Australian Hiker

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Topo Athletic Vista Men's Trail Running Shoe Review

Over the past few years I’ve become a big fan of Topo Athletic footwear and as a brand they have become my go to shoes for almost all my hiking adventures. My reason for this brand choice is the wide toe box, choice of low to zero drop and most importantly they last and last with a typical pair comfortably lasting over 1000km, which in my case means that I will go through around 3-4 pairs a year. Earlier this year my footwear of choice was the Topo Atlantic Pursuit 2 model and I expected this to be the case for the foreseeable future but that was until tried out the new Topo Athletic Vista. So what’s so different about this model?

First up the Vista has the wide toe box that I love but strangely enough they aren’t a zero drop shoe instead having a 5mm drop from back to front. While I love zero drop I will also survive in a low drop and for hikers who don’t like zero drop this low drop option works well. The biggest things with this model is the thickness of the sole with the heel having 38mm of cushioning while the front of the shoe scales back to 33mm making them one of the most cushioned shoe on the market. Highly cushioned shoes will often get a bad wrap because they will often remove all sensation with the ground which sounds like a good thing but can remove the ability to determine what’s happening with the terrain. In this case there Arte two things that happen with this large cushioning. Firstly because of the external design the sole looks closer to 5omm thick buts that only a cosmetic thing. Secondly when I tested these shoes for the first time I was very surprised at the ability to provide the thick cushioning but at the same time still providing a degree of tactile sensitivity underfoot. Weight wise this shoes at US size 15 are on the heavier end at 830grams but they don’t feel heavy.

Like many of the Topo trail shoes the soles on the Vista are ‘aggressive’ providing ample grip in both wet and dry conditions. My main testing site has sections of 1:4 slope and I find out very quickly how good the grip can be. While you would expect mud to be an issue with any shoe, and it is, I find that the powdery dry soil combined with the small marbly rocks is what really challenges most footwear  The first time a use a new pair of shoes on this section I am very cautious but these passed with flying colours.

Topo trail shoes all have a gaiter hook system and in previous models you really only had the choice to use the Topo Brand gaiters. In this model they have the standard gaiter hook on the front of the shoe laces along with a new wide velcro tab at the rear. what this means is that you can either use the Topo Athletic’s Switchback Gaiter which is a thicker more robust gaiter designed to keep out dirt, rocks, and sticks, or you can use the lycra gaiters such as the Dirty Girl Gaiters or the Altra Trail Gaiters. Its worth know that the way that Topo design their soles that they can be used with full on heavy duty gaiters which I tend to sue in snake infested bush or in really muddy conditions like on the South Coast track in Tasmania.

One thing that seems to be standard in the Topo trail running range is good heel and toe protection more so than a lot of other brands but in doing so it doesn’t reduce the flexibility and comfort. As an owner of a wide forefoot these shoes are very comfortable. Topo have also continued the use of their proprietary ‘FKT insole’ which instead of being flat have a bumpy surface which feels comfortable underfoot.

Size wise the Topo Athletic Vista Mens comes in US sizes ranging from 7-15 and in addition you can also find them in a wide version as well. I have a wide forefoot and am happy with the standard sizing.

Topo doesn’t make a big deal out its shoe colours and tends to stay with fairly benign options on the whole but in this case you have three colour choices consisting on black, blue-orange and black-lime.

The negatives are minimal on this shoe. Unfortunately the Australian Importer only brings in size 14 and not my size 15 which means that I have to purchase from overseas. This means that the delivery takes just that little bit longer to arrive In addition the coloured versions are more expensive than the straight black option. The only other negative on this shoe is that they show the dirt, or at least my black pair do. I usually don’t wash my shoes unless they are really bad but that fine layer of red dust from my local trails takes a while to wear off.

Price wise the RRP of these shoes in Australia is around AUD $280 (often cheaper) which is very similar to other high quality trail runners and trail shoes. Based on previous models from Topo, I would expect these shoes to have a good lifespan as they have currently done around 400km at the time of this review and are showing no real; signs of wear and more importantly the mid foot cushioning is holding up well.

This Topo Athletic Vista model of shoe does everything right from my perspective. It’s comfortable, supportive and shows the durability that Topo shoes are known for. As such when it comes time for a new pair of hiking shoes it will be the Vista. If however you prefer a lower cushioning or different features the n Topo Athletic has a model for you!

We Like

• Very comfortable with good support
• A good degree of protection all round
• Excellent durability
• Stable over a variety of terrain providing good traction and stability
• Reasonably lightweight which reduces the impact on the legs after a long day’s hiking
•  5mm drop which will suit a wide range of hikers
• They breathe well so your feet won’t overheat and will stay dry in all but the wettest conditions but they will also dry reasonably quickly in warm weather if they do get wet
• Works with velcro gaiters such as the Topo Switchback Gaiter,  Dirty Girl or Altra Gaiters
• The sole on these shoes works well with heavy duty gaiters; they almost seem to be designed for it

We Don't Like

• As someone with size 15US feet I need to purchase from overseas which means that they take just that little bit longer to deliver
• The full black colour can show the dirt

Would I wear these shoes for hiking?

Yes, as of late 2025 these are my go-to shoes for my hiking adventures!

Best Use

• This is a great show for hikers who want a good mix of comfort, durability and shoe protection
• For hikers who have a wide forefoot and also want a good layer of cushioning

Buy One

You can purchase the Topo Athletic Vista Men’s Trail Running Shoe online at Amazon Australia or Wild Earth

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through on the above links and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

Investment

AUD $280.00 RRP

Other Versions

• Available in both men’s and women’s sizings
• Topo Athletic also has a range of other shoes suitable for hiking, running and trail running

Topo Athletic Vista Men’s Trail Running Shoe black-lime colour

Topo Athletic Vista Men’s Trail Running Shoe blue-orange colour

Topo Athletic Vista Men’s Trail Running Shoe black colour. While the cushioning is thick its not as thick as this images makes it out to be with the rubber at the sides going about the foot level

Topo Athletic Vista Men’s Trail Running Shoe top view

Topo Athletic Vista Men’s Trail Running Shoe sole view. The white gap in the middle allows for use of full on gaiter if you need

Topo Athletic Vista showing rear velcro gaiter trap

Topo Athletic Vista showing front gaiter hook

Tim in his Topo Athletic Vista Men’s Trail Running Shoe

Disclaimer

This review was done with product purchased by Australian Hiker from a retail store

Last updated

23 November 2025

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