Topo Athletic Specter 2 Review: A Scary Good Update

What You Need To Know

Introduction to the Topo Athletic Specter 2

ROBBE: Over the past couple of years, electric cars and their corresponding stock prices have swung wildly from hot to cold to somewhere in between. Initially they were the future of everything, the solution to our problems, the promise of a cleaner future. But in solving those problems, more problems arose — the lack of infrastructure and the failure of the federal government to create one, the decline of battery life, the reality that lithium and nickel are mined by children in the Congo, and all that energy has to come from somewhere, mostly from burning coal.

While all that was going on, Toyota was quietly and consistently building a bridge between the past and the future, perfecting and rolling out hybrid models that harnessed the positive of both ICE and electric. Tesla and Rivian are still selling, but there’s a certain peace of mind knowing you won’t be stranded somewhere along I-90 in South Dakota should your electric charge run out.

How does that relate to shoes? Altra is Tesla, and Topo Athletic is Toyota.

When Altra debuted its first shoes over a decade ago, the natural foot shape movement and zero-drop shoes were supposed to solve all runners’ problems. Since then, converts to the church of Flatter Day Saints have evangelized their injury-free status. Their toes were free, unshackled from the uppers that once held them down. Theirs was the way, the truth, and the life.

Then Altra got bought out. They started trimming down their profiles and eventually went full blasphemy with a 4 mm drop Experience line. The no-injury claims may have been a little overdone. Achilles tendinitis entered the chat. Unbelief crept into the congregation.

At the same time, Topo Athletic was steadily writing their own theses, and though they never nailed them to the door of Altra HQ, they created a split within the zero-drop faith. Because theirs was a balance between tradition and reformation — shoes with a slight foot-shaped upper, mostly in the 5 mm drop range. A little bit of Altra, a little bit of the real world.

The shoes were good and getting better, especially the trail side, which was soon adopted by ultrarunners and thru-hikers. The road side was a bit ‘meh,’ but Topo was listening and learning. Then last year, they dropped the Cyclone 2, a lightweight and simple trainer with a full Pebax midsole. It was light and quick, smooth and fun. It felt like the fast shoes of today, just with a lower stack.

At the same time, they released the original Specter, a higher-stack shoe that we honestly found to be average. We didn’t love it. You gotta come with more if you’re trying to compete with the big boys. So that’s what they did.

And here we have the Specter 2, essentially an elevated version of the Cyclone 2. It’s a shoe with a higher stack full of name-brand Pebax, a snug and secure upper, and a lightweight package. You probably already know we’re going to like it. Let’s see how much.

CHAD: I regularly have people reach out to me on Instagram, Reddit, or even Strava, asking me for shoe recommendations for bigger runners. Over the past year, I can’t even recall how many people I have recommended look into Topo Athletic shoes, most often the Phantom 3 or the max stack Atmos. I also referred one person to try the Magnifly 5 because even though the shoe didn’t suit me well, he was looking for something with a low stack and zero-drop midsole.

Given my fandom for all things Topo, I was excited to learn I would be getting the Specter 2 in for testing. The original Specter is arguably Topo’s most popular and adored road shoe among those who have dabbled in the smaller brand (Editor’s note: Not sure where Chad is getting this… we didn’t like the original Specter). Designed to be a lightweight trainer that can handle whatever paces you want to throw at it, the updated Specter 2 tries to build on the impressive performance of the OG model.

The Specter 2 maintains the 5mm drop from the original but gains 2 mm of stack in both the heel (37 mm) and forefoot (32 mm). Despite the increased stack height, the Specter 2 comes in at a mere 7.6 oz. for a US M9, which is half an ounce less than the original. The reason for this is likely the shift from a Pebax in an EVA cradle midsole in the original to a full, 100% Pebax midsole in the Specter 2. All other things remain the same, namely a mesh upper and the anatomical toebox.

What we like about the Topo Athletic Specter 2

ROBBE: I think foot-shaped shoes look dorky, but that’s just me. However, I really do feel like Topo Athletic just nails the fit of their shoes almost every time. It’s nothing inherently special — pretty simple recycled mesh upper and standard lacing. Some nice cushion around the heel collar, but not too much. Whatever it is, I just love the way the upper fits, especially through the heel and midfoot. It’s snug and secure without any pressure points, hot spots, or movement.

The highlight of the shoe is the midsole, a full slab of Pebax (29 in the heel, 24.5 in the forefoot, midsole only). This is the trademarked, name-brand Pebax, not PEBA, or PEBA-based. It is bouncy and responsive, yet not too soft and not too firm. It feels very similar to the midsole in the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4; in fact, it may be hard to tell the difference in a blind run test, though I think the Endorphin may be a touch softer. In that way, you won’t sink into the shoe but you’re also not going to get the direct feedback from firmer shoes like the Asics Magic Speed 4 or Adidas Boston 12.

I took this on a couple of shorter runs of around six miles and a long run of 12 miles, and it was enjoyable all the way through. It’s not a “wow” factor like some of the plated models out there, but it’s just a smooth shoe that goes along for the ride with really no effort. Whether that’s a slower pace, marathon pace, or even a bit faster, it adjusts to wherever you’re trying to go. Part of that is due to its light weight, coming in at 7.8 oz. for my US M7. Topo’s internal specs put it at that weight for a US M9, but that may have been a pre-production model. Either way, an M9 in the low 8 oz. is pretty solid. It’s hard to find shoes in that range that perform this well and that aren’t made for race day.

While I didn’t run in this shoe in the rain, I didn’t have any issues with the zonal rubber placement on the outsole. I think it’ll work, but there’s a lot of exposed foam in the midfoot, so proceed with caution.

CHAD: I’ve yet to put my foot into a Topo shoe that wasn’t supremely comfortable in both upper fit and underfoot feel right out of the box. Topo claims its recycled mesh uppers are secure, lightweight, and breathable, and there are no lies told there. For someone who enjoys having some extra room in the forefoot for the toes to move around without feeling like you’re swimming in the shoe, the Topo fit is legit.

On the run, I really enjoyed the ride of the Specter 2. The heel and forefoot are both aggressively rockered, so the roll-through transition during each stride is smooth, especially for a runner like me who heel strikes at slower paces. Given that my current training consists almost entirely of easy, aerobic base miles, I appreciate a shoe that can handle those miles and pick up the pace if or when necessary. I did throw in a couple of strides toward the end of one of my runs in the Specter 2, and faster tempo paces definitely felt like where this shoe wanted to be.

What we don’t like about the Topo Athletic Specter 2

ROBBE: I love Topo, I do. I think they’re doing some pretty great stuff while staying true to their core values. But damn, are their shoes boring. I’m not sure if it’s the logo, the design, or the fact that a foot-shaped shoe is always gonna look a little clowny. But this is probably the best-looking Topo shoe you’re going to see on the roadside, and that ain’t really a compliment.

I will say, I think there’s a bit of a gap between the natural foot splay and the performance on race day. This is a problem I had with the Cyclone 2 — when you’re really moving and trying to take corners or turns, the wide toe box doesn’t do you any favors. There’s just too much shoe and surface area, and it’s hard to dig in your toes when they’re spread out like a straight flush on the poker table. It’s a minor gripe, but I think it’s important to point it out.

That’s really all I can say about the shoe that’s bad. The weight is right, the underfoot feel is great, and the upper fit is solid. The price point is right there as well.

CHAD: So, to preface this comment, this wasn’t really that big of a negative for me, based on my personal preferences for a shoe; however, I still felt it was worth noting. Despite the midsole of the Specter 2 being 100% Pebax, it was far firmer underfoot than I had anticipated. Topo compares the Specter 2 to the Hoka Mach series and the Saucony Endorphin Speed, both of which I reviewed this year.

This shoe was missing the type of bounce that Hoka was able to get in the supercritical EVA in the Mach 6 and that Saucony has in the PWRRUN PB of the Endorphin series. I read Pebax in the technical specs, and I started to expect bounce and resilience in the midsole. The Specter 2, however, had more of a firm, responsive feel to it. Coupled with the aggressive rocker, it didn’t bother me because I appreciate firmer trainers. However, if I were acquiring this shoe for my workouts, I would be missing that traditional Pebax bounce.

Final thoughts on the Topo Athletic Specter 2

ROBBE: Sometimes simplicity wins. There aren’t a whole bunch of plates and promises in the Topo Athletic Specter 2, but there is Pebax, and it’s just enough to make this a performance shoe that can go the distance. Topo has already been snatching Altra fans, and they’re going to get even more with this one.

This won’t be one of the top-selling shoes of 2024, but it probably should be. It’s the best Topo Athletic road shoe to date, no question. It’s everything you want in a running shoe and nothing that you don’t. Simple and smooth, fast and fun. No need for blind faith, you can keep your eyes wide open with this one.

CHAD: Topo continues its tradition of never letting me down when it comes to the performance and feel of a shoe. Despite not feeling the way I anticipated it would in terms of bounce, the Specter 2 still performed well during my easy mile runs during these hot summer days. I’d say the feel underfoot felt more like the Saucony Triumph 22 than the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 but in a significantly lighter package. The Specter 2 would make a great lightweight trainer that could be deployed for many uses, such as long runs or some tempo work.

You can pick up the Topo Athletic Specter 2 for $165 in August 2024 from Running Warehouse (featuring free shipping and 90-day returns) by using the buttons below.