MTN Racer Series

Non goretex trail runners Topo are my jam. Big wide toe box. Altra is my second choice

Topo Athletic MTN Racer - 5mm drop, foot shaped with a huge toebox, vibram, mid-high stack, not the lightest but very durable and versatile. They also have 3 and 0mm drop shoes in the lineup. Otherwise would look at Inov8, Scarpa, Salomon. Scarpa Ribelle Run or similar could be good although I haven't tried them. Or Salomon Thundercross. If you get on with zero drop then Inov8, maybe Altra.

Topo for the win. Altras wear out way to fast

I’ve worn Altras and Topos. My wife has some Hokas. It really depends on what fits your feet.

I’ve gotten 500+ miles on several Topo models, though I hear Norda 001 last even longer.

Worth noting that the MTN Racer is not waterproof (and shouldn't be)

Same here. The fit is very similar between the two.

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.

Topo does the wide toe box. My Ultraventures have a 5mm drop, Terraventures have a 3mm drop and there is also the mtnracer model as well (haven't tried that one yet).

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.

I went from Topo to Altra. The Topos were too squishy for me - like walking on marshmallows and not appropriate for anything off trail. The foot doctors against zero drop seem misguided to me. Zero drop definitely improved achilles issues for me and also shin and knee discomfort. Why would you put the foot in an unnatural position?

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.

Topo Terraventures and Mtn Racers are also great trail shoes with a wide toe box. Low drop but not zero drop, so an easier transition from Brooks. And Topos last way longer than Altras in my experience. Was only getting 400 miles on Altras and I get close to 600 miles on Topos.

Weird! I have flat feet and Topos don’t bother me at all. I’ve definitely experienced that high arch feeling in other shoes, but never Topos (and I have 6 different models of them!)

I have both the Topo Vista and the Mtn Racers and don't find one any more or less grippy on trails than the other. Both have good traction. Is there something about your experience with the Vista that makes you doubtful? Based on what you've written here I'd go with the Vista and have the Mtn Racers available in case you want to switch out.

Nah I’m with you and so is every trail runner I know. My blue Topo Mtn Racers have 500 miles on them and still look great. I’ve had light colored trail shoes that looked like garbage after 2 runs

Yeah I did get some heel blisters in the Mtn Racers when I stupidly ran a 100M in them without doing heel lock lacing first. Once I did the heel lock they’ve been great for me, no more blisters