Revision as of 14:56, 13 December 2016

I rather like the Topo Tribute, though for me, it's a mixture of the awesome and the mediocre. Because the Tribute is designed to fit the human foot it's a huge advance over most running shoes and this solidly qualifies as "awesome." It's also nice and light (~7oz/~200g), comfortable, and the upper is very breathable. The only flaw, and it's not a huge flaw, is that the amount of cushioning you get for your weight is far from the best. The Tribute should either be far lighter or far more cushioned. Part of the reason for the weight is that the Tribute has a fair bit of hard rubber outsole for longevity. Unfortunately, the life of a running shoe is generally not limited by the outsole abrasion, but by the collapse of the cushioning midsole, so I think this additional weight is rather futile. The other oddity with the Tribute is that it has a slight negative drop, with the forefoot a few millimeters higher than the heel. I don't consider this a problem, but it is a little disconcerting when you first run in the Tribute, and it's something to be aware of when considering the shoe. I've rated the Tribute‏‎ as "Recommended" and it came close to making my ""Highly Recommended" list. If you like a firmer running shoe, and you're not keen on hacking open the toe box, then I'd highly recommend checking out the Tribute. (I use The Science of Running Shoes as the basis of how I test running shoes and what you should look for in a running shoe.)

Topo Tribute top	Topo Tribute outside
Topo Tribute bottom	Topo Tribute inside

1 Characteristics

• Cushioning . The Tribute‏‎‏‎‏‎ is fairly firm shoe, and might be considered a little more of a minimalist shoe than an optimal one. The cushioning-to-weight ratio is far lower than I'd like as it has less cushioning than the New Balance RC5000‏‎v2 but is twice as heavy. While the Tribute is overly heavy for what it provides, the cushioning is smooth and somewhat springy and feel.
• Drop. The Tribute‏‎‏‎ is rather unusual in having a negative drop. This means that the heel is slightly lower than the forefoot, which is a tad disconcerting when you first wear them. It's only a small amount of negative drop, and it never caused me a problem though it often takes me a few miles to get used to the feeling.
• Structure. The Tribute‏‎ does not attempt to manipulate your stride with medial posts or other overengineered nonsense.
• Flexibility. The Tribute‏‎‏‎‏‎ has reasonable flexibility and should expect given its thinness. The patches of hard rubber outsole do reduce the forefoot flexibility a little, but not much. The flexibility is fairly even along the length of the forefoot, so you don't get a line that the shoe wants to bend at that doesn't match your foot.
• Outsole. As you can see from the pictures above, the Tribute‏‎‏‎‏‎ has rubber outsole under about half of the sole of the shoe, and it covers most of the high abrasion areas. The outsole seems fairly thick, though I've not torn the shoe apart to verify that. The Tribute has no stone traps or other holes in the sole, so running over gravel is not a problem.
• Shape. The Tribute‏‎‏‎‏‎ has one of the best shapes I've come across, and is clearly designed for the human foot. It was great to be able to run in a shoe without cutting the toe box open, and I'd say that the Topo approach to shoe shape is actually quite a bit better than Altra. I find that Altra shoes are a little overly stylized and often don't have enough height/volume causing the top of my toes to rub. The Tribute could do with slightly more volume, as I feel like my little toes is slightly trapped when I put it on after running in a shoe with the toe box cut open. The toe box of the Topo Fli-Lyte‏‎ is a little roomier, which I prefer. Having said all that, don't let me put you off the Tribute with my faint praise. The Tribute is vastly better than nearly every other shoe, and your feet will think you.
• Upper. Modern manufacturing techniques mean that virtually all running shoes have a comfortable, largely seamless upper, and the Tribute is no exception. While there are no seams, there are a few more overlays than I would like, but they don't detract from its comfort. The ankle opening has a rather less padding than most running shoes, but it's still more than enough, even with my skin condition. The upper is more open and breathable than you might expect from the exterior photos. The image below is with a light inside, showing just how open it is.
  
  
• Tongue. The Tribute‏‎‏‎‏‎ has a traditional tongue that is has a tab to attach it to the laces. The tongue has more padding than the rest of the shoe, which works pretty well. If you think about it, the greatest area of pressure on your foot from the upper is along the tongue when you toe off, so having this area more padded is quite smart.
• Lacing. The Tribute‏‎‏‎‏‎ have round laces and they tend to come undone rather easily. (I tie a knot in the end of one lace to remind myself that a pair of shoes is problematic and that I need to make the slipknot extra secure.)
• Heel Counter. The Tribute‏‎‏‎‏‎ has only a modest heel counter; none would be better, but at least it's not overly intrusive.

Please support this site This review was made possible by readers like you buying products via my links. I buy all the products I review through normal retail channels, which allows me to create unbiased reviews free from the influence of reciprocity, or the need to keep vendors happy. It also ensures I don't get "reviewer specials" that are better than the retail versions. Buy Topo Tribute‏‎ at Zappos Buy Topo Tribute‏‎ at Road Runner Sports Buy Topo Tribute‏‎ at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy Topo Tribute‏‎ at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

2 A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes

If you're looking for "the best of the best" running shoe, here are my top picks. Of course, the answer will depend a little on what you're looking for, so I have recommendations for various categories. Best All Round Shoe. The Altra Escalante is my current all-round favorite. It has plenty of cushioning for its weight, it has a very springy midsole, it lasts well, and it has a shape that's closer to the shape of a human foot than most shoes. It's a great shoe for any runner, including those Starting to run. It's also a fairly easy shoe to find due to its popularity. Best Maximalist Shoe: If you want something massively cushioned, then I'd recommend the Saucony Kinvara 8. It's remarkably light and remarkably cushioned, beating Hoka at their own game. Best Optimal Shoe: For those looking to trade cushioning for speed, the Nike Zoom Streak LT 3 was my top pick, but the latest version (LT 4) falls short of it's predecessor. There are lots of great optimal running shoes, which provide just enough cushioning with light weight and minimal frills, but all have their weak spots. Probably the best option at the moment is the Altra Vanish-R, which offers great cushioning for just over 5oz/150g. Fastest Shoe: If you really want speed, then check out the Nike Vaporfly 4%. It's light, massively cushioned, and has a carbon fiber plate. Nothing comes close, not even the now defunct New Balance RC5000‏‎ or New Balance RC5000v2‏‎. There are a number of caveats; it's really expensive, it's really hard to find, and there's a significant injury risk. Best Minimalist Shoe: Merrell Trail Glove. I recommend the trail glove for road running in spite of the 'trail' moniker. It's not a fast shoe by any means, but it's comfortable and will last well. All Terrain Shoe. For trail running, I've become a fan of Altra, and I think their best shoe is the the Altra Timp, though the Altra Lone Peak is really close. Honorable Mention: It's not really a running shoe, but the Vivobarefoot Ra is comfortable, minimalist and can more or less pass as a dress shoe. I've worn mine to weddings with a suit and they've not looked out of place. You can run in the Ra, but the leather means it doesn't breathe well.

For a more detailed on running shoes see the Recommendations for Best Running Shoes. This table lists the key attributes of What to Look for in Running Shoes. For more detailed information, on the shoes see detailed shoe comparison.

It's not a running shoe, but I love the Hoka Tor Ultra hiking boot and I've tested the Altra Lone Peak Boot, the Hoka Tor Speed 2, and the Inov-8 Roclite 325 hiking boots
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