Australian Hiker

While I put a lot of thought and consideration into every piece of gear I choose to take on a long distance hike, without a doubt I put the most effort into choosing my footwear. Each and every hike I do varies and it’s rare that I choose the same pair of shoes for two hikes in a row. The reasons for these changes include the ever changing model updates by the footwear manufacturers as well as the expected trail tread and distance.

My previous shoe of choice was the Altra Olympus 4.0 and I also considered the Altra Timp 3.0. Both are very good shoes but given I am planning on walking nearly 1200 km on the Heysen Trail, I wanted something that would last the full distance. As much as I love the Altra shoes their inability to do the big distances would have meant I needed two pairs to complete the trail.

After spending the past eight months testing different footwear options, I’ve chosen the Topo Ultraventure Pro combined with Superfeet (Blue) Premium Inserts (three pairs). For me this combination provides a beast of a footwear combination that will cope with everything this long trail can throw at me while being comfortable at the same time.

While Topo shoes don’t have the street cred of Altra, they are gaining in popularity. I have found that each of the three models I have tested and used for extended periods have all been great but from my perspective, the Ultraventure Pro is the evolutionary peak of the range to date and one well worth considering.