I really should’ve mentioned I’ve tried the Terraventure WP and it reflects the issues the reviewers have. It’s pretty tight at the knuckle of the feet to the toes.
Try Topo Athletic Terraventure 4 WP ([https://www.topoathletic.com/mens-terraventure-4-WP?quantity=1&color=207](https://www.topoathletic.com/mens-terraventure-4-WP?quantity=1&color=207)). The heel on Topos is more locked in.
I don't think they have wides in any of their WP trail runner models, but you might look out for them. Their "wide" is not wider in the width of the foot, so their support staff told me, but have more volume in the upper. "Tall" as it were.
Check out Topo Athletic Terraventure. Very durable upper, Vibram trail running outsoles, rock plates. The stack isn't too high so you have stability, and Topo does a good job blending wide toe box with a narrower midfoot and heel.
It looks to me that the Pursuits use a different upper than the Terraventures, which I also have and like very much. I normally prefer zero drop, but passed over the Pursuits for this reason.
All you need is one pair of trail runners. People get way too caught up in the consumer/marketing mentality and it’s all mostly bullshit or at least only minimally worth it. If you are a marathon runner or hiking technical mountaineering trails, maybe get separate shoes for both. But you certainly don’t need 4 pairs of shoes for walking, hiking, running and trail running.
I have a pair of topo terradventures that are goretex. I use them for running on pavement & trail, hiking, walking through the airport, mushroom hunting in the woods, comfy work shoes, the casual bike ride… Ive even climbed peaks with them. Just get something that fits your foot and has good grip. Waterproof is an added bonus for me.
My waterproof Topos did great for me on the Zion Traverse a few weeks ago. I usually get blisters between my 3rd and 4th toes, but nothing this time. The wide toe box is great if you have wider feet.
Both those shoes are much higher stack and I would not recommend either for technical terrain. MTN Racer 3 *could* be a good option if you can get a good midfoot lockdown, but it lacks in that department in my opinion. But its stack is still fairly high, and you lose a ton of ground feel vs Terraventure. Not sure about the new 4 version. Vista’s stack is much too high to ever be considered suitable for technical terrain. I know of the terrain you are referring to in the NE and I would not recommend either for it, personally.
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.
Top Trail Running Shoes on Reddit
1
Mount to Coast
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85% positive of 177 users
Versatile road-to-trail, but struggles on wet, technical downhills.
CommonMuted
