Bushwalk Australia

Interested to hear opinions on the line of trail runners from Topo. I’ve had two pairs now and been very happy. Different models. I’ve worn through a pair of Altra Lone Peak 7’s and although the grip on them is excellent, I’ve had constant ankle pain until I swapped over.

A US buddy of mine recently hiked part of the AT in a pair of Topo Traverse and had the sole delaminate, which isn’t any good. Thinking of buying another pair of Topo Athletic off Amazon.

I've had Topo Athletic Trailventures for a while. I got them because they're lightweight and not waterproof so dry quickly and feel nice to wear. The tread delaminated on the sole reasonably quickly which was really annoying. I glued it back on and it's been fine. There's a new version out now which might be improved but I don't know. We're doing the South Coast Track at the end of the year and I'm not sure I'm brave enough to take these Topos on that track, but then I'm not sure if I want to try new ones for it either if they're going to delaminate again. The only other non-waterproof boot I've found that I'm keen on is the Altra Lone Peak Hiker. I have Lone Peak 7s for non-hiking and really like them.

I'm on my second pair of Mountain Racers, so I like them enough to buy again. I find them comfortable - wide toe box for wide feet, some cushion but decently firm - and the sole is pretty sure across wet/dry/soft/hard. I'm reluctant to make any claims about durability as I have used mine more for general purposes with infrequent knocking about off track. But they seem okay for type, with a good balance, ie when the tops on my first pair were knackered the soles were too.

WestcoastPete wrote:I've had Topo Athletic Trailventures for a while. I got them because they're lightweight and not waterproof so dry quickly and feel nice to wear. The tread delaminated on the sole reasonably quickly which was really annoying. I glued it back on and it's been fine. There's a new version out now which might be improved but I don't know. We're doing the South Coast Track at the end of the year and I'm not sure I'm brave enough to take these Topos on that track, but then I'm not sure if I want to try new ones for it either if they're going to delaminate again. The only other non-waterproof boot I've found that I'm keen on is the Altra Lone Peak Hiker. I have Lone Peak 7s for non-hiking and really like them.

I think you’d be fine doing The South Coast Track in trail runners. I did it a couple of years ago. A pair of Sealskinz waterproof socks would be a good idea. If you’re comfortable in the Lone Peaks then I think they are a great option.