"Why buy two pairs, when one will do?" ALTRA OUTROAD helps clean up!
Posted on March 02 2023
ALTRA Hong Kong recently launched the OUTROAD, a brand new shoe targeted at runners looking for a shoe that can cope with time on the road and time on the trail.
We invited Antipas Poon (IG @antipas_gaaujau), an ALTRA enthusiast and someone committed to environmental protection. Antipas seemed appropriate because here is a one pair of shoes that can potentially take the place of two pairs, with obvious environmental benefits, and we were interested in his feedback.
From time to time, Antipas arranges groups to go to the hills and beaches and do trail maintenance. The editor and Antipas have travelled into the country parks several times, so we know him from his various environmental protection activities. He will usually bring his own tools when he hikes to remove rubbish along the way. This is his feedback:
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"I don't like buying shoes. I don't buy two pairs of shoes for a task that can be done by one, and I will wear them until they are worn out before changing them. Only by reducing consumption can we reduce garbage. Otherwise, we are resigned to endless garbage cleaning in our country parks and on our beaches. Unless we raise the awareness that waste reduction should be done at source by being more focused on the details of life, will the efforts to clean the trails and beaches be worthwhile”
"The number of miles I run is actually not that much, and there are many concrete roads in the mountain trails in Hong Kong. In most cases, I am constantly switching between natural trail conditions and artificial road sections. So all-terrain (hybrid) shoes are really good for me. These all-terrain shoes are attractive even if you don’t need to run on the road, they are very useful to deal with the various road/trail sections.”
"I'm not a trail runner, but due to work and personal interests, I will spend more time than others on the mountain. Wearing ALTRA OUTROAD, I have travelled more than 100 kilometres, including routes such as Mac Trail 4 to 8, Lion Rock, and Zhimawan Country Trail. Wearing OUTROAD ranges from 1 to 12 hours; the foot feels very good, and the conclusion is "comfortable". After wearing them for a long time and walking on different terrain, the feet still do not feel squeezed and feel good, and it does achieve a hybrid grip. (good balance between grip and durability)"
Editor : What kind of running shoes do you like? More or less cushioning?
"I prefer running shoes where I can feel my feet connect with the ground. Just like I enjoy going to the countryside and feeling nature. I have to feel connected. I have worn Olympus before and relatively, I like the feeling of OUTROAD's closeness to the ground and the way they wrap around my feet. "
“I like the feeling of the midsole, I can feel the road surface but it also has reasonable cushioning. The rebound is fast, and it's easy to pick up the speed from time to time on the path. For me, this level of cushioning is very suitable to deal with trails in Hong Kong.
Regarding the MaxTrac outsole, I am positive. This is the first time I have worn this outsole and I was a little bit cautious when I first went on the road. I was careful, but I stepped on gravel many times and on wet roads, and it does grip well. You can go boldly without worrying about grip.
The upper material is very thin and comfortable, and some places are reinforced to protect the toes; the air permeability is also good, but the air permeability needs to be tested again in summer. "
As a mixed-terrain shoe, there are likely to be some trade-offs in the design. Antipas said, "What are the weaknesses of the OUTROAD?; the outsole uses a shallow stud/pit mixed design, which is easy to get choked on dirt roads. At the same time, a few deep pits on the sole will attract small stones (Editor's Note: Innerflex); while the light upper is light and breathable, the protective rubber strip is also soft. When you really kick a stone, it will protect you from injury but not the pain.
In conclusion, I like the shoes”
For users who are used to the width of other ALTRA models which have either the Original or Standard FOOTSHAPE™ FIT , The OUTROAD uses the Slim FOOTSHAPE™ FIT" so it will feel more narrow"
You can find more information and purchase the OUTROAD online HERE
https://gone.run/collections/outroad
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The editor adds a little information about OUTROAD:
OUTROAD adopts SLIM FOOTSHAPE™ FIT, which is the only off-road shoe in the ALTRA family to do so; it has 27mm of Balance Cushioning ALTRA EGO™ midsole which provides a good balance of rebound, cushioning and road feel; MaxTrac™ outsole sole provides a good trade-off between grip and durability; finally, it is equipped with a knitted mesh upper to increase air permeability and enhance protection, with reinforced rubber edges in all directions.
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