800ish k but the the Olys still feel good.

 

[curlylottie]

I’ll be following this to learn of updates. Love my Altra Lone Peaks but my foot soles actually hurt after I hike with them. I wore Hoka Kaha’s for the Camino Frances, and loved the cushioning but wished they had that Altra toe box.

 

[Leemac40]

Thanks to various comments on this forum I have recently purchased my first pair of Altras, absolute game changer! Why don't all shoes come in the shape of a foot?!? Seems far too sensible! Have been wearing them (lone peak all weather) every day for 2 weeks, approximately 10miles per day, slight discomfort on one ankle bone however well worth the feeling within the shoe, like wearing a very comfortable slipper! Can't wait to walk the Camino in September.

 

[jalluisi]

Please keep us posted. I am have thinking about the getting Altra's for the this September/October. I have been using my Oboz Sawtooth (the original). They are great boots, but Oboz doesn't make this style anymore. I have worn my original Oboz Sawtooth for two caminos - it does show wear so I don't think I can get a third camino out of them. I do like a stable boot and not feel rocks or cobblestones. I am not sure how Altra's would compare.

Thanks!

 

[FRM]

Folks tend to have strong feeling one way or the other about Altras. The zero rise and large toe box was a game changer for me. I wore the Vasque Breeze prior to the Lone Peaks. I thought I had died and gone to heaven the first time I walked in Altras. The only issue was the thin soles. With the additional padding of the Olympus that problem seems solved.

@BombayBill , do your shoes typically dry overnight? When I saw the leather uppers I suspected they would dry slower than the Lone Peaks.

frm

 

[jcat]

I tried out the Olympus 5 GTX but ended up returning them. For me, they didn't feel like they had the same roomy footbed as the Lone Peaks. That roomy footbed is the reason I like Altra.
Now I am trying out the Lone Peak All-WTHR Low 2, with a Superfeet insole (I have both orange and copper to try).
I love the shape of the Altra and the cushion of Hoka, and I was hoping that the Olympus was going to be the perfect combination of both, but it didn't work out for me. Glad they are working for you.

 

[FRM]

I tried out the Olympus 5 GTX but ended up returning them. For me, they didn't feel like they had the same roomy footbed as the Lone Peaks. That roomy footbed is the reason I like Altra.
Now I am trying out the Lone Peak All-WTHR Low 2, with a Superfeet insole (I have both orange and copper to try).
I love the shape of the Altra and the cushion of Hoka, and I was hoping that the Olympus was going to be the perfect combination of both, but it didn't work out for me.

I noticed the same thing when I purchased (online) the first pair in the same size as my previous Lone Peaks. I returned those and ordered a half size up and it was much better. I think part of the issue is the leather uppers of the Olympus are less flexible than the material used on the Lone Peaks. I’m hopping as the leather softens up I get the same sense of roominess as the Lone Peaks. Altra claim the two shoes have the same the same wide footbed, but they do feel a bit different.

 

[jcat]

I noticed the same thing when I purchased (online) the first pair in the same size as my previous Lone Peaks. I returned those and ordered a half size up and it was much better. I think part of the issue is the leather uppers of the Olympus are less flexible than the material used on the Lone Peaks. I’m hopping as the leather softens up I get the same sense of roominess as the Lone Peaks. Altra claim the two shoes have the same the same wide footbed, but they do feel a bit different.

I'll be interested to hear how they feel a week or two into your Camino. I bet they get even better with time / miles. Nothing beats my well broken in Lone Peaks, just not enough cushion for anything 10+ miles and the cobble stones as you mentioned.

I'm walking the Ingles in about 3 weeks. I'll have the luxury of seeing the longterm weather forecast for my entire 5-day Camino. If it looks dry, I'll go with my Hoka Speedgoats, if it looks rainy I'll try the Lone Peak All-WTHR with the proper aftermarket insoles.

If someone could just combine that footbed of the Lone Peak with the cushion of a plush Hoka, it would be the perfect Camino shoe for me!

 

[Paul.W]

I've recently bought the Olympus 5 Trail Runners and Salomon Predict Hike Mids. Haven't decided yet which to wear on the Camino. First pair of Altras for me and are a really comfortable fit. Do like the roomy toe box. Went half a size up with these. Always go up 1 size for Salomon boots to get a really good fit. Decisions decisions .

 

[Joe Walsh]

I’m a big fan of Altra and their zero rise shoes. I’ve worn Lone Peaks Mids in their various iterations my last 4 walks on the Camino. However walking the Portuguese, with the never ending cobble stones, had me wishing for a shoe with more cushioning. So for the first time in years I purchased a different style Altra: the Olympus 5 Hike Mid GTX. They are a relatively new style. I’ve had them about 2 weeks, maybe 50 miles +/-. Here are my take always so far.

1. They have significantly more padding in the soles. The Olympus stack height is 33mm vs 25 mm in the Lone Peak. An increase of about 30%. It is noticeable from the first time you try on the shoes. I’ll no longer need to buy a replacement insert as I did with the Lone Peaks. You don’t feel every little stone you step on.

2. They are a bit heavier (3.6 oz) but still lighter than most mid boots. I’m guessing the extra padding and leather uppers account for most of this.

3. The Olympus 5 Hike are stiffer and needed more break in time than the Lone Peaks. The shoe in general feels more substantial, but still more trail runner like than not. The Lone Peaks felt broke in from the start.

4. A few of the reviews I read discussed a seam at the ankle, where the sewn in tongue ends, as being uncomfortable. My left shoe had this problem on one side. It appears that where 3 different materials meet on seam was incorrectly sewn with too much material gathered., bulging portion of the seam (slightly bigger than a grain of rice) that pressed into a bony part of my outer ankle. After my first few miles with the shoes it was pretty painful. I ended up trimming this off with a pair of toenail clippers. not sure that was a good idea, time will tell.

4. Other things- had to return my first pair and order a half size larger than I wear in the Lone Peak mids. I have the brown Olympus 5 Hikes with the day glow orange shoe laces. They border on hideous, but if for some reason my feet are separated from my body they will be easy to find .

I start from Pamplona in 3 weeks and will update this after I’ve had a week or two of serious walking.

Best,
frm

View attachment 141878View attachment 141879View attachment 141880

Nice review, thank you for the good info. I have worn Altra for many caminos and in desert hiking too. Their optional gaiters work well in the sand dunes, but I haven’t used them in Spain.

 

[JWST]

Altra Olympus 5 for me, low cut, great cushioning, considering buying a second pair to walk in from April even though my first pair are still doing the thing after 250+km, not sure on their durability, but looking good atm...anyone have longer term view of their durability?

 

[Paul.W]

Does anybody find the Hokas are narrow fitting ? I don't particularly have broad feet but found the running versions rather tight. Tried a pair of boots and while great cushioning felt I'd have problems when my feet would swell on long walks.

 

[Leemac40]

Does anybody find the Hokas are narrow fitting ? I don't particularly have broad feet but found the running versions rather tight. Tried a pair of boots and while great cushioning felt I'd have problems when my feet would swell on long walks.

Yes I agree, they do loosen off after a while though I still feel pressure/rubbing on the outside sole of my feet after extended wear! It's unfortunate as they're amazing otherwise, as someone stated previously if they could make a hybrid of Hoka and Altra I would be first in line!

 

[BombayBill]

Folks tend to have strong feeling one way or the other about Altras. The zero rise and large toe box was a game changer for me. I wore the Vasque Breeze prior to the Lone Peaks. I thought I had died and gone to heaven the first time I walked in Altras. The only issue was the thin soles. With the additional padding of the Olympus that problem seems solved.

@BombayBill , do your shoes typically dry overnight? When I saw the leather uppers I suspected they would dry slower than the Lone Peaks.

frm

The LPs dried easily , the Olys needed to be stuffed with newspapers. In both cases I pulled the insoles out.

 

[Tali]

Men's and Women's Lone Peak 6
are on sale at the Altra website for $112 (typically $140).

Women's Lone Peak 6 Trail Running Shoe - Altra Running

The trail icon you know and love, just got an upgrade. The Lone Peak 6 is here to show it’s still legendary with updated features like new upper construction and a customizable lacing system designed for a better fit on the trails. This evolution provides the ultimate trail features like our...

www.altrarunning.com

 

[Goyo]

Men's and Women's Lone Peak 6
are on sale at the Altra website for $112 (typically $140).

Women's Lone Peak 6 Trail Running Shoe - Altra Running

The trail icon you know and love, just got an upgrade. The Lone Peak 6 is here to show it’s still legendary with updated features like new upper construction and a customizable lacing system designed for a better fit on the trails. This evolution provides the ultimate trail features like our...

www.altrarunning.com

A local store carries the Lone Peak 6 for men, but I don’t know if they’re going for that nice price of $112. On sale or not, I’ll go for a fitting and see how they feel with the wider toebox folks talk about. Plus, I don’t like buying shoes online as I have weird feet.

I will also ask if adding another insole would help with the cushioning issue referred to above. I could be way off base, but then again, . I’m just looking to be enlightened. Any and all opinions are welcome.

 

[Dani7]

Just bought a pair of Altra Timp 4 women. One size bigger. I’ve tried lone peak 6 (not enough cushioning on the heel. Heels sore after just 12+k) and the Olympus 5 (great cushioning but not enough grip on the soles). Supposedly the Timp 4 is in between these two. Going to start training in them soon. Fingers crossed

 

[Ynotwalk]

Just a general heads-up for folks regarding the Altras (or any other zero-drop type of shoe) of any model. Remember that they are zero-drop shoes (toe and heel internally on the same plane, regardless of the exterior padding) so if you generally have been wearing a shoe or boot with a more typical drop (8mm-12mm) you may need to allow your calf muscles to adjust to the lack of a rise. Wearing a shoe with a heel rise (like most of us do) results in your calf muscles shortening. They will lengthen out again, but take care to break in your Altras slowly -- like wearing them an hour or so a day -- to give your body a chance to remember its longer calf muscle length. Some people sustain injuries if they leap immediately into zero-drops and hike multiple days of high mileage without preparation.

 

[kje]

I’m a big fan of Altra and their zero rise shoes. I’ve worn Lone Peaks Mids in their various iterations my last 4 walks on the Camino. However walking the Portuguese, with the never ending cobble stones, had me wishing for a shoe with more cushioning. So for the first time in years I purchased a different style Altra: the Olympus 5 Hike Mid GTX. They are a relatively new style. I’ve had them about 2 weeks, maybe 50 miles +/-. Here are my take always so far.

1. They have significantly more padding in the soles. The Olympus stack height is 33mm vs 25 mm in the Lone Peak. An increase of about 30%. It is noticeable from the first time you try on the shoes. I’ll no longer need to buy a replacement insert as I did with the Lone Peaks. You don’t feel every little stone you step on.

2. They are a bit heavier (3.6 oz) but still lighter than most mid boots. I’m guessing the extra padding and leather uppers account for most of this.

3. The Olympus 5 Hike are stiffer and needed more break in time than the Lone Peaks. The shoe in general feels more substantial, but still more trail runner like than not. The Lone Peaks felt broke in from the start.

4. A few of the reviews I read discussed a seam at the ankle, where the sewn in tongue ends, as being uncomfortable. My left shoe had this problem on one side. It appears that where 3 different materials meet on seam was incorrectly sewn with too much material gathered., bulging portion of the seam (slightly bigger than a grain of rice) that pressed into a bony part of my outer ankle. After my first few miles with the shoes it was pretty painful. I ended up trimming this off with a pair of toenail clippers. not sure that was a good idea, time will tell.

4. Other things- had to return my first pair and order a half size larger than I wear in the Lone Peak mids. I have the brown Olympus 5 Hikes with the day glow orange shoe laces. They border on hideous, but if for some reason my feet are separated from my body they will be easy to find .

I start from Pamplona in 3 weeks and will update this after I’ve had a week or two of serious walking.

Best,
frm

View attachment 141878View attachment 141879View attachment 141880

My husband and I did the Frances from SJPdP in the Olympus trail runners, non GTX. Like you, we chose the extra padding bc of the varied terrain as usually we use Lone Peaks on natural trails, but there is considerable rocky or paved terrain at times on the Frances and we appreciated the cushion! They were fabulous! No blisters, super comfortable, and worked well in all terrain/weather. We started April 4th and hit snow, rain and mud, heat… saw it all. Personally, we avoid GTX as the non waterproof dry faster in rain and aerate better on hot days. We had gaiters we used sometimes to keep snow or debris out and avoided that ankle rub you mention from the higher cut bootie. Hope they work well for you, too!

 

[Goyo]

My husband and I did the Frances from SJPdP in the Olympus trail runners, non GTX. Like you, we chose the extra padding bc of the varied terrain as usually we use Lone Peaks on natural trails, but there is considerable rocky or paved terrain at times on the Frances and we appreciated the cushion! They were fabulous! No blisters, super comfortable, and worked well in all terrain/weather. We started April 4th and hit snow, rain and mud, heat… saw it all. Personally, we avoid GTX as the non waterproof dry faster in rain and aerate better on hot days. We had gaiters we used sometimes to keep snow or debris out and avoided that ankle rub you mention from the higher cut bootie. Hope they work well for you, too!

Thank you for your feedback. I will look into them

 

[rainforestgirl]

I’m a big fan of Altra and their zero rise shoes. I’ve worn Lone Peaks Mids in their various iterations my last 4 walks on the Camino. However walking the Portuguese, with the never ending cobble stones, had me wishing for a shoe with more cushioning. So for the first time in years I purchased a different style Altra: the Olympus 5 Hike Mid GTX. They are a relatively new style. I’ve had them about 2 weeks, maybe 50 miles +/-. Here are my take always so far.

1. They have significantly more padding in the soles. The Olympus stack height is 33mm vs 25 mm in the Lone Peak. An increase of about 30%. It is noticeable from the first time you try on the shoes. I’ll no longer need to buy a replacement insert as I did with the Lone Peaks. You don’t feel every little stone you step on.

2. They are a bit heavier (3.6 oz) but still lighter than most mid boots. I’m guessing the extra padding and leather uppers account for most of this.

3. The Olympus 5 Hike are stiffer and needed more break in time than the Lone Peaks. The shoe in general feels more substantial, but still more trail runner like than not. The Lone Peaks felt broke in from the start.

4. A few of the reviews I read discussed a seam at the ankle, where the sewn in tongue ends, as being uncomfortable. My left shoe had this problem on one side. It appears that where 3 different materials meet on seam was incorrectly sewn with too much material gathered., bulging portion of the seam (slightly bigger than a grain of rice) that pressed into a bony part of my outer ankle. After my first few miles with the shoes it was pretty painful. I ended up trimming this off with a pair of toenail clippers. not sure that was a good idea, time will tell.

4. Other things- had to return my first pair and order a half size larger than I wear in the Lone Peak mids. I have the brown Olympus 5 Hikes with the day glow orange shoe laces. They border on hideous, but if for some reason my feet are separated from my body they will be easy to find .

I start from Pamplona in 3 weeks and will update this after I’ve had a week or two of serious walking.

Best,
frm

View attachment 141878View attachment 141879View attachment 141880

Thanks for the review and will wait for your next update.
I've been wearing Olympus low cut for some time and recently bought Lone Peak 6. Like you, I found them too light for long distance walking and not enough under foot support. I'm about to get another pair of Olympus as I don't think my current pair will see the VdlP distance...they're already pretty well worn.

 

[Elna]

I'll be interested to hear how they feel a week or two into your Camino. I bet they get even better with time / miles. Nothing beats my well broken in Lone Peaks, just not enough cushion for anything 10+ miles and the cobble stones as you mentioned.

I'm walking the Ingles in about 3 weeks. I'll have the luxury of seeing the longterm weather forecast for my entire 5-day Camino. If it looks dry, I'll go with my Hoka Speedgoats, if it looks rainy I'll try the Lone Peak All-WTHR with the proper aftermarket insoles.

If someone could just combine that footbed of the Lone Peak with the cushion of a plush Hoka, it would be the perfect Camino shoe for me!

Hi, I’m curious about how you found the Ingles, walking in March, as I’m starting the Ingles on the 13th of March and the weather looks atrocious, raining every day! Which shoes did you end up walking in?

 

[FRM]

I have now walked twice in Olympus GTX, for a total of about 25 days. I love the shoes. The padding is much better than the LonePeaks and my feet were much happier. They are fairly waterproof. I highly recommend them. They also still have 25 days worth of tread and seem pretty well put together.

 

[jcat]

Hi, I’m curious about how you found the Ingles, walking in March, as I’m starting the Ingles on the 13th of March and the weather looks atrocious, raining every day! Which shoes did you end up walking in?

It was a great Camino and I ended up wearing my Hokas. Had rain most days, but it was a light rain. Not much mud and the walk was on pretty easy terrain.

I walked the week before "Holy Week" and it was very quiet. I saw about 6 other pilgrims every day on the trail but even less in town because I stayed in private rooms. I'm sure it was much more crowded the following week. I enjoyed the solitude and plan to walk it again.

 

[Elna]

It was a great Camino and I ended up wearing my Hokas. Had rain most days, but it was a light rain. Not much mud and the walk was on pretty easy terrain.

I walked the week before "Holy Week" and it was very quiet. I saw about 6 other pilgrims every day on the trail but even less in town because I stayed in private rooms. I'm sure it was much more crowded the following week. I enjoyed the solitude and plan to walk it again.

Thank you for the reply