Altra may be an unfamiliar brand to many runners, but it should be familiar to experienced runners and shoppers who like overseas online shopping. After all, Altra is one of the world’s top 10 running shoe brands. It was founded by Golden Harper in 2009, and thanks to the expertise and research and development of its founder, Altra has gained a strong market share and reputation in just a few years, quickly becoming one of the top 10 running shoe brands in the world. And I think it is lucky for me that I got the Altra Paradigm 1.5 and could be here to share its information with you.
With respect to the shoebox, there is nothing special in it. Regularly, there is the logo in the front and at the side of the box is some basic information about the shoes.
But different from many other brands, inside the shoebox is also printed with the brand’s technologies that are adopted in the shoes, presumably in order to make consumers well understand its product design concept.
In terms of the shoes, the first glance of the shoes has impressed me that the shoes were very mature and steady. As the saying goes that “Never judge a book by its cover.” Although it is big, it is not heavy as many people may be deceived by its appearance; and ugly as it looks, it is actually very comfortable.
I’ve seen a lot of comments and feedback from the shoes’ buyers and most of them observed that the shoes’ soles were very thick and they were also curious about the technology adopted here. So here is the answer. The technology, as indicated in the soles, is the Zero Drop that is Altra’s exclusive tech and applied to all Altra shoes. The Zero Drop refers to the fact that the front and rear soles of running shoes remain the same height from the ground whereas most traditional running shoes are designed with the heel of the sole higher than the front foot. This tech can reduce the impact of shock on our feet and help develop proper running posture and also reduce the risk of injury.
Apart from the sole, another feature of the shoes is the wide front foot. To tell the truth, the only word surging in my mind when I saw the front foot was “ugly”. However, notwithstanding that, the front foot isn’t of average design. Actually, it adopts the FootShape tech which is also developed by Altra besides the Zero Drop. With the technology, the front part becomes much more friendly to our feet and we no longer have to bear the burden and squeeze brought to our toes by traditional running shoes. On top of that, our toes have more room to stretch out inside the shoes.
(The FootShape marking in the toe part)
Then it is about the outsole. And after seeing the outsole, what’s your impression of it? Personally, I found that the outermost layer of wear-resistant material was mainly distributed on the inside of the front foot and the heel of the shoe. Theoretically, this has something to do with the energy we produce when we are running and such a design guarantees the lightness and durability of the shoes.
Then take a look at the groove design of the sole which adopts the FootPod technology. Using this tech, the shoes offer us more flexibility and ensures that the shoes can hug our feet better.
Looking at the shoes from the perspective below, I also found that the shoe has also a nice air ventilation. With the thin vamp and the many air holes in the vamp, we can enjoy the shoes’ nice breathability especially in summer days. On top of that, the tongue and the shoelaces are also very thin.
As for the size, the actual sizes of the shoes are a bit smaller than that indicated in the shoes which may be due to the wide toe. Therefore, I suggest you pick a smaller size if you are considering purchasing the shoes.
The insoles are also designed with multiple air holes in the areas where sweating is most likely to occur to keep the feet dry.
As can be seen in the picture, there is a circle of black foam to reinforce the shoes and provide support during the workout.
A single shoe weighs 310g, which is not so outstanding but can be said excellent as well.
Overall:
This is actually a pair of shoes that is very practical. But because of the technologies used in the shoes, it can only be made into such a style. But as is said before, “Never judge a book by its cover.” So it would be a pity of you miss this comfortable running shoe because of its appearance.