The RW Takeaway: The lightweight Topo Athletic road shoe gets an updated look that makes it even lighter.
- A new, more flexible upper
- Snug and secure heel collar prevents shifting
- More effective lacing system that holds tongue in place
Price: $110
Weight: 8.2 oz (M), 6.9 oz (W)
Type: Road
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Mindful of runner feedback, Topo Athletic has stripped the Fli-Lyte of most of its overlays, deconstructing the second iteration into a lighter, sleeker shoe. “The complaint I had on the Fli-Lyte 2 is that the overlays dig into my foot,” said a tester. “If they could tweak that, the shoe would be much better overall.”
With fewer overlays, the third Fli-Lyte is more flexible and slightly lighter, yet maintains a moderately cushioned feel. One tester compared the Fli-Lyte to Altra’s Escalante, a similar lightweight road shoe favored for its flexibility and minimalistic structure. “I felt like the cushioning was comparable to my Altras, yet offered a little more arch support, which I actually liked,” she said. “I didn’t feel like they were overly cushioned or lacked cushioning in any way.”
Less Cushioned, Light Feel
Topo Athletic promotes “natural running”; its mission is to craft shoes that don’t “fix” your form, but instead, according to its website, “create a shoe that lets your foot be a foot.” This produces a shoe with moderate cushioning that the majority of our wear testers found sufficient—for a lightweight shoe. “The Fli-Lyte has adequate cushioning for most short to moderate runs,” said a tester who has run in Altra’s Escalante and Topo’s Fli-Lyte 2. “On longer runs (10 miles or more), I felt the cushioning wasn’t as good as other shoes I’ve worn.” Runners who prefer little shoe with just enough cushioning to absorb shock, however, described the Fli-Lyte 3 as a perfect fit.
Good Traction
On wet pavement, the shoe didn’t slip, or slide on tough corners. Over shale, gravel, and even brick the shoes were found to be stable; wear testers reported running without issue.
The shoe was satisfyingly durable over the testing cycle, yet we recommend that you keep this road shoe on the, no surprise, road. One tester took to the trail on a 5K race and had a rock that “punctured through the bottom of the shoe and insole.” The Fli-Lyte is a hardy shoe, but we wouldn’t classify it as a hybrid.
Test Impressions
I have a soft spot for lightweight shoes, and the Fli-Lyte has that familiar racy feel I used to strictly wear for all runs. The top of the heel collar felt snug and my foot was secure, signs that point to a dependable trainer.
*Sadly, this match wasn’t meant to be.
On my first 6-mile run wearing the Fli-Lyte, I felt tenderness on both sides of my ankles by mile 3. Then, there was that fearsome rawness at mile 5. I was marked with gnarly blisters. I tried again on a third run with technical socks and Aquaphor slathered on my feet. Again, my 6-mile run was cut short with the quiet, growing intensity of those bubbly monstrosities.
And yet, I seem to be an outlier. Our testers deemed the shoe super comfortable and marathon-approved. “I was surprised at the lack of blisters or signs of irritation on my feet after the race,” said one of our testers who wore the shoes while running the Red Pocono Marathon.
Maybe my feet aren’t as rugged as I originally thought. Or maybe it’s a case of the shoes choosing the runner. Whatever the reason may be, the Fli-Lytes were beloved by our zero-drop, wide-toe-box, lightweight-shoe wear-testing crowd. They just didn’t love me.
*UPDATE: Topo Athletic was kind enough to provide another pair of Fli-Lytes for testing. Even though I was hesitant to lace up in another pair, I’m pleased to say that I’d like to retract my statement above. How can this be so, you may ask? Well, defects happen. After having this experience, I can’t stress enough why it’s important to test out shoes before purchase, or why you should not be afraid to utilize the 30-day trial period (most shoe stores and running companies allow 30 days of gentle wear if you and your shoes just aren’t jiving).
The issue? After careful inspection I noticed there was faulty stitching underneath the footbed in my old pair. Now that I’ve gotten past the fear of blistering my heels, let’s just say me and the Fli-Lytes are getting better acquainted—and that it pays to look under the hood.
Pros
- New improved upper; lighter and more flexible without overlays
- Wide toe box for ample toe room and toe splaying
Cons
- The zero-drop offset and moderate cushioning may make for too much of a ground-feel for some runners
Wear Tester Feedback
Heather M., tester since 2018
Arch: Medium | Gait: Neutral | Footstrike: Heel
“I am a pretty loyal Altra fan, but Topos have been such a great alternative for me. During this testing period, I was training for and ran a 24-hour race. I ran on road surfaces and gravel surfaces in these tester shoes. I’m able to transition easily between my Altra Escalantes and the Topos, which is one of the reasons why I really like them.”
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
