In production · trail · Trail / Daily · $130
Barefoot-style zero-drop shoe for road-to-trail ground feel.
Built for trail, daily, at a target pace of 8:30–11:30 /mi on trail.
Topo Athletic tuned this midsole very firm (1/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 11 mm of heel stack keeps you low and connected, with more ground feel than most current trainers. Combined, the ride reads as lively at 3/5 responsiveness.
There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.
A 0 mm drop is close to level. That loads the calf and Achilles more than most runners are used to, so ease into it. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. The forefoot flexes easily, so the shoe adapts to slower, shorter strides. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
The toe-box is unusually roomy — foot-shaped rather than tapered, which suits splayed or bunion-prone feet. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 300 miles from the outsole, about $0.43 per mile at $130.
For the foams and plates Topo Athletic uses across its line, read the Topo Athletic brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
232 g / 8.2 oz
43 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
11 mm
25 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
0 mm
6 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$130
30 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
1 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~300 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Topo Athletic line it is lighter than the brand's median (275 g / 9.7 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (32 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Merrell Trail Glove 8
190 g / 6.7 oz · 14 mm · 0 mm drop · — · $130
Zero-drop barefoot trail shoe: pure ground feel, minimal stack.
New Balance MT10
204 g / 7.2 oz · 14 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $120
New Balance MT10: 14 mm heel stack, 4 mm drop, 200 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Altra King MT 2
260 g / 9.2 oz · 21 mm · 0 mm drop · Rock · $140
Aggressive-lug fell-running shoe for steep, muddy mountains.
Altra Superior 7
263 g / 9.3 oz · 21 mm · 0 mm drop · Rock · $130
Low, light and agile trail shoe for fast, technical singletrack.