Topo Athletic
Topo Athletic
MTN Racer Series
Topo Athletic
MTN Racer 2
Topo Athletic
MTN Racer 4
Topo Athletic
MTN Racer 3
Sentiment score67% positive
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Top Pros
Top Cons
Last updated: May 17, 2026
Reddit Reviews
295 of 295 reviews
49thDipperNon goretex trail runners Topo are my jam. Big wide toe box. Altra is my second choice
AbominableSnowman69Topo 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.
AccidentalTouristaTopo for the win. Altras wear out way to fast
AceKetchup11I’ve worn Altras and Topos. My wife has some Hokas. It really depends on what fits your feet.
AceTracerI’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)
AdeptNebulaSame here. The fit is very similar between the two.
Affectionate_Slide68r/trailrunning • Trail shoe recommendations for a minimalist runner doing breakneck point marathon →
topo mtn racer 4!! they meet pretty much every criteria youre looking for. amazing shoe!
AggravatingStage8906Have 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).
Rankings by Use Case
Top recommendations from others in the same boat
Best for Deep mud and soft ground
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Salomon - Speedcross Series
Runners in boggy, rainy, or 'fell' conditions where traction on soft surfaces is the primary safety concern.
See rankings → Best for Quick draining and drying for wet trails
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Hoka - Speedgoat Series
Runners in high-humidity, high-precipitation environments or those doing frequent river crossings.
See rankings → Best for Road-to-trail transitions
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Nike - Pegasus Trail Series
Runners whose routes include a significant mix of paved roads, gravel paths, and light forest trails.
See rankings → Best for Steep technical descents
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Salomon - Genesis Series
Runners training on mountains or steep hills where 'black toenails' and toe pain are recurring issues.
See rankings → Best for Technical rocky terrain
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La Sportiva - Prodigio Series
Runners navigating rugged, uneven trails with significant rock, root, and debris obstacles.
See rankings → Best for Ultra-marathon racing
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La Sportiva - Prodigio Series
Endurance runners competing in 50k, 50-mile, or 100-mile trail races.
See rankings → 
