Topo Athletic Mtn Racer 2 Review

Name: David Garcia

Shoe Tested (Brand/Model):  Topo Athletic Mtn Racer 2

 

 

 

PROS (What did you like about the shoe?)

 

The Topo Athletic Mtn Racer 2 is an instant classic in the Topo line of shoes with its foot shaped toe box and thick midsole cushion for all day comfort.  It's comfortable right out of the box and ready to go on any length adventure without much break in period.  Surprisingly, the Mtn Racer 2 only comes in weighing around 10 ounces for all that cushion.  It seems very similar to a formula that Hoka has to provide a lot of soft cushion for minimal weight.  The upper is also lightweight and breathable which is perfect for those hot summer runs.  It drains well for running through water but still does a good job keeping debris and muck out of the shoe.  I was also a fan of the Vibram MegaGrip outsole with the larger, more aggressive lugs.  Although I could feel them when running on the road, they were clutch for that wet surface traction that Colorado is known for in the spring mud season.

 

 

CONS (What didn’t you like about the shoe)

 

I was more of a fan of the Mtn Racer 2 than not.  That said, the Mtn Racer isn't a perfect shoe by any means.  Despite the "Racer" moniker, this shoe didn't feel as fast and spry as I would have liked.  The overall last of the shoe resembles a light hiker more than a trail shoe built for speed.  Along those lines, I felt like the Mtn Racer 2 could have used more rocker in the shoe as it didn't flow as well on turnover and didn't inspire me to go faster.  Lastly, I thought the upper needed a bit more structure to it despite the internal overlays to support my foot while moving side to side on the trail.  The laces do a good job locking my foot in place, but I still noticed some slippage, partially due to the width of the shoe and partially due to the volume of the upper.

 

 

OVERALL IMPRESSION 7/10

 

I've almost always enjoyed the previous Topo Athletic trail shoes I've tested.  They not only fit my wide foot fairly well, but first and foremost, they're super comfortable right out of the gate.  I've always thought they were a bit clunky with such a thick midsole and the Mtn Racer 2 is no different.  It didn't inspire me to run faster but it did inspire me to run longer.  The new 3-layer midsole offers you a soft ride with decent bounce and tons of protection for long days in the mountains.   Weighing in at around 10 ounces for a significant amount of cushion is an impressive feat for Topo.  I liken this to something I have come to expect from my Hoka shoes.  With this amount of cushion at this weight, I don't mind that I'm not going full speed simply because the shoes are so darn comfortable and grip really well on just about anything.  

 

 

FIT 8/10

Note: Think…Was there anything that fit particularly well? Or didn’t? Was is comfortable to wear? Any odd spots or wear patterns? Was it true to size compared to other shoes you’ve tested?

 

The Mtn Racer 2 is a dream for my wide feet, blocky feet.  They're fairly similar to Altra's in the forefoot in terms of width.  However, I have found that Altra's tend to narrow too quickly through the midfoot for me whereas the Topo shoes tend to stay wider.  I have found that I don't get the same metatarsal pressure in the Topo's that I get when I wear Altra shoes.  That said, as soon as I slide my foot into the Mtn Racer 2, it feels like butter.  The fit is like a glove from the wide forefoot allowing my toes to splay all the way through the neoprene heel cup.  I thought the tongue could use a bit more padding as the laces are thick and give me some lace pressure when really cinched down.  The internal overlays were a great idea to keep the upper simple while adding structure and security, however, the overall volume of the upper created some odd folding patterns and didn't ultimately hold my foot as well as I would have liked.  I thought the Mtn Racer 2 ran pretty true to size, similar to all the other Topo shoes I've tested.  Overall, the fit of the Mtn Racer 2 is superb and comfort is priority number one.

 

 

RIDE 6/10

 

I am somewhat torn about my feelings around the ride of the Mtn Racer 2.  On one hand, I absolutely loved the new midsole.  It's light in weight and provides a ton of cushion that has kept me going longer and feeling better than I would have expected.  The midsole is more soft than firm but still adds some noticeable bounce to my stride.  I don't believe it makes the shoe any faster, but, as an ultrarunner, that's not as much of an issue for me.  Along those lines, I mentioned previously that I thought the Mtn Racer 2 lacked enough rocker for smooth and efficient turnover.  I thought the last resembled more of a light hiker than a fast trail runner, making it less agile and spry on really technical trails.  That said, I don't believe this should be news to anyone who has run in Topo's before.  In my opinion, Topo has always made great shoes with amazing midsole cushioning but they don't always toe off so well.

 

 

TRACTION/PROTECTION (For trail shoes only) 7/10

Note: How grippy was the outsole? What type of terrain is the shoe best for? How protective was the upper? 

 

Once again, the Vibram MegaGrip outsole shines brightly compared to others.  The spring mud season has not disaapointed here in Colorado.  Thus, I have been able to put the Mtn Racer 2's to the test, especially in the traction department.  With larger 6mm lugs, I thought the outsole did well shedding mud and debris while still providing great traction.  Given that the lugs are not multi-directional, it didn't seem to be an issue in this shoe.  Also, the Mtn Racer 2 has one of the more burly toe guards of all the shoes I've tested in this round.  Given that it runs true to size, this was beneficial for some of my runs.  Like I mentioned before, I think the upper does a good job keeping debris and mud out of the shoe while still being able to drain any excess water inside the shoe. I think the Mtn Racer 2 is a trail tank in that it has protection from all directions with the added bonus of excellent traction.