Men's Running Shoes

The Altra running shoe concept was originally thought up to help aide injuries, a problem nearly all runners encounter at some point. The architects, Golden Harper and Brian Beckstead, weren't satisfied with traditional running shoes as they were constructed to have a narrow toe box and an elevated heel which they believed prevents runners feet and lower leg from functioning naturally, particulaly restricting the foot, calf and achilles tendon when they connect with the ground.

To solve this problem they developed a shoe that was shaped like a foot and built this on a footbed that was flat from the toes through to the heel that enables the foot to land in a neutral position.

The footshaped toe box created extra space to allow the toes to naturally splay as they would when you are barefoot. This concept proved to be a sucess within their small community of runners in Utah but soon the word spread, the brand grew and evolved into what we know Altra as today.

A common question is 'are Altra shoes minimalist'? The short answer is no. Altra believe in the footshape design and balanced footbed but supported by varying levels of cushioning to create comfort and protection from the impact running has on the lower back and legs on hard and uneven surfaces.