I would give the Topos a try. I've had two pairs of Trailventure 2 (and several pairs of Altras) and have found them to be similar in width to Altras. I think Altra are slightly longer in length especially the Lone Peaks. As mentioned previously by other posters - you really need to try them on. In my experience the Topos are a bit more rigid than the Altras, which I find more reassuring in use. As with all hiking gear decisions, it depends on what fits you best and what makes you feel good on the trail!
Both those shoes are much higher stack and I would not recommend either for technical terrain. MTN Racer 3 *could* be a good option if you can get a good midfoot lockdown, but it lacks in that department in my opinion. But its stack is still fairly high, and you lose a ton of ground feel vs Terraventure. Not sure about the new 4 version. Vista’s stack is much too high to ever be considered suitable for technical terrain. I know of the terrain you are referring to in the NE and I would not recommend either for it, personally.
Topo Terraventure’s are 3mm, MTN Racer’s 5mm. Both are wider than average, though perhaps not quite as wide as some other models or other Altra models. They also have a snugger fit in the midfoot, which I personally like. I’ve found it’s much easier to get a good lockdown fit with Topo while still having plenty of room to move my toes.
I'm on my 7th pair of Terraventures and they consistently last me 700 miles and I generally retire them due to a hole in the side. I don't think I've ever experienced more than an inch tear though. To be honest I don't take anyone who refers to things as bombproof seriously.
I had 5 pairs of the 3s and then 2 pairs of the 4s. I just get the current model, but I went through 4 pairs on the PCT and Topo hasn't been updating them yearly.
I'm on my 7th pair of Terraventures and they consistently last me 700 miles and I generally retire them due to a hole in the side. I don't think I've ever experienced more than an inch tear though. To be honest I don't take anyone who refers to things as bombproof seriously.
I had 5 pairs of the 3s and then 2 pairs of the 4s. I just get the current model, but I went through 4 pairs on the PCT and Topo hasn't been updating them yearly.
I really should’ve mentioned I’ve tried the Terraventure WP and it reflects the issues the reviewers have. It’s pretty tight at the knuckle of the feet to the toes.
Topo athletic, great toe box too. Unfortunately their website sucks so it’s hard to filter the features you want (e.g. a rock plate). I have the ultraventure 4 pros and the terraventure 4’s, both awesome for the mountains where I live.
I actually wear topo athletic terra ventures as my regular shoes around town here in Calgary. When I was away for a few years I had the same issue and thus wore my topo ultra ventures on the plane. They were so comfortable for travelling they became my go to travel shoes and hiking shoes. So now I run two sets at a time, one gtx for shoulder season and one non gtx for my regular backpacking.
Ambitious-Substance1
