The Topo Designs X Danner Trail 2650 shoe is a collaboration between a well respected trail shoe maker and a company known for its bold ‘Princess Diana on the Ski Slopes 1985′ color schemes. They have a superb rock plate to keep your feet safe, vibram grippy soles with aggressive lugs and a touch of exotic sports car class with a suede black upper. Look past the gimmicky colors and you’ll find a superb pair of shoes for trail or hiking with an eye on the user being on their feet all day. I also feature this shoe in my Best Shoes for 2020 Guide here. You might also be interested in my recent guide to the best socks for the outdoors here.

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PURCHASE $159.95

In Depth Review

Sometimes a mash up can be so crazy it works. With the Topo X Danner 2650 you get the established reputation and build quality from USA company Danner but with the sassy unapologetic color schemes that have come to be something of Topo Designs calling card. Whatever you think about the initial shock of a shoe that answers the question ‘What if we just did every color on one shoe?’ you cant help but admire the result for its function and look.

What I can’t help keep coming back to is the black suede upper as well. Its just so …unexpected and yet somehow I love it. Despite the color gimmick my biggest surprise with these shoes is they aren’t just good, I think they might be my best find of 2020.

Fabric

Up until now suede shoes only worked on Elvis . I’m used to wearing hiking boots with suede but have never had a trail shoe with a suede upper and I instantly loved it. These shoes BEG to be worn. These are the running shoes you grab when its cold and wet and you don’t want to go out for a walk or run,they are like an excited dog wagging its tail and pointing at the door.

The Topo Danner 2650’s are like a Pimped Mercedes G Wagon….with a Rainbow Vinyl wrap from 1982

Grip

Beneath the mad exterior the Topo X Danner 2650 shoes have a serious heritage and mission statement. They were designed with the Pacific Crest Trail in mind and I think they’ve hit the mark. The grip provided by the vibram soles is superb in both wet and dry conditions, even on wet rock. The grip also has lugs pointing in multiple directions to catch grip even when you are walking or running on an adverse camber.

Rockbuster

If you look underneath the you’ll see a slim yellow plastic guard giving your feet full protection from arch to ball against those small to medium sized sharp rocks that trash feet on softer shoes.

Heel

The heels are ….er…weird. The idea is that they provide stiffness and support for a secure grip round the heel but achieve this by placing the material needed on the outside. It looks weird but it works great and I suspect has a significant effect at reducing blisters on heels for people that suffer from them.

Fit

So I’ve given it some thought on these and here is my verdict. I think they come in a little it narrow at the front of your foot. If you are going to use these for hiking walks for 1 to 2 hours then I would say they are true to size unless you typically opt for wide fit shoes. If you generally opt for wide fit shoes or spend significant chunks of the whole day hiking or running on trails then I’d suggest opting for half a size bigger than normal.

Build Quality

The attention to detail and construction is great. I notice a lot of little things that are tells that a hiking boot company were involved,from the significant rubber front ‘fender’ to the different types of stitching for strength and durability you only usually see on $300 hiking boots. Over time trail shoes tend to give way on the upper near the little toe area from fabric fatigue and by using suede here I suspect these shoes will survive long past the usual 400 to 500 miles I usually get out of other brands.

Cushioning

I haven’t check the specifics but I would rate the cushioning on these as a mid to high level of cushioning. These are geared more towards hikers that spend all day on their feet, or trail runners that go beyond marathon distance. They have an 8mm heel to toe drop which is consistent with many trail shoe manufacturers and will mean you wont have excess strain on your achilles tendon over long distances.

Breathability and Waterproofness

There is some decent ventilation worked through the uppers to help with wicking away sweat, and the outer part of the shoe is well protected against bumps and water. These shoes are not waterproof but they come pretty close, and the suede repels water well like a quality hiking boot would. I tried these out in May so I’ll be interested to see what these are like int he humid heat of a Connecticut Summer.

Gripes

You will probably freak out about the color. I promise you once you are wearing them you’ll mainly see the black suede and you will be won over with how great they are on. Would I have loved these in an all black stealth suede?… absolutely, but they’ve made me smile so now I’m a convert.

Closest Competitor

This one is a bit of a head scratcher for me. The closest shoe that meets the quality, rock plate and ride as this would probably be the On Running Cloudventure for a similar price.

Verdict

This shoe is for trail runners that encounter a lot of rock in the dry and wet. It’ll also suit hikers that want all day comfort and protection but without the weight of a hiking boot. With superb grip, protection with the rock plate and a crazy color scheme and suede upper these shoes are just at home in an urban adventure with a skateboard as they are on a thru-hike on the PCT.

PURCHASE $159.95

It says something that after running in them I gave them a clean when I got home. I’ve never done that before with any shoes. They’ve clearly made an impression on me.

Specs

• Lightweight, durable suede and textile upper
• Breathable mesh lining
• EXO Heel System provides maximum support and comfort with a reinforced external heel counter
• Cushioning open-cell OrthoLite® footbed
• Trailguard platform with exposed TPU shank offers lightweight, athletic performance
• Danner® PlyoGo lightweight, shock-absorbing EVA midsole
• 8mm heel-to-toe drop
• Vibram® 460 outsole with Megagrip technology offers superior grip on wet and dry surfaces
• Available in Men’s and Women’s

Features

Inspired by vintage hiking apparel, the Topo Designs x Danner Trail 2650 is built to do it all and look good doing it.

• 8mm heel-to-toe drop
• Danner® PlyoGo lightweight, shock-absorbing EVA midsole
• Vibram® 460 outsole with Megagrip technology

About Topo

Jedd Rose and Mark Hansen had always been interested in not only spending time outside, but also in the gear needed to get out. They found themselves wishing there was a company offering a lineup a bit more like the gear they grew up using—classic styling, functionality, durability and a clear connection with the brand behind the product. So in 2008, Jedd bought a sewing machine and began concepting, designing, and sewing packs in his Fort Collins basement, while Mark set out around Denver and the front range looking for resources and partners needed to build those designs.

They were lucky enough to find local Colorado folks that were just getting started like them and were willing to build companies together, and worked with them to produce Topo Designs’ initial offering of products, continuing to work with them to this day.