Topo Athletic Pursuit 3 Review

The Topo Pursuit 3 is a zero drop trail running shoe designed to be cushioned and versatile. It is ideal for runners who want a zero drop platform that allows a more natural midfoot landing and better foot function. When transitioning to zero drop running shoes, or regularly running in them, you must be aware that the more work your body does, the more recovery time it needs before you can stress it again.

A flat, flexible running shoe with no midsole, or a very thin 2-3mm midsole, like a Vivobarefoot or Xero running shoe, will allow more natural foot function. However, this puts the body under more stress, especially if you haven’t been wearing this type of shoe for a while. So, the best approach to get your feet functioning and improve posture is to alternate shoes, or start off with something that doesn’t stress the feet and lower legs quite as much.

Allowing your feet the room to function inside your running shoes and everyday shoes helps to prevent many injuries caused by tight, restrictive shoes and poor posture. Brands like Inov-8, Altra, Topo and VJ Sports have all noticed this and changed their footwear to allow and promote more foot function. In the case of Altra and Topo, the brands have been developed to supply footwear that allows the runner to move with better posture due to the increased foot function their shoes allow.

The Topo Pursuit 3 has a 28mm thick midsole. As the Pursuit is a zero drop running shoe, there is no raised heel, so the midsole is 28mm thick at the heel and 28mm thick in the forefoot. The midsole does curve up at the toe to prevent you from stubbing your toes and to help give the runner more spring at toe off. However, if you aren’t used to zero drop running shoes, then they will feel flat when you first put them on your feet.

BROWSE TOPO ATHLETIC PURSUIT 3

The 28mm of Zip Foam offers the feet some underfoot protection, which allows the runner to cover big distances without getting sore feet. It does reduce how much the feet are stimulated to spread on impact when the foot touches the floor but, as the Zip Foam isn’t too soft, your feet still get the message and will still spread on impact.

If you are new to this type of running shoe, then your feet and lower legs may need time to adapt to doing more work again. In our experience, function comes back gradually over time, and the cushioning will look after you until your feet wake up and start to spread on impact again.

On top of the midsole sits Topo’s FKT insole. This is made of TP beads, which give a surprising level of cushioning for such a thin insole. The insole is nitrogen infused, which means that it is sealed. This prevents air from getting out, giving the insole a nice bit of bounce that doesn’t wear out or become less noticeable when you have been running all day. It also prevents water and grit from getting into the insole, which means the insole lasts longer and doesn’t absorb water, although the nylon cover on top of the insole might absorb a tiny amount of moisture.

The sidewalls of the midsole have been increased when compared to the Topo Pursuit 2. So, in the Pursuit 3, your foot sits inside the midsole. This increases the stability of the Pursuit 3, as the foot is held inside the midsole and will slip around less when running on more broken terrain. However, foot function will be reduced as the foot is now encased in the midsole, which will reduce how much it can spread.

The upper is made of a tightly woven mesh to make the Topo Pursuit 3 abrasion resistant. There is an increased number of printed overlays on top of the mesh when compared with the Pursuit 2. This has made the fit of the Topo Pursuit 3 snugger when compared to the previous version. It feels like it has a better hold of the foot, which reduces how much the foot twists and turns inside the shoes when running on rough ground, or how much the foot slips forward when running on steep descents. The trade-off is that the upper feels slightly less roomy, but the benefit is a more secure hold on uneven ground and descents.

How much of a restriction the new snugger fit causes will depend on the width and volume of your feet. I have a narrow foot and had no issues with the fit of the Pursuit 3. It changes the feel from a comfy pair of slippers I could wear all day to something that feels more like a running shoe. Our female reviewer has much higher-volume and wider feet, and found the Pursuit 3 noticeably snugger than the Pursuit 2, which had suited her foot shape extremely well. So, if you have wide or high-volume feet, then you need to be aware that the Pursuit 3 is slightly snugger fitting than the previous version.

The heel cup and cuff are both well padded. The heel cup has some stiffness to it and gives a snug fit, which is in line with other Topo running shoes. The tongue is similarly well padded. The tongue is also gusseted to help prevent debris from getting into the shoes. The tongue has two tongue stays next to each other, which the laces thread through. This helps to prevent the tongue from moving to one side when running in the shoes.

There is an extra lace hole at the top of the laces. This can be used to make the shoes a snugger fit at the heel, or to butterfly lace the shoes.

There is a Velcro tab on the back of the heel cup and a D-ring at the laces. These facilitate the attachment of gaiters, either Topo’s own gaiters or other brands’ gaiters. Gaiters help to prevent debris from getting into the shoes and can bridge the gap between your running tights and the shoes to make your feet warmer.

The outsole is made from Vibram Megagrip rubber. This offers good traction in the wet and dry. The lugs are 5mm long and use the same pattern that Topo uses for most of its trail running shoes, and has done for a number of years. The 5mm lugs offer good traction on wet ground, but also ride nicely on firmer terrain too, offering a good, versatile level of traction and comfort.

Topo running shoes are a similar length to Altra, Brooks, Saucony and 361. If you use Hoka, New Balance, Karhu, Inov-8 or La Sportiva, then we would suggest trying half a UK size smaller to get a similar fit. For example, a UK 11 in Topo is equivalent to a UK 11.5 in Hoka. The Topo Pursuit 3 weighs 244 grams in a women’s UK5 and 302 grams in a men’s UK8.

The Topo Pursuit 2 was my Sunday long run shoe. The Topo Pursuit 3 has replaced it, offering my narrow feet a similar level of comfort and underfoot protection. I find that running in zero drop running shoes allows my ankles, knees and hips to work more naturally, which means that my legs feel less heavy the day after a long run. This is because, by allowing my feet to function and landing midfoot in the shoes, the load is shared out between all the joints, rather than the feet and ankles being prevented from functioning and the knees and hips getting overworked.

Topo describes the Pursuit 3 as being suitable for technical terrain, but in UK terms I would place it more in the road-to-trail and moderate trail category. The Pursuit 3 is cushioned enough for road-to-trail use and can be used for single tracks with roots and other obstacles in the trail. However, they are a well cushioned, stiff trail running shoe, which means that you don’t have the feel for the ground that you get from a trail running shoe with a lower stack height and more flexibility. They would not be my choice for steep, loose mountain descents such as the screes of Scafell Pike, where a lower, more flexible and more precise trail shoe would give better ground feel. However, if you don’t go off well-made tracks, then, like other trail running shoes of this type, they will give good traction and a comfortable ride.

In summary, the Topo Pursuit 3 has a snugger fit and a slightly more stable feel to the ride when compared to the previous version. For all but those runners with the highest volume and widest feet, this will either make no difference or make the Pursuit 3 feel a bit more part of the foot. The zero drop platform offers a more natural ride while still giving the feet some underfoot protection.

Alternatives to Topo Athletic Pursuit 3

Altra Lone Peak 9+: The Altra Lone Peak is the original zero drop trail running shoe they are more flexible than the Topo Pursuit 3 with a firmer, less cushioned more foot stimulating feel to the ride. There is more volume in the forefoot and the heel and through the midfoot is less fitted. This allows the feet to function more freely but, makes the feel of the fit feel different from most other running shoes. Topo’s have a snug fit at the heel and through the midfoot very similar to other running brands with a broad rounded forefoot. Which is best depends on your level of foot function and your preference. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-lone-peak-9-review/

Inov-8 Trailtalon Zero: A broad rounded toe box allows a good level of foot function. These are much more flexible with a 6mm long lug that bites into soft ground more effectively. If you want to run down the Scree on Scafell Pike or tackle other routes that have more broken terrain or you want a zero drop shoe for trail or cross country racing then these are a better option. However, what they lack is the cushioning and being more flexible they allow more foot function, so your feet and ankles work harder. If you want a zero drop running shoe for the easy Sunday long run then the Topo Pursuit 3 might offer a bit more welcome protection. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/inov-8-trailtalon-zero-review/

Altra Timp 6: A rounded toe box but, a slimmer, snugger fit than the Altra Lone Peak 9+ and the Topo Pursuit 3. The cushioning is inline with the Pursuit 3 but, the Timp 5 doesn’t have the same traction on softer ground and is therefore less versatile. Browse Altra Timp 6