Topo Athletic - Terraventure 2

I am about the same size as you and wore the same Salomons for years — bought several pairs in a row. Now I am fully converted to a cushiony trail runner and wear Topos for most hikes, except where there’s likely to be mud, snow, wet or off-trail walking, in which case I reach for my GTX boots.  My feet are much cooler and happier in cushioned trail runners. I’m about the same size as you and can carry a similar load in trail runners no problem. In fact, the cushiony soles save me from the metatarsal joint inflammation I sometimes got when carrying a full pack in Salomons.  For the best of both worlds, you can also get something that looks more like a boot and has waterproofing with cushiony soles — I have the Topo Trailventure and Salomon Elixir. Both look a little like clown shoes but the ride is so squishy and nice!

Have you tried topo athletic? It sounds like you're describing the terraventure, which I love for the reasons you described

Hi, I sell shoes at a local gear shop close to the PCT. You need to give me more information about your feet, your size and width. Chances are your shoes are too small. I personally hiked with the Topo Terraventure and love them, and I’ve also hiked over 1000 miles on the Ultraventure. Mainly I like their durability compared to Altra and HOKA. But again, it’s whatever shoe works for your foot and you’ve given zero info on that.

Topos have definitely been more durable in my experience, but they do try to split the difference between a true foot shaped toe box and a traditional pointed toe box, and that can be a bit uncomfortable compared to a true foot shaped shoe. I do still find them more comfortable than traditional trail runners though. They also have better tread than altras imo, especially for mud and loose dirt or dusty ground

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).

They are very comfortable and roomy for me with good lugs. They feel a little weird walking on pavement so mud, gravel, rocks, roots, and sand are all good but pavement is a no unless you enjoy suctioning to the pavement. If you need them to do pavement as well, look at the Terraventures which are bomb proof in durability as well. I think my husband has about 800 miles on his Terraventures with the outsole still intact. I have a lot less on mine but it should be well over 300 miles on mine and still waterproof. Terraventures come in waterproof and non-waterproof, fyi. The Ultraventure is a lot cushier than the Terraventure but both do a good job of protecting your foot from the rocks and roots. I can not speak to durability on the Ultraventures yet as I have only put 100 miles on them but so far they are still looking like new other than the inside heel. As to the inside heal, I have to use stickers in all my shoes as my heels always rub through all shoes there so that doesn't count against them in my book (Haglunds deformation is obnoxious but the stickers are a cheap fix).

I just got back from a 150 mile hike in the Terraventures and thought I'd report back. First couple of days same old toepo rub. I decided to remove the insoles that came with the shoe and the toe rub vanished instantly. They became the perfect shoe. My understanding is that the problem is caused by one of two things. The topo has an aggressive toe spring design - this upward curve lifts the big toe. Secondly, while they are wide, the toe box may lack sufficient height - combine this with the toe spring, and voila, toe rub. Removing the insole gave me the extra few mm I needed.

My 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?

Topo 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.

These are my go-to. They last me about 575 miles on average.

Really? I’ve worn Topo Terraventures during many ultras at this point, including a few that were very technical. They perform very well! What’s different about the Xodus for you?

I’m definitely a person who passes people on the descents, so hopefully I can help! Some ideas: 1. Are your shoes wide enough in the toe box? And do they have a rock plate? Also maybe you need to go a half size up? 2. What socks are you wearing? Toe socks might help. 3. On downhills, I usually push my hips forward slightly, and think about having quick feet that are sort of prancing over technical terrain. If my feet are quick enough I can stumble with one foot and easily catch myself with the other one, basically preventing the stumble.

Nikes are way too narrow for me. If you’re getting blisters on downhills, I might consider trying on a shoe that’s wider in the toe box. I personally love Topo Terraventures, but other options would be Altra Lone Peaks, Topo Ultraventures, and Topo Mtn Racers. You might not like them, but it could be worth a shot!

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!)

Topo Terraventure’s are 3mm, MTN Racer’s 5mm. Both are wider than average, though perhaps not quite as wide as some other models or other Altra models. They also have a snugger fit in the midfoot, which I personally like. I’ve found it’s much easier to get a good lockdown fit with Topo while still having plenty of room to move my toes.

How long are your Traverse lasting? I've had multiple pairs of Terraventures and they consistently last me 700 or more miles.

I second the Topos. I can run perfectly fine while barefoot but the second you give me padding, I need at least a small amount of drop or my Achilles acts up. I use Topos for road and trail running as well as backpacking on very rocky/rooty terrain, up to 20 miles a day. The Vibram soles are wonderfully grippy and outlast the rest of the shoe which has a solid lifespan. I use the Terraventure model for trails and backpacking. Trail runners are the standard now for most hiking as opposed to boots, and quite a lot of AT thru hikers, etc use Topos (or Altras if they can do zero drop).

I run the rocky, rooty trails of the US southeast in Terraventures and they've been great for all distance runs. I used them for Black Canyon 60k a few years ago and they handled the sharper desert rocks wonderfully as well.