Altra Olympus 7 Mid GTX review

We believe that the Olympus 7 Mid GTX is right up your alley if:

• you need a cushioned, comfort-first boot for long hikes on moderate terrain
• you have wide feet or prefer foot-shaped profiles with an extra roomy fit
• you are after a low-drop setup (our calliper showed that it is 2 mm away from being zero-drop)

While there is nothing inherently wrong with the Olympus 7 Mid GTX, its high-end price can be a deterrent.

If you need a well-cushioned boot for day hikes and rolling terrain, there are less expensive options, such as the HOKA Anacapa 2 Mid GTX.

And if you are after a highly stable, backpacking-ready boot, the same price can get you the HOKA Kaha 3 GTX for moderate terrain and the Salomon Quest 5 GTX for technical trails.

The Olympus 7 Mid GTX receives a cushioning upgrade in the form of Altra's new EGO MAX foam. A blend of EVA and TPU, this compound helps raise the boot's shock absorption to 118 SA in the heel.

That makes it better cushioned than the average hiking boot and also on par with the other chunky, comfort-oriented boots like the HOKA Anacapa 2 Mid GTX (118.2 SA). That makes it one of the better options for longer distances and even multi-day adventures, where you hope to minimise fatigue as much as possible.

However, the new foam resulted in a slightly lower energy return of 48%, which is 7% lower than in the v6. But because it still falls within the hiking boot average, it feels adequately responsive. It's not a particularly springy ride but is more stability-oriented.

True to the brand's claim, the boot's heel stack measured 32.0 mm, and that's where the EGO MAX foam reveals its magic. Despite the boot's below-average stack, that foam helps elevate the Olympus 7 Mid GTX's impact protection to above-average levels!

The boot's platform remains equally thick in the forefoot, showing 29.9 mm on our calliper.

However, because the forefoot stack missed the mark by a couple of millimetres, it also caused a small deviation in the boot's heel-to-toe drop.

Instead of the perfect 0.0 mm, it measured 2.1 mm. While it's not critical, it can be a deal-breaker for people seeking the perfect zero-drop offset.

According to Altra's product description, the new EGO MAX foam is supposed to be 10% softer. But based on our own durometer measurements, it is even 23% plusher!

At 32.3 AC, it is one of the softest, most forgiving platforms among hiking boots, on par with Fresh Foam in the New Balance Hierro Mid GTX (31.3 AC)!

That surely makes the underfoot experience more comfortable, but we could feel compromises in the boot's stability.

Altra continues to use its Original Fit in the Olympus 7 Mid GTX, offering the most generous toe space among hiking boots.

You can tell by the size of the gel cast just how much room we're talking about.

So our calliper only confirmed the obvious, with one of the widest readings of 99.5 mm in the ball-of-the-foot area. That's over 5 mm wider than the average medium-width boot!

As for the boot's toebox shape, it also stays true to Altra's standards, offering plenty of room for toe splay. It showed a whopping width of 80.8 mm at the big toe! Same as in the other Altra boots we've tested.

The boot also provides generous vertical space above the toes with no restricting overlays and a stretchy upper fabric.

Our calliper measured its toebox height slightly above average at 29.2 mm.

The results of our lab tests confirmed that Altra doesn't throw words around by promising 'fierce grip' in the Olympus 7 Mid GTX.

The boot's Vibram Megagrip outsole yielded an exceptionally high friction coefficient of 0.92 on a wet concrete slab. Much tackier than average, it sticks to polished river stones, wooden boardwalks, and post-rain boulders, among other slick trail surfaces.

Measuring the boot's lug depth at a moderate 3.5 mm, we found it better suited for moderate rolling trails with dry, compact terrain, forest paths, and gravel. There is clearly not enough depth to dig into mud or stay surefooted on steep inclines, but we get the versatility of city-to-trail use in return.

The boot's tread pattern cannot be described as aggressive either. Flat, blocky, and fairly large, its lugs feel at home on hard-packed surfaces rather than wet dirt.

What's more, the edges of these lugs are covered in micro textures as part of the TractionLug design. They contribute to the bite by generating more friction with the surface.

Swapping thick nubuck leather for textile, Altra made the Olympus 7 Mid GTX considerably more pliable than the Olympus 6!

In fact, the new version requires 32% less force to bend, straying away from the traditionally rigid, unforgiving hiking boots.

This implies some compromise in stability but offers a more comfortable underfoot experience in return, as it allows the foot to bend more naturally.

The brand claims that the boot's new EGO MAX foam is 15% lighter than the previous version's midsole. But although we can't measure the foams separately, we can confirm that the Olympus 7 Mid GTX's total weight is an impressive 2.9 oz (81g) lighter!

After all, it is more of a high-cut trail running shoe than an actual hiking boot.

With a softer midsole foam and a more pliable textile upper, the Olympus 7 Mid GTX lost some points in stability and lateral support.

The boot feels way too platformy and disconnected on technical terrain and is less reliable under a heavier backpack. We also anticipate that folks with overpronation may lack the necessary arch support to prevent that excessive inward rolling of the foot.

But hikers with moderate loads and neutral pronation are likely to feel supported enough on light-to-moderate terrain.

Despite its more forgiving construction, this Altra boot is far from floppy. With a torque of 20.9 Nm in our torsional rigidity test, we found the boot adequately robust.

This means that its platform is substantial enough to prevent the Olympus 7 Mid GTX from twisting too easily.

Its highly flexible collar and heel counter also put the Olympus 7 Mid GTX further away from traditional hiking boots.

Assessing the heel counter's stiffness on a 1-5 scale, we couldn't rate it higher than 2, as it bent and folded easily in our hands. This is yet another component that enhances the boot's comfortable, natural feel while sacrificing some rearfoot support.

As befits an Altra boot, the Olympus 7 Mid GTX features an exceptionally generous surface area that exceeds the category average.

At 117.7 mm in the widest part of the forefoot, it has one of the widest bases among hiking boots, even wider than the HOKA Kaha 3 GTX!

Unsurprisingly, the boot's massive heel width also returned a particularly high calliper measurement of 100.4 mm.

It helps make heel landings as surefooted as they get, but can also feel clunky and far from manoeuvrable for those used to slimmer profiles.

The new textile upper on the Olympus 7 Mid GTX is much more prone to abrasion than the nubuck leather of its predecessor.

If it weren't for the protective rand and toe bumper around its perimeter, the boot's toebox durability would've scored even lower than 3 out of 5. So, it's not the best companion for traversing areas with sharp rocks and thorny bushes.

The textile inside the boot's collar, on the other hand, showed much better wear resistance, scoring a higher 4 out of 5. We don't expect any holes or rough edges to develop prematurely here.

Yet its outsole is the real star of the show in Altra Olympus 7 Mid GTX. Standing up to our Dremel challenge at 10K RPM, it developed merely 0.6 mm of damage! That makes it one of the most hard-wearing hiking boot outsoles!

And given how tough the blend is, Altra can afford to keep the boot's outsole thickness modest at 1.9 mm.

At 4.6 mm, Altra packs a standard amount of padding into the boot's insole. But given the abundant and soft midsole cushioning beneath it, underfoot comfort never felt lacking.

The boot's insole is removable if you want to opt for a custom orthotic, but it can be tricky given Altra's unconventionally roomy interiors.

The Olympus 7 Mid GTX features subtle reflective elements on the laces and the heel tab to enhance visibility in low-light conditions.

Even though Altra trimmed the foam in the boot's tongue from 15 to 11 mm, it remains pleasantly plush against the instep, buffering lace pressure.

As a waterproof boot, the Olympus 7 Mid GTX features a fully gusseted tongue that prevents water and rain from seeping in. The gussets stretch pretty high up the boot's collar, keeping the water level high enough to step into creeks and puddles.

Featuring two finger loops, one on the heel and one on the tongue, the Olympus 7 Mid GTX is fairly easy to put on.

The Altra Olympus 7 Mid GTX carries an above-average price tag, which is on par with high-performance boots like the HOKA Kaha 3 GTX and the Salomon Quest 5 GTX.

While it's undoubtedly a comfortable, niche (zero-drop, foot-shaped) boot, our lab tests showed that the Olympus lacks the backbone for tougher trails, heavier backpacks, and more demanding adventures in general. But it is be somewhat overpriced for moderate day hiking.