Altra wasn't started in some corporate office, but in the back room of Wasatch Mountain running store. The founders (Golden Harper, Brian Beckstead and Jeremy Howlett) being runners and running store managers, wanted a shoe that lets you run the way you were born to. Years ago, while filming customers at the running store in the Rocky Mountains, Golden noticed a disturbing trend- traditional shoes
were encouraging high-impact landing and poor posture. Impact force was less and the posture was better when the customers were running barefoot. Realizing the only difference was the excess heel thickness of the shoes, he began to modify the shoes to make them balanced from heel to toe- which coined the "Zero Drop". By cutting out the excessive cushioning and making it even with the forefoot. Modification was done using a toaster oven to peel back the heel. These modified shoes gave their customers the benefit of good form and low impact, without sacrificing the cushioning many runners felt they needed to do long mileage. While testing their Zero Drop theory, they immediately saw incredible results with their customers, especially those with injuries. It helped them return to running with a relaxed, comfortable and natural running experience. They had fantastic results, so much so that word got out... and over the course of a year, they sold about 1000 pairs of modified or "Zeroed" shoes. Not wanting to start a shoe company, the founders lobbied major brands like Saucony and New Balance to make Zero Drop shoes. They got meetings but were basically laughed out of the room. "No, that's crazy, what we market is in the heel...it's our technology...it would never sell." Altra founders' theory was to help runner run injury free, not a marketing gimmick. It is not about a minimal concept. It was simply cutting the elevated heel out of the traditional, best selling cushioned running shoes. Additional research made it clear that the toes need to relax and spread out naturally for more stability and comfort. By widening the toe box, the toes are allowed to spread and lets the runner's foot be more stable, balanced and powerful. With the help of some associates who happen to be former development heads at Adidas and Nike, and with these innovation- Zero Drop and FootShape Toebox, Altra is a shoe company reluctantly born, wanting better for the runners. Altra is a running philosophy- an injury free running philosophy developed by runners for runners.
