Topo Specter 2
The Topo Specter 1 was a good shoe for me but I feel like it had a slight personality disorder. It used a traditional EVA midsole but had a core of Pebax. I think the idea was to replicate feel of a plated shoe…in general I don’t think it worked the way it was designed. The Specter 2 features a full Pebax midsole and is, in my opinion, a much better shoe as a result.
The Specs
Men: 8.1 oz
Women: 7.0 oz
Drop: 5 mm
MSRP: $165
The Breakdown
The Outsole
There is not a whole lot of outsole on this shoe, but it is placed in key locations to provide traction during the run and keep the midsole from being eaten up by the pavement. The rubber is thicker than you might guess looking at photos of the shoe and in general has held up very nicely when getting the miles in on this shoe. This shoe is built to be a road running tempo shoe so the outsole reflects that. It isn’t made to provide the traction on multiple surfaces the way some of their other shoe lines are.
The Midsole
The Specter 2 features a full length Pebax midsole which provides plenty of cushion and lots of bounce for a variety of tempos. There is a nice subtle rocker geometry in this shoe which gives some extra forward propulsion and a very nice flair in the heel which adds stability to the shoe. Pebax is such an interesting material because it can be configured in so many ways and while I have come to expect plates in tempo shoes, I think that Topo has built a great tempo shoe that doesn’t need a plate to get that tempo feel. The Topo arch is generally one of the most aggressive arches on the market and sits just a little further back in the shoe relative to other brands.
The Upper
This upper combines some of my favorite features into one shoe. We’ve got great cushion in the heel collar and tongue which really locks the foot into the shoe. The rest of the upper is incredibly thin and light, which makes it beautifully breathable and a delight to run in during the long Houston summer training sessions (summer lasts about 11 months here). The tongue isn’t gusseted but has a double loop for the laces to go through rather than a single in the center of the tongue and so the tongue stays anchored perfectly in place on the run. There is plenty of volume in the shoe and the upper so no matter how far you’re running, and no matter how much your foot swells, it feels like there is always plenty of room.
The Fit
The shape of this shoe gives a sense of lots of extra volume and it can be tempting to size down, but I recommend purchasing this shoe true to size.
Run and Walk
This shoe is built to be an up tempo trainer. The Pebax midsole has plenty of bounce and in my rotation I use this shoe for easy runs up through tempo sessions.
As this doesn’t have a plate if you have a history of injury I think it’s a solid choice for an up tempo shoe that should help you avoid the injury potential that sometimes comes with a plated shoe. It has a smooth ride and feels very consistent when I’m pushing into harder paces for longer durations.
All Topo shoes have that wider toe box to accommodate a more natural foot shape and allow the toes to open during the run. This wider forefoot combined with a flair in the heel make this shoe remarkably stable through the paces. Some up tempo shoes feel a little wobbly when you’re in a recovery zone, but whether walking or pushing the pace, I feel quite stable moving through my stride. Topo doesn’t have a carbon shoe so I think that the Cyclone 2 works really well for the 5k/10k racing and i recommend using the Specter 2 for the half marathon and above. The midsole has plenty of bounce and whether you race in the shoe or go with something more aggressive, it will feel great on those long run or long tempo sessions in the training cycle.
I really like how breathable the upper is. Even on my run today though it was cooler, I managed to step in a puddle and while my foot was wet it dried quite quickly without holding that moisture against the foot. This upper saves weight compared to the previous version and also just feels better in all weather conditions for me.
Make it stand out
Walkers, I think this is a really fantastic option for you. The rocker profile creates a very smooth stride and even though the outsole leaves a fair amount of exposed midsole, you’ve got plenty of grip through the stride even in wet conditions.
The Gym
If you’re doing basic strength using machines and free weights, I generally don’t have an issue using this one in the gym. I feel very comfortable hopping off the treadmill and getting my lifting done, though the rocker profile in this shoe be a potential issue for some lifts if you’re going heavier.
My favorite gym shoe is also from Topo, the ST-5. It’s a zero drop shoe with very minimal cushion, but man, if you’re lifting heavy, check that one out.
Daily Life
I think the Specter makes a fantastic choice for daily wear. The only limitation for this shoe in my opinion is color choice. Topo is a smaller brand so with a company like Brooks we will see 10-12 color choices at any given point in the season, with Topo I expect to see 3-4 colors across the year. The higher arch in Topo could be an issue to consider if you’re wearing the shoe all day. I personally really enjoy the higher arch and the arch placement in this shoe, but it might not be for everyone. If you’ve worn Topo before the transition from any of their other shoes should feel pretty seemless, but if you've not worn their shoes before, I definitely recommend trying them on first.