Altra vs Topo, Best Shoe for Thru-Hiking? Surprising Conclusion. Olympus, Mountain Racer Lone Peak
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- Опубліковано 30 кві 2024
- Read the full review here with links to the specific shoes: www.couchtotrail.com/blog/alt...
Altra vs Topo, Best Shoe for Thru-Hiking? Surprising Conclusion. Olympus, Mountain Racer Lone Peak
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See my full thru-hiking gear list and gear review at www.couchtotrail.com/blog/cal...
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One huge difference I don't hear people mention when comparing these is that the Topos have an aggressive arch support "bump" in the footbed and the Altras I've tried are close to completely flat in the arch. For me personally, I cannot use Topos without some serious pain because of this. Altras for me!
Oh yes good point, I didn't notice it as much or maybe I attributed that to the more narrow mid foot.
But why?
Also, I don't think any animal with quads like that can truly perceive anything below and beneath said quads. I don't think you can feel anything below the knee mate. At least, not like we mere mortals.
Which topos have you tried? I have had that problem with other shoes, mainly hoka, but my topo terraventure 3s don't seem to have overly aggressive arch support like those did.
Highly recommend replacing the insole. Fixed that problem for me straight away.
@@Gerz970 They were ultraventure 3s.
Now that is how to do a gear review video- beautiful scenery/wildlife and specific advice- Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
The real deal- I have to agree, really like this post. You have reinforced my belief that I made the right choices! Thanks 🙏
Thanks Jack! Always great to hear from you my friend 👊🏻👍🏻 Appreciate the information. God Bless 🙏🏻 Appreciate you! 🫶🏻
Much appreciated
great summation of the two brands! ❤
Thanks for watching!
Solid review video.
Thanks for watching
Great review that exactly sums up my experience. Topo seem like good, sturdier version of Altra. Unfortunately I cannot use them because of the narrow midsole. I stay with Altras 7. Still working on the pair that lasted almost 600 km without any significant wear or tear.
Dude you did such a great job going over everything. Really enjoyable video! Great footage too. Subscribed!
So would you say most people just need to be more mindful of how/where they step to avoid shoe damage? I have a new pair of Topo Pursuit 1’s in the mail I found on eBay for a steal and I want them to last.
I'd think so and gait and pronation and all of that effects things as well
Oh dude I saw you in the Richmond Ranges between Top Wairoa Hut and Mid Wairoa Hut. You were with 3 other people walking behind a girl. I was going SOBO. Still got 5 days till finish. Enjoying your videos 😊
Hah yeah small world! Enjoy the finish, hope you get some good food!
I used Altras for years, then tried the Topo Pursuit. It fit my wide foot and high arch much better than the Altra...and the Vibram lasted about 300 miles more than the Lone Peaks. Avtually, the whole shoe was much tougher than the Lone Peak.
Good review and tips! I have a pair of Vasque Breeze LT Low GTX for a couple years and have used them on day hikes and multidays. Theyre still comfortable and holding up well. I would purchase a new pair once my current ones wear out.
Oh yes I wore some Vasque around 2018-2020 and they always held up well.
@@QuadzillaHikes Yep! I did a gear review vlog a few yrs ago when i 1st got them.
Great info! I do have to say the Altra Lone Peaks, Timps, and Superiors I have tried developed huge holes between approximately 70 to 120 miles depending on the model and the mid sole on the Lone Peaks flattened out very quickly as well. This has not been a problem with any of the dozens of other shoe models/ brands I have tried except for 1 pair of New Balance from a decade ago. The two pairs of Altra Olympus I have tried have held up better though. They were just a little unstable for me personally. I have not tried Topos so thanks for the info on them. I'm enjoying the content. Thanks.
Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience.
Excellent vid, I guess there is no holy grail of hiking shoes and best not to overthink it.
There really isn't, very dependent on the individual and at the end of the day the better shape conditioning you're in the better any pair of shoe is going to feel.
Topo Pursuits are the shoe that the Lone Peak could/should have been. Pair them with Superfeet insoles and they’re the best shoes I’ve ever worn on trail.
Really enjoyed your video. It was spot on. There is no Best Shoe. So many variables
I get tired of all these videos of what’s best in 2024? or saying I am not buying this model any more ….because of ….dah dah
Your right. Don’t worry about just get out there
Other than add better insoles I add a bubble lace. Keeps them tied and tighter than the junk that come with the shoes. Thanks again. Living life on the trails…
Thanks, Quad! 😄
Any time!
Nice to see someone recommending the ultra Cush soles such as the Olympus with the better vibram treads. My feet grew so much they no longer make my size (17’s). New balance is the only way to go for 17+
Dang that's some big shoes! Yeah the lone peaks don't make sense for hiking, training sure, but hiking all day everyday give me all the cushion!
I like the topos that i’m wearing now, but i have to learn the lacing you describe. as i have very narrow heels and the opening has frayed right beneath the laces. I wish they had an integrated velcro instead of the proprietary gaiters. i also remove the insoles and use minimalist northsole inserts. thanks for the thorough and thoughtful review.
Thanks for watching! Yep you described my pain points.
New sub here.
Based on your experience, which is better overall?
Hoka speedgoat vs Olympus
I've been using Runventure 4's lately. For my feet the Lone Peaks are more comfortable, but I don't like how fast the MaxTrac outsoles wear down. The Vibrams grip better, but they aren't as flexible as the MaxTrac or my other barefoot style shoes. So it's a tradeoff. I could go with either but if I'm going to be hiking on slippery rocks, I'd probably go with Vibrams.
I bought a pair of topo in like 2015 that absolutely sucked but it seems they have gotten better recently
I tried both and my preference are the Topo Ultraventure’s (I did try all their trail runners and these ones have extra cushion which make them my favourite). I always found that my feet moved around too much in the Altras and the heel support just wasn’t there for me. I wore my true size - if I had sized up they would have fallen off my feet. Been wearing Topo’s for 6 years and my feet are happy 😊
Glad you found what works for you :)
gonna say this as pc as possible... so many overweight, clumsy, non athletic hikers out there whining about injuries or shoes wearing out leaving out the obvious reason why their body/shoes fall apart.
so many ppl walk normally not lifting their feet up properly let alone with a backpack
Farm to feet socks are my personal preference over darn tough
I totally agree, I flip between topo terraventure 3s, altra olympus 4s and lone peak 5s depending on if I can find them for cheap on eBay. They all consistently last ~500 miles at least in my experience. Gotta say though SOLE innersoles have lasted me 2000 over miles consistently and are great for thru hiking and complement those aforementioned shoes well imo
Haven't tried the SOLEs yet, will have to give that a go.
Nice video. Ever train in minimalist shoes or try hiking in them? I used some for training and then just got so used to minimalist shoes for every aspect of life, I couldn’t go back to Altras or Topos.
I don't, mostly I just use whatever old pair of hiking shoes I have to train in. For thru hikes there's just so many steps that with 30-40 mile days I don't think my feet could ever handle minimalist shoes.
As far as the gaiters go on the Topos, I bought some dirty girls and took the Velcro they provided and attached it. I cut it about the same size as the Velcro on the gaiters and then super glued it just under the proprietary gaiters point on the Topo.
I’ve got about ~35 miles with them and so far so good!
Oh good hack! Glad to hear they're working out for ya!
@colbypark1311 same here. Works great!
For me Altra is king due to having a ton more options. Topos only has what? Two zero drop shoes? Altra has a wide range of options based on how much cushioning you want.
Doesn't help that Altra is trying to push a non zero-drop "line-up" in which Topo already dove off the deep end with and nobody else has anything worth of note with the desired factors.
Still, get stuff on discounts if you can. Got both of my Altras from REI garage sale.
The upper fit and sizing stuff I totally understand. If the shoe is foot-shaped it shouldn't be a problem. And if you are still hesitant, you can try it on in store and can get something that your foot isn't complaining about. With experience you can try on a shoe and know if it'll work out in the long term.
I don’t wear either because of the zero drop. I had Achilles injury many years ago and the zero drop makes my past injury worse. I love the way they fit, especially in the toe box. I go with Merrill’s or any similar shoe that is on sale. I always size up one shoe size. I learned that the hard way. I use the Darn Toughs and they work well. I agree with the footbeds, big difference. Take care
Thanks for sharing your experiernce!
They still are not as rigid as something like a Merrill but if you wanted to try something new someday most Tops actually aren't 0 drop, MTN racers (the ones in this video) I believe are 5mm and so are the ultraventures. The terraventures are 3mm drop so a bit closer to 0 but not quite.
Been using Topo’s for four years.
So much better than ever hoped to be in every way.
Great to hear.
The one pair of Topo’s I had didn’t breathe very well. The shoes were damp at the end of the day and still a little damp in the morning. Love Hoka’s but that stupid heel thing they are doing is making me think about switching to the Timp’s.
Have you tried the all-new topo traverse? I love mine!
I have not, what do you like about it?
I’ll answer as I’m on my third pair of Topos, first two being the MTN Racers. Before Topos I used four sets of Altra.
The Topo Traverse is specifically designed as a through hiking backpacking shoe. Just finished three days backpacking the Grand Canyon and several days hiking and trail running near Flagstaff. The Traverse is a 10/10 so far.
Traverse uses a dual density mid sole, with a firmer foam than the runners, to provide more stability under the weight of a pack. They nailed the ride in these shoes. They look and feel more durably built than MTN Racer. A new insole that is designed to not absorb water. Shoe is designed with water drain ports too.
It’s clear that a lot of thought went into the design of these. I also sprung for the Topo gaiters and they worked very well. The Traverse is easily the best shoe I’ve ever used for backpacking and hiking, 10 out of 10.
Hi there! Have a question. As yourself, I found out while ago to leave hiking boots and keep follow pct hikers using running shoes. I have to say that was a great idea! I used them many times now combo injinji running socks plus sealskinz socks. I used Lone Peak for first try and quick founded they was to thin. Jumped to olympus 4 and... fall in love! Now because they going older and less available maybe time for another change. So what do you think about change from olympus 4 to 5? Greetings from UK, Tom.
I think you probably won't notice much, the model year to model year changes are all pretty small the shoe companies just do it to sell new shoes at higher prices imo. So if the 4s worked for ya the 5s should be just fine.
The Olympus 4's were my favorite trail running shoes. They just died on me a few weeks ago after 350 miles. I bought a pair of Olympus 5's and they give me foot pain due to the changes that Altra made. Very disappointing considering how much I loved the 4's. The new timps are too narrow even though I love the Vibram. So I tried the Lonepeak 7s - like them but want more cushion and Vibrum with the same fit - bought three pairs of them so I'd have something good to run in for a while. Also bough Topo Ultraventure 2's - just ran in them for the first time today for seven "easy" miles. They felt good and will make a good rotation for when I want a short break from zero drop. Still haven't found a new favorite but I'll have to keep trying.
I dunno why they want to make changes to every iteration of shoes, that's probably my biggest annoyance, just keep the shoes the same if they work! It's not rocket science.
What is your actual foot measurement (like on a Brannock measuring device)? That would be helpful for context to understand how much you size up from your actual foot size.
No idea, but good point for a future video.
I wear a like both but I prefer Topo.
For longer hikes (10 miles+) I like a lighter shoe, so I go with my Topo Ultraventures over my Altra Olympus. For day hikes I usually wear my Olympus. If I had to pick one for both applications, I would give my Topos the edge.
Funny for me I'd have the olympus edge out the topo because of the extra cushion if I'm doing big long days, but not enough that I wouldn't buy the topo if it were cheaper.
I love my Topo pursuits. The upper is very durable and plenty breathable. The sole is zero drop and 28mm stack height is a great balance in somewhat technical terrain imo. Altra do not offer a good alternative to that
I tried Topo Pursuit, those kinda suck to be honest. The gaiter is a no go for me, and the cushion. Altra Olympus is a much better shoe overall.
@@DanielOutdoors first off you can get a gaiter on them as well but the altras are better in that regard. But the cushion is great, idk what you mean. The olympus are a very high shoe that is a hazard in somewhat technical terrain. Also there is just so much evidence on the upper getting holes wayyy too quickly. But sure if you want to replace your shoes after every other trip altras are by far the better shoe
@@jonathankobbe6073
Every brand that has the Vibram sole, get send to Vibram from them to make. If the shoe sole guarantee do not last 5 years, regarding its a Vibram reclaim, that the retail send to then producer need to send to Vibram. But I did had a Topo Terraventure 2 once too, and I had to reclaim those at store, they just couldn't do it because Topo didn't want to take the dealer reatail cost. And so Retail actually lost money on Topos faulty design of their shoe. As far for the pursuit nah, I'll will stick to my Olympus instead mine had loads of miles, but I do prefer Olympus versus LonePeak or Timps for sure. And also versus Pursuit and Speciakky Terraventure 2
Now with Altras or any barefoot shoe, also need transition, specially if you do a lot of runs on high elevated heels. The risk of injure is due to lack of transition. That for ancles, knees and back. It is very important to transition and train your feet and body as many understimate this. This also what my doctor told me when 10 years ago i was having knee pain before I tried Zero Drop Shoes like Altras.
The benifit is however that in the longer run, barefoot shoe, toe box spread you feet naturally will improve and gain strenght, unlike or example with Hooka. As for this day I can tell that from walking 15-30 km outdoors or 17.000-18.000 at work I do not feel tired or fatigue as much as I would be 10 years ago. Your feet will adapt, but you actually need to pretty much "repair" and transition from walking with narrow shoes and elevated heels all your life. I can almost bet that when you turn older, the one who have walked more barefoot and with Zero Drop is going to have a stronger and better balance when the years come to you.
The Olympus however is much more durable than other Altra models, but not more durable than Leather Boots, wich again have elevated heels, and narrow toe box.
I am actually planning on more long distance hikes next year. And if all go according to plan I surely will pick my Olympus for a 3256 km trip.
I would say be careful with REI as well with the comment, "if your shoe falls apart in a week you can return them". We did the Mt Rogers loop last year, 23 miles with no rain as well as no mud. The entire toe box of the shoe opened up after 15 miles, and being a thru hiker of the AT, you know that section of the AT is not strenuous enough to damage shoes. The local REI refused to take them back stating, "that's beyond normal wear and tear". I said, look up the receipt, I just bought them Thursday afternoon and today is Monday. I had to get their cooperate headquarters involved to get them exchanged and the cooperate headquarters wasn't happy as well. But I assume them losing $300 million last year wasn't making them happy as well
I don't know if you're familiar with Norda but if you're looking for the most durable trail runner out there, it's this. The midfoot to forefoot is very roomy without the clumsy feeling of Altras.
I'll look em up!
Aren't the uppers less breathable on the Topos? Which shoes dry out faster? And rock plates...do they help? Are they necessary?
I didn't notice any less breathability, base model the altras dry faster because the insoles don't absorb water like the topos do. I think rock plates can be helpful, but I usually just run a superfeet and that's good to go.
@@QuadzillaHikes Thank you for the answers. I really appreciate that.
Great video!
Remember I met you in 2016 hiking up Blood Mtn with Wife now ex-wife.
Oh I have a little clip of you guys in this video! ua-cam.com/video/9FxeY-KcAqM/v-deo.html
The Timp 5 has a vibram outer sole and they have ditched the holes.
Oh that's great to know, that shoe might be worth revisiting then as a good middle of the line option between Lone Peak and Olympus.
@@QuadzillaHikes Topo on the other hand has two models that doesn't have the ortholite insole. The Traverse and the Pursuit 2. They have their FKT insole, that doesn't soak up water like a sponge.
Altra Olympus worked for me, but you could still feel rocks. Hokas (thickest sole” couldn’t feel rocks
One other comment - zero drop shoes are not for everyone and you will needs lots of time to for your body to adjust. Some foot types (i.e., high volume feet) generally do not do well with zero drop shoes.
i disagree, from what i have seen it's usually people that spend 0 time barefoot(wearing shoes at home) that can't wear zero drop. we are all born with zero drop feet but as we wear "normal" shoes your feet adapt to those and you have to adapt back if you switch
Zero drop's definitely not a shoe to jump straight into for long hikes if you're not used to them. AFAIK the Topos have a 5mm drop though.
Altra Olympus for the win 🎉
Ultra cush!
@QuadzillaHikes Yeah man I use them too, like you can problaby do any thru hike with most outdoor shoe that fits right out there, gore tex, boots, Salomon, hooka, merell or sandal...
But for me the Altra transition and Olympus specially compared to Lone Peaks been amazing
Topo last so much longer than Altra. Love bouth but Altras just dont last more than a couple of months :(
and the winner is......La Sportiva !::)))))))
I'm gonna wear a pair of la sportiva on the AT next cause I found them on-sale with REI :)
OMG shoes...
These shoes rule...
These shoes suck...
Hah just watched that video last week.
No contest, Topo are so much better than Altra.
😂 No way they are