Founded in Utah, USA in 2009, Altra is a brand known as the pioneer of "Zero Drop" shoes, which eliminate the height difference between the toe and heel.
Currently, Altra holds 27% of the American trail running market, with running shoes accounting for 60% of its total sales, continuing its rapid growth in the fiercely competitive running shoe market.
Amidst the intense competition between numerous sports brands, what has driven Altra's remarkable growth?
We spoke with one of the founders, Brian Beckstead, about the differences from conventional running shoes and the unique mechanisms behind them.
PROFILE
Brian Beckstead
Altra Founder
Founded "Altra" in 2009 with Golden Harper.
The Birth of "Barefoot-like" Shoes
You originally competed in track and field, right?
Yes, I started track and field at age 12 and continued through high school. It was during my first cross-country practice in high school that I met my co-founder, Golden Harper.Though I continued to suffer from stress fractures and other injuries and couldn't pursue the sport in college, I got into trail running and ultramarathons for health reasons.
Golden and I both conducted research on running form and injuries in college.
What sparked the creation of your brand?
After graduation, we started working at Golden's father's running shop, where we found that many customers had foot problems. We learned that these issues often stemmed from incorrect running form.To help, we began teaching proper running form, having customers run barefoot on grass to feel the correct form. However, many people who could run correctly on grass struggled to do so on asphalt with shoes. Seeing this, we suspected that the shoe structure might be causing poor form.
Since running barefoot on asphalt or trails isn't practical, Golden began experimenting by cutting off the heels of existing running shoes, making flat shoes. He tested these homemade shoes on friends, and they were very well received.
We proposed this shoe design to various manufacturers, but no one was interested—it was too radical. So, we decided to create the brand ourselves. It took about two years and nearly $50,000 to develop the prototype.
The Benefits of Zero Drop Soles
What are the downsides of high heels in running shoes?
Imagine how a woman's posture changes when she wears high heels—they put strain on the knees, hips, and neck to maintain balance. Although running shoe comfort is different, high-heeled running shoes similarly affect posture and create stress.Our focus was to reduce this strain by studying running form and exercise physiology, leading to the creation of the "Zero Drop" sole.
What is a "Zero Drop" sole?
It's a sole with no height difference between the heel and forefoot. While it provides cushioning like traditional running shoes, it allows you to maintain a posture similar to running barefoot. This design helps runners adopt a stress-free, natural running form.
Why can correct running form be achieved with zero drop?
When wearing shoes with a high heel, the heel tends to make first contact with the ground, leading to a "heel strike." However, with zero drop shoes, the heel doesn't catch on the ground, allowing the entire sole of the foot to land, thereby reducing shock and pressure transmitted to the body.For instance, try jumping and landing on your heels, then try jumping and landing with your whole sole. You'll probably feel which one impacts your body more. Landing with your whole sole is a natural way to run that minimizes stress on the body.
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