Customer Reviews Topo Athletic Phantom 2

After years in the Topo UltraFly, a great shoe, these Phantoms came along. I like them even better. Comfortable for miles right out of the box. Roomy yet secure. Long lasting. I have over 250 miles on my first pair and they still look like new (except for a little wear in the heel cup ankle collar). I want lighter colors because the dark colors are hotter in the summer sun.

I'm a 66 year old runner who has been running for 50 years. I've noticed the trend with running shoe companies is to create a shoe and a year or so latter come out with a new model of the shoe. Many times the newer model is inferior to the original model (Ultraventure). The Phantom 2 does not fit that mold. This is a far superior shoe to the original Phantom. Great cushion without being too soft. Unbelievable fit and comfort. Topo nailed it with the Phantom 2. Restored my faith in TOPO.

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They are great for hiking. I plan to trail run in them.

I love the in between feel of a barefoot and cushioned shoe. I was looking for something to give my feet a little break from my barefoot shoes but still have zero drop and get that feedback. These definitely delivered! Super comfy, wide toe box. Nice job. Wish for more color options though

I cover a lot of ground (5 miles+) in a day walking at the racetrack and these are comfortable all day long.

7 days Big Bend, TX, thumbs up! perfect for desert washes or trails. They did run a little warm but I wore thick hiking socks too so that contributed & had a 30-40lb pack. Fantastic on flat, pebble, 1-2 inch ground rocks, dirt, trails, & superb traction crawling on big rock climbs & wet. Con: a little mushy sole, hiking on very super jagged rocks 3'-6" for 4-5 hours, feet got a little sore. If you like a very hard sole shoe do not buy these. I would buy again & wear again on same trip.

Hiking around Lake Tahoe all week in these shoes and nothing they cannot handle.

I use these for road running where I need a bit of cushion. Very lightweight, zero drop

Second 5k of the week in these shoes. Bought to see if low drop would help knee pain. After running for several years in 12 mm cushion shoes with left knee pain the Phantom solved the problem. No Pain after first 5k in these. Also time is better with less effort.

The best running shoes are those that don't get in your way, the ones you can just lace up and forget about. These fit the bill. First ever pair of Topos, but they will most definitely not be my last. Great fit, nice roomy toe box, good cushioning and support without sacrificing ground feel, and they weigh next to nothing. I'm very pleased.

All around brilliant athletic shoe..

perfect trail runner

I am not a runner but this is the second pair of Topos I've purchased. The comfort can't be beaten for walking or standing for long periods of time. I also like the wide toe box, solid construction, and lightweight materials. I purchased the light gray with navy heel and these are now officially my "dad shoes" without looking too much like the typical, white, dad shoes.

Wanted to wait to write a review until I'd run a 50K in these shoes. Performed really well overall. The fit and feel of this brand is for real, and I have been super impressed with the toe box and secure midfoot and heel. I do have to tie my shoes a bit tighter than I do in other brands to get that secure fit, but after figuring that out it's been a great overall feel. I'm used to running zero-drop shoes so the 5mm drop was a bit of an adjustment, but I've noticed my calves have been way less sore after long runs. Biggest thing for me is the GRIP. Virginia running means lots of slick trails (humidity...) and these shoes really give me fantastic grip on any type of trail which is where some of the west coast brands have failed. Only con is that I wish the shoe was just a tad lighter, but they're certainly pretty comparable to similar shoes out there. And, let's just be honest...better color schemes and designs? I don't really love the look of any Topo Athletic shoes, but I'll take function over style any day.

I use my Topo Phantoms for city running and walking around town. The roomy toe box and cushioning make them very comfortable on pavement. I feel like I won a sweepstakes sometimes. I have received many compliments on the looks of the shoes. My only complaint is that they seem to wear out relatively quickly.

All good but fit is a little off. Can't figure what it is but everytime I get a new shoe it is just not the same. But, just a little. Still very good

Not a review specifically for the Phantom 2 (these are my second pair, also the original Phantom) The cushion of the Phantom is great on my long runs. I just love the fact that beside the foot shaped toe box, they offer different drops. I've tried the zero drop Magnifly and my old Achilles just can't handle it. I rotate between the Phantom, Fli-Lyte, Cyclone and Ultrafly. I'm a run streaker so having a quiver of shoes, that fit my foot well, is awesome.

Walking, every day use

Love the new Phantoms, great cushion with solid feel. Nice upper and tongue. Good weight to cushion ratio. Don't feel bulky like other high cushion shoes. Still think Topo is starting to tighten their mid foot and toe box to more standard measure of running footwear. Would hate to see them take the Altra route and start making run of the mill running shoes.

I bought these because I needed something with more cushioning because I have been running only on concrete. Previously I had bought and worn out 4 pairs of the ST-3, which are my favorite shoe for gravel/asphalt but don't provide enough cushioning for concrete. The cushioning in this shoe is what I had hoped for, but the heel tab area is too high on the back of my foot. After 10km+, it starts to irritate my Achilles tendon. Yes, it's fairly soft and there is not a stiff heel counter, but this shoe would be so much better if it were lower. Just because I need a lot of cushioning underfoot doesn't mean I want something impeding the motion of my foot/ankle. I am currently traveling and ran long then walked all day yesterday. This morning my foot Achilles tendon is so inflamed that I am going to have to go buy a different pair of shoes once stores open. Yet I still give them 4 stars because I have been wearing them before this for running 5-10km a day without issues and it's so hard to find a shoe with a wide toe box. But all day is too much.

Well, my neighbor turned me on to the TOPO brand being that he knew I had wide feet. Went on-line to check them out and decided to place my order. While waiting for the shipment to be delivered I contracted COVID. Needless to say, the shoes sat in the shipping box for almost 3 weeks before I had recovered enough to even attempt to jog. Now that I have a few miles on them (less than 10 as I am still trying to get my wind back) I am really starting to enjoy them. I need more time in them.

Love everything about this shoe, best Topo model I've tried and I've run road and trail models. Downside is the laces. Across the board they don't hold well, slowly loosen. Need a lace with a higher coefficient of friction.

I'm really enjoying these shoes. Before this I was in the cyclone and I prefer the front upper from that shoe but it doesn't lock your heel in as well as these do. I love having the extra support from the plastic plate. Would love to see one with a carbon plate.

I bought these in October 2020 for day hikes and overnights on medium to rough trails, under loads from minimalist to 30 lbs. Longest day hike 12 miles. 75-ish total trail miles so far. I am very satisfied with the fit, stability, and traction. I have wide feet with narrow heels. They fit so well I added daily wear, now nearing 100 miles in town. The soles are wearing well, but the heel collars have worn through to the foam. Disappointing for 8 months. Expecting at least 18 mo. Qualified "buy".