Customer Reviews Topo Athletic Traverse

I walked the 1000-mile (1600-kilometer) Le Puy Camino last summer in these shoes. I will be wearing them on my 2026 Camino Norte! Very comfortable!

Comfortable fit with good Vibram soles. Big fan of these shoes!

I would have loved these shoes if they were more durable. The began tearing at the ankle after just a few hikes

Originally reviewed with a 2* rating due to the inside heel (top) material deteriorating.....thought for sure I would have had issues with blisters and further degradation(but have not), and these continue to wear well despite the upper heel padding wear. They look a little "worse for wear" but the soles and toe box remain in great shape! Continue to wear for walking, hiking, and light running with no issues. Most other brands I've worn would eventually split on the sides of the toe box: the traverse continues to hold up well...will buy again - once these are retired - will update upon repurchase.

Wide toe box is much appreciated but I wish this shoe was available in a WIDE size.

Topo Traverse served me well on the AT this summer. Held up well to the demanding day in and day out rocks, roots and slab the trail can dish out. Drained well and kept me upright in wet conditions. Recommended the shoe to a fellow hiker and he is sold on the Traverse.

I've owned 7-8 pairs of various Topo shoes that I use for light trail running, hiking, and backpacking. They have always been the same 10.5 size. The traverse is the first one that just had an odd fit. Definitely more narrow throughout including the toes. I could tell the toebox was more narrow directly out of the box. After an hour of wearing them they just feel uncomfortable compared to the amazing fit of every other Topo I've owned. Strangely they also seem longer. Seem well made tho.

The thing on the back is useless. It just pinches your hand, has nobody who works for Topo actually worn these? Otherwise, yea they're fine. They're stiff. It's whatever. I loved my old Altra Lonepeaks, but the new Lonepeaks are awful. Topo is somewhere in the middle. Just fine.

This is the best hiking shoe I've ever worn. After years battling foot and leg issues, I got these shoes for the first time in 2025, and after multiple backpacking trips (the longest 100 miles in the Sierras carrying a 50 lb pack), I had no issues. Designs I love: the toe box, the rock plate, the simple & resilient upper, the secure midfoot and heel, the tough sole. I'd be curious to try it with a millimeter more cushion. And I'd like the heel loop to be vertical. Otherwise, it's perfect.

I got the mens and there is more room on top of my foot

Mismatched mold of shoe with Right one wildly more unstable than Left due to uneven casting.

I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2025 and wore the Traverse as my shoe of choice the entire way. I went through 4 pairs, averaging 500-600 miles per shoe. Each time I switched, the uppers were completely intact and still looked brand new. The vibram sole is tried and true and is incredibly sticky even on wet rocks. The rock plate is a game changer in rough new england terrain (slippery on wet roots though). Super quick to dry and pretty comfortable for my feet. Everybody's feet are different but I absolutely swear by these shoes for a thru-hike, and I also enjoy trail running in them.

I am a weekend hiking warrior. At the age of 61, getting in 33 miles in a weekend would be difficult without shoes like the Topo Traverse. The heel-to-toe drop of 5 mm decreases the chances of ankle impingement. The stack height of 33 mm to 25 mm gives you just the right amount of cushion but doesn't limit the feel of the ground. The rock plate is an added bonus for those sketchy rocky areas we sometimes hit. I have hiked over 100 miles in these shoes and have never been disappointed.

These shoes held up to 100 miles in the Dolemites, including nasty scree, talus, and via ferrata climbing. The forefoot rockplate was solid and protected my feet against roots, rock, everything. The torsional rigidity was stellar. The toe protector and rand show no significant wear, which is unbelievable. While my shoes were stellar even in wet, my hiking partners in the Salomon Quest 4 and Salewa Alps were falling apart at the seams. These shoes have 300 rugged hiking miles left on them.

I purchased my Topo Traverse shoe for a rim to rim hike of the Grand Canyon. I primarily trail run, as well as hiking and I noticed the Traverse was advertised as being good for both. I already had a pair of Topo road running shoes and had liked them very much. My local shop had the Traverse so I was fortunate enough be able to try them on. I am wearing a 10.5 in this shoe while most shoes I wear are 9.5 or 10. After using them for a couple of months, I ordered a second pair. Enjoying these shoes very much and they are holding up well thus far!

Just off the John Muir Trail, 250 miles of granite in the California Sierras. The Travese held up ok to an incredibly tough challenge. I had two rips in the upper material, panels falling off the bottoms of both shoes, and the heel tops rubbing hard plastic into my heel. The shoes are wrecked, yet they kept their arch support and fit well. Improvements are needed: make it tougher, put in more toe protection including a big toe cap, make the soul one piece (not a glued in jigsaw puzzle), stronger uppers material.

Why change the shoe lasts/fit and why are they so varied between shoes? I thought I had found my perfect shoe with the Pursuit 1 but had to return the 2s because they were too sloppy. I have a pair of Terraventure 4 which fit ok, albeit with their narrow midfoot, but lack the cushion and 0 drop I need. The Traverse (1) toe box is too narrow and pinches my little toe so returned those, too. Stick with what works and stop shooting yourselves in the foot, Topo. Back to the Altra LP or Timp.

Walking and hiking

This is my third pair of Topos. I've gone through 2 pair of Terraventure 4s and they were great. But the Traverse, after wearing them for a month, are absolutely next level. I hit our normal trails a couple of times and liked them. Then I wore them on a 2-week trip that included a lot of walking, and a very difficult hike straight up a mountain, with lots of cobbles and steep bare rock faces, and they stuck like glue. I never worried. Definitely the best hikers I've ever owned.

Treadmill, general gym use and hiking

The Topo Traverse are marketed as a great hiking and trail running shoe, but I did not find decent heal support. They did have good room in the front, and the arch area felt good. But the heal area is narrow for a hiker. I mean the out sole is very narrow. It also does not have any heal counter that would support me on uneven terrain and rocky surfaces. Topo seems to refuse to build in any support for the heal area. I had to constantly watch my step so that I wouldn't roll my ankle. Perhaps Topo should look at other shoes, even the Brooks shoes, for advice. Being the lightest shoe is not always the best. I love Topo shoes for the fit. That is good for me since I the front of my feet are slightly wider.