Security (of fit)
Topo Athletic’s anatomic last matches the shape of the foot extremely well, with a snug and comfortable heel fit. The BOA lacing system is ideal for keeping even tension through the length of the midfoot, but it’s bad for making customized modifications if necessary. In our testing, it was difficult to tighten the laces all the way down without having to crank on the BOA dial harder than our fingers could handle.

Stability (on impact)
Traction is outstanding on multiple surfaces, including wet and dry asphalt or all-weather tracks. The tread is adequate for hybrid use on fire roads or groomed trails. A minimal (3mm) heel to toe drop maintains biomechanic stability on impact.

Smoothness (flexibility)
EVA thicknesses are 13mm in the heel and 10mm in the forefoot. The material is moderately firm, and has good responsiveness son impact, but flexibility from heel to forefoot is fairly rigid.

Comfort
The anatomic toe box is a huge positive during high-mileage runs, and minimizes the risk of chafing or hot spots. Light padding is just right in the heel area and tongue. The uppers are a closed mesh that keeps grit out very well but doesn’t ventilate as well as other distance trainer models. The aforementioned difficulty cinching the BOA system down tight can negatively impact overall comfort.

Speed and agility
While it’s possible to run fast in the Runduro, that’s not what this shoe is designed for. Stick with the company’s ST for racing or fast training days, and the Runduro for logging the mileage in between peak efforts.

Value

Heeluxe, our shoe testing laboratory partner, tests the responsiveness of a shoe by measuring how thick a running shoe is and multiplying it by how much pressure the forefoot foot feels while running. The softer or thicker the midsole, the less responsive a shoe will feel, but the more comfortable the shoe will generally feel. The thinner or firmer a midsole is, the more power you’ll feel at toe-off.