Altra Running, also known as ALTRA Footwear or Altra, is an American company engaged in the design, development, marketing, and sales of road running, trail running, and general footwear. Altra has been ranked in the top 10 brands in "run specialty" and number 4 for trail running.
In 2016, the company started to manufacture running and hiking apparel with a line of jackets, shorts, shirts, and socks. Altra developed a backless windbreaker that can be easily slipped on over a backpack or hydration pack during long distance running.
Video 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.
In April 2017, the company announced a partnership with the Utah State University Outdoor Product Design and Development (OPDD) program. The purpose of the partnership will be to create a "Altra Running Lab" to provide expertise to participating as well as internship opportunities. The OPDD students will also be able to design and develop shoes, apparel, and other sports related products in a laboratory setting.
Maps Altra Running
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(TM) 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.
Wearables and smart shoes
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.
In the spring of 2017 Altra introduced their first smart running shoe combining both tracking and coaching technology. The Torin IQ shoe tracks how fast and how far you run and it's equipped with a voice coach that gives you real-time advice, via a tether to a smartphone, on how to run better during a workout. The shoe is designed for both men and women and has an embedded sensor in the insole that measures a runners landing zone, cadence, ground contact time, and impact rate. The sensors in the shoe are powered by button cell batteries which can be replaced after an estimated 80 - 100 hours of use.
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.
In December 2016, Altra sponsored an event to break the world record for the fastest 50 miles (80 km) on a treadmill. Jacob Puzey beat the previous record by more than an hour, running the fifty mile distance in four hours, fifty-seven minutes, and forty-five seconds.
Altra is also the official sponsor of the Altra US Skyrunner Series with fifteen races across three disciplines, spanning the continental United States. The series consists of five Sky, five Ultra and five Vertical K races in California, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, and Arizona.
Awards
- Runner's World "Editors Choice", Escalante, (2017)
- Gear Junkie "Gear of the Year 2015", Lone Peak Neoshell, (2015)
- Runner's World "Editors Choice", Superior 2.0, (2015)
- Men's Journal "Best Trail Running Shoes of 2015," The Lone Peak Neoshell, (2014)
- Runner's World "Editors Pick" Trail Shoe, The Lone Peak 1.5, (2013)
- Competitor Magazine Most Innovative "Best Ride", Superior, (2012)
- Competitor Magazine Editor's Pick, The Lone Peak, (2012)
- Runner's World "Best Debut", The Instinct, (2012)
- Competitor Magazine Editor's Pick for Innovation of the Year, The Instinct, (2011)
External links
- Official website
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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