Topo Athletic  Trailventure Hiking Boots - Women's

These may be the best hiking boots I’ve ever had. I have been wearing a certain top brand for many years, thinking I couldn’t find anything that felt better, but these Topos are incredible. They were very comfortable from the moment I put them on. I wore them around the house to break them in a bit, but they really didn’t need it. They have just the right amount of cushion (comfort) and support (rigidity). The boots have great tread, which is especially important to me, because I live in rocky Pennsylvania. Interestingly, my favorite – and most supportive – pair of sneakers has this same Vibram sole technology, and I suspect it’s not a coincidence that I find both sets of footwear to be so comfortable. In addition to sturdy and forgiving tread, the insoles offer great arch support. The boots have a perfectly shaped toe box with a little extra length at the big toe (one of my female hiking buddies noticed and commented on this) and just the right width for me. I have been hiking on rocky trails a few times since receiving these boots. I have also walked on pavement in my neighborhood – something that usually isn’t that comfortable for me when I’m wearing hiking boots – and they consistently felt great. In warm weather, I normally can’t stand to wear my regular hiking boots (I’m a heat wimp). I typically wear my sports sandals to hike. That’s not ideal, because you get a lot of little pebbles, debris and mud underfoot when wearing sandals. These Topos are nice and breathable and lightweight enough to wear in warmer weather, so I’m getting comfort and protection all in one. I do find that I need thinner socks to reduce the warmth. My usual size in street shoes worked perfectly with these boots. I got the raspberry color, which is fun. I recommend studying the photos of how to lace up the boots. Mine came pre-laced, but the last couple of loops were done incorrectly. It does make a difference.

These are light, comfortable shoes with a wide, stubby toe box that provided lots of wiggle room and made my feet look small. However, after less than a month of occasional wear the reinforcing strip that wraps the uppers had one spot where it was coming unglued and another where the strip developed a cut. Both were at the base of a big toe where the shoe creased with every step. I could understand that happening at 300 miles of trail walking, but not at 20 miles of mowed grass and streets.