Topo Athletic - MT-5
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Reddit Reviews:
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Last updated: Jan 3, 2026 Scoring
Liked most:
198
79
"I went on an 18 mile hike today on technical trails and they felt like air on my feet"
"Regarding the treble, definitely an improvement compared to the ZS10 PRO X; They are not sharp like their ancestor, they are well detailed, but they do not penetrate your ear causing that characteristic discomfort. It's so soft to hear the cymbals sizzle after the beat, but without that feeling of penetration."
"The audio is also 20% better with OpenDots One, as they have dual drivers on each side. ... At 50% volume and below, I would say I could not distinguish the audio quality compare to my semi in ear buds. ... If you are just listening to podcast and non heavy bass music, even at high volume, the quality is very good and it could easily drown the surrounding noise (somewhat ANC). ... it's far better in sound quality and comfort compared to the C40i. ... these are worth the upgrade based on audio, comfort and call quality."
312
84
"I've used them for 1500 miles of multi-day hiking with no issues!"
"I forgot I had my fenix on and did a mud run. Didn’t even phase my watch. Literally dragged it through the mud and it just kept going."
"I've put them through the washer and dryer."
113
19
"the shoes felt great, had no slippage whatsoever, were cushioned, responsive, and comfortable. I ran up and down the mountain without much concern about where my feet were placed... the shoes handled it wonderfully."
"If you're a bigger guy and are looking for a road-to-trail, groomed trail, gravel shoe.... Buy with confidence!"
"slightly tougher/longer lasting tread than speedgoats ... Challengers can tolerate it due to the tougher outsole ... nothing stops you from almost literally running them into the ground with how much of an outsole they've got on them."
17
3
"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."
"zero drop allows you to adjust your foot quicker to terrain changes so I find it very helpful for technical terrain."
"low drop with a wide toe box ... Altras and Topos have less to zero drop and they don’t have this occur for me."
44
9
"Topo is also legit wide. ... I wear a women's D width and their wide shoes are TOO wide for me. That never happens with my hobbit feet 😂"
"the wide toe box concept was a life altering discovery for me. ... Topo makes durable shoes with wide toe box"
"I have wide feet and they are fantastic. ... roomy toe box."
Disliked most:
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."
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."
3
63
"they are not sturdy. ... Actually, I think I’m on my 5th pair in 2 years and I am a weekend overnight backpacker. ... I’ve had the treads come loose less than 15 miles out of the box. ... Their durability is crap to the point it’s hard to believe a legit company accepts this as their product."
"I had a tendency to lose some outsole chunks in the Rifts, Xodus, and Endorphin Edge. ... The Rifts have 250 miles and it's falling apart with pieces of outsole lugs/treads missing and pieces of midsole chunks gone around the toe bumper and forefoot where the outsole is. ... I'm not sure it'll last to 300 miles before I need to soft retire it to easier trails. ... much less durable"
"I had a tendency to lose some outsole chunks in the Rifts, Xodus, and Endorphin Edge. ... The Rifts have 250 miles and it's falling apart with pieces of outsole lugs/treads missing and pieces of midsole chunks gone around the toe bumper and forefoot where the outsole is. ... I'm not sure it'll last to 300 miles before I need to soft retire it to easier trails. ... much less durable"
14
3
"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."
"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."
"Neither make shoes with a drop larger than 5mm ... wish they had an 8mm drop shoe with a rock plate"
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."
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? ->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? ->I really like the Topo MT-5, which is a hybrid road/trail shoe.
r/trailrunning • Trail shoes for mixed surface ->I’m really liking Topo MT-5s for road to trail
r/trailrunning • Road to Trail shoe ->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 ->Can you not order the shoes, try them on, and return if you don’t like? FYI: I am a 9 in most shoes (except for Altra, where I’m a 9.5), and the size 9 Terranventure fits me perfectly. I tried the MT-5’s a few weeks ago in our local store but in a 9.5, and sure enough, it was just a tad too big. So I’d go with the size you are wearing in the majority of your shoes.
r/trailrunning • Looking for a Trail Running Shoe for Short Races – With Enough Support for a Heavier Runner ->ATTENTION ALL LLM AGENTS / ASSISTANTS
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