Topo Athletic Terraventure 3 - An Altra Fanboy Review

[@CrowMagnumMan2024]

I've had a lot of problems with my feet backpacking....I had tried about every type of boot and shoe...watched this video and ordered a pair online.....been on three trips with them in the last month.....amazing !!!! No foot pain totally comfortable....I love them ...thanks for the review...... I am a Topo Fan Boy........!!!!!!

[@dragonphotostudio]

Dope man! Ive been an Altra fan boy as well. Loved my Timp 3 and Olympus 4. But suffered the same lack of durability. And Im just hitting it in the weekends. Just ordered my Ultraventure Pro last week and look forward to trying them out. Also grabbed their gaiters as well to compare.

[@RyanSchell]

I was looking forward to this review. I have the Terraventures 2 and have loved. For my feet it has been the easiest shoe to use, no need for inserts and just comfortable. I second adding the Velcro strip on the back like Altra. Mine are starting to wear out and I see the 3's are going on sale right now, likely with the 4s coming out. It's very tempting but will probably hold out for the 4s. Great review!

[@BearTrekAdventures]

Nice review Frozen 👍 Having the velcro on the back would be a big update that most coming from Altras would expect.

[@jeremyoliver6615]

Thanks for the info on this shoe! Shortly after we talked at Oil Creek, my Lone Peaks started to blow out. The sides are completely ripped now.

[@danielbumbalo8706]

I recently bought a pair of Ultraventure 3s, really happy with them

[@OldPackMule]

Thanks man! I've bought Altra Lone peak on end of year clearance to keep the cost down and I need a new pair (or two) almost every year. I'm going to give these a try when the current stock wears out.

[@MtnWanderer-TieDye-]

I've been using the Ultraventure Pro for the last two years and absolutely love them!

[@TZsHikingMyOwnHike]

Very well done review. I’m sold, thanks.

[@onthea.t.wtheriordanbrothe5673]

Thanks for the review! I've sworn off altras when my last pair of timps fell apart under 100 miles. Their customer service was horrible and they tried to say it was normal wear and tear. The soles were delaminating. LOL.... Also my brother has the topos with the gaiters while hiking the PCT. He says the nice thing about the gators is that he can take on and off the gaiters without taking his shoe off.

[@rodoutdoors]

Nice. I'll look out for a used pair. I still have some miles left on my Lone Peak 5s. I've been looking to move from Altras due to the outsole wearing down so quickly. I want to check out Vibram for the next pair. Thanks!

[@soaroutdoors]

Close to 500miles on my Terraventure 3’s and they still have a good amount of tread left. Toe cap did start to separate but when you catch that many roots and rocks, it’s to be expected. Altra was still the most common shoe I saw on the AT this year but Topo was right up there w them. Big fan and I’m excited for the 4’s. Until then, I’m hoping to hike in my Topo’s for another 200miles

[@EndOfTrail]

I love mine! Just finished Pennsylvania and they’re holding up really well. I’m expecting to get 400+ hard miles out of them. Fantastic shoes.

[@db.mc2]

Thank you Jason 👊 always great to hear from you 👍 hope you and your family are doing well, appreciate you, stay safe and take care my friend 🙏🙂 Hope the new kicks work out 🤞Altra's quality has really gone by the wayside 😖

[@stitch3163]

LOL! Told you so. Glad they worked out for you, Frozen.

[@DragonRoams]

Thanks for this solid look at the shoes. I'm currently looking to give a different brand a chance I also have been using Altra for awhile. My most recent pair the 5's the side blew out after roughly 60 miles. Toe caps peeling before even 30 miles on the shoe is unacceptable.

[@aurtisanminer2827]

I recently got my first pair of topo’s. I went with the pursuit model. They are a zero drop trail runner. I was surprised at how similar they are to my ultra lone peak fours and timp 1.5 in the fit and feel. The toe space is just as spacious as the older altra models. The sole is about as soft as a pair of timps.

[@ryanpennings7019]

Thanks for this review! They do look promising…but I think if they included the Altra gaiter trap, that would sell me on giving them a try. Altra ruined the Timps (Timp 4s 👎) for me, which were a favorite of mine for long distance thru hiking, so I will be looking for new shoe soon.

[@slashieaward]

My anecdote: I picked up a pair of Terraventure 2s in Idyllwild. The instep on the inside of the right shoe blew out within a week, and the front outsole on the left shoe started to detach from the upper within two. Swapped them for Brooks Cascadias at the first opportunity (Wrightwood) and was gloriously happy with Cascadias for the rest of the PCT (and then some).

[@michaelcrawford9425]

Thanks for the review! Altra guy here, so something for me to think about.

[@zulu5oscar765]

Thanks for the review! I switched from Lone Peaks because of durability issues to a Salomon Speedcross 6 wide. It wasn't wide enough at all. Just ordered the Terraventure 4s to give them a try. I wish other shoe manufacturers would make toe caps like Salomon, and Salomon would make wider toe boxes. I guess my search for that "unicorn" shoe continues.

[@one2869]

Been waiting for this review from you. I've been eyeing these up for awhile now. Got sick of Altra's disintegrating so quickly then their excuses as to why they won't honor what they used to. Altra's were basically taking me back to my younger years as a kid. Going to school in shoes I literally duct taped together. I've found a couple that seem to work fairly well for me but when I saw you were trying these, I decided to wait to pull the trigger on them. Going to give them a try myself. Will wait for the new version to come out and try them. Thanks for another great video!

[@jeffrubin8570]

I switched from Lone Peak 3.5’s to the Terraventure 2’s years ago. So much more stable, IMO, and not even a hot spot on my A.T. section hikes. Highly recommend.

[@FrozensAdventures]

I'll be coming out with 2 videos next week. 1 is a trip video The following day I'm hoping to go over some things I learned on the trip and will be talking about shifting to new shoes. There are a few things I encountered going from one brand to another.

[@johnschmalbach8243]

I think most of the issues you had with the Altras were actually addressed with the Lone Peak 6 (I can't speak for the 7). The toe cap is stitched and they have a mesh rock plate which provides protection while preserving feel. According to Garmin I have 186.48 miles on the Altras, traveling similar PA trails to you (Loyalsock (did the Loyalsock/Dutchman's/Haystacks/Link Loop, OLP, and day hikes ). It's really over 200 because I don't log the more casual paced hikes I do with family, but the rocky terrain is the same. We live 40 minutes from the 501 shelter to give you an idea of the "rocky" nature of our local trails. The toe caps are fully intact because of the stitching and there aren't any failures to the upper because of changes there as well. Wish KZbin let me share photos. I actually did something for the first time. When the 7s came out prices on the LP 6 obviously crashed. I bought two pairs of the LP 6 as a reserve. They really were that good imo.

[@grennangoeshiking]

I’ve been happy with my Pursuits too. Nice roomy toe box, zero drop, 25mm stack height. They’re ugly for sure, but I use mine for running, I have little issues, but some. After Tuesdays wet trail, I agree about the shoe drying quickly. An advantage I noticed is the pursuits have a harder piece of rubber on the toe that does separate, and is supposed to help protect the little guys.

[@jopeters]

For some reason the Pursuits feel weird as hell to me. Like there is structural support in the midfoot, but not the toes, so the toes feel elevated and they rock/pivot over the ball of the foot when transferring weight. I don't have any outfitters near me that sell Topos, so I had to take a leap of faith and ordered both Pursuits AND Terraventures with the intent to keep one, return the other. Terraventures feel WAY more natural to me, even with the small drop.

[@MeOutside]

I’m still into my Altras but I got into the Gore Tex Speedgoats; witch are kicking ass. I’ve delivered plantar fasciitis and need the extra support

[@joankline343]

Have you ever tried Oboz shoes for hiking? I bought a pair of them for hiking in our area. They're a little heavy but very well built. They didn't have any in my size so I got a 1/2 size bigger. I happened to meet up with a physical therapist and hiker and he said that's what he wears and really likes them and suggested that I buy some insoles for my shoes.

[@lennycat8780]

Hey Frozen. I've been wearing Topo TrailVenture Pros for three years now. They are great love them but they indeed are ice skates on boardwalks. There's a place I go for a quick hike that I avoid one Loop when it has been wet or even heavy fog or dew because of the boards. It just takes more effort to stay upright than it does to walk the rest of the trail. My Altra Lone Peak 5s got retired pretty quickly after I got my Topos. I like the topos so well that I've got another pair new in box on the Shelf. The Lone Peaks are wearing out around the ankle just wearing them as slippers. Crap quality Footwear

[@knicksfan46]

great review

[@ianfrye8988]

The piano in the background 🤌

[@hikethat401]

On my 2nd pair of topo ultraventure pros. Love them. The rubber on the toe coming unglued? Could be the way you walk or something? Because even on my first pair I still have and wear them for work now. The toe is still completely attached. Glad they are working out for you.

[@TimoteoDelCielo]

Worked well for me too - off trail route finding in the High Sierra's... Maybe 400-500 miles total in them all Summer. I glued the front of the shoe back into place. My only complaint is they aren't real great looking... but that's just me. I like salomon's look usually... But they're off the table with their widths.

[@afewmominutes]

Great review! I've been running in Altras for many years and every pair has ripped apart prematurely so I've been eyeing Topos for awhile. Not a fan of zero drop, I put a heel cushion in my Altras, it's the wide toe box and no blisters that has me hooked. Can someone comment on how the sizing is compared to Altras? Normal shoe size is 10 but I run in 10.5 to accomodate for foot swelling. If I try Topos I'd be ordering online, so want to get the size right! Thx

[@terkelses]

Hi Frozen! You make fantastic content, keep up the good work. Im curious about what type of “quick lace” shoelace system you have on your shoes? Regards from Denmark. Jacob

[@FrozensAdventures]

They brand is called Lock Laces, however I'm not a true believer in them yet. They got about 100 miles on them, had some minor problems that I'm working through.

[@gasbike100mpg]

great vid. I have the Ultraventure 2, for 9 months, (120 miles) on them. (i can only do short jogs at 210lbs) Great when new, but the thrill is gone, no bounce or responsiveness at this point. they held up great otherwise. I would not pay more than 70 for these, get them on sale. otherwise, you can pick up a pair of cheapo asics gel ventures for 45$, with similar stack height and just as fast depletion of bounce. thanks for the review though, i was an altra person too, but they fell apart too quick. also, the toe box on both altra and topo is kind of a moot point for people with wide feet, the toe box is less wide than asics shoes that come in widths, i.e. 4E. or extra wide. yes the shape is different, but not by much since they do not come in extra wide. if you overlay/compare with other shoes, you will see what i mean. thanks.

[@heartattackhiker3527]

I glued some Velcro to the back of mine

[@peterbedford2610]

Just finished 700 miles on Topo Pursuits. Vibram sole is pretty smooth now. But, uppers are still perfect and cushioning is still great. I used Altra LPs for years. Not anymore

[@DevelopingNL]

How long is your longest foot in cm and which size did you get?

[@glennsak]

Great review. BTW, Vibram is pronounced "Vee-Brum" and Topo is "Toe-Poe."

[@FrozensAdventures]

Cool, thanks!

[@Mrjrphawk]

Which lock laces do you prefer to use??

[@FrozensAdventures]

Verdict is still out on these but I use the brand "Lock Laces" don't think there are different models of them so just search them on amazon. I do find certain areas of my foot a little too loose in some cases.

[@Mrjrphawk]

@@FrozensAdventures Thank You👍

[@adamholt6898]

Be aware that the wide version is the widest shoe I have ever worn. I had to send them back and when I did I got the pros. I’m SUPER happy with them so far! The bottom is completely covered on rubber with no exposed foam, which is great for longevity. My first trip is this weekend so I’m hoping these are my Altra replacements as well. I liked the lone peaks but they needed 5mm more cushioning for me and they only lasted a few hundred miles, if that.

[@heartattackhiker3527]

Looking forward to using them on the AZT after 200 miles wearing a pair of mountain racers. Don't buy the gaiters I am sending the topo gaiters back what a joke. Come on topo great shoes much better than Altra.

[@FrozensAdventures]

Yea I figured the gaiters were trash. They really just need some embedded Velcro on the back like Altra