By Will Rietveld
Topo has found a way to maximize the performance of the Terraventure with the least amount of weight.
According to one study, taking 1 pound off your feet is equivalent to taking 6 pounds out of your backpack, so lightweight shoes are an important component of an ultralight backpacking kit. But not any lightweight shoe will do for backpacking, especially over rough terrain. My choice for ultralight backpacking footwear is lightweight, supportive, cushioned, grippy trail running shoes. That is the context of this review.
Topo has found a way to maximize the performance of the Terraventure with the least amount of weight.
According to one study, taking 1 pound off your feet is equivalent to taking 6 pounds out of your backpack, so lightweight shoes are an important component of an ultralight backpacking kit. But not any lightweight shoe will do for backpacking, especially over rough terrain. My choice for ultralight backpacking footwear is lightweight, supportive, cushioned, grippy trail running shoes. That is the context of this review.
I have wide feet (E width), so my preference is shoes with a
wide toebox so my feet can splay out. That feature also helps a lot when my
feet swell during long hikes or runs. The toebox area is the only area where I want
the extra width; I want the heelcup to be snug.
![]() |
The Topo Terraventure is designed for running on rough trails, which makes it a good candidate for ultralight backpacking. (Topo Athletic photo) |
Topo shoes are one of the few shoe brands offering that
combination. Most others are simply “medium width”. I previously tested the Topo
Hydroventure, a waterproof-breathable shoe made with eVent DVdry LT membrane and construction, and my feet
loved them. Is the Topo Terraventure just as good?
Specifications and Features
Manufacturer
|
Topo Athletic (www.topoathletic.com)
|
Model
|
Terraventure
|
Weight
|
10.2 oz/shoe (men’s 9); 11.4 oz/shoe (men’s 12 tested)
|
Features
|
No-sew construction, nylon mesh upper with polyurethane
overlays, wide toebox, fitted heel cup, gusseted tongue, Ghillie lacing
system, 3mm heel to toe drop, flexible forefoot TPU rock plate, high-traction
outsole, EVA midsole
|
MSRP
|
$110
|
Description
Soon after the shoes arrived I took them on a 12-day camping
and hiking trip in the
|
Testing
Although the Terraventure has a fully gusseted tongue, I prefer to wear short lightweight gaiters over them to keep debris out, especially when hiking off-trail. |
Over four months of testing I wore the Terraventure on 44
day hikes and one backpack, for a total of 48 testing days. Trail conditions
varied widely: desert granite, hardpacked snow, frozen mud, slickrock, rocky
trails, Utah
sand, and steep dirt trails. I wore them trail running several days. The
backpacking trip in Utah ’s
Canyonlands country included class 3 scrambling, bashing through brush, and
walking sandy washes.
Performance
Fit – I found the
fit to be the same as the Hydroventure, a wide toebox and snug heelcup.
However, since my measured shoe size is a 12-E, I found the toebox none too
wide. I had to wear thin socks in them to avoid scrunching my toes. The wide
toebox is a welcome feature, even for h for hikers with normal feet, because their feet pancake out on prolonged
hikes.
Breathability –
The mesh nylon upper provided good breathability; only a coarse mesh upper
would provide more, but that has its disadvantages -- your toes get very dirty and sand enters easily. I wore the shoes in 89F temperatures
in southern Arizona
in relative comfort.
Traction – The
Terraventure has a 6 mm rubber outsole with a very aggressive tread. Traction
is outstanding.
Stability – The
forefoot TPU rock plate insulates my feet from sharp rocks, while providing the
right amount of stiffness for edging. For downhill hiking I like to tighten the
laces over my instep to prevent toe jamming, and the Ghillie lacing system
holds firm in that location without slipping.
Comfort – The EVA
midsole is 14 mm in the heel and 11 mm at the ball. I found cushioning to be
very good, but not as good as some other brands with enhanced cushioning. The
Ghillie lacing allowed me to simply tug on the lacing to tighten it over my
instep to enhance stability, especially on descents, while remaining looser in
the lower section for maximum toebox width.
Durability – The
Terraventure is amazingly durable. After 48 days of hiking on rough trails,
off-trail bushwhacking, and some trail running, the uppers look like new and
the outsoles are only lightly worn. The only evidence of use is some scuffing
on the edges of the outsole.
The only issue I had with the Terraventure is fine
|
Assessment
My overall evaluation of the Terraventure is
very similar to the Hydroventure I previously reviewed: the Topo Terraventure
is one of the best hiking shoes I have tested. Their wide toebox is what allows
me to wear them in the first place, and all of their features add up to a near
perfect shoe for ultralight backpacking and day hiking. For their minimal weight, their
fit, comfort, traction, and durability are amazing.
An article I would like to write in the near future is my concept of the perfect shoe for ultralight backpacking. And a perfect example of that shoe is the Topo Terraventure.
I really like no-stitch upper construction. Over the years I
have tested and reviewed numerous hiking boots and shoes, and found the nemesis
is stitching at the fifth metatarsal head (the widest part of your forefoot on
the outside). Hiking off-trail and sliding down scree slopes (scree skiing)
puts a lot of wear on that exposed area, which wears the stitching through, and
the seam comes apart. With no-stitch construction that problem is eliminated (see
photos above).
The Terraventure is the most durable trail running shoe I
have tested, and I have tested a lot. I usually end up with holes in the mesh
in shoes with mesh uppers, but the Terraventure’s nylon mesh upper is
essentially unscathed. It helps a lot to have a good polyurethane rand just
above the outsole to protect the upper, and in particular a polyurethane
overlay at the fifth metatarsal head, as described above and shown in the photos.
The aggressive traction outsole is another component of this
shoe I especially like. It provides phenomenal traction, which is a necessity
for hiking. At the end of my testing, there is still plenty of life left in the
shoes.
For a shoe designed to provide stability on rough trails,
the Terraventure is on the lighter end, which I also appreciate. Topo has found
a way to maximize the performance of the Terraventure with the least amount of
weight.
I like Topo shoes too. My first were the original MT and liked them a lot. Last Christmas I bought two pair of the Runventure since they are much more affordable around that time of year - essentially two-for-one. I use one pair for around town as they say, and the other pair are dedicated to the outdoors since they get too dusty dirty.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your assessment of the shoes. They fit well, stay put where you lock them down on your feet, and they have great traction. I'm not sure if the stack height on this new shoe is higher or not, but that is the one item I wish a bit more for with the Runventure - a little more padding. I wore Salomon's for some time and they are great shoes. But I like the Topo's with their minimal drop and lower overall weight better. I also really like the wide toe box; it feels good at the beginning of the day and allows my feet to still have a bit of room at the end of the day too so I don't feel the need to bring another pair of shoes along when backpacking.
I have looked at other shoes but have not found as many great features packed within one shoe as with the Topo's. They provide comfort, performance, and light weight in one fully functional shoe. They seem to be listening to the real needs of athletes in the field.
nice blog
ReplyDeleteNick post!I like Topo shoes too. My first were the original MT and liked them a lot.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your assessment of the shoes. They fit well, stay put where you lock them down on your feet, and they have great traction.
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These look really comfortable and supportive and I do love the fact you use the gaters as well :) The backpacking list consist of various important items and both gaters and great shoes are on that list. If you want a better insight on gear Must-Haves you need for backpacking, I suggest checking out this tutorial I found on the web the other day: http://hikingmastery.com/top-pick/best-backpacking-gear.html
ReplyDeleteThank you for providing this review. There aren't many hiking reviews featuring the Terraventures. Do you have any updates on the Terraventures? Generally, how do you feel they would fair in off-trail, alpine hiking? And, specifically, the Wind River Range? I'm still trying to decide what trail runners to wear for an August trip in the Wind River Mountains. I own a pair, and they have been a dream to run in, but living in northern Illinois hasn't provided me with the appropriate experience to judge how the tread of these shoes might handle granite slabs and scree fields. Also, do they drain/dry well? Thank You
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