
Topo Athletic - Traverse
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Feb 24, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
26
5
"I'm loving my traverses which gave me zero blisters the past few months and 1400 miles."
"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."
26
5
"the wide toe box concept was a life altering discovery for me. ... Topo makes durable shoes with wide toe box"
"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."
25
4
"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."
"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."
4
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."
"Trail runners using Vibram Megagrip outsoles have fanastic grip/traction. ... Super stuff, really good traction and grip on dirt, snow, rocks, asphalt. ... I am bit more confident on wet rock, but still cautious."
20
6
"I'm wearing my topo traverse and got 800 miles out of the first pair."
"My Topos have lasted forever."
"much more durable"
Disliked most:
4
3
"the midfoot was way too narrow ... The worst part was the awful midfoot. ... Some "normal" shoes have a wider midfoot."
"the midfoot was way too narrow ... The worst part was the awful midfoot. ... Some "normal" shoes have a wider midfoot."
"But the mid foot is too narrow for me. ... my foot always spills over the outside of the sole"
2
5
"I also got PF from dabbling in topos after being an Altra user for years. ... the arch just doesn't work for me."
"For flat feet, stay away from Topo - they have super high arch support that caused me major issues even with just low arches."
"I tried Topos but found there to be too much support and got blisters under my arch."
13
11
"the top of the shoes by the tongue was completely worn through, so that the plastic-y interior material was coming through ... both were split next to the tongue"
"They also had a hole in the side that I had to sew up for him ... had a hole in one shoe"
"Both my Topos ripped open in under 400-miles this year. ... One of the Topos didn’t even last 200"
3
5
"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."
"I tried Topos but found there to be too much support and got blisters under my arch."
2
3
"For flat feet, stay away from Topo - they have super high arch support that caused me major issues even with just low arches."
"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."
"I got plantar fasciitis during the time period I mainly wore topos and it's all but cleared up now that I run mostly in saucony."
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.
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.
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.
Topo Traverse with “relaxer” arch supports from Good Feet store.
I love my Traverse! And so do my Achilles! Solid shoe.
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.
I love topo traverse. I’ve used many. These are my favorite.
I've been using topo traverse since last summer. I am loving them! Did quite a few 10+ mile hikes with no problems right out of the box.
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