Topo Athletic Terraventure trail shoe review

This post was created in partnership with Topo Athletic. All views expressed here are my own.

I like a running shoe that is both lightweight and functional. It has to meet the demands of the run that it is suited to and be the kind of shoe that you forget your wearing. I've tried various trail shoes over the years and many times they meet functional demands but are heavy and clunky feeling on a run. When I found Topo Athletic this spring, I found a trail shoe that was both lightweight and met the demands of all kinds of terrain. Topo Athletic recently launched the Terraventure and I had the chance to try it out on a few runs. Typically I like to put 50+ miles on a shoe before I write a review, but I only had the chance to get in about 20 miles between the trail and roads while testing the Terraventure. I'm sure to log more miles in them, so be sure to check my Instagram account at @runfargirl to see my thoughts on the shoe as I continue to wear it for trail runs.

[Tweet "Check out @runfargirl's review of the NEW @topoathletic's #Terraventure trail shoe #topoathletic"]

First Impressions

I started wearing Topo Athletic trail shoes in the spring and currently wear the MT-2 for all my trail runs. I've also tried the Runventure, which was a more rugged trail shoe. My preference was for the MT-2 because it was lightweight and flexible and while I wore it on pretty rugged terrain in Colorado and here in New Hampshire, I wished it had a rock plate and a bit more cushion. The Runventure had a rock plate but lacked the cushioned feel of the MT-2 and wasn't quite as flexible. Enter the Terraventure, which is Topo's newest release. My first impression was that it combines the best of the MT-2 and the Runventure: it's got the flexibility and cushion that I love about the MT-2 and the rock plate and durability of the Runventure. It's a great addition to the Topo Athletic line up.

Construction

The Terraventure has a lugged sole and breathable upper with bonded seams. The materials of my other Topo Athletic have held up well, with the exception of the outer material covering the toebox-specifically of my MT-2's which have seen some crazy terrain at Jay Peak and in Colorado. It will be interesting to see how the materials of the Terraventure hold up to rugged terrain.

I did notice a difference between the sole of the MT-2 and the Terraventure: the Terraventure's mid-sole is a soft foam material and does't have the continuous rubber outsole that the MT-2 has. We will see how this soft foam holds up on some of the mountains here in New Hampshire and their granite.

Specs

(from the TopoAthletic.com)

6 MM RUBBER OUTSOLE

14 MM (HEEL) // 11 MM (BALL) MIDSOLE

5 MM FOOTBED

TOTAL STACK HEIGHT 25 MM X 22 MM (3 MM DROP)

WEIGHT: 8.2 OZ. (SIZE 7)

Fit

The fit of the Terraventure is true to size. I typically wear a women's 10 and I feel quite comfortable in a 10 in the Terraventures [I wear a 9.5 in the MT-2]. The signature Topo wide toe box allows for a natural toe splay. The mid-foot adjusts nicely with the laces to create a snug fit. The tongue on the Terraventure is much improved from the somewhat bulky tongue of the Runventure, making the mid-foot fit better. I found the heel also fit well, and there was no slipping. Overall the shoe felt good from the first try-on and continued to feel good as I took it out on a nine mile test run on the trails.

At this point, since I have been running in other Topo Athletic shoes my foot has become accustomed to the natural toe splay that the wide toebox allows. Initially it took some getting used to, but now I find the Topo athletic shoes to have ample room, while other more traditional running shoes seem squeeze my feet.

Performance on Trails

I've had the chance to take the Terraventure on a 9 mile trail run. The terrain I was running was not somewhat technical-as per usual for most trails in the mountains in New England. It was rocky and littered with downed branches and a thick layer of fallen leaves. I went out on a cold morning, it had rained the day before so many of the rocky surfaces were covered in thin ice or slightly wet.

The Terraventure felt sturdy and rugged. I think the sign of a good shoe is that you don't really notice it at all while you're running and that was true of the Terraventure. The sole was grippy and did well over those slippery spots. It also performed well on the downhills where I met many patches of slick, fallen leaves.

Running uphill I was able to get good traction with the lugged sole, which gave me a sure-footedness on any ascents.

Performance on the Road

The Terraventure isn't technically a crossover shoe like the MT-2, but I did take them out on the roads after we'd had a snowstorm. The roads were icy and slushy. I avoided the ice patches on the road for the most part and tried to run on the snow on the shoulder where I had better traction. Even though the Terraventure is more rugged than the MT-2 it doesn't feel out of place not the road. It was light enough that I was able to run a tempo workout in them and not feel like my feet were dragging.

The lugged sole provided good traction over the snow, unlike a road shoe which would simply slide over those slippery surfaces.

Price

$110.00 (the industry average for a similar trail shoe seemed to be $10-30 more)

Overall Thoughts

The Terraventure is definitely going to be my go to for the trails from now on. It's durability and ruggedness make it a great choice for terrain in this area. It is an improvement from the Runventure and has a lot of features that I lean towards in a shoe: low drop, not overly cushioned and my feet are starting to really feel much more comfortable in the wide toe box.

The only drawback to the shoe, I feel is the color selection. The three options are for a saturated, monochromatic color scheme. My personal preference is for a brighter, contrasting colors, like the colorway of the MT-2's that I have, which are a dark blue/purple and yellow.

Aside from the colors, the Terraventure is a great trail shoe that is lightweight and can handle technical terrain.

[Tweet "The @topoathletic #terraventure is lightweight and can handle technical terrain #topoathletic"]

I'm giving away a pair of Terraventures on my Instagram page and TODAY (12/16) is the last day to enter! Head on over HERE to enter to win a pair of Terraventures.

[Tweet "Check out @runfargirl's Instagram to WIN a pair of @topoathletic #terraventures! Ends 12/16"]

--Sarah

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Topo Athletic Terraventure Trail Running Shoe Review and GIVEAWAY