Topo Athletic Pursuit 2 Review

The Topo Pursuit 2 is a well-cushioned, zero-drop trail running shoe designed to provide reliable traction on a wide range of surfaces, from soft ground to hard-packed trails. Like all Topo shoes, the Pursuit 2 is built to let your feet function naturally within the shoe. This allows runners to benefit from the natural stability, cushioning, and propulsion that the foot is designed to offer.

Topo’s signature wide, rounded toe box gives your feet space to expand on impact. This expansion helps stretch the plantar fascia along the bottom of the foot, absorbing shock and then recoiling to spring you into your next stride. Allowing your feet to move and function naturally in the shoe can help strengthen them over time and reduce the risk of running-related injuries.

Heel-to-forefoot drop across the Topo range varies from 5mm to zero, all aiming to promote a more natural, midfoot landing. The Pursuit 2 is a true zero-drop shoe, meaning the heel and forefoot are at the same height. This creates a stable platform—ideal for navigating uneven, broken trails. The stack height remains at 28mm, the same as the original Pursuit, which proved popular. To preserve that success, Topo kept the geometry but upgraded the midsole foam to a new version of ZipFoam. The updated foam is lighter, softer, and more flexible, offering a more natural feel straight out of the box.

As with most brands that design shoes for natural foot function, the cushioning isn’t overly soft. Your foot still needs to sense ground contact to know when to spread. While the midsole in the Pursuit 2 is softer than its predecessor, it avoids feeling mushy. Instead, it strikes a balance—providing a cushioned yet responsive ride.

BROWSE TOPO ATHLETIC PURSUIT 2

Cushioning is further enhanced by the new FKT insole, made from a beaded closed-cell foam—similar to what Inov-8 uses in several of their newer models. The sealed base of the insole prevents air from escaping, giving it a bouncier feel without the compression often seen in thicker midsoles. The sealed structure also keeps water, grit, and dirt out, helping it dry faster and maintain durability over time. Despite its performance benefits, the insole is thin enough to preserve ground feel, enabling agility and responsiveness over technical terrain.

The heel cup is firm and supported by an external structure that helps maintain its shape over time. Padding around the heel, collar, and tongue is sufficient to provide a snug, comfortable fit without being overly bulky or prone to absorbing water. The tongue is held in place by two tongue stays, which are effective at preventing slippage or lateral movement—especially useful on uneven terrain.

The upper is constructed from tightly woven mesh that resists abrasion and prevents dirt from entering the shoe. This enhances durability and minimizes the risk of wear holes caused by internal grit or debris.

The outsole features the same proven 6mm lug pattern found on the Topo Mountain Racer and Terraventure models. These lugs perform well on hard-packed trails while also providing decent grip on softer ground. Their spacing helps prevent mud from clogging the tread. The outsole is made from Vibram Megagrip, a soft, sticky rubber that delivers strong traction in both wet and dry conditions. In practice, this outsole provides excellent grip across most trail scenarios, though the lugs aren’t aggressive enough for very muddy cross-country or fell races. Still, the Pursuit 2 is versatile enough for the varied terrain of a typical British winter—handling wet, greasy paths and firmer sections with equal confidence. The lugs aren’t felt through the midsole, preserving underfoot comfort.

Topo includes a D-ring at the base of the laces and two plastic loops on the heel to allow for easy attachment of Topo gaiters, which help prevent debris from entering the shoe.

The Pursuit 2 is ideal for long runs and everyday trail use. It’s also become a popular option for long-distance walking, offering solid underfoot protection. One benefit of shoes that allow natural foot function is reduced swelling during prolonged use, which in turn helps minimise rubbing and discomfort. On long Sunday runs, I found the cushioning and structure of the shoe felt the same at the end as at the beginning—a consistency not always found in softer shoes, which can compress and flatten out as your legs tire.

This consistent performance also held up on long hikes. Whether on a hot summer’s day in the Brecon Beacons or a wet, rugged day on High Street in the Lake District, the Pursuit 2 remained comfortable and supportive. Despite the relatively thick midsole, the shoe is flexible enough to adapt to uneven terrain or sloped trails without pushing the foot uncomfortably.

While the Pursuit 2 doesn’t have the feel of a racing shoe, its natural midfoot strike promotes an efficient stride. I found I could maintain a steady pace without feeling like the shoe was holding me back. They felt light on the foot—men’s UK 8 weighs 298g, and women’s UK 5 weighs 244g—which led me to use them for some faster, mixed-terrain steady runs.

In terms of sizing, Topo runs similarly to Altra, 361, Saucony, VJ, and Brooks. If you’re coming from Hoka, New Balance, Inov-8, La Sportiva, or Karhu, consider going down half a UK size for a similar fit. If you’re not used to shoes with a broad, rounded toe box, the forefoot may feel roomy at first. Compared to Altra, Topo shoes offer a more secure fit through the midfoot and heel. If you’re accustomed to narrow, pointed shoes, your feet may not fully splay on impact initially—but that’s not a problem. The cushioning provides comfort during the transition, and over time your feet are likely to adapt and begin functioning more naturally.

Conclusion

The Topo Pursuit 2 is a highly versatile trail shoe, well-suited for everything from ultra-distance runs to everyday trail training. It offers a balanced mix of cushioning and ground feel, with traction that handles both soft and firm terrain. While the shoe can manage stretches of tarmac, the softer Megagrip rubber may wear faster than standard road shoe outsoles if used too frequently on pavement. That said, it remains an excellent choice for runners and walkers seeking comfort, stability, and natural foot movement across varied trail conditions.

Other Considerations

Inov-8 TrailFly: 6mm heel to forefoot with a thicker midsole which makes them feel a bit springier and a better option if you have to cover some tarmac. Available in two widths Men’s and Women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/inov-8-trailfly-review/

Altra Lone Peak: The Altra Lone Peak is also zero drop with a broad rounded toe box. The main difference is in the feel of the cushioning. The Lone Peak has a lot more ground feel which makes it feel nimbler. However, for some runners this makes then a bit too firm for use on tarmac or really firm hard packed trails. Like the Topo Pursuit the Lone Peak has become a popular long distance walking shoe and is now commonly seen on UK trails. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-lone-peak-9-review/

Inov-8 TrailFly Speed: 4mm heel to forefoot with a broad rounded toe box. Only available currently in the wider fit which puts the fit on par with Topo (although I found a UK 11.5 in Inov-8 was a similar length to a UK 11 in Topo). The cushioning isn’t as deep and similar to the Lone Peak is great on the trails but might be, a bit firm if you have to do a few miles of tarmac during a mixed run for some runners. The stud pattern is flatter, so they aren’t quite as grippy on soft ground but, still good. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/inov-8-trailfly-speed-review/

New Balance Hierro: A versatile road to trail shoe. Doesn’t have the traction on wet trails and the upper isn’t durable enough for rough mountain tracks. Available in three width Men’s and two width Women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/new-balance-fresh-foam-x-hierro-v9-review/

VJ MaXX 2: A nimble feeling shoe that has some spring in the midsole. The traction is good on a variety of surfaces. The cushioning is OK on tarmac but, not a plush and soft as the Topo Pursuit 2. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/vj-sport-maxx2-review/

Hoka Speedgoat: Soft feel to the cushioning with a rocker that helps maintain a quick cadence. The traction is versatile enough to give some grip on soft ground although the lugs tend to clog up easily. Available in two width Men’s and two width Women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/hoka-speedgoat-6-review/

NNormal Tomir 2: A similar versatile level of grip. The cushioning is much springier which takes away from the ground feel as does the curved shape to the midsole. The fit is also much narrower. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/nnormal-tomir-2-review/

La Sportiva Jackal II BOA: The BOA fastening and built in gaiter set these a part from most other trails shoes. The cushioning is good enough for road to trail but, has maintain some feel for the ground. The grip is good but, the flatter stud doesn’t bite quite as well as the outsole of the Topo Pursuit 2 on softer trails. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/la-sportiva-jackal-ii-boa-review/