Australian Hiker

Rating

Altra Olympus 4.0 Women's Shoe Review

After wearing out my second pair of Altra Lone Peak 4.0 RSM trail shoes in twelve months (the Hume and Hovell Trail was way too much for the first pair), I decided it was time to try something new. The Lone Peaks have performed really well but I couldn’t wear the same style shoe forever – could I? And to be honest I did feel the soles of the Lone Peaks weren’t tough enough – they seemed to wear a bit too quickly for my liking.

Being a bit agnostic about selecting a new shoe to try with the exception of them needing to be Altra, I asked the gear freak in my house (aka Tim) for guidance. Well, was a that a big mistake. Not in terms of selecting the Altra Olympus 4.0 but in terms of the journey to get there!

I have been wearing the Olympus 4.0 for close on four months now including on the tough Bungonia White Trail. Despite the challenges of Covid-19, I have worn them every weekend on a range of different trails. I haven’t been able to do any multi week hikes but thought I would give my assessment in any case.

Anyone who spends a few minutes with me will know I am a big fan of Altra shoes. I wear them on the trail and have done so for the past three years. I wear them for hiking, jogging, walking and relaxing!

The Olympus fall into the category of ‘same but different’. All the great Altra features are there including the Fit4Her, FootShape toe box and Zero Drop design. Altra is known for its Zero Drop shoes which means that from your heel to your toes the foot bed is level unlike most shoes that are higher at the heel. The Zero Drop feature makes you feel you’re leaning back ever so slightly which is noticeable the first time you wear them.

The Olympus has a mesh upper unlike the waterproof Lone Peak RSM and that was the start of the differences for me. Despite buying the same size (US 9.5) as my Lone Peaks, the Olympus 4 feels a wee bit snugger in the toe box area. Not so much that it is a problem but it is definitely noticeable. I put this down to the expectation that the mesh upper would expand with wear which it has but not as much as I expected.

The next difference and probably the best one is the deeper cushioning with the Olympus 4 – you feel like you’re walking on air. Really!

The Olympus 4 also has a Vibram sole which is standing up very well to the punishment of the tough, dry trails I have experienced lately.

The last big difference is the positioning of the Gaiter Trap at the heel of the shoe. It is just too high for lycra gaiters. The top of the shoe is barely covered by the gaiter which means a bit of debris finds its way into the shoe – more annoying than a problem.

I bought the Moroccan Blue colour which sounds like a very exotic choice but it was the only colour available in Australia at the time. It is essentially a blue upper with a purple Vibram sole and a purple tag at the rear – someone must have decided women like purple even if you can’t see it on the sole! If you’re purchasing overseas you may also be able to find a few other colours; Black and White, Balsam Green and Black with Light Blue.

Despite the Olympus being a slightly snugger fit, I am very happy with them. The extra cushioning is unbelievable! If you have a wider foot or want a zero drop shoe with lots of cushioning, you have to check out these shoes!

Altra Olympus 4.0 trail shoe

We like

• These are some of the lightest hiking shoes I own and after a long day hiking this makes a difference
• The shoes are narrow in the heel and wide in the toe box. I wore a pair of Keen Targhee II Mid Women’s Boot in the past and they are too wide for me at the rear of the shoe
• The Vibram sole means I will get extra wear out of the Olympus. The thing that will make you throw them away is the loss of traction however given that has been beefed up, I don’t think this is an issue
• The extra cushioning is great particularly for concrete, bitumen and hard management trails
• The traction is very good on a variety of surfaces
• They breathe well so your feet don’t overheat. They also dry quickly in warm weather when they get wet
• The toe guard wraps around so it provides great protection
• The Gaiter Trap works OK with the lycra style gaiters such as the Dirty Girl or Altra Trail Gaiters

What don't like

• Unnecessarily difficult to source in Australia – lucky we’re living in a connected world!
• A choice of only one colour in my size

Best uses

• Hard surfaces and trails
• For hikers with a wide forefoot and a narrowish heel
• When you need great cushioning for those big days
• At $299 they are not cheap but should last you a couple of years or around 1000 km (whichever comes first)

Buy One

You can purchase the Altra Olympus 4.0 Women’s shoe from Wildfire Sports

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

If you have used the Altra Olympus 4.0 Women’s shoe or if you have questions, we’d like to hear from you. Post your comment or question below

Other Versions

There is a men’s version of the Altra Olympus 4.0

Altra Olympus 4 Women’s shoe side view. The cushioning is fabulous on these shoes

Altra Olympus 4 Women’s shoe front and rear view

These shoes come with a Gaiter Trap which is a fancy name for a velcro tab designed to suit the Altra Gaiters and which also works well with the Dirty Girl Gaiters. The gaiters are designed to keep ‘stuff’ out of your shoes which is a godsend in dusty, sandy or burr ridden environments

The latest version of the Altra Olympus 4.0 is breathable. The gaiter hook can be seen on the front just below the laces

Altra Olympus 4.0 sole is both comfortable and grippy

The cushioning at the heel is nice and comfy

Altra Olympus 4.0 with Lycra gaiters

Disclaimer

This review was done with product purchased by Australian Hiker

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