Latest revision as of 14:44, 1 March 2017

Topo have impressed me as the only shoe company that is producing consistently good running shoes. Their design philosophy is to produce simple shoes that are designed for the human foot. This is so simple and obvious it's hard to believe no one else is doing it. Altra come close, but their shape is a little exaggerated, and their toe box doesn't allow room for your toes to move naturally. The ST-2 is both a little lighter and a little better cushioned than their Fli-Lyte, itself a pretty good shoe. The ST-2 is not perfect, but the flaws are fairly minor, and the advantages are significant. It provides more than enough cushioning to get the benefits for Running Economy, it's close to zero drop, it's reasonably comfortable, and did I mention it's designed to fit the human foot? This means that there's room for your toes to splay naturally during toe off, and there is no attempt to manipulate your running stride with things like medial posts. It's one of the very few shoes where I've never even considered cutting the toe box open. I struggled with my rating of the ST-2, and it's come close to a "Best of the Best" rating, but in the end, it didn't quite make it. My final rating is "Highly Recommended," as I think the Nike Zoom Streak LT is a better shoe. (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 ST-2 top	Topo ST-2 outside
Topo ST-2 bottom	Topo ST-2 inside

1 Characteristics

• Cushioning . The ST-2 is reasonably well cushioned for its weight. While its cushioning-to-weight ratio is not up there with the greats, such as the Hoka Clifton or the New Balance RC5000v2, it does well for itself. The insole of the ST-2 is thicker than many shoes, which means it provides a greater portioning of the cushioning, with relatively less provided by the midsole. I found this made the ST-2 a little non-linear; the initial landing is softer, but later in the foot strike it seems to firm up. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, and I had no troubles running in the ST-2. I found it to be comfortable and otherwise quite smooth and even. I have some concerns with the longevity of the insole, especially as it's providing so much of the cushioning, and you may need to consider Replacement Insoles to extend its lifespan.
• Drop. Most shoes have heels that are higher than the forefoot (drop), but the ST-2 has the forefoot slightly thicker than the rear. This "negative drop" is a little unusual, but I find I adapt to it pretty quickly. It's only about a millimeter so it's not a big deal.
• Structure. The ST-2 does not interfere with your Running Form with medial posts or the like. I had no problem with the midsole bulging up under my arch or irritating my planter facia.
• Flexibility. The thin midsole means the ST-2 is very flexible and moves naturally with your foot when running. It's possible a bit more stiffness and spring in the forefoot would improve Running Economy, but I like the natural feel of the ST-2.
• Outsole. There's hard rubber outsole over move of the contact areas of the sole, with just a few patches of exposed midsole foam. After 100 miles (!60Km) I found no abrasion on the rubber patches, but there was some wear on the exposed midsole foam just behind the forefoot. This seems to be minor, and even if it wore away more I don't think it would be noticeable.
• Shape. Topo shoes have the best shape of any of the shoes I've tested. The ST-2 has a roomy toe box that doesn't constrain my toes at all, allowing them to both splay out at toe off, and bend slightly during the flight phase. The Topo shoes are the nearest I've found to allowing my toes to more as they would barefoot. They're even better for me than the Vibram FiveFingers. (The founder of the company apparently worked for Vibram and was involved in their FiveFingers range of shoes.) The Topo's shoe shape is quite a bit better than Altra, whose toe boxes are overly stylized and exaggerated, as well as not having quite enough headroom or quite enough room on the side of the smallest toes. I sometimes find the tops of my toes can be irritated in Altra shoes, but not in the Topo.
• Upper. The ST-2 doesn't have many seams, but it does have some thick overlays that reinforce the upper. These overlays are both inside and outside the main upper, which makes them more likely to rub. I didn't have a problem, but it's something to watch out for. I run with three layers of socks (a double layer Wright sock over a thin Injinji) so I'm less likely to suffer problems. If you want to run sockless, the overlays could well cause you an issue. There's also a seam where the tongue is sown in just behind the toe box that's rather more prominent than I'd like. Again, I didn't have an issue, but I can see it being a problem for some runners. There's almost no padding in the upper, not even around the ankle opening. This reduces the weight, but reduces comfort a little. The upper is mostly open mesh, so except for the overlays it's nicely breathable.
• Tongue. The ST-2 has a traditional tongue that is has a tab to attach it to the laces. The tongue is nicely padded, which is odd considering even the ankle opening is bare. Personally, I'd rather have a bit more padding around the ankle opening and less in the tongue.
• Lacing. The ST-2 has flat laces, but they are rather slick and I had a couple of times when they came undone mid-run.
• Heel Counter. There's no heal counter on the ST-2, just a small tab of rubberized reinforcement to keep the shoe's shape when it's not being worn.

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 ST-2 at Zappos Buy Topo ST-2 at Road Runner Sports Buy Topo ST-2 at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy Topo ST-2 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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