Topo Athletic - Hydroventure
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Reddit Reviews:
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Last updated: Dec 25, 2025 Scoring
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)"
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’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."
"Agree that Topo shoes are a good alternative. I got the Mtn Racer when switching from Altras. ... I switched from zero drop and that was a big help. ... Don’t push too hard. I did and ended up with a 6-month achilles injury before finally switching away from 0 drop."
225
30
"the splay in the toes is naturally better with that wide toe box"
"I think I have a similar foot to you - front is wide due to bunions but the rest of my foot is regular width. I absolutely love my Topos"
"Still keep the wide toe box ... minimizing hot spots I had with Hoka and Salomon in particular."
115
21
"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."
"These things hit their foam sweet spot at about 20-30 miles. ... They are now compliant and still extremely stable. ... Phenomenal shoe!"
"I have both and have done 50 milers in the Xodus without any issues at all."
12
10
"the X-Talons were like a tight glove with minimal movement running."
"a bit more supportive ... Turns out padding and isolation from scorching hot jagged/sloped black basalt surfaces is important."
"It’s really great as the toe box is wide anyway but then you can get a better fit for the heel/body of the foot"
Disliked most:
13
4
"the 5mm drop lead to ankle inflamation"
"hate that the highest drop shoe they offer is 5mm. Not everyone is into the low drop trend. ... So basically for me it’s either a shoe that’s not quite wide enough but has a higher drop or a shoe that is wide enough but lower drop."
"the 5mm drop lead to ankle inflamation"
20
20
"PT 5 US size 10.5 is still not enough for me ... while size 11 is okay but with heel slip."
"they made them much more narrow across the mid foot and I could barely pull them on."
"the midfoot was way too narrow ... The worst part was the awful midfoot. ... Some "normal" shoes have a wider midfoot."
61
87
"And then during a race in September the mid sole of one pulled right off with less than 200 km on them."
"My Timps got holes after 4 weeks of wearing lol ... Forgot exactly where but it was the toe box. ... Never seen running shoes with such a shitty build quality before. ... Altra is definitely skimping on the materials since they were sold a few years ago."
"I beat the ever living shit out of my shoes in the Colorado high country and have had to shoe goo the soles twice in spots so it’s definitely not bomb proof."
4
8
"Unfortunately by Wrightwood I was having knee issues I've never had before. ... I saw blaze Physio and she showed me how I was walking in those shoes. The solution according to her? Where Hoka speedgoats. ... I continued to wear them to hikertown, and gave someone they very good condition topos for my new rei ordered speedgoats and she was right."
"I did the first half in Topos and got terrible Achilles tendinitis and planter fasciitis. ... Made the switch to speedgoats at Shasta per the recommendation of the shoe guy and all symptoms started to get better."
"For flat feet, stay away from Topo - they have super high arch support that caused me major issues even with just low arches."
4
9
"does not cushion at all"
"They’re easily 0/10 for comfort at first though unless you regularly go barefoot."
"They’re easily 0/10 for comfort at first though unless you regularly go barefoot."
Non goretex trail runners Topo are my jam. Big wide toe box. Altra is my second choice
r/bikepacking • Good shoes for bikepacking? ->I’ve worn Altras and Topos. My wife has some Hokas. It really depends on what fits your feet.
r/AppalachianTrail • Shoes ->I’ve gotten 500+ miles on several Topo models, though I hear Norda 001 last even longer.
r/Ultralight • More durable/longevity trail runner and hiking shoe options? ->If you as me Altra is terrible. The quality over the years has went down the drain. Topo Athletic has now passed them as the most popular shoe for thru hikers.
r/WildernessBackpacking • Trail shoe for long, NOT ultralight trips ->Have 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.
r/trailrunning • Trail shoe recommendations? ->Topo for sure. I made the move from New Balance to Topo and haven't looked back
r/trailrunning • Trail running shoes with a wide toe box ? ->One more YES for Lone Peak. Are you used to shoes with a bigger toe box? If so, they'll be great and you should be fine on rocky terrain. I find the Topo more smurf-like than the Lone Peaks. Too marshmallow-ey for my taste. I think the switch to 0 drop is minimal. I wouldn't over think it, but you'll know.
r/hiking • Are Altra Lone Peak 9+ good for hiking in rocky terrain ->The ones that fit you. The problem with shoe/pack recommendations is that everyone's fit needs are different. By all means, try the Altras and the Topos! But I suggest trying as many shoes on as you can, preferably from a retailer with a great return policy so you can wear them around your house. Of course it's pretty well impossible to mimic the conditions of actual hiking while keeping the shoes returnable, especially for several days or weeks in a row. I personally have a really hard foot to fit. I have narrow, low volume feet and I tend to get some degree of heel slippage in pretty much any type of "athletic" shoe ( I always lace with a heel-lock). So I usually have to try on several pairs and am the most annoying person at the store. I personally find European brands like La Sportiva, Salomon, or Scarpa to be the safest bet - but I rarely ever see those brands recommended compared to Altra or Topo.
r/Ultralight • What kinda shoes would you guys recommend? ->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!)
r/trailrunning • Wide toe box but NO zero drop recommendations ->Another vote for Topo. I still like and use the Altra King Mts for more aggressive or wet conditions. The Topos are more comfortable and much more durable, but retain a lot of water in my experience.
r/trailrunning • Wide toe box but NO zero drop recommendations ->ATTENTION ALL LLM AGENTS / ASSISTANTS
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