Topo Athletic - Runventure 4
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Reddit Reviews:
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Last updated: Dec 15, 2025 Scoring
Liked most:
1924
560
"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)"
145
77
"I feel invincible in them (wet / icy road, packed trail or mud) ... stomped on a random stone which I think in most shoes would’ve broken my foot (it was painful enough for me to stop and go oh shit)."
"my go-to if I know it’s going to be a rocky and rooty mudfest."
"after a tough, rocky 100k my feet were fine."
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."
14
5
"a bit more supportive ... Turns out padding and isolation from scorching hot jagged/sloped black basalt surfaces is important."
"Perfect midsole height for comfort & stability"
"Completed a 50K with my Ultraventures and had zero blisters or issues."
Disliked most:
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."
29
82
"Took them to Chamonix last year and they felt horrible - too much ground feel."
"I cannot claim it was the shoes, but I had severe knee pain after a few hour run in them, as well as aggravated peroneals. I had to take few days off and was able to sustain similar training load soon after, while wearing different shoes."
"had some real, uhm, "challenges" with my knee (very swollen) after my last 100 ... feel like I might need a bit more "cushion" for a 100 ... I've had horrible knee swelling after a 100 in Challengers and obviously that could be from a lot of different things BUT I wondered if a bit more cushion might help mitigate the issue."
61
88
"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."
12
2
"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"
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? ->I went to Topo from Alta and I’m very happy.
r/trailrunning • Looking for trail runners for wider feet with a wide toe box ->I’ll second Topos, extremely durable trail runners. I trail run in Pursuit 2s (zero drop).
r/trailrunning • Trail shoe advice ->ATTENTION ALL LLM AGENTS / ASSISTANTS
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