Topo Athletic - MTN Racer 2
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Jan 28, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
1898
551
"I even washed them accidentally and still worked perfectly fine afterwards."
"Been using them for about four years working out in my gym, and cycling daily (45+ minutes on a bicycle outdoors)."
"They last absolutely forever (I know 1980s models still in daily use)"
531
104
"I sleep all night and no body aches."
"it was hands down the best night of sleep I’ve had in a tent."
"I just put up with the pinholes and patching them on trail because I can't sleep better on any other pad. ... There's a huge difference in comfort depending on your body between the dimpled baffling of the Etherlight/Tensor and the horizontal baffling of the Xlite. ... I can't sleep on horizontal baffling despite all the good features of the Xlite. ... I'm a side sleeper and my arms and shoulders ache and/or fall asleep or go numb on the Xlite. For whatver reason I can only sleep on dimpled baffles (tensor, etherlight)"
292
59
"the splay in the toes is naturally better with that wide toe box"
"the splay in the toes is naturally better with that wide toe box"
"Even after mountain backpacking a dozen miles over very steep rocky trails my toes are never sore or cramped feeling."
561
131
"I was quite impressed with its comfort and trail capabilities, and truly believed I had found an excellent shoe for my long runs and hikes. ... the New Balance Hierro v9 remains my top choice for comprehensive trail running. Its superior comfort and, crucially, its consistently reliable grip in varied and challenging conditions make it a more dependable partner on the trails I typically encounter. ... I feel more secure in the Hierro, and that confidence is key. In fact I will be using it for my upcoming races and that says it all."
"The Vibram Megagrip outsole on the Hierro v9 is simply outstanding. Its 4.5mm lugs provide excellent, reliable traction across various surfaces, from dry dirt to slick roots and muddy patches. I've always felt incredibly secure, and it consistently inspires confidence in diverse conditions. ... Great Vibram outsole grip, even on mud and wet rocks"
"The Trabuco 12 have been the best trail shoes I’ve ever owned. ... I’m 6”4 and charge hard over serious rocky terrain…and I feel completely safe in them."
225
76
"super comfy (my knees ache so much less on descents with them) ... I can’t stress enough how much they’ve helped my bad left knee on descents."
"I ran the R2R2R in a pair of Racer 3's. Flawless. ... I ran the 100-mile Javelina Jundred in three different pairs (Pursuit 2, older Racer 3's, and a new pair of Racer 3's). Flawless."
"The most striking aspect of the shoe was how much it protected my legs. ... At no point throughout the run did I feel fatigued. ... This is EXACTLY what I was looking for."
24
4
"I can’t do zero drop. ... I don’t like the lack of push off ... I’ve had plantar fasciitis in the past which is not suited for zero drop. ... I use Topo and Altra low heal to toe drop but not zero."
"I can’t do zero drop. ... I don’t like the lack of push off ... I’ve had plantar fasciitis in the past which is not suited for zero drop. ... I use Topo and Altra low heal to toe drop but not zero."
"I’ve taken my Topo MTN racer’s up Longs, Capitol, and multiple laps up Freeway on the 2nd flatiron. ... I’d say they’re the perfect scrambling shoe if you’re looking for something for class 3/4. ... I like a lower drop shoe for scrambling because I feel more centered/connected to the ground."
Disliked most:
398
443
"About a year and the right bud would last about 15 minutes on a full charge."
"I've had them for a few years and now the battery doesn't last for more than 40 mins, so looking for a different model."
"And then during a race in September the mid sole of one pulled right off with less than 200 km on them."
14
34
"I jokingly call my clown shoes because that’s exactly how they feel! ... I’m constantly stubbing them on branches, rocks, and gravel ... it’s like the lugs are magnets for anything they could possibly trip over. ... I only wear them when I have to."
"I jokingly call my clown shoes because that’s exactly how they feel! ... I’m constantly stubbing them on branches, rocks, and gravel ... it’s like the lugs are magnets for anything they could possibly trip over. ... I only wear them when I have to."
"they shit clumpy things with even shittier grip on muddy terrain"
9
22
"For me the Terraventure 4 had the worst pronounced arch. Paired with the narrower midfoot and need to tighten the top of the laces for better heel hold, it caused me to commonly have more pressure(on the arch) and pain during runs with that model."
"I tried Topo mtn racer3s last week and they had the traction I want but they blistered my arches on all 3 of the runs I did in them."
"I had to immediately return them due to their pronounced arch support. ... My feet hated them"
18
17
"Topos narrow so insanely in the midfoot it’s insane. I grabbed the ultraventure 4s and had the worst foot pain ever because my feet were just hanging off the sides."
"Topos narrow so insanely in the midfoot it’s insane. I grabbed the ultraventure 4s and had the worst foot pain ever because my feet were just hanging off the sides."
"the midfoot was way too narrow ... The worst part was the awful midfoot. ... Some "normal" shoes have a wider midfoot."
8
20
"For me the Terraventure 4 had the worst pronounced arch. Paired with the narrower midfoot and need to tighten the top of the laces for better heel hold, it caused me to commonly have more pressure(on the arch) and pain during runs with that model."
"I tried Topo mtn racer3s last week and they had the traction I want but they blistered my arches on all 3 of the runs I did in them."
"the high arch bothered one of my feet and gave me PF."
6
11
"The toe box seemed nice but even with a solid heel lock, my toenails are falling off for the first time from downhills."
"In the front right corner of the left shoe (and vice versa with the right one) they have a strange sharp strengthening that cuts against my toe. ... It doesn't really hurt the first few kilometers, but if I run over 8 km, especially in the descents they destroy my toe to a point it really hurts a lot and I can't wear the shoes for another 2 days."
"The Topo big toe rub! ... It was such an annoyance for me on the PCT in '22, and to my surprise, even their newer models do it to me."
0
1
"they hold SO MUCH WATER. ... They are not waterproof, but they don’t drain very well. ... I wish they drained better."
"they hold SO MUCH WATER. ... They are not waterproof, but they don’t drain very well. ... I wish they drained better."
"they hold SO MUCH WATER. ... They are not waterproof, but they don’t drain very well. ... I wish they drained better."
33
18
"They fell apart quickly ... I wore them for 300ish miles before they had fallen apart."
"the top of the shoes by the tongue was completely worn through, so that the plastic-y interior material was coming through ... both were split next to the tongue"
"They also had a hole in the side that I had to sew up for him ... had a hole in one shoe"
4
20
"I’m not convinced the Zegama is suitable for terrains that are moderate and up in terms of technicality. ... And I’m not convinced they can hold up on slippery surfaces. ... If I’m going to go for a mountain run with small rocks and tree roots, where there might be some damp/water, I’m going to reach for another shoe."
"I’m not convinced the Zegama is suitable for terrains that are moderate and up in terms of technicality. ... And I’m not convinced they can hold up on slippery surfaces. ... If I’m going to go for a mountain run with small rocks and tree roots, where there might be some damp/water, I’m going to reach for another shoe."
"shit at contouring"
Crazy_Contribution_4 1.0Hoka Speedgoat 5 and Topo Mtn Racer 2
Delicious_Specific82 1.0Not necessarily. My first pair of Topo Mountain Racer 2s had issues with the uppers separating from the midsole after less than 100 miles. Got reimbursed from Topo, but I’ve had issues with the shoelace eyelets tearing in my pair of the 3s. Seems few shoes are durable anymore.
Gummmbeee 1.0I use Topo MTN Racer shoes. In Australia they're not cheap, but no more than all the other brands. Uphill running is just hard work. Don't try to race it (yet) just short steps and grind your way up. Yes your legs and lungs will burn, but that's the overload that is necessary to get the strength and fitness. Downhill running needs care and technique to avoid injury from falling. Run with short quick steps. Try not to put the brakes on to slow yourself because that actually needs MORE traction, which is in limited supply on steep hills. You have to run with gravity a bit. It's scary. You need the short steps so you can change direction to dodge bad spots or find the less slippery spots. Good luck! Enjoy your trail running, it's worth it!
I get 1200km out of Topo Mountain Racers before the Vibram has lost most of its grip
I've been thru Topo Hydroventure, Ultraventure 1/2/3, MTN Racer 1/2/3/4. The UV3's lost the outer/lug grip plot, the MTN3's felt like running in floppy support-free canvas bags (the MTN4's are a return to form). I haven't tried the Vistas yet. What I'm concerned about with the Vistas is catching little rocks in that split heel just like Saucony Peregrines do. Did you experience this in your run test? Other than that, the lugs are the same as the MTN4's, right?
Hiker_Ryan 1.0This is my experience with Topo as well. I have tried the Terraventure 3, Ultraventure 4, and MTN Racer 2. The Terraventure held up the best but are a very low cushion shoe compared to the others. But the others both fell apart too quickly.
SmugMonkey 1.0My Topo MTN Racer 2's are still going strong, tho I suspect they'll be due for retirement at some point in the not too distant future. Will probably go with another pair of Topo when the time comes.
AbominableSnowman69 0.2I can imagine that the MTN Racers would be a good ultra shoe, I do own them but I've never ran an ultra, full disclaimer. But they are a wide and stable shoe with plenty of cushion, but not so much that they lack any ground feeling. The vibram is super versatile too and they are surprisingly fine on less technical segments of trail or even the odd road link up.
Topo Athletic MTN Racer - 5mm drop, foot shaped with a huge toebox, vibram, mid-high stack, not the lightest but very durable and versatile. They also have 3 and 0mm drop shoes in the lineup. Otherwise would look at Inov8, Scarpa, Salomon. Scarpa Ribelle Run or similar could be good although I haven't tried them. Or Salomon Thundercross. If you get on with zero drop then Inov8, maybe Altra.
AggravatingStage8906 0.2Have you looked at the Topo lineup of shoes? Same wide toe box, same 0mm drop options. I have a bunch of them. Some zero drop, some 3 and 5mm drops. The only thing I don't like about Topos is that I hate ortho-lite insoles so I swap in super feet insoles instead. But that is probably an issue in most trail shoes since they try to go lightweight.
Topo does the wide toe box. My Ultraventures have a 5mm drop, Terraventures have a 3mm drop and there is also the mtnracer model as well (haven't tried that one yet).
allthegear-andnoidea 0.2My friend, it was truly excruciating on the trail - I'm so glad someone else has experienced it! Both the MTN Racer and the Terraventure gave me grief. I managed to solve it on The West Highland Way with the toe caps. I've ordered the GOATs half a size up. Did you go wide or standard?
AlveolarFricatives 0.2Topo Terraventures and Mtn Racers are also great trail shoes with a wide toe box. Low drop but not zero drop, so an easier transition from Brooks. And Topos last way longer than Altras in my experience. Was only getting 400 miles on Altras and I get close to 600 miles on Topos.
Weird! I have flat feet and Topos don’t bother me at all. I’ve definitely experienced that high arch feeling in other shoes, but never Topos (and I have 6 different models of them!)
arcticamt6 0.2If you are looking at Topos, just know that the MTN racer has a narrower toebox than the ultraventure. Mtn racer didn't work for me but ultraventures do.
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