Once upon a time, collabs were rare. Now they're routine, and many of them are unremarkable—some feel forced, some obviously shallow, some don't make any sense at all. The best collabs bring together two brands whose circles overlap in the tiniest of slivers, but then you see what they make and you think, of course. That's the case with the new collection shared between Altra and Soar, which is aimed at a small group of rarified runners who put performance and design at elevations as high as the trails they run on.
Available as of 15 July 2025, the Altra x Soar collection is a four-piecer that includes the Trail Race Top ($200), Trail Race Shorts ($285), Printed Run Cap ($65), and Mont Blanc Carbon Trail Shoes ($260). All are made with the highest-end materials available to facilitate one thing: fast movement in the mountains and everywhere else off-road.
For the runner's runner
A little background helps in understanding where the Altra x Soar kit comes from. Starting with Altra, which is one of those companies that's core within core. Altra started in Utah making shoes with more room in the toe and a balanced, zero-drop platform underfoot for an overall more natural feel. Trail runners and thru-hikers make up its base, and the company caters to roadies now too. The company is much smaller than Nike, Hoka, or On, but Altra devotees prize performance over trendstream clout. People who like Altra don't just like Altra, they love Altra.
Soar is similar. The company was founded in London by former DJ and fashion label owner Tim Soar with a firm belief in form following function and that only testing can prove the point. Their best-selling stuff is their race kit, which is about as technical and premium as running clothing gets (it ain't cheap either). That tells you something about the type of people who believe in the brand.
The collab meets Rocky Mountain West with London's Hackney neighborhood, a union that seems misaligned until you consider that both brands serve the same sort of obsessive, dedicated runner.
A rundown on the gear
Apparel in new patterns is an easy way to pad out a collab and turn it into a collection. In this case, the Trail Race Top and Shorts are on equal footing with the Mont Blanc Carbon shoe. That's because Soar puts a lot of thought into clothing design.
For instance, the top is made of multiple types of fabric; there's an abrasion-resistant panel on the chest that won't pill or fray with a pack or vest bouncing around for 50k, a UPF 50 fabric on the shoulders and back are for sun protection during long days out, and a superlight knitted mesh fabric on the bottom and sides that Soar has put thousands of miles of testing on. But the best detail might be the collar around the neck, which is raised to prevent hydration vest rubbing. If you, like me, have experienced this during long runs, then you know how smart this small detail is.
