Review on Athletic Zephyr Running Salmon White by Marc Hawkins

I first switched to zero fall shoes including some minimalist hiking shoes about two years ago (favorite: Lems Primal 2s). and slightly more structured yet flexible running shoes (favorites: Altra Escalantes and Kayentas). I haven't been dissatisfied with the shoes I've worn so far, but on a whim I decided to try a different brand of shoes for a change to see what else is out there. Sign in to Topo. I've heard great things about the entire Topo line, including that they offer a low or no drop shoe that promotes a natural landing and leaves plenty of room for natural toe splay (which I've come to love lately). two years), so I decided to try Zephyr. First impressions when we received the pair in the mail were good: • The build quality is first class; very well put together and very high quality materials. • Walking comfort - very comfortable Ortholite sockliner • Durability - the rubber seems to be right where my barefoot foot hits the ground, hopefully making for a durable shoe. • Fit (Length) - true to size. • Tongue – has loops on top that snap into place after lacing and prevent side-to-side shifting; very thoughtful design. Things that were a little different than what I expected based on reviews I read elsewhere were: • Fit (Width) – A little too wide from the midfoot forward. • Fit (toe room) – plenty of room for toes to splay outward, but very tight vertically; My big toes barely have room to move up and down. • Blocking - it is difficult to achieve reliable blocking; My foot kept wanting to slide around in the shoe unless the lacing was uncomfortably tight. • Flexibility. I understand that this shoe is designed for stability so I wasn't expecting the shoe to be too flexible, but the Zephyr is very stiff. compared to what I'm used to and my strong but flexible legs felt rather cramped and restricted compared to the Lems and Altras I've worn over the past few years. • Midsole - super durable; I know these shoes are supposed to be made from multiple layers of foam/materials of different densities, but the EVA, which makes up most of the midsole, has little to no flex for cushioning and flexibility. • Toe spring/rocker. Design - my feet are very well adapted to walking barefoot, so I felt very uncomfortable with my toes constantly pinned up and unable to sit flush with the ground as if they were barefoot. I had the spring/rocker on top idea and I know most shoes have it. Even my Altras have it, although maybe only 15-20° at the toe of the boot instead of nearly 45° up like the Zephyr, which doesn't feel "natural" at all. For comparison, my feet are pretty narrow. between the heel and the center of the arch of the foot and then extend forward from the center of the foot. I'm sure these shoes would probably fit most people with medium/shaped feet very well, but my feet just felt a bit disorienting in them, especially given Topo's claims of promoting the natural landing/gait cycle. It wasn't my experience at all. I'd still like to try some of their slightly less structured boots, but in the meantime I'm more than happy to continue racing in my Lems and Altras.