Zero Drop Shoes from Altra

A new shoe company on the block called Altra is about to start off running, and it doesn't look like they will be slowing down anytime soon. Altra which has been in the making for over two years now will be releasing their first two models the Instinct and the Intuition this month which is a zero drop road shoe. Zero drop is a term Altra is using to describe all their shoes, it means there is no difference in height from the heel to the toe; they are the same height off the ground. I have had the pleasure to exchange emails with one of the co-founders of Altra, Jeremy Howlett and got some answers on what its like to start your own shoe company from scratch and some insight on their shoes they will be soon releasing.

The name of the company "Altra" was not the original name but due to bumps in the road with getting a trademark, Altra became their final name. The name Altra is a play on the words "Altering" and "Ultra" which have roots in what the company is all about. The idea behind Altra is to create a line of zero drop running shows by altering what we all know as traditional shoes by cutting off its heel. Ultra comes from Ultra running or Ultra marathons, which one of the co-founders Brian Beckstead participates in regularly.

Starting a company from scratch in a market controlled by brands such as Nike, New Balance and Asics with the radical idea of a zero drop shoe is no easy task. The fact that Altra has come this far, from idea through design to real shoes that we will be on shelves very soon is a testament to the hard work, sweat and dedication of the founders. When Jeremy responded to my emails I could feel the energy and passion him and his team have to the sport of running and the zero drop philosophy their shoes are based on. The last two years of their lives have been totally consumed by making Altra come to life. From emptying their own pockets for initial funding, finding a design firm and a manufacturer, it takes a lot of guts to put your life on hold for something you believe in.

Up to this point I have not used the term "minimal running", and that's because when I asked how Altra would separate itself from other minimal running companies such as Terra Plana, Feelmax, and Vibram Five Fingers it was made clear that Zero Drop was what Altra was all about. Jeremy Howlett explained, "First and foremost-- We are Zero Drop! That is our term which we came up with and instead [of] making a zero drop shoe...ALL of our models are and will be Zero Drop. Also, we are not a minimal company. We are a technique company. The Instinct is the first fully cushioned Zero Drop shoe so it's revolutionary. We also have things up our sleeves which will keep us ahead of the all the big companies that are sure to chase us!"

In short that is what Altra is all about; zero drop and promoting good running form. The Instinct will be out soon with the rest of the models following. Despite Altra describing themselves as zero drop and not a minimal shoe, minimal enthusiast who have been lucky enough to snag a pair of Altra Adams to test have given it rave reviews along with the trail model, the Lone Peak.

For more info on Altra Running and their shoes check out their website here:

http://altrarunning.com/