Topo Athletic - Traverse
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Reddit Reviews:
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Last updated: Dec 15, 2025 Scoring
Liked most:
293
59
"the splay in the toes is naturally better with that wide toe box"
"the splay in the toes is naturally better with that wide toe box"
"Even after mountain backpacking a dozen miles over very steep rocky trails my toes are never sore or cramped feeling."
154
19
"Blister free throughout my entire walk."
"after 80+ miles on our last trip, I was the only one without foot problems of any kind."
"after 80+ miles on our last trip, I was the only one without foot problems of any kind."
270
55
"enough of a hiking shoe for class 5 tech terrain"
"Very good on rocky, technical terrain. ... Use: any trail up to marathon distance."
"My feet sweat so bad that my waterproof boots are soaked even in dry conditions so I prefer shoes that dry quickly inside and ventilate well to keep my feet from soaking. ... I did a 20 mile hike in NM that crossed the Gila river maybe 40 times and my Topo Traverse shoes were perfect because after the river section they had dried during the next 30 minutes of dry hiking."
260
90
"Ran a 50k and never once bothered my feet."
"enough of a running shoe i have done ultras in them"
"I've used them for 1500 miles of multi-day hiking with no issues!"
5
1
"The outsoles on any trail shoe with Vibram megagrip are immaculate, with great traction and grip."
"Vibram Megagrip outsole is the bees knees and had me waltzing right up and down Maine's slanted rock slabs."
"Topo use Vibram so you don’t fall over as soon as it rains."
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."
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."
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."
3
6
"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."
"Topo shoes gave me tendinitis in both Achilles on my first hike. ... They felt perfect in store and then mid hike it became a real issue. ... I honestly should have walked down barefoot because it lead to me not being able to hike for months. ... The backs of their shoes are very stiff."
"Traverse is 25/30 stack and has a rock plate as well, but also includes stability features which make it noticeably more rigid than the MTN Racer 3 and Terraventure 4. I'd keep the Traverse mainly for hiking use, rather than trail running. ... I only used the Traverse for under <20km. I tried to do a run or two, but my feet did not like running in them. I don't know if the design or if I was really fatigued during that usage. So I put them as my designated hiking shoe. I will have to do more testing and probably post a longer-term review once do some more hiking/backpacking. They'd seem best for more technical hiking due to it's added rigidity and stiffness from the stability features."
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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