We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again – one of the best footwear collaborations last year was the Altra x ROA Timp 5. The collab proved that Altra’s silhouettes are the perfect wide-toed canvas for techy outdoor brands to unleash their creative abilities.
We’ve been waiting earnestly for Altra collaboration news ever since that day, and finally, the American footwear brand has chucked us a bone, except it’s not a bone, it’s something much tastier…
Altra has teamed up with and Wander to produce a limited edition of their Timp 5, this time though it’s the BOA version – but we’ll get onto what that means in a minute.
The shoe itself combines Altra’s natural running ethos, rooted in the rugged Wasatch Mountains of Utah, with and wander’s field-tested sensibility. The reworked Timp silhouette has been dowsed in a deep granite grey, giving a deliberate nod to the alpine terrain where both brands rigorously put their gear to the test.
Typical and Wander reflective accents have been scattered upon the upper, but the thing that really makes this shoe for us is the gum outsole – without sounding too scholarly, it contrasts sublimely with that granite grey upper.
As with all things Altra, the obvious visual benefits do not come at the detriment of the performance – there’s that signature Footshape toebox that allows the toes to relax as well as their trademark zero drop height, ensuring your body stays in a more natural position when running. The Vibram outsole means you’re not going to slip off anything either.
You’ve all probably been itching to find out what BOA means since we mentioned it, but unfortunately, we actually don’t know. We think it refers to the crazy fastening system on top of the shoe. Don’t quote us on that.
We weren’t entirely sure that Altra could manage a second expedition to the heights that the ROA collaboration took them to, but their work with and Wander has proved they most definitely can.
The Altra x and Wander Timp 5 BOA is available to purchase from Altra now.
