Traverse

For durability, you wan the Topo Traverse, not the Terraventure. The Traverse replaces the 2023 Ultraventure Pro. Do some research on that shoe. You'll find thru hiking Trstimony it outlasted anything made by Altra. I have both, and the Traverse is the same shoe As the Ultraventure Pro, just with a few nice material upgrades.

I'm wearing my topo traverse and got 800 miles out of the first pair. Close to 400 on my current pair and will try to stretch these.

I'm currently on the PCT. I hike anywhere from 20-30 miles per day and will be ramping up in Oregon. Currently wearing topo traverse. Topo made these specifically for thru hikers.i started with Hoka speedgoats in a wide but they are too narrow and has been the case for many PCT hikers that I've come across. It doesn't mean it won't work for you. I also had some lone peaks. The new ones are trash and people with foot problems blaze physio (the physical therapist that follows the PCT bubble) always found that the common denominator is these shoes and how flexible they are. Most people are also not used to zero drop shoes coming from regular sneakers. I did not like my lone peaks because it didn't give me the grip I wanted. I'm loving my traverses which gave me zero blisters the past few months and 1400 miles.

I used 4 pairs of Topo traverse. Their thru hiking trail runner! The shoes dry out within the hour sometimes quicker.

That shoe that you're hiking with doesn't work for you. I wear topo traverse and have zero blisters when my altra lone peaks and Hoka speedgoat gave me blisters. I'm able to hike 40 or 30 mile days back to back for months with my topo's.

10 miles is what thru hikers does *before* 10am. Your average thru hiker does 2-3x that in a day. I'm going to suggest the topo traverse. It's literally designed for thru hiking.

Topo Athletic traverse. Most comfortable, balanced and versatile shoe I own. I’ve put a ton of miles on these in all types of environments and love them. It’s a trail runner so definitely not dressy at all.

I have wide feet and have had issues with zero-drop shoes in the past so I can't hike in Altras. I currently own both the Topo Traverse and the Topo Ultraventure in wide. Both have 5mm drop. Traverse has a stiffer sole and deeper lugs, and designed for hiking. Ultraventure is more flexible like a running shoe. I also liked the Brooks Cascadia and Innov8 Trail Fly when I was shopping and settled on my Topos. At the end of the day, it came down to what fit my foot best. There are not a lot of options for wide feet, but I hope this gives you some options. Good luck!

My Traverse in the Alps lasted for approx 450 miles. Probably more durable than some but nothing crazy imo. They lose quite a bit of stiffness after 100 miles also. But my wide feet were happy and I found the outsole really good, so I bought a new pair.

I agree about Topo. I’m on my third pair. For me I get holes in the upper after 200 miles but they are super comfortable. I use them for trail hikes. For off trail I use Solomon Ultra X 4. Sorry you are having shoe challenges. Been there and it sucks.

Topo Traverse with “relaxer” arch supports from Good Feet store.

I love my Traverse! And so do my Achilles! Solid shoe.

Not sure if they’re trail runners but I made the switch from Hoka Speedgoats and zero drop Altras to Topos with a 5mm drop. The Topos are still going strong on the soles.

The widest part of my foot is my forefoot, so I can't fit into 99 percent of shoes of I want my toes to splay. I can fit into Altra's Lone Peak and Topo Traverse if I size up 3 sizes. Altra's are comfortable, but is more like a minimalist shoe. I would be wary of using this one for longer hikes if your feet are not used to more minimal footwear. They are very flexible, so puts more stress on the foot. I love these as an everyday walking shoe. Topo Traverse are wide in the forefoot, but the sole itself is more stiff. They are narrower than Altra though. I can definitely feel that the muscles of my feet are not working in the same way. I can walk for hours in these without my feet getting tired. They are more narrow in the midfoot, some people find this uncomfortable. I usually have plastic trash bags with me to put on top of dry socks to give my feet a break from being soaked.

I just switched from boots to trail runners and I have the exact opposite problem of being not very flexible at all. I was still worried about rolling my ankle in trail runners because my boots have saved me from rolling injury a few times already. What I found for me is that the trail runners I use are very stable but I couldn't comfortably use anything less than 5mm drop. The 3mm drop made my knees feel weird. I have an very high arch and extremely wide feet. What worked for me is the Topo Traverse in 12 wide with Injinji toe socks and I stuck a piece of velcro on the back for my Dirty Girl gaiters. What I found is the shoes are lighter, cooler, and just as stable as my boots on most trails conditions. They are 5mm drop with a rock plate and a Vibram sole with aggressive tread. I took them on a 7 mile hike in the pouring rain and I never had a blister, the rock plate saved my foot from feeling every rock and root but I could still feel the trail on the front of the shoe just fine and the heel cup was very secure. I had plenty of room in the toe box for even thicker socks if I needed them. The water drained out of the shoe and I found no debris inside my shoe at the end of the day. The insole of these shoes are also closed cell foam and does not absorb water. A few times I stepped on wet clay and the tread did not quickly slip but instead provided enough grip to keep by balance. At the end of the 7 miles I am satisfied with the purchase and switch to these trail runners. I had no blisters, my feet were in great condition to keep hiking or go hiking the next day without a break, and I didn't have anything in my shoes. I hiked the same trail in dry conditions the same week and had the same results. Boots and trail runners are just tools and its wise to always use the right tool for the job depending on the type of terrain. For me that means 90% of the time I can be confident wearing my trail runners. I use trekking poles at all times for safety so that also helps me stay stable on my feet. Sorry for the Ted Talk but I hope this helps others wondering about switching to trail runners and this is what worked for me. Good luck finding a shoe that works for you!

I had luck with Topo Traverse in 12 wide. Its not zero drop, but has a wide toe box and my heal feels secure. I have very high arches as well. The insole is comfortable and the rock plate works while still being able to feel the trail. I finally found a shoe that meets my criteria, and I think the shoe is worth a look. I hope you find your perfect shoe.

I had major issues with plantar fasciitis that was very painful—Topo Traverse ended up being my holy grail shoe. It’s actually made for thru-hiking, unlike other trail runners, and it’s a stability shoe, which gave my feet the relief they needed. I know it can be brutal once you’ve already developed blisters, so this might not be as helpful. But I managed to avoid blisters by being fastidious about prevention. I swear by toe socks because they stay in place on your foot much better, which prevents rubbing. And most importantly, Leuko tape. As soon as I felt a hot spot developing, I would stop immediately (no, not in half a mile) and put Leuko tape over it. Then leave that Leuko tape in place until it fell off or until town. Stopped the blisters every time.