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  1. #1
    Registered User
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    Default Need help, 0mm heel drop, wider toe box trail shoe

    Reaching out to the Whiteblaze think tank for some help. I am looking for a trail shoe to hike/trail run in. As much as I love ultra for their road shoes, I was unable to make the lone peaks or superior's work despite my best efforts.

    I've tried on one pair of Hoka's with a 4mm heel drop at a shoe store out of town, but wasn't impressed enough to take them home.

    I'd like to stay as close to 0mm heel drop as I can and Altra's wide toe box has me feeling that every other shoe just jams my toes together. Also, I don't really care for the overly "squishy" cushion shoes.

    Where should I start next?

  2. #2
    Journeyman Journeyer
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    Default

    Take a look at Topo. https://www.topoathletic.com/
    Also you might try the Timp in the Altra line.

  3. #3

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    Tried the Altra Olympus? Supposedly beefy like a Hoka, but might not be as squishy.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by AllDownhillFromHere View Post
    Tried the Altra Olympus? Supposedly beefy like a Hoka, but might not be as squishy.
    I haven't. Just ordered the Timp's to give them a shot. If that doesn't work I'll try those. Thank God for Amazon returns.

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by molliesmaster View Post
    ...I'd like to stay as close to 0mm heel drop as I can and Altra's wide toe box has me feeling that every other shoe just jams my toes together. Also, I don't really care for the overly "squishy" cushion shoes.

    Where should I start next?
    I will never go back to a narrow toe box. Its one of the key factors in why i switched to Altra too for most on maintained trail Ul backpacking and hiking. I still run in Hoka though. I like the high cush of both but it took me time to get the Altras right.

    Based on the little you offered I'd second Grubbster's suggestion exploring the high cush Timps.

    My goto Altra is the Olympus model but it's max cush so you may not like the feeling as it can be similar to the same in Hokas.

    I have to be carefuel switching to LP Neoshell light cush on ocassion. I like Neoshell and again the wide toe box paired with light to med wt WP HANZ and SealSkinz in cold weather shallow snow.

    For going off trail and in more abrasive hiking terrain with lower MPD avgs I switch to Keens for their very wide toe boxes. For less abrasiveness lowish mile days on shorter trips I like the Hoka Tor Tech Series with thin socks.

    Topo designs mimic - copycat -the Altras taking much from their designs.

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by molliesmaster View Post
    ...I'd like to stay as close to 0mm heel drop as I can and Altra's wide toe box has me feeling that every other shoe just jams my toes together. Also, I don't really care for the overly "squishy" cushion shoes.

    Where should I start next?
    I will never go back to a narrow toe box. Its one of the key factors in why i switched to Altra too for most on maintained trail Ul backpacking and hiking. I still run in Hoka though. I like the high cush of both but it took me time to get the Altras right.

    Based on the little you offered I'd second Grubbster's suggestion exploring the high cush Timps.

    My goto Altra is the Olympus model but it's max cush so you may not like the feeling as it can be similar to the same in Hokas.

    I have to be carefuel switching to LP Neoshell light cush on ocassion. I like Neoshell and again the wide toe box paired with light to med wt WP HANZ and SealSkinz in cold weather shallow snow.

    For going off trail and in more abrasive hiking terrain with lower MPD avgs I switch to Keens for their very wide toe boxes. For less abrasiveness lowish mile days on shorter trips I like the Hoka Tor Tech Series with thin socks.

    Topo designs mimic - copycat -the Altras taking much from their designs.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by molliesmaster View Post
    I haven't. Just ordered the Timp's to give them a shot. If that doesn't work I'll try those. Thank God for Amazon returns.
    Happy with Timps so far...far roomier toe box than current LP...usual rubber peeling at toe though...


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    GAME 06
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dogwood View Post
    I will never go back to a narrow toe box. Its one of the key factors in why i switched to Altra too for most on maintained trail Ul backpacking and hiking. I still run in Hoka though. I like the high cush of both but it took me time to get the Altras right.

    Based on the little you offered I'd second Grubbster's suggestion exploring the high cush Timps.

    My goto Altra is the Olympus model but it's max cush so you may not like the feeling as it can be similar to the same in Hokas.

    I have to be carefuel switching to LP Neoshell light cush on ocassion. I like Neoshell and again the wide toe box paired with light to med wt WP HANZ and SealSkinz in cold weather shallow snow.

    For going off trail and in more abrasive hiking terrain with lower MPD avgs I switch to Keens for their very wide toe boxes. For less abrasiveness lowish mile days on shorter trips I like the Hoka Tor Tech Series with thin socks.

    Topo designs mimic - copycat -the Altras taking much from their designs.
    I was told a few days ago by the saleswoman selling me a pair of Topo's that the founder of Topo was one of the founders of Altra and started Topo due to disagreements with the other owners of Altra over shoe designs. So it sort of makes sense they would have some similarities.

    I am in the process of breaking myself in to the Topo Mtn Racer shoe to see if it will be better for me than the Altra's. I am having some foot/ankle issues after wearing the Altra's only for several years.

    I will do a shoe report on them after I get a few hundred miles on them.

  9. #9
    Registered User One Half's Avatar
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    New Balance Minimus
    https://tinyurl.com/MyFDresults

    A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~Paul Dudley White

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wyoming View Post
    I was told a few days ago by the saleswoman selling me a pair of Topo's that the founder of Topo was one of the founders of Altra and started Topo due to disagreements with the other owners of Altra over shoe designs. So it sort of makes sense they would have some similarities.

    I am in the process of breaking myself in to the Topo Mtn Racer shoe to see if it will be better for me than the Altra's. I am having some foot/ankle issues after wearing the Altra's only for several years.

    I will do a shoe report on them after I get a few hundred miles on them.
    The founder of Topo worked for Vibram not Altra. He was the guy that popularized the Fivefingers. To Po = Tony Post.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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