Topo Athletic  Phantom 3 Road-Running Shoes - Women's

I'm not a runner, but bought these shoes to replace some HOKA Speedgoats. I wanted something not so ramped up as the HOKAs that I could wear to the gym for weight training and cardio, and also some walking of 2 miles or so. I usually have a hard time finding a good fit - I have a wide forefoot (bunions) and a not-so-wide heel. These were perfect in my usual size and regular width. I usually have to add inserts, but I found the insoles of these to be enough for my use cases. They are easy to get on/off, and color neutral enough to go with most things. They are lightweight, perhaps not suitable for a lot of miles per day, but are great for my purposes.

For some reason, topo shoes are very hard to find in the wild. I needed to try the phantom 3 on before buying. I have been wearing phantom 2 for a while and it completely fixed my plantar fasciitis. I have tried on many other comparable brands and topo is literally the ONLY shoe I can wear without PF pain. Before buying topo, I couldn’t walk half a mile in my old shoes, now I’m walking/running 7 miles a day and still training pain free. So far, the Phantom 3 feels exactly like the 2. Hopefully I get the same results. I do wish they would make a few other wild color options, but with PF, a functional shoe is a shoe.

When you mention the phrase "toe box" to anyone who isn't a runner, you get some weird looks. But if you, like me, have feet that spread generously as they near the toe, (I was a modern dancer for years), you can really appreciate a big, old, wide toe box. I'm a daily runner and proficient half-marathoner and the Phantom is working really well for me. It is the perfect shoe if you are looking for some cushion, a wide toe box, and a mid-range drop. I broke up with Altra's Torin for this shoe and my feet and calves are much happier now. The Torin's most recent re-design is flawed, I almost instantly wore a hole in the inside back of the heel, and they seem to have decreased the width of the shoe overall.

Love, love, love the wide toe box, but there is too much heel slip. Np matter how I laced the shoes I wore a spot in the insole at the heel in the first month. I added Engo Blister Tape (a little too late) and that really helped keep the shoes comfortable but it's not an ideal solution. If I'm being picky I'll also add that I have a high instep so the tongue doesn't always cover by foot under the laces - I can get it right with fiddling but I wish the shoe itself was a little taller across the instep. If this sounds like I don't like these shoes that's not so - they have nice arch support and are comfortable in a range of temoperatures. I will try another pair in this brand.

Finding a new shoe is tough when your favorite is no longer good enough. I bought these to replace my very worn out Hokas (Stinson ATR 6, which has been some redesigned and doesn’t fit the same) after trying a few different shoes. The toebox is roomier than my Hokas which I love. What I don't like: feet feel like they aren't getting air, even after short (1 mile) walks my feet feel a little sweaty. Also, the area for ball of the foot feels like it has no cushioning, unlike my Hokas. I'm keeping these because I can wear these in the office, the neutral color works well, and they are comfortable enough (and it means I dont need to buy flats too).

I love these shoes. I switched to Altra Lone Peak and do like the zero drop, but I needed slightly more cushion for walking on sidewalks/roads and didn't like the other road cushioned Altra shoes I tried. These are not zero, but still low drop, are very comfortable and still have the wide toe box. I had been looking for another brand that offered the wider toe box and here it is!

love love love these shoes. I have been an Altra Lone Peak fan and still am, but found I sometimes needed a bit more cushioning and a little bit of drop. These are so comfortable with the wide toe box and a little springier... I've had only a few months and am not using them for long runs, so can't attest to hard wear long term but so far so good. MIght buy another pair !

Excellent wide width shoe! Very comfortable and cushion is perfect

So far they are extremely comfortable. After several weeks of wearing them they’re even better. They are the most comfortable walking shoes I’ve ever owned. I have purchased another pair of the same brand in a different color already. Very satisfied! I’ve recommended them to a number of friends.

Phantom 3 do not fit using custom orthodics. Phantom 2 worked just fine with orthodics. Phantom 3 design was changed. There is less height through the foot box. Lace area dug into my foot severely. I even put think bandages on my foot to compensate. Topo....put the phantoms back to the Phantom 2 design please!!