Altra

Nearly every other running shoe lifts your heel above your forefoot - usually by 8 to 12 millimetres. Altra doesn't. The heel and the forefoot sit at the same height, which puts you in roughly the posture you'd stand in barefoot and shifts load off the knee and onto the calf and Achilles.

The second thing is the toe box. Altra calls the fit FootShape and builds it in three widths: Original is the roomiest and is what the trail range mostly uses, Standard is moderate and is what most road shoes use, and Slim is the closest to a conventional running shoe. This is a shape, not a size and sizing up to "get more room" is the single most common mistake. Women's models are built on a women's-specific mould rather than a shrunken men's one, so the pair aren't the same shoe in two sizes.

If you want the toe box without the zero drop, that's what the Experience and FWD lines are for. They run a low 4mm drop.

What decides this one is how far you're going, how much shoe you want between you and the ground, and whether zero drop is something you're ready for. The Lone Peak is where most people start.

The one most people want: Lone Peak

The Lone Peak is the shoe that made Altra, and it's a hiking shoe as much as a running one - the thru-hiking crowd wear them out and buy them again. Mid stack height, a Stoneguard plate under the forefoot so you don't feel every rock, and GaiterTrap tabs on the heel so a gaiter actually stays put. It comes in two grades: the standard version on a MaxTrac outsole, and the 9+ on Vibram Megagrip. If you spend time on wet rock or clay, the Megagrip is worth it. If you're mostly on dry fire trail, it isn't. There's also a wide version, so check which build you're looking at before you order.

More cushion: Olympus

When the Lone Peak isn't enough shoe - long descents, multi-day walking, a pack on your back - the Olympus is the step up. We stock three versions of it, and they're covered in the next section.

Low drop, same toe box: Experience Wild 3+

If zero drop is the part you're unsure about, the Experience Wild 3+ runs a 4mm drop with a rockered shape and a Vibram Megagrip outsole. You get the broad toe box without the calf adjustment. More on it further down the page.

In short: Lone Peak for almost everything, 9+ if it's wet underfoot, Olympus for long days and heavy packs, Experience Wild 3+ if you'd rather not go zero drop.

The Olympus is the most cushioned shoe Altra makes: high stack, zero drop, a Vibram Megagrip outsole and the roomy Original fit. It's the right call for long descents, multi-day walking, and anyone carrying a pack - the extra foam does the work your legs would otherwise do at hour six. The trade is that you're further off the ground, so it's less precise on technical terrain than a Lone Peak, and it's heavier. We stock three of them.

The current one: Olympus 7

The Olympus 7 runs Altra's EGO MAX midsole, which Altra rates as 15% lighter and 10% softer than the foam in the Olympus 6, on a Vibram Megagrip outsole with TractionLug. Engineered mesh upper, moulded TPU overlays, a GaiterTrap tab on the heel, 33mm of stack under you. If you want the Olympus as it is now, this is the one.

Lighter and more technical: Olympus 275

Same max-cushion platform, built lighter. The Olympus 275 uses a MATRYX upper - a woven fabric with Kevlar through it - which takes weight out without giving up durability, over the same Vibram Megagrip outsole. One difference worth knowing before you buy: it has a built-in scree sleeve around the ankle instead of the usual GaiterTrap tab, so it keeps grit out on its own but won't take a strapless gaiter. Pick it for technical ground and long efforts where the weight adds up.

The previous generation: Olympus 6

The version before the 7, on the older compression-moulded EVA midsole. Firmer and a little heavier than the 7, and the same shape and fit. If your size is still there, it's the cheapest way into an Olympus.

In short: Olympus 7 for most people, Olympus 275 when the ground is technical or you're counting grams, Olympus 6 if it's still in your size.

The road range is smaller and easier to sort than the trail range. All three below are zero drop. If that's the part you're not sure about, skip ahead to the Experience and FWD shoes further down the page.

The everyday one: Torin

The Torin is Altra's daily trainer. The current version runs a P35X dual-density midsole - firmer foam on the outside for stability, softer on the inside - over 28mm of stack, on a Vibram outsole. It uses the moderate Standard FootShape rather than the roomiest fit, so it feels less unusual than a Lone Peak to anyone coming from a conventional shoe, and there's a wide version if that fit is snug. It carries the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance, which is unusual on a running shoe and is part of why it gets recommended to people with foot problems. If you're buying one Altra to run on roads in, this is it.

Lighter and quicker: Escalante

Less stack, a knit upper, and a much closer feel to the ground. The Escalante is the one for shorter and faster running, and it's the one people who came to Altra from minimalist shoes tend to prefer.

Tempo and race day: Vanish Pulse

The fastest thing we stock from Altra. The Vanish Pulse puts 22mm of FAST PCE foam under you with full rubber coverage below that and no plate in between - a modern racing flat rather than a max-stack super shoe. Zero drop, and the roomy Original fit, so it's actually wider through the toes than the Torin despite being the racier shoe. Buy it for tempo sessions and short road races rather than daily kilometres.

In short: Torin for daily kilometres, Escalante for faster and shorter, Vanish Pulse for tempo work and race day.

Altra's answer to everyone who wants the toe box but doesn't want to retrain their calves. The Experience line runs a low 4mm drop with a rockered shape that rolls you through the stride, so it's a much softer landing for anyone coming off a conventional shoe.

Experience Wild 3+ is the trail version - Vibram Megagrip outsole, a GaiterTrap tab, a toe guard, and light enough for fast running. Experience Flow is the road version. The FWD Via sits alongside them as another low-drop road option. If you've tried zero drop and it didn't agree with you, this is where to look before writing the brand off.

The logic is the same as on the trail: a flat platform and a wide toe box matter more over eight hours with a pack than over a 10km run, because that's when feet swell and toes get squashed.

We stock three mid boots: the Lone Peak 9 Mid, the Olympus 7 Mid and the Olympus 6 Mid. The Lone Peak mid is the lighter and lower of the two platforms, so you keep more feel for the ground on uneven trail. The two Olympus mids put the max-cushion platform under you with ankle coverage, which is what you want when you're carrying real weight or walking day after day. Check the listing for whether the version you're looking at has a waterproof membrane.

Worth being straight about the limit: a zero-drop shoe with a soft midsole is not the same as a stiff-soled leather boot, and if you're carrying 20 kilos across scree you may want the boot. For everything short of that, this is a very comfortable way to walk a long way.

Browse the full range across brands under hiking shoes and hiking boots.

Most Altra trail shoes have a GaiterTrap tab on the heel - a strip of hook-and-loop that a trail gaiter attaches to without a strap under the shoe. It's a small thing that stops the most annoying problem in trail running. Altra makes its own gaiters to suit, and the same tab works with most low trail gaiters. Have a look at gaiters and, while you're there, socks - a wide toe box does nothing if the sock is squeezing your toes together.

Running: trail running shoes, road running shoes, minimalist shoes.

Hiking: hiking shoes, hiking boots.

Accessories: gaiters, socks, footwear accessories, footwear care.

Free shipping Australia-wide, bulky items excluded, and 80 days to return anything including sale items. Full detail on our shipping and returns pages. That 80-day window matters more with Altra than with most brands: zero drop takes a few weeks to know one way or the other, and you shouldn't have to decide inside a fortnight. If you'd rather try a pair on, we have two stores - Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast and Brisbane at Skygate - and you can order online for click and collect. Details on the store locations page.

What size Altra should I order in Australian sizing?

Altra uses US sizing which is the same as Australian sizing. Take your usual running-shoe length as the starting point and don't size up for the toe box - the extra room is built into the shape, not the length, and a shoe that's too long will slide on descents. If you're between sizes, go up for trail and hiking where your feet will swell and your toes will hit the front going downhill. Check the measurements on the Altra size guide before you order.

What does zero drop mean, and do I need to transition?

Zero drop means your heel and forefoot sit the same distance off the ground, instead of the heel being lifted 8 to 12mm as it is in most running shoes. It puts more load through the calf and Achilles and less through the knee. If you're coming from a conventional shoe, yes, build up - walk in them first, then short runs, then normal distance over three or four weeks. Going straight into a long run is how people decide Altras don't suit them when what actually happened is a sore Achilles. If you'd rather skip the adjustment, the Experience and FWD lines run a low 4mm drop instead.

Are Altra shoes any good for walking and standing all day?

They're one of the more popular choices for it, and the reason is the toe box rather than the drop - feet spread out over a long day, and a shoe that doesn't fight that is more comfortable at hour ten. Plenty of people buy the Torin for exactly this rather than for running. The zero-drop caveat still applies: if you stand all day in heeled work shoes, going flat is still a change your calves will notice. We can't give you medical advice, and if you're buying shoes to manage a specific foot condition, talk to a podiatrist first.

What's the difference between the Lone Peak and the Lone Peak 9+?

Mainly the outsole. The standard version uses Altra's MaxTrac rubber; the 9+ uses Vibram Megagrip, which is noticeably grippier on wet rock and slick clay and holds up longer. Same platform, same fit, same stack. If your trails are dry and hard-packed, the standard shoe is the better value. If you're crossing creeks and scrambling on wet rock, pay the difference.

Does the Altra warranty apply in Australia?

Altra warrants its footwear against manufacturing faults, and the terms vary by product. Wear from normal use isn't a warranty matter on any shoe - outsoles and midsoles are consumable. Separately and regardless of what the manufacturer offers, Australian Consumer Law guarantees apply to everything we sell. If something's gone wrong with a pair you bought from us, contact us and we'll handle it for you.

Which Altra is best for wide feet?

Start with the fit name rather than the model. Original is the roomiest FootShape and covers the trail range including the Lone Peak and Olympus; Standard is moderate and covers most of the road range including the Torin; Slim is the narrowest. On top of that, the Lone Peak also comes in a dedicated wide version, which is the widest thing in the range. Worth saying plainly: an Altra in Original fit is roomier through the forefoot than a wide-fit shoe from most other brands, so you may not need the wide version at all.