Altra VIA Olympus 2 Introduction
The Altra VIA Olympus 2 is a each day coach that gives sufficient midsole with their ALTRA EGO Max and rubber outsole for sturdiness to final you a lot miles.
The higher offers consolation with their engineered mesh and sufficient room with its extensive midfoot and toes field to your ft and toes to show throughout your gait cycle.
At $165, does this stack up with the likes of different each day trainers just like the (*2*)Nike Invincibles?
Altra VIA Olympus 2 First Impressions
My first impression was there was numerous midsole happening. Feeling the midsole with my fingers it felt actually gentle. But as I put the footwear on, it was a unique story.
During my first run in them, though the shoe had numerous stack peak and was very gentle on the contact, I didn’t really feel any cushioning nor forgiveness on the journey.
And for a runner that isn’t use to a zero drop, I certain felt my calves working. I wasn’t too frightened as I do know I can adapt. The higher itself felt very nice and comfy.
Altra VIA Olympus 2 Upper
The higher makes use of a twin layer engineered mesh that may be very comfy. It matches extensive on my ft, and I can actually broaden my toes on my touchdown attributable to it additionally offering a really extensive toe field.
Although the higher is taken into account extensive it did really feel safe on the highest of my foot and had no situation with any slippage. The tongue is non gusseted and may be very distinctive. It’s distinctive as a result of it offers little padding, however it additionally has completely no construction to it.
It’s a really flimsy tongue however when you lace up and begin operating you should have no points with it. I believe the most effective function of this shoe, beside the toe field, is the heel counter.
For a shoe that’s meant for simple/restoration runs it offers the correct amount of padding and construction to make it a really comfy journey.
Not an excessive amount of padding nor too little padding. One different function the higher offers is it has a reflector on the lateral aspect in case you might be operating at night time.
Altra VIA Olympus 2 Sole Unit
The midsole makes use of what Altra calls the Altra EGO Max, which to me appears like a normal EVA foam. I truthfully didn’t really feel the journey had any cushioning nor forgiveness on my ft in any respect.
It took me simply over 5 miles into the shoe to really feel something close to a cushioning journey. Maybe it’s as a result of I’ve had the fortune to journey and check out midsoles that supplied far more forgiveness and cushioning such because the ZoomX from Nike or FF Blast from ASICS.
The geometry of the midsole offers a pure foot form so you should use the total anatomy of your foot in your gait cycle as an alternative of counting on greater drops to offer any help, particularly on the toe off.
As a runner that does use greater drops on their midsoles, I certain felt extra fatigued on my first few runs with the shoe. But as I ran extra persistently with the shoe, I turned extra comfy with the zero drop. The midsole does present some stability as a result of wider platform.
The outsole offers rubber that has flex grooves the place the human foot is ready to flex through the gait cycle. What I did discover with the grooves between the rubbers is that little rocks can get caught in between. Not a deal breaker however can get annoying.
The traction of the outsole is basically good. I’ve examined the footwear out in grass, grime, pavement, and gravel with no points with slippage in any respect.
When it involves sturdiness of the outsole, the rubber looks as if it can final some time. After fifty miles, the rubber has not appeared to clean out and the traction continues to be there.
Altra VIA Olympus 2 Conclusions
My expertise with the shoe is that it’s nice restoration shoe. After testing it with pace and lengthy distances, I discovered it to be the right shoe for slower paces at round not more than ten miles with this shoe.
I felt just like the longer I used to be operating with it previous ten miles the extra my ft turned fatigued.
Maybe it’s due to the zero drop that I’m not use to? Or perhaps it’s as a result of I felt the midsole wasn’t as alive as I needed it to be? Now, would I ever buy this shoe? Possibly not.
There are different footwear that I’d buy beforehand with higher midsole compounds such because the (*2*)Nike Invincible with the ZoomX and even the ASICS Novablast with the FF Blast. Those midsoles really feel extra comfy and extra forgiving on my ft.
Plus, the value of the Novablast is much more inexpensive.