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Barefoot Shoes

Topo Athletic ST Review

Topo Athletic (“ToPo” is short for Tony Post, the founder of the company and former Vibram CEO and former Vice President of Product and Marketing at Rockport) first launched their brand about two years ago with a Tabi-informed, split-toe design built on…

Topo Athletic (“ToPo” is short for Tony Post, the founder of the company and former Vibram CEO and former Vice President of Product and Marketing at Rockport) first launched their brand about two years ago with a Tabi-informed, split-toe design built on a lightweight, minimalist-minded platform (See the Topo M-RR review). Fast forward a bit and Topo iterated on their design, releasing new models that dropped the split-toe while keeping other tenets of the Topo vision—things like lightweight materials and an anatomically-minded last. One of those models was the Topo ST, and that’s what I’ll be reviewing today. Read on!

Overview

Note the lack of a split — though you can see where it would have existed.
Note the lack of a split — though you can see where it would have existed.
The Topo ST is the lightest shoe in the Topo Athletics running line. It has a very airy and breathable upper, a zero-drop sole that is quite similar to a traditional running shoe but with a little extra flexibility, and a wide toe box. It is an fantastic shoe for those looking to transition into more minimalist running gear and prefer the security and familiarity of old-fashioned laces versus Vibram’s LS bungees, Topo’s own BOA system, or non-secured shoes like the Vibram EL-X, or ZEMGEAR’s 360 (Ninja) series of shoes. Here’s what Topo Athletic says about the Topo ST:
The ST is our lightest and most responsive running shoe. Light, airy mesh and printed uppers keep weight down and eliminate seams. A neutral platform and anatomic shape allow the foot to move and work naturally through the gait cycle or during fitness activities. …
The Topo ST has a weight of 6 oz (size 9 US/41 Euro) and a total stack height of 13mm (3mm outsole + 7mm EVA insole + 3mm removable Aegis footbed). Pros:
  • One of the best uppers of any running shoe!
  • Middle-weight for new runners(6 oz)
  • Wide toebox
  • Comfortable upper material (please go sockless!)
Cons:
  • Sole is not very flexible
  • Total stack height is pretty tall at 13mm (10 after removing the glued footbed)
  • Diminished groundfeel for experienced barefoot runners
Barefoot Scale — 10-13mm. Excellent for transitioning runners and new long-distance runners. Testing Background — This review was written about running about 100 miles in the Topo ST in the mountains of Colorado, trails of Vermont, and bike paths around Boston. Take a spin around the shoes via these photos of the Topo ST:

Sole

The Topo ST has a sole that should appeal to those who are interested in transitioning to minimalist running from traditional running shoes. It’s not too thin as to be jarring for newbies, but not quite as thick as most running shoes. It hits a sweet spot between security, comfort, and familiarity, making for a nice introduction to minimalist and barefoot running. The shoes feature a zero drop design – there is no difference in height between the heel of the shoe and the forefoot with a total stack height of 13mm via a 3mm outsole, 7mm insole, and a removable 3mm foot bed that is actually glued into the shoe but can be taken in and out at will after you (somewhat uncomfortably) rip it out of the shoe. Without the aegis treated insole, the total stack height is about 10mm, which puts the ST into standard minimalist running thickness. Aegis footbeds are popular in running shoes for their anti-microbial properties, which should provide plenty of odor control. The sole is pretty flexible in the middle of the shoe, both in terms of upflex, downflex and twist, but the forefoot and heel are quite a bit stiffer (They should soften up over time). The sole is by no means going to emulate barefoot running, but it will bring you closer to the ground than your traditional running shoes. For experienced minimalist runners, it’s probably too inflexible and thick—these are not Vibram KSO EVOs—but for newcomers, they will experience a huge improvement in flexibility, and ground feel over their traditional shoes.

Fit and Materials

The Topo ST has one of the best uppers I have tested with a transitioning shoe. They are not quite as soft as the fabric uppers in the KSO EVO, ZEMGEAR shoes, or comparable shoes that are quite a bit lighter than the Topo ST, but they are very comfortable and actually a great deal MORE breathable than any of the aforementioned shoes. Topo really nailed it with the uppers in terms of construction, breathability, and durability. I foresee these uppers lasting longer than your typical Vibram uppers, despite the extreme breathability. They can definitely handle a stray tree branch snag without batting an eye. Other shoe companies can learn a thing or two from Topo in terms of upper construction and materials. With such breathable uppers, you need not worry about foot stank, even when running barefoot and with these shoes you’ll WANT to run barefoot. That’s how comfortable they are! VERY IMPRESSIVE. The toebox is pretty wide, but the majority of the shoe is average in terms of width, so duck footed individuals need not apply. However, even with my especially wide feet, I found the Topo ST to be very comfortable, especially with its airy uppers. The ankle has a bit of padding to keep the ST on your feet and provide a sliver of comfort and there is a bit of stiffer material around the heel that provides a bit of structure. Some people will like this extra structure; some will not. It decreases a bit of lateral flexibility around the ankle, but not by so much. I believe that transitioning runners will appreciate it, which is the primary market for these shoes. The laces are reinforced with painted on bracers, which add increased durability to the uppers. They do not take away from the comfort of the uppers, unlike other painting on support systems, like in the Vibram EL-X. I actually really like Vibram Lace Systems and Topo’s BOA cable laces which are available on some Topo models, but if you are looking for traditional laces, the ones in the ST are fantastic. They are the flattened kind, which can tie tighter and more securely than fully rounded laces.

Durability

The Topo ST has very well-designed materials and I expect them to last a very long time. After about 100 miles in varied conditions, they show little-to-no wear and the uppers are still as comfortable and airy as the first time I tried them on. The flexibility of the sole has increased a bit as I ran in them a little more, but do not expect them to become as flexible as a true minimalist or barefoot shoe. Because other uppers are so breathable, these shoes are not recommended for rainy runs. Things will start getting squishy REAL quick if you decide to go out in a rain storm or running along a river.

Summary

The Topo ST is the lightest shoe in the Topo lineup and it is easily their best shoe. It is a fantastic shoe for new minimalist runners and experienced runners looking to go long distances. The uppers are easily one of the best I have ever experienced and the shoe is very comfortable to wear barefoot. I wish that Topo would release a more “hardcore” barefoot shoe with the same materials and half the stack height. With such a shoe, they could definitely compete with the Vibram KSO EVO and other lighter shoes. Overall, I am very pleased with the Topo ST and plan on recommending it for many of my friends and colleagues. For anyone at a level below “experienced barefooter”, they are excellent. And if you look around, you can find them on sale (e.g. at REI!). Or you can hop over to TopoAthletic.com! A huge thanks goes to Topo Athletics for sending me the ST for review. We are looking forward to seeing what else is in the pipeline!

By Jarvis

Minimalist ultra-marathon runner with flat dinosaur feet.

50K Ultra-Marathon Runner

I hold a PhD in Political Science.
You can follow my photography adventures at jarvischen.zenfolio.com and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/chenjarvis

8 replies on “Topo Athletic ST Review”

Thanks for the review Jarvis. Just a couple questions.

How is the vertical depth of the toe box. Is there a lot of wiggle room up and down?

Also, it’s hard to tell how high the outsole walls come up. Is the edge of the blue the height of the footbed, or is there a bit of wall and the footbed sits lower than that edge. I only ask because the lateral side of my wideish feet almost always spills out over the edge of shoes. If there’s a wall/ridge under my foot or a sidewall that doesn’t flex out, I just can’t use them.

Lastly, Tony post had said there the originals were “lightly posted” on the medial/arch side of the shoe. Do you notice whether these are thicker or denser in that region?

Thanks!

gah, once again, i’m super interested….except the stack height keeps me away…

drop that midsole and it’d be perfect

sssso close

Hi Philip!

For me, there is enough room to wiggle my toes up and down–I have flat, wide feet.

The edge of the blue around the heel is the height of the footbed, but the blue near the big toe “shields” the toes somewhat, so it’s not actually as high as it appears.

There is a bit of room to spill over the side of the arch-area (which my feet do), but the big toe does hit a “wall”, of sorts.

However, I have VERY wide feet, so I do not believe you will have any issues with theses.

These isn’t any extra padding around the heel than anywhere else in the shoe, but the arch does rise up slightly to huge your foot better.

I usually prefer a flat bottom, but this does slight rise not bother me. It seems to provide a tighter fit.

-Jarvis

Can you do a width comparison with VFFs (using the bikila for example)? i.e Place one bottom over the other bottom to show the difference between shoe widths? Also, did you have to size up / down wrt your usual size? I’m looking for a somewhat minimalist shoe for the winter months as my feet get too cold in VFFs. Thanks. Do you think they will make any changes to the ST for the fall / winter of 2015/2016?

Do these shoes fit true-to-size in length?

I also have VERY wide feet, and wear a 6E in a regular shoe.
Been running New Balance 4E wide shoes for years. (I believe my feet have spread over the years from running.) Currently, I use the 883 which I like a lot although NOT a minimalist shoe.

How wide are your feet? Do you think that the Topo St’s might work for someone use to running in 4E shoes?

Thanks,

jay

Karla,

The width is not quite as wide as a VFF Bikila. There is less toe splay from within and this width is closer to the Bikila EVO or other slightly narrower Vibram shoes. It’s not as wide as Vivobarefoot either, but wider than Merrell for sure. My feet just fit without socks.

Jay,
I have pretty wide feet and the ST fits okay without socks. If you have tried anything from Vivobarefoot, it’s slightly less wide than those shoes.

They are probably around 2E or possibly 4E.

My feet have also spread a bit from running, but my arch has become higher as well.
-Jarvis

Just got these for fifty bucks at REI on closeout. Coming from the minimus road zero, which was a near perfect shoe IMO, I’m not very happy with this shoe so far. I’m debating returning them or keeping then to see if I’ll get used to them. I got these as an all purpose shoe, because I can’t afford a different shoe for every activity I do. After walking a couple miles in them, I like the sole of the shoe less and less. They call it zero drop, but that’s bogus. The heel feels like it dips down so they can add extra sole. The problem I have is even without standing, you can feel this awkward shape. The shape almost promotes heel striking and is so padded, the ground feel is as bad as my old tennis shoes (in the heel) The heel is also very much raised from the arch of the shoe and is very noticeable.

The fit is great, though, and the upper is very breathable, if only in the front of the shoe. The toe box, while narrower than the road zero, is still wide enough that I don’t feel constricted. I absolutely love my road zeroes as my first minimalist shoe, and this feels like a solid step backward..

My personal, unprofessional opinion.

Tim,

While TOPO does showcase somewhat of barefoot-inspired design, all of their shoes are still quite thick and somewhat heavier than your typical minimalist running shoe.

For me, they are too thick and that was highlighted in the review, but I can definitely see transitioning folks, fitness, and casual runners enjoying them. There are many things that TOPO does right with these shoes, regardless of stack height and the ST gas garnered quite a lot of praise for that particular set of consumer; barefoot die hards should avoid this shoe. However, I would agree that the shape of the sole has an odd, “did I step on a rock” quality to it.

If you are looking for something that has a faster, thinner sole, I would recommend the VIvobarefoot EVO Pure, or Merrell’s Vapor Glove (1 or 2)

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