New Running Shoe is the “Sensible Alternative to FiveFingers”

At only a few years old, Colorado-based running shoe company, Altra, is a relatively new addition to the industry. But do not let their youth fool you. Their visionary products are being touted as some of the best technical shoes a runner can find, designed specifically to help an athlete run with proper form and posture to minimize not only injury, but wear-and-tear on the shoe. Altra is becoming most known for their innovative “zero drop” technology, as the “sensible alternative to FiveFingers” barefoot running.

Altra’s zero drop became what it is today (one of the Top 10 running shoe brands) out of years of observation at Golden Harper’s family's running store in the Wasatch Mountains. A competitive runner himself, Harper says that he wanted to do more for his customers complaining of knee pain, shin splints and recurring foot pain. He began melting the outsoles off of traditional running shoes with a toaster oven to level the cushioning to a "zero drop" position where the heel is at the same level as the forefoot. (Traditional shoes typically have a 2:1 heel-to-toe ratio.)

Image Source: zogdo.com

This approach worked so well at reducing injuries for over 1000 happy customers, that Harper began designing his own line of running shoes. Vibram’s FiveFingers, the glove-like footwear that has become nationally popular and sparked the barefoot running movement, also offers zero drop; however, according to their own website, the shoe was never intended to be a full-distance running shoe. Many believers in natural running have therefore become injured in the process.

In addition to the fully-cushioned zero drop and a more natural foot strike, Altra running shoes have three other characteristics that set them apart from FiveFingers:

1. A very wide toe box meant to offer a more relaxed foot and therefore a more natural posture while running.

2. Incredible flexibility and durability in their choice of materials. The shoes can be bent in half and twisted – something a traditional shoe typically cannot do because of its rigid structure.

3. Gender specific designs to meet the physiological differences between the male and female feet/gait.

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