I Finally Tried the Topo Cyclone 2: First Run Review

[@hufemeve]

I'm happy you tried TOPO, which I believe is the next revolutionary running shoe brand. They're doing things so right for us runners preferring minimal/low drop. 🔥🔥

[@kuriosites]

That was pretty quick getting to 7K subs from 6K. You're growing and the content is really helpful. I appreciate the insight on the Cyclone 2. The Rebel v3 has grown on me as a daily trainer as I've gotten over 100 miles. For 10-12 milers in one session, I'll probably still favor the Deviate Nitro 2. It sounds like the Novablast is getting to be sort of like the Shift 3 was for you last year. I'm looking forward to your 100 mile review. I put over 500 miles on the v3 last year.

[@saddleback7662]

Absolutely love your reviews - seriously, you ask the questions I often find myself wondering. Being an older runner, I’m a bit of an anachronism in that I’ve been weaned on lower profile, light-weight trainers - cannot handle high-stack, high-cushion. So, I’ve had my Cyclone 2s for 260+ miles, my first Pebax, and even though I'm a relatively lightweight at 130lbs., I am surprised at how fast the Pebax bottomed out! I mean, the midsole looks fine w/ no wrinkles/compacting, but I can certainly feel every foot strike - like I’m running in socks. My adios 8s still feel new, for comparison. Fortunately, I just got my NB Rebel 4s - thx for the exhaustive review! Love the topo, but it’s relegated to walk-around status. Question: Does all Pebax have a comparatively shorter life span?

[@supwell]

Thank you! In my experience this beaded PEBA isn't the most durable without a carbon plate. In two pairs of Saucony endorphin speed 3s for me it lost the pop before 300 miles. The carbon plate in the PEBA shoes helps keep that structured feeling for longer so the Pro 3 has been a bit more durable for me than the speed 3

[@jefreywith1f924]

You ran 10 mi first in the Novablast 4 before testing the Cyclone 2 on the very same day. And the Cyclone 2 didn't offer enough protection after your feet and legs weren't as fresh. You think! The reason the width of the toebox felt like flippers is that the Cyclone 2 is not true to size. It runs half size long. Most people have said that. The toebox of Topo's are not as exaggerated as Altras. I might be right, or I might be wrong. But I think Cyclone 2 works better for midfoot or forefoot strikers. An article in Runners World said it best. Heel strikers are like standard cars, and forefoot strikers are like monster trucks. The monster trucks has more shock absorbers and struts to dissipate the force.

[@edouarddoudounovic4230]

I bought 1 pair of speed 2 last week. First try on that shoe. And then I bought the remaining 6 pairs in stock. That’s how good I find them to be

[@ElteHupkes]

The Cyclone 2 is my favorite shoe I've never owned. Not incredibly easy to get in Europe, that white color way doesn't seem to be available at all. If they drop that in Germany, I might just finally cave.

[@MojoShock]

Let's Goooo! Best tempo shoe, Cyclone 2. I can't wait for the Spector 2

[@davidg9120]

This is my speed day shoe! I love it. I also like having a non plated speed shoe. As I often do long runs in plated shoes I stay away from the plated shoes on my speed and recovery days. I’m a heavier and slower runner and has worked very well for me. I will say the rubber on the bottom seems like it won’t last much at all though.

[@MookieB777]

Damn, I actually thought about this one when you said comparing this to the NB Rebel V3!

[@Aron-t6m]

Your reviews are great and super detailed , like it Try Superblast much better than Novablast 3 and 4 👍🏻

[@kbl833]

Love the channel man ✌️

[@Middlenamerichard]

I’d love to see a full 360 review of your Hobby Jogger hat in a video soon 👀 I might just need to order one 🤔 Just discovered your channel last week and I’ve found a lot of your content to be refreshing! Keep it up man! 👍

[@07Corcaigh]

These are my daily trainers. I don't do as much distance, but I find them very comfortable. I have the Saucony Sinister as a race day shoe which is surprisingly cushioned for the stack. When the Sinister wears out, I'm thinking of upgrading the Cyclone to race day and getting the Rebel V4 as a daily thanks to your recommendation. I'm not keen on stiff plated shoes

[@07Corcaigh]

@@ricksquires6218 Changed my mind on the Rebels, heard they're very soft. Cyclone's still going strong but the uppers on the Sinisters developed holes so got refunded

[@thomascunningham8234]

Nah, the 23 mil of pebax foam in the cyclone 2 is plenty of stack. Saying it's low stack, minimal or low protection is inaccurate. You went from Novablast to cyclone 2. Maybe you just have weak feet and ankles. It's a great shoe that you gave an unfair review to because of weak feet, bad form and tired legs.

[@BiDiNFitness]

Love these reviews!

[@EvanRobb-pc4qm]

I appreciate the exceptional shoe information! How does the Topo Cyclone 2 compare the the Hoka Mach 6? Is one clearly preferred, or is it a more personal choice?

[@supwell]

Thanks! Both are fun and bouncy shoes but Mach 6 is much more cushioned while the Topo is lighter. I'd go with the Mach if you want something for after everyday runs and the Topo if you want something for shorter and faster workouts

[@chrisreyes7326]

Fun fact: Topo name comes from the founder's name Tony Post, who used to be CEO of Vibram

[@lukepaulson3428]

Curious…given that the body will adapt, if you spent a year running only in low-stack non-plates shoes (for all paces and distances), that after a year you would get a PR in the marathon wearing a plated “super” shoe?

[@youling1997]

Keep that QA check going. And maybe go back to do some shoes you already have❤

[@kmshultz]

I was surprised that even 4 miles in the Cyclone 2 felt iffy support-wise for you-until you said how many weekly miles you were doing. 😯Makes sense lol. I usually don't do over 10k in these in training, but I did race two half marathons in them in the Winter. Topo bills them as appropriate up to the half marathon, and I was skeptical, but they were great for my two 13.1s. Occasionally I wear them for a long easy since they are so lightweight and fun. Trouble is, I pick up the pace without meaning to, so the easy run is out the window! For reference, I weigh about 10lbs more than you. Keep up the great channel my friend. Love all the detailed comparison to other shoes. And the peaceful music-free vibe, just listening to those birds. :)

[@kgunz4282]

I’ve gotten 271 miles on mine and they are holding up well. Ive only taken them up to 13 miles because like you said, not the most support. Super low stack. But I’ve never really done “speed” work with them. I really enjoy when I just wanna pick up the pace a bit. Not race day pace but quicker than the casual day. Right in the middle and just hold it there. I might’ve done one or two runs at race pace to try it out and I’m assume I didn’t like it because I don’t really do that anymore in those. But I enjoy these for that good solid brisk pace. And that toe box. Man I want to try out other topo shoes soon.

[@markuscg1]

I liked the Topo Cyclone 2, but the outsole/midsole got chewed up quickly. It looks like this newer colorway shoe has a bit more outsole coverage than the one I had in the rear of the foot. I got this one to replace the NB Rebel V3. The Cyclone 2 was very comfortable on foot.

[@travistodd3216]

Sorta a odd question. I just picked up a pair of the Cyclone 2 and they seemed sort of "out of balance". Like, in hand, the weight of the heal felt much more than forefoot. Was this your experience too?

[@supwell]

I didn't feel an imbalance with it on foot but the forefoot cushion is definitely very thin! Lots of groundfeel in this one

[@Wings_nut]

I've been enjoying both the Cyclone 2 & the Phantom 3. I'm looking forward to the Specter 2 in August. Topo has been giving Altra a run for their money both on the road and on the trail. Personally, I'm a big fan of the Boston shoe companies that get me to Boston (NB, Puma US, Reebok, Saucony, Topo). Too bad the Cyclone wasn't as protective as you'd like. It's been an uptempo workhorse for me.

[@Nextman916]

Would love to see you view the Hoka Cielo road as a speed day shoe!

[@ethanlavoie4166]

I was worried about this one and rightly so, I have too many shoes already and want this one even more now.

[@onlineo2263]

I thought the topo cyclone 2 was rediculously uncomfortable. I ran in Brooks hyperion max prior. They are pebax and no plate but extremely firm. The Topo are soft which i usually prefer but they bounce around in all directions and im pretty sure they bottom out on each step. Very lightweight, but try wearing them for 2 hours just in your house amd you will take them off within 20 mins, maybe even 2 mins!

[@stoo-p4h]

in my mind i considered these as an alternative to the brooks hyperion max. i use those for all types of runs. im not the heaviest guy in the world at 77 kilos, but the rebel v3 bottoms out quite a bit for me so i don't like doing more than 90 minutes in them. i figured this would be slightly better in that sense with the peba, and the shape is very appealing as well. i generally run in low stack and non-plated shoes and am lookin at the puma liberate nitro 2 which seems to fit in a similar space in my mind.

[@federicocosta6040]

Dude, welxome to the minimalistic would. Protection isn't everything, from time to time you need to run minimal to improve your feet strength. Try also the Altra Escalante Racer, it's the previous Topo Cyclone.

[@supwell]

Yeah agreed - exact reason I quit plated shoes last summer and fall. I'm looking forward to getting some more miles in these after my spring marathon once I'm focused on building speed and strength again 💪🏽

[@gifridge]

I don't think I can wear most of the shoes you review, as I've got wide feet, but I'm still subscribed, dude. Thanks for talking about that narrow midfoot. I've been curious about the shoes for a while. It saddens me a bit, but at least I have a heads up for when I try them on.

[@supwell]

Thanks! Let me know if there are specific models that come in wide that you're interested in seeing covered and I'll see if I can get those in

[@gifridge]

@@supwell No worries, man. I live overseas, so it's not always possible to find wide shoes, but New Balance, Asics, and Mizuno wide shoes are easily available for me, so I can manage. If anything, noting shoes that work well for heavy runners, like you did in your pacing video, is always helpful. Cheers.

[@brokenfreddy1262]

I find the topo specter to be a great shoe for all around use..the quality is very good and mine are very durable..

[@tsteinour]

Hard to find these in even if they make them. also no where around me that has them to try on. I wear wide in most shoes .with the shape would these work for wide feet

[@JRuns]

I don't know enough about design language to describe why, but all Topos just look like the kind of shoes my grandparents would buy to walk around the neighborhood in. I love all white colorways and like the specs on this shoe, but I could never pull the trigger on them... doing those TYRs dirty by comparing the looks.

[@jefreywith1f924]

I think Hokas holds that title. Hokas are almost as popular among senior citizens as early bird specials. 😂

[@JRuns]

@@jefreywith1f924 Yeah, definitely true with Hokas and even ONs have also gotten so popular with all of the old guys at my work that it's hard to see them as anything but "boomer shoes". The difference to me is that I don't think it's anything inherently wrong with how those shoes look; it's just who the shoes got popular with. Even without any context, Topos look terrible to me. I don't ever see them in the wild, but when I see reviews I can't get the thought out of my head of them being used exclusively for chair aerobics in senior citizen centers.

[@jacobriis7859]

I think the shoe factories in Vietnam are owned by Chinese investors. Do you own research if you find it interesting.

[@supwell]

Dang bro that soft power 🤯

[@tomverdich184]

Tried these on at home and had a little jog around the house and agree with everything you say. I love the fit with the wider toebox and the weight (lack thereof) of them but felt the foam bottomed out too much. I run in the Rebel v3 (as I enjoy a lower stack, flexible shoe) and feel it does everything the Cyclone does but just a little better. It also helps that the Rebel v3s have been super discounted lately.

[@MedicineRunner]

Ayeeeee 1st again babEE

[@dreseat123321]

Bro people ain't got time for a 30 minute first run review lol!

[@MookieB777]

Bro, if YOWANA try the Atmos, don't; it's horrible!

[@kgunz4282]

I hate to hear this because I was wanting to try them out as I do love my cyclone 2 shoes. What did you not like about the atmos?

[@MookieB777]

@@kgunz4282 To firm for me. You would think with the 38 mm in heel 33 mm in forefoot stack height, that it would feel like the 1080 V13...but it felt nothing like that. I went by Topo's description (Our first max-cushioned trainer packs in our most cushioning) but I was fooled!

[@SprintTri57]

I love TOPO shoes, but the ATMOS has been disappointing. At first it was comfortable for my 8 mile runs. But around 100 miles, it started to get too mushy around mile 4. Also, started to get hot spots. With that said, I love their trail and tempo shoes