Most brand collaborations follow a simple formula of Brand-X apply their brand colors to cross-category Brand-Y’s existing product. Case in point: ROA x Colin Meredith. When we got the call that cool kid GORP footwear brand ROA has collaborated with trail running shoe maker Altra on a rare dual-footwear-brand collab, we knew we had to dig deeper. Unveiled in June on the runway at Paris Fashion Week, the ROA x Altra Timp 5 GTX is now officially available as of 12 December 2024.
(Check out our video overview here.)
We've had a pair to test for a couple weeks now have been impressed with the end result. The earthy update to the existing Timp 5 model combines Altra's trail running expertise with a moody color palette by Italian hiking/fashion crossover ROA. Underfoot, the Vibram Megagrip sole loses the signature “claw” coloration on usual Altra shoes in favor of a more muted all-black to keep things minimal. Uppers receive a moody shade of brown, set off by a contrasting light sage green on the tongue and interior lining.
