Altra Footwear

Forget urban sidewalks. Altra footwear is ready to take you trail running, effortlessly helping you glide over even unforgiving terrain. Our line of Altra footwear offers options for footwear that can meet the challenges of wherever your heart and mind take you. From the Men's Olympus 4 to the women's superior 5, there's an Altra shoe for everyone and for every trail. 

Altra was co-founded by two self-proclaimed "shoe nerds" who started out as buddies on their school cross country team. Co-founders Brian Beckstead and Golden Harper became friends after meeting during the first day of practice during their sophomore year, back at Orem High School in Utah. From there, as the company's website proudly proclaims, it was off to the races. Both worked at the local running store together as well and, as Beckstead would later say, they also became total shoe nerds. 

Harper's family was known for innovative thinking and he was no exception. In desperate search of how he could create a running shoe that didn't interfere with how he ran, he decided to place a pair of running shoes into a toaster oven, heating them just long enough to allow him to remove the heel. He then created a balanced cushioning platform that finally let him run without his shoes obstructing him. An idea was launched. That toaster oven experiment that brought about balanced cushioning and the practice of wide-lacing shoes to create a "foot shape" design soon spurred thousands of runners to buy brand new, unmodified shoes only to take them to a shoe cobbler who was willing to hack them up and balance them out. That type of thinking--the innovation--is what formed the foundation for Altra Running footwear.

It's no wonder the company is committed to the value of moving naturally and helping people to live a healthy life by moving in the way they were meant to move. The company also feels a commitment beyond footwear, holding itself to high standards in product, people and performance. 

Stating that it has zero tolerance for hate, intolerance, racism, excuses and limits, the company has put practices in place so that its actions live up to its values. 

Among other actions, Altra has devoted to expanding it community by welcoming new advocacy partners, donating volunteer time and lending financial support to programs focusing on the unlocking of human potential. It has joined the Running Industry Diversity Coalition to help support goals of creating a more equitable and inclusive industry for all. 

Altra is also committed to diversity, both in its own community and workplaces, as well as those that represent the Altra brand. The company also launched the Altra Diversity and Inclusion Committee, helping to support the brand's social impact aspirational roadmap.

Check out our broad line of Altra footwear. We'll bet you'll not only find Altra footwear makes your feet feel good, regardless of the terrain, but you can feel good about purchasing from a company with lofty ideals to make this world a better place. And to think, it all started with a toaster oven.