Monday, January 23, 2017

Topo Athletic Terraventure Review


If you have been following my blog for a while, you know that I really like Topo Athletic shoes.  They offer shoes with a low heel drop and wide toe box.  This allows your toes to spread out instead of feeling claustrophobic like in most shoes.  The durability of the materials that they use is excellent as well.  The MT is one of the first pair of shoes that I reviewed on my blog.  It is still one of my favorite trail shoes because it is so light, comfortable, and really flexes with your foot.  The Hydroventure is an amazing trail shoe with a waterproof eVent material that keeps the water out but is still breathable.  Topo Athletic also has some amazing road shoes.  My favorites are the Runduro, Magnifly, and the UltraFly.

If you are not familiar with Topo Athletic shoes, they fit snug in the heel and midfoot, while it they are loose in the toebox.  The wide toe box allows your toes to spread out, which has several benefits.  This will not only help you be more stable, but will also reduce foot injuries commonly caused by shoes that compress your toes. 

I have tested 11 shoes from Topo Athletic and have been impressed with every one.  Here are some of my past reviews.

Topo Athletic just upped their game in regards to their trail shoes.  While the Hydroventure is waterproof, which I love, the Terraventure is made with more aggressive lugs than in the past to provide better traction and a rock plate to protect the bottom of your feet.


The Terraventure features a 3 mm heel drop, which will put your body in an ideal alignment.  If you aren’t used to a low heel drop, you should ease into using them over a few weeks to get your calves and Achilles tendon use to the extra stretch.  I love my low drop shoes and can’t recommend them enough.   

The Terraventure has a total stack height of 22 mm in the back and 22 mm in the front.  It breaks down to 6 mm of rubber outsole, 14/11 mm (rear/front) of midsole material, and a 5 mm footbed.  This is more of a minimal trail shoe compared to some other trail shoes out there, but it provides a very nimble and supportive experience while still providing some cushion.  It weighs in at only 10.4 ounces (men’s size 9).

The upper material is made up of mesh with overlays and a sturdy toe cap to protect your toes from rocks and branches.  The ESS forefoot rock plate protects your foot from stone-bruising which is a really nice feature.  The ghillie lacking system ensures that you have a secure midfoot fit that still allows your forefoot to be open so your toes can spread out. 

The big difference between this and the other Topo Athletic shoes is that this has the more aggressive lug design.  I took these out on a really wet and muddy run.  It had been raining hard (record setting rains) for a few days.  It was also raining during my run.  I was able to run through muddy areas, on wet grass, and over slippery rocks with ease.  I never slipped one time, even on areas where other people were slipping.

The fit of the Terraventure was great, in fact it’s one of the best fitting shoes in the Topo lineup thanks to the ghillie lacing system.  I am really pleased with these shoes and will be using them a lot more in the near future. 

Pros:
Lightweight (10.4 ounces)
Wide toe box allows toes to spread out
Low (3 mm) heel drop allows for better form and posture
Great price ($110 at the Topo Athletic website)
Extremely flexible
ESS rock plate protects your feet from stone-bruising
Ghillie lacing system locks in your midfoot for a great fit

Topo Athletic’s Social Media Links:

Topo Athletic ups its game with each release of a new shoe. I love the aggressive lug and rockplate.  This is a great trail shoe that can handle dry trails as well as muddy ones.   The fit and function of the Terraventure is only bested by the $110 price tag).  You can get a pair at the Topo Athletic website, or check the Topo Athletic Store Locator for a store near you.  Give them a try today and let me know what you think.

Note:  I received this product in exchange for a review.  The review is my personal opinion of the product and I was not required to give a particular opinion of it.  I am not a doctor, so please use all of the products that I review at your own risk.

1 comment:

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