Customer Reviews Topo Athletic MTN Racer

I have been backpacking in these shoes for nearly 150 miles so far, and actually look forward to putting them on to hit the trails! The trails around here are rocky and "rooty", but the sole plate and the tread lugs make it safe and enjoyable. My backpack weight is around 25 lbs with full food and water, but I still have good support from the shoes. I have had only one wear area show up and that is right at the Achilles area padding on both shoes. It could probably have a thicker material there to prevent breakdown. Overall, I am super pleased to have finally found not only a comfortable shoe, but also a very functional one!

Got the 1/2 size smaller... Fit would be perfect if it wasn't for the crazy firm toe protection piece... If you like a good snug fit on the length, you may not like the toe protection. It gets in the way in a painful way with my pinky toe. Might have to suffer with a slightly too big shoe because the size that fits my foot size perfect is ruined by the toe cap/guard... With all that said, if you can find the perfect fit and not be bothered by the toe cap, I highly recommend these shoes.

needs more cushion, plus they are just a little narrow for my bunion

I prefer zero drop shoes for running. I have many Altra shoes and I decide to try the Topo because of zero drop and big toe box. Magnifly 3 is a perfect shoes for my regular training because of comfortable cushion without the big stack height. It is a little heavier than my Altra but not by much.

I primarily bought these for work, as I do a fair amount of walking outside, but also wanted something for some actual hiking. I have a "bad" right knee so I had to give up backpacking and bigger mountain hikes, but still wanted something to help me enjoy the great outdoors. These seemed to alleviate a lot of knee pain, and that is just coming off from a 30 day trial on the Hoka Challenger Mid with Gore-Tex! I like the way these fit width wise, like Keen [also Sketcher Extra-Wide] boots. Because these have that same WIDE look, that are better for those of us with wider toe boxes, like EEE. I have tried almost every brand with wide sizes under $200, and these just simply feel better for my foot, but they should still offer a wide option...PLEASE! Not a lot of interior height either, so going to try some lacing techniques to try and free up some room for my higher volume feet, plus to be able to run thicker or cushioned socks, and also to hopefully eliminate heel lifting(getting a little better). But I am not too hopeful, because there is no leather to stretch or even break-in. Length is like Danner and Sketchers for me, in that they are a half to a full size bigger than I wear in every other boot. I am normally a 10w-10.5w, but had to go down to a 9.5 on these. I have had these for a couple of weeks now and appreciate the waterproof [and breathable] booties, because I also work in the rain, and walk across dew covered drenched lawns in the mornings. However we will see how long they stay waterproof, as I don't have much luck with waterproof/breathable membranes, besides Gore-Tex, and that only last a year for me. Most others brand versions start leaking on me within two weeks to about 3-4 months. My better half says I should be a boot tester for all the brands of boots I have owned and failed. They still do make my feet sweat, even with eVent, especially compared to the apparently very breathable Hoka boots I just tried. I also prefer leather, so this will be the first full nylon boot I have ever tried, and so far I don't mind them. One less boot to Sno-Seal. However, just like the waterproofness, we will see how the outside holds up long term. Likes: wider toe box and squared off toe design(like Keen), stable transition through the gate cycle, Vibram outsole :), speed lacing with a 'lace-lock' feature, isolation from rocks and roots from the full-length ESS rock plate, waterproof [so far]. Annoyances: Slightly heavier than the Hoka boot I just had, sweaty despite the eVent DVdryLT one-piece upper that is supposed to be breathable, stiff sole(so unfortunately lots of heel lift) probably due to that full-length ESS rock plate, no wide sizes(even though they are wider than most other boots "wide" sizes), low volume(so need to wear thin socks), and thin/too flexible removable insole which make insertion after drying difficult.

I hope they last, I run about eight hours a week mostly trails, the Vibram sole was the reason I bought these shoes. They feel less comfortable comparing to Nike, or other brands I've tried but I don't want to buy shows every three month.

Fav hiking shoe. Less cush underfoot than the terraventure which is a good thing for me. Supportive and comfy for 20 mile hiking days. The upper material is the weakest part of this shoe. As others have mentioned, the material quickly develops large, permanent wrinkles. It also does not breath very well - this is a warm shoe. The outsole on this shoe is fantastic. Would love to see in next version; -Wider toe box (I know Topo is known for wide toe box but I'd prefer more room) -More breathable and less wrinkly upper material -An all black colorway. Not a fan of bright red shoes but I find the Teal even uglier. I feel like a literal clown wearing the red version. I've seen enough negative comments of Topo's color choices that I hope they are paying attention.

I have only put about 20 miles on these shoes but already these have became my favorite trail shoe.

Rugged but lightweight. Very nice trail running shoe. Have to wear thicker pair of socks to take up room in the forefoot. Seemed like a tighter fit than Altras I tried on, However, these got roomier after breaking in. For longer distances- and swollen feet, fit should be just right,

Early review: I only have 30km on my MTN Racers, 2 runs. The second run was 20km, and I forgot about them, which is a very good point. The traction is very good, as expected with the Vibram outsole. I took them through what I feel is the ultimate test: running on slabs that are constantly covered by a thin layer of black muddy slimy slippy mix of dirt in our tropical forest of Taipei, and they grip as good any Megarip outsole would :) I read the fabric does not breath well, and in 25~30C humid weather my feet were swimming in my sweat. They will most probably feel better in that dpt. once the weather cools down. One issue: the two layers of the tong separated, only after 30km. I got them in size 13, I would be curious to try them in 12.5. I didn't find the right fit yet. I hope the tong does not impact the fit if I try to tight the laces hard.

I bought the mountain racer to run/fast hike rugged New England mountain loops. The soles are incredibly sticky, the toe box is wide enough for long days without becoming a liability in rock hopping terrain (where I find my Altras too wide) To get the most secure feeling you need to use the lace lock lacing and unfortunately the placement of the back lace lock hole is too far back and causes irritation/pain on long runs. I punched supplemental holes in front of the forward lace lock hole and this seems much better. I am hoping that version two of the shoe will move the lace lock holes slightly forward. Sizing is a touch small but not a full 1/2 size for me.

I like the structure of the shoes, offer just the right amount of support, cushioning for me on the trails. But like another reader said red? Seriously, as the only color. I decided to try red as seemed on the site to be a darker red, but they are loud, I will be sending them back as I can't wear a loud shoe. So if you can get past the color, these are a good shoe.

I have 200 miles on my size 13 Mtn Racer. I also run in Ultraventure (13), Terraventure (12.5) and Ultrafly (13). I like the soft tongue, Stronger Vibram sole and quick lacing. I don't like the less breathable upper. My feet get very hot in the Mtn Racer. I use an Altra rock plate if I'm running very rocky trails. Overall I like the shoe. My greatest Topo wish is the Ultraventure with a rock plate , tongue and sole of the mtn racer.

This shoe is so close to perfection. The fit is amazing If it only had a rock plate I think I would use it for training, 50km to 100milers. Current version, if you get into rocky terrain, I have to use caution or I risk feeling every sharp poking rock under foot. If the trails are buff its 100%

Early impressions: The good: Fabric of the upper. Keeps the fine dust of Cascadian trails out of the shoe and socks. Keeps splashes of water out, dries in 10 minutes if it does get soaked. Much prefer this to 'engineered mesh' Topo and others are using. Mostly stitchless design of the upper is great. Lace guides on the tongue are very effective. Laminated tongue is nice, but could use a bit more padding. Vibram soles have awesome traction and grip. Really appreciate the full sole, which shows no wear after 40 miles. 'Could-be-improved': The midsole is too firm. After 10 miles the bottoms of my feet were feeling bruised. Better solution for the MTN Racer would be to use a slightly firmer Ultraventure midsole along with a rock plate. While foot-shaped, the toe-box could still be wider. Topo really needs to offer a size 12.5, as many other trail shoe companies do.

Early impressions: The good: Fabric of the upper. Keeps the fine dust of Cascadian trails out of the shoe and socks. Keeps splashes of water out, dries in 10 minutes if it does get soaked. Much prefer this to 'engineered mesh' Topo and others are using. Mostly stitchless design of the upper is great. Lace guides on the tongue are very effective. Laminated tongue is nice, but could use a bit more padding. Vibram soles have awesome traction and grip. Really appreciate the full sole, which shows no wear after 40 miles. 'Could-be-improved': The midsole is too firm. After 10 miles the bottoms of my feet were feeling bruised. Better solution for the MTN Racer would be to use a slightly firmer Ultraventure midsole along with a rock plate. While foot-shaped, the toe-box could still be wider. Topo really needs to offer a size 12.5, as many other trail shoe companies do.

While the midsole and outsole are very reminiscent of V-1, I found it very difficult to get a secure lockdown in the Ultraventure 2. I have changed the laces three times in an attempt to dial in fit. The microfiber band that goes around the midfoot is tacky but the heel area and fabric of the upper lacks the ability to keep me secure. The dual density upper is fairly thick but too stretchy and hot. Certainty not the greatest choice for hot weather running. Also, the lace loops are a paracord type(new to V-2). I do wonder if this contributes to the lack of security. The ortholite insole is super comfortable but it is a LITERAL sponge for sweat and water(also an issue in V-1). I rate this shoe as a 3 because i don't hate it...however, it needs to live up to, and/or surpass V-1 to recieve higher marks. I am hyper critical of this shoe because it has potential to be awesome. A positive feature of V-2 is it's loss of nearly 1 oz in my size 11. I will continue training in it but will not be able to race in the Ultraventure 2. Please change the upper on V-3.

I've got 32 miles on these, running on the PCT here in Tahoe. Want to love them and was bothering Topo to get my hands on a pair, but unless they do better over the next few miles they are going back. Likes, wide toe box, that is shaped like my foot. Very nice. Stable, as i have broken my ankle before, I'm always concerned. This was really nice. Dislikes. Typical slippery Topo laces. Liner appears to be odd shaped and does not go back in smooth nor flat. Topo specific gatter attachment. Come on, lets get some industry uniformity. 1st run was 6 miles. Was hoping for more comfort from new shoes. The cushion was not there, better then Altra's by far but still for the stack height, and all the talk about the new mid-sole I was hoping for more. Sure Im, 195 lbs but... What i really disliked is on the bottom of both heals, it was like I was running on rails. I'll add a photo below. Its like they put too much stability control into the show or the foot bed was made out of slightly harder places in lines. 2nd run. 6 miles. They felt better. Laces are still not great and I found myself stopping a lot. My ankles and legs felt tired. 3rd run. 20 miles with 3,500 feet gain. The hardness under the heals seemed to go away totally on my left foot. It went away for about 10 miles on the right then came back. I was surprised how tired my knees, quads and ankles got. Sure the PCT is rocky but I've run this section before with others and nothing like this. No way could I have worn them for a 50k. Feet and ankles hurt the next day. Maybe Im looking for the holy grail of shoes, and I thought this one would have it. Nice toe box for my flipper feet, combined with the structure to be a stable shoe but comfort is not there. After 32 miles, I'll try them again on a shorter run but anticipate sending them back.

I was really looking forward to this shoe coming out and had high hopes. Unfortunately this shoe does not work for me. It is a great looking shoe. Found the shoe to fit short on length and tight over the top of the foot. The width is fine, just lacks volume. The worst issue was there is something in the heel cup along the back of the heel that started causing a hot spot within 3 miles. Had the start of a raw spot at the end of my runs. Might work for some folks, just not me. Returning shoes to Topo for a refund.

Fine for walking but not a comfortable running shoe for me. Toe box is adequate, length runs a bit short

This was my first pair of Topo. I have been wearing Altra for a long time. I thought I would give Topo a try. I don't like the 5mm rise. I'm used to zero drop. Also don't like how it feels like you fall off the toe. Very stiff shoe. No forefoot cushion. Unfortunately, I am sticking with Altra. (I have the Topo Phantom)

Almost the perfect shoe. Unfortunately the new outsole design is hurting the outside of my foot. Where the softer part sist in the middle this creates a hard outer part that I'm stepping on. No point of having a wider toebox if the sole is buildt in like that. Should be the same platform overall that you step on. Also for a maximum cushioning it should be softer.

Firstly, I think I could have went down a half size in this shoe. I wear an 11 in Altra and Nike running shoes, but that seemed sloppy for me with Topo. However, I simply noticed the shoe on my feet far too often. I loved the grip, responsiveness, and how grounded I felt, but the shoe just point a lot of pressure points on my feet. I thought the fit was good until I ran down some steep and rocky sections, and my foot slammed forward and I could feel my feet rocking around. Overall, good product that I really wanted to like, but it just didn't contour to my foot well. However, the return process was very simple and I love that I was able to return them after trying them! If not for that I would not have tried and it encourages me to try again.

Firstly, I think I could have went down a half size in this shoe. I wear an 11 in Altra and Nike running shoes, but that seemed sloppy for me with Topo. However, I simply noticed the shoe on my feet far too often. I loved the grip, responsiveness, and how grounded I felt, but the shoe just point a lot of pressure points on my feet. I thought the fit was good until I ran down some steep and rocky sections, and my foot slammed forward and I could feel my feet rocking around. Overall, good product that I really wanted to like, but it just didn't contour to my foot well. However, the return process was very simple and I love that I was able to return them after trying them! If not for that I would not have tried and it encourages me to try again.

I was really excited to try these after reading the reviews online. Some reviewers stated that the toe box was a bit snug, but I have a narrower foot, so I was hoping that was true. The shoe has impressive and aggressive characteristic, however, I have to tighten up the laces to the point of uncomfortability to try to keep my forefoot from swimming around on steep aggressive downhill trail running. This also leaves me with an excessive amount of lacing flopping around, which is dangerous, and also gives the shoe a bit of a Ronald McDonald look (would prefer shorter black laces). I would recommend, but with extreme caution to narrower footed athletes. Other that these issues, the shoe would be a rock star. I will not be able to use these for much of my training, maybe just hiking.