Topo Athletic Mtn Racer 3 Review
The Topo Athletic Mtn Racer 3 is a top contender among trail running shoes for hiking, because it’s lightweight, cushioned, low-but-not-zero drop, and has a wide toe box. It is most similar to the HOKA Speedgoats, but with a wider toe box, cushioned tongue, and slightly less aggressive tread. Shop now.
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- Price: $150
- M’ Weight: 10.1 oz | W’s Weight: 8.3 oz
- Heel-Forefoot-Drop: 33-28-5
- Lugs: 4 mm (estimate) | Rockplate: No
- Width: Average, with extra wide toe-box | Overall Fit: True to size
- Wide Sizes Available: No
- On Trail/Off trail? Either
- Pros: Comfortable. Wide toe box. Cushioned. Breathable. Protective toe rand. Good all-arounder. Padded tongue.
- Cons: Toe box might be too wide for some.
Construction & Features
Starting with the fit, we would describe these as fairly standard/true to size, only with quite a wide toe box. It’s wider than HOKA, and similar to how Altra used to be before they slimmed down a bit with the Altra lone peak 7.
We’ve always loved Topo’s laces and tongues, because they’re highly cushioned, and rarely ever come undone. This increases comfort, and reduces the likelihood of cutting of circulation in the event that you have to really cinch down on technical terrain.
The lugs are nice and grippy, with moderately deep vibram lugs, but the traction is not exceptional. Fine though, because not every shoe needs to be optimized for that, and bigger/deeper lugs add weight – not what a racer wants. What they do want is a lighter weight shoe, which you get here, at 10.1 oz per shoe for men’s, and 8.3 oz for women’s. This is important for hiking too, and adds spring to your step.
The proprietary “Zip Foam” insole could be springy to walk or run in, but for the most part, you probably won’t notice it that much while hiking. The mesh upper has a nicely protective front rand and breathable textile around the mid foot.
Topo Athletic Mtn Racer 3 Review Verdict
The Topo Athletic Mtn Racer 3 is a great all-arounder for both hiking and running. They are a direct competitor to our beloved HOKA Speedgoats, and may be worth choosing if you value wider toe boxes and cushioned laces/tongues.
