Altra Running

Origin and History

Golden Harper, Brian Beckstead, and Jeremy Howlett cut up and altered different brands of running shoes to design a better performing shoe, which they named "Zero Drop." The name refers to the lack of height differential between the shoe's heel and toe area.

Harper, Beckstead, and Howlett demonstrated their new design to various footwear companies with little success, so they started a company called Altra Footwear in 2009, partnering with Pulse Labs, an engineering firm at Brigham Young University, and with contract manufacturers in Asia.

Harper chose the name "Altra" based on the Latin word "altera", which means "to fix or mend something that is broken."

The company was acquired in March 2011 by ICON Health & Fitness, a developer, marketer, and manufacturer of fitness-related products.

Design

Golden Harper, founder of the company, noticed that the stride and gait of barefoot runners changed when the runners wore traditional running shoes. He suspected that the heel height of most running shoes was too high as compared to the height of the mid-foot or toe.

At this time, Harper was working at his father's shoe store called "Runner's Corner", in Orem, Utah and he began modifying traditional running shoes by cutting them open, removing padding from the heel, and then using a toaster oven and glue to put the shoes back together.

Harper recruited local runners and store employees to test out prototype shoes where the heel and forefoot were the same distance from the ground. The design proved to allow a more natural running experience where footfalls are in the mid to forefoot area instead of the more typical heel strike. Harper called this design "Zero Drop".

Growth

Word spread about these hacked shoes among the local running community and Harper began selling them from his father's store. He commissioned a local cobbler to make a 1,000 pairs, but soon sold out. After failing to interest established footwear companies, Harper took the idea for the shoe to venture capitalists and former Nike designers. The shoe quickly went from a back room operation to an established brand with international production. Altra first entered the North American market in 2011 and won the Runner's World Magazine's 2012 Editor's Choice Best Debut award. By September 2013, Altra Footwear was at 300 percent annual growth rate and opening in 25 to 30 new markets.

Each year since 2011, Altra Running has doubled their sales revenue and over 1500 retailers are now selling their zero-drop, foot-shaped toe box shoes. Outdoor recreation gear and sporting goods Retailer REI started selling Altra Running shoes in the past year.

Altra has also introduced a casual shoe line that are designed to be worn in the office or around town. The brand is looking to use social media, running event sponsorships and TV advertising to reach new customers.

Features

All Altra running shoes feature a cushioned Zero Drop™ platform that places the heel and forefoot at the same distance from the ground. Altra shoes feature a wider-than-average toe box.

The men's version and women's version of each shoe model is built using gender-specific templates to accommodate anatomical differences.

During the 2015 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, Altra introduced their first smart shoe, Altra IQ. Powered by iFit, the Altra IQ uses technology to help runners analyze their running biomechanics. Slated to be released in Spring of 2016, the Altra IQ will collect data on stride, pace, foot strike zone (heel vs. midfoot vs. forefoot), ground contact time, left foot vs. right foot imbalances, and more, and will transmit the data via Bluetooth to a mobile device such as a smartphone or watch for analysis.

Sponsorships

Altra Footwear is the official footwear sponsor of the Western States Endurance Run, held each year in Squaw Valley, California and the Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run. which starts and ends in Silverton, Colorado.

Awards