The Best Shoes For Road Walking: Topo Specter 2 Review

Over the last few years of backpacking across the USA and Canada I’ve really managed to dial in my gear. I’ve tested out all sorts of different equipment, looking for what works best for me. I was fortunate though to have found a pair of shoes that I loved very early on in my thru hiking career. In 2017 on the Pacific Crest Trail I tried on loads of pairs. Then fell in love with the men’s Topo Terraventure shoes. At the time I believe it was the model 1s!

The wide toe box fit perfectly on my swollen feet. I had struggled to find shoes that work and had dealt with some insane blisters at the start of that trip. It was my first thru hike and I was still figuring things out. And over the years I would change up a lot of my gear. But one thing remained the same. I always used the Topo Terraventure shoes. After the first model I tried out the second, third, and then fourth. All of which worked perfectly for me as well.

All of the gear I’m using for the border to border calendar year triple crown. Everything is important, but the most essential piece of gear is the right pair of shoes.

This year I’m embarking on my biggest thru hike to date. I’ve completed the triple crown trails; the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and then the Continental Divide Trail. In 2023 I also walked the entire Eastern Continental Trail which goes from Key West, Florida to Northern Newfoundland in Canada. But this year I will be tackling all of the triple crown trails again! Attempting the “border to border” calendar year triple crown.

Starting the border to border calendar year triple crown in Key West on January 1st.

This means starting down in Key West and going north to the Canadian border. Then doing the PCT and CDT after that. I plan to use my Topo Terraventure shoes for most of the trip. But after having walked across Florida before, I knew I might want to try something different for all of the road walking. The first few hundred miles in Florida is mostly all along road. Which can be quite rough and unforgiving on your body. But on your feet more than anything.

Even after 7 brutally long days of road walking my feet were still feeling great.

Topo makes some road shoes with thicker more cushioned bottoms, so I decided to give one of those a try. I looked at the different specs and wound up deciding on the Specter 2 shoes in a men’s model. I generally prefer men’s shoes because they are a bit wider around the toe. But that’s just me!

So far I have completed the Oversees Heritage Trail which is 108 miles of entirely road walking through the Keys. Then I got onto the Florida trail connector trail. Which is almost 100 more miles of road walking north of the Keys and up toward the Oasis Visitor center in Big Cyprus. Which is where the Florida trail then starts.

For those 200~ miles I went out of the gate swinging. Trying to average about 30 miles a day right off the bat. In the first week I did 32 miles, 26 miles, 29 miles, 33 miles, 34 miles, 24 miles, and then 13 miles. That was just how the mileage worked out to find camping each night and arrive at the Oasis Center in time for the annual Florida Trail kick off event on the 7th day. An annual hiker gathering which I knew would be very fun and I didn’t want to miss.

Even after hiking 34 miles yesterday and 33 miles the day before, I was ready to do another 24 miles today! These road shoes are keeping my feet happy and healthy.

Those days were long and difficult. I felt a lot of tightness in my hips and knees as I acclimated back to big mile days. Road can be very hard on your body, as it has no give at all. It just pounds down on your joints in very repetitive motions. But one thing was for sure, the shoes did the trick. The Specter 2 shoes provided so much cushion and support. Even after doing monster days of walking my feet still felt great and without issue. In the past my feet typically become a bit sore after about 20 miles of road walking. Even after hiking for months straight, that still usually happens consistently. But the cushion of these shoes helped me to push longer and harder each day without feeling any issue.

The cushion of these shoes is the most critical component which makes them ideal for road walking.

I love the fit and color of the men’s Specter 2 shoes.

I’m going to continue to wear them heading north, so we will see how they hold up and work on standard trail and through swampy sections. But they are certainly the perfect shoe for long stretches of road walking. I wish I had had them for sections of the CDT and the International Appalachian trail in Canada. I’d definitely recommend them if you’re doing the IAT, which involves over 1,000 miles of road walking. As well as the New Mexico section of the CDT which his almost all dirt and paved roads as well.

The soles of these shoes are still looking fantastic after ~200 of hard road walking.

Once I’m back on the Appalachian trail I will be going back to the Topo Terraventure shoes. Their vibram soles provide a lot of traction on rock and tough terrain. And they also wear incredibly well and hold out for big miles. But on any trail which involves extensive road walking, such as the Florida trail, the Specter 2s will be my new go to!

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