Topo Athletic Traverse Hiking Shoe Review
Updated:
Nov 07, 2025Thru-hiking is the ultimate test for any trail shoe, and we put the Topo Athletic Traverse ($155) through its paces on the Continental Divide Trail. It emerged from over 600 trail miles with rave reviews, with the most praise reserved for its durability, traction, and support. If you’re inclined to move fast and light, the Traverse is our current favorite.
Comfort
Support and Stability
Traction
Durability
Foot Protection
Sustainability
Weight
1 lb. 5.2 oz.
Waterproof
No
Upper
Synthetic
Outsole
Vibram Megagrip
Pros
Cons
Topo Athletic Traverse
For this season's top models, see our guide to the Best Hiking Shoes.
My two major impressions when first putting on the Topo Athletic Traverse were that its heel is narrow, and that its water-resistant closed-cell foam insole felt a bit bumpy. Neither was an uncomfortable sensation, but they took a couple of wears to get accustomed to. Otherwise, this hiking shoe is well-cushioned (it has a traditional EVA midsole), comfortable, and requires almost no break-in time.
I first wore the Topo Athletic Traverse on trail runs in North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest, in parallel testing with the Brooks Cascadia and the Oboz Katabatic Wind. The trails in the area are steep, rock-strewn, and root-filled. The Traverse felt more flexible and sensitive than the other two shoes, yet still protected my feet from bruising thanks to the underfoot rock plate. On flat terrain, I preferred the higher drops found on the other models—it promotes a more rolling stride if you’re not used to low-drop shoes—and the Katabatic Wind had by far the most cushioning, but the Traverse stood out to me for providing the best comfort on rougher trails. Its medium-thick cushioning (30mm at the heel, 25mm at the forefoot) provided plenty of squish for high-mileage days without compromising the precision that I wanted for the technical terrain on the Continental Divide Trail.
I tend to prefer minimal stability in a hiking shoe, with no ankle support and low rigidity. This allows me to move with an unencumbered, natural stride over long distances, such as when I’m thru-hiking. The Traverse possesses some lateral stability despite being flexible heel to toe, so it fits my running and hiking style well: In short, this is one of the most trustworthy trail running shoes I’ve ever used, and even when I was carrying a 35-pound backpack (heavy by thru-hiker standards) on uneven trail in Glacier National Park I didn’t roll my ankles or feel off balance. That’s sometimes the case in high-cushion shoes such as Hokas, but the Traverse felt more stable on technical descents.
The Traverse’s Vibram Megagrip outsole (our top-rated rubber compound) is one of my favorite features about the shoe. The lugs are of moderate depth—comparable to most trail running shoes I’ve used—and come in a variety of shapes, a pattern that helps this shoe perform well on just about every surface you might encounter while backpacking. I wore the Topo Athletic Traverse through wet and snowy conditions in Glacier, trekked across muddy trails in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness, and took it on some class 3 scrambles, never feeling like I lacked the traction I needed. (I even used them to smear my way up a 5.6 slab—in the name of science—and they stuck to the rock.) The only trails where you might want something else would be steep terrain with small footholds or deep, slick mud that would require a shoe with deeper lugs.
As a thru-hiker, I typically expect to get 400-500 miles out of my shoes. The Topo Athletic Traverse held strong for 650 miles on the Continental Divide Trail, an impressive feat. This shoe’s synthetic mesh upper (which also has TPU reinforcements at the forefoot) started to get minor holes around the 400-mile mark, but so did nearly all of my hiking companions’ shoes, which were a mix of Altras and Brooks. The most surprising part of the Traverse’s performance was how well its Vibram Megagrip soles held up: Even after 600-plus miles, the lugs were still deep enough to dig into the ground, and the grip never felt compromised.
At $155, I think this shoe is a great value for how many miles you can get out of it, especially when it's only $10 more than the Brooks Cascadia and Altra Lone Peak 9, and cheaper than the Hoka Speedgoat.
As with most hiking shoes in this category, the Traverse provides minimal toe protection; the TPU reinforcement at the forefoot is primarily designed for longevity rather than added padding. Generous space in the toe box helps a little bit in preventing bashed toenails, but I definitely stubbed my toes on multiple occasions. The same goes for around the sides of the shoe: Sometimes, while I scrambled on loose rock, one would shift and smash part of my foot, and it was always quite painful. The lack of protection is a normal tradeoff I’m willing to take in fast and light trail runners, though.
Underfoot, the Traverse strikes a great balance of protection and ground feel. The generous 30-millimeter stack height at the heel, combined with the included rock plate, kept my feet from feeling stone-bruised, even after long days on rough terrain. Meanwhile, the foam midsole was soft enough that I could feel what was going on underfoot. It’s a pet peeve of mine when a well-cushioned shoe omits a rock plate—once the midsole starts to break down, your feet are at the mercy of the trail. Thus, I was glad Topo designed the Traverse with one.
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The Traverse stacks up competitively with other trail shoes preferred by many thru-hikers. A 1 pound 5.2 ounces for the men’s pair, it’s a tiny bit (as in, 0.2 oz.) lighter than the Altra Lone Peak, which was the most popular model on the Appalachian Trail in 2023. And it’s a similar story with the Hoka Speedgoat 6 (1 lb. 3.6 oz.) and Brooks Cascadia 19 (1 lb. 5.4 oz.). The lack of separation in weight between shoes in this category is understandable, as all of these models are designed for going fast and far. It’s when you bring in a traditional hiking shoe—let’s say the Keen Targhee IV Waterproof at 2 pounds 6.6 ounces—that you get perspective on just how light the Traverse is.
Mesh Upper and Insole
This shoe isn’t waterproof, a boon on long hikes where wetting footwear out and then drying it again is the standard practice. (Waterproof models hold water longer once they do get wet.) Even so, the Traverse dries out faster than the average trail running shoe. In Glacier and the Bob Marshall Wilderness, I encountered unrelentingly wet conditions, and yet the upper dried in an hour or two every time.
The water-resistant insole helps the inside resist getting too waterlogged as well, and the only parts of the Topos that held onto water were the heel and the tongue where the padding is, but that’s been the case with every trail shoe I’ve worn. (I will add that the insole eventually broke down after 200 miles of wet hiking and began soaking in water like any other insole.)
Lacing System
The Traverse’s lacing system is simple but holds well throughout the day. Thanks to the upper eyelets, I was able to get a secure fit in the heel without over-tightening my midfoot. This stands in contrast with my go-to trail runner over the last 5 years, the Brooks Cascadia, on which the laces on the most recent model seem to loosen out of every knot I tie.
I’m normally a men’s size 9 or 9.5 for most trail runners, but based on past experiences with Topo shoes, I’ve found that for backpacking I need a size 10. If you opt for your normal size, you’ll get a nice, secure fit that still lets your toes splay naturally while running. The Topo Athletic Traverse is slightly narrow in the heel and midfoot, despite having a generous width in the toe box. Feet swell over long distances, though, so thru-hikers should size up, especially if they’re used to wider shoes like Altras.
La Sportiva Prodigio Max ($185): Max Cushioned Comfort
The La Sportiva Prodigio Max is technically a trail running shoe, designed to provide plush cushioning for high-mileage days and recovery runs. But with a capable rubber outsole, impressively durable upper, and decent toe protection (especially for a trail running shoe), it quickly entered our short-list of go-to hiking shoes. Compared to the Topo Traverse, the Prodigio Max offers a noticeably springier and more energetic ride, thanks to its supercritical foam midsole (38mm at the heel compared to 30mm), albeit with a slight tradeoff in stability and dry time. Still, for hikers who prioritize cushioning and comfort without compromising on traction or durability, the Prodigio Max is an excellent companion for all-day use.
Hoka Speedgoat 6 ($155): More Cushion, Less Durability
It may sound like a cop-out, but we truly believe choosing between the Hoka Speedgoat 6 and the Traverse is a matter of personal preference. The deciding factors? Toe box width—the Hokas are quite a bit narrower—and how much cushion you want underfoot. If you usually wear pillowy shoes, whether in town or on the trail, the Speedgoat’s 40-millimeter stack height (like the Traverse, it has a 5-millimeter drop) will likely appeal to you. For most on the Better Trail team, however, the Traverse is more well-rounded with its moderate cushioning, superior ground feel, and stability in technical terrain.
Hoka Anacapa 2 Low GTX ($180): Cushier and More Traditional
Comfort-seekers will want to check out the Hoka Anacapa 2 Low GTX, which offers the brand’s signature cushy midsole in a hiking-ready package. Compared to the Traverse, the Anacapa strikes a more traditional tone with thicker fabrics, enhanced protection, and improved stability when carrying a full pack. You pay a modest weight penalty, and the Traverse has far better ground feel—a positive for technical terrain—but the cushioned and comfortable Hoka will be the better option for the majority of hikers and backpackers. For more, read our review of the Hoka Anacapa 2 Low GTX.
Designed specifically for thru-hiking, the Topo Athletic Traverse offers an ideal combination of comfort, structure, and low weight. Most hikers will love the roomy toe box. Our tester put 650 miles into this shoe before noticing a performance drop.
Comfort
Support and Stability
Traction
Durability
Foot Protection
Sustainability
The endurance champ of the Prodigio series, the Max is built for all-day (or multi-day) comfort and durability. Designed as a long-distance trail runner, it also makes for an excellent hiking shoe for long days, fast pushes, on- and off-trail terrain.
Comfort
Support and Stability
Traction
Durability
Foot Protection
Sustainability
The self-proclaimed GOAT of trail running shoes, the Speedgoat has massive appeal amongst the fast-and-light hiking crowd. It’s lightweight and comfortable enough to log high-mileage days and no slouch in terms of traction. But the current “6” has a number of shortcomings, and you can get markedly more life out of a dedicated hiking shoe.
Comfort
Support and Stability
Traction
Durability
Foot Protection
Sustainability
Is the Topo Traverse for You?
Trail shoes designed for long-distance hikers and runners occupy a specific niche, and the Topo Athletic Traverse sits at the pinnacle. Its near-unprecedented durability and bravura performances in support, traction, and comfort combine to create a shoe that we’d reach for on any thru-hike, perhaps the highest praise we can give it. Because this shoe is light and not that expensive, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it for any on-trail hiker, even a casual one—but it truly shines when the miles are long, the terrain is rough, and you need a standout hiking shoe to get you through.
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